Page 2 of Third and Ten

I almost blurt my thoughts out loud while she’s still looking at me. Then I think about saying something nice to her, maybe even making her laugh at Landry’s expense, but stupid Summer interrupts again.

What could Blake want with Summer when there are girls like Tenley in his class?

“I asked you where your brother went,” Summer repeats, and Tenley finally looks away, to my dismay.

“I, uh, well…I don’t know.”

“Then help me find him,” Summer whines, grabbing me by the hand and pulling me along.

And this is what I get for trying to suck up to Blake. No doubt I’m getting my ass kicked later.

She drags me around as we continue searching for my brother, and I notice a minute later that Landry and Tenley are looking for someone, too.

Eventually, Blake emerges from the pool house—along with Landry’s sister, Loren—only to walk into some kind of standoff with Landry. I have no clue what’s going on, but I would like the chance to knock Landry out for making his girlfriend feel so bad earlier.

I make my way over, purposefully bumping his shoulder. But Blake doesn’t notice because he’s too busy watching helplessly as Tenley leads Loren away.

I turn to shoot Landry a warning glare. How many people does this jerk need to hurt in a single night before one of us fights back?

Then I remember that we’re practically the same size, despite a three- or four-year age difference. I’m just about to call him out when Blake steps in.

“Come on, bruh, we’re leaving,” he commands.

I stare at Blake for a second, trying to convey how badly I need to wipe the smirk off Landry’s face, but the look I get in return says, stay out of it.

I settle for throwing my shoulder into Landry’s again as I trail my brother, disappointed that he seems more interested in chasing Loren than sticking around to give Landry what he deserves. I use the opportunity to catch one more glimpse of Tenley as her blond ponytail bounces behind her, and the next thing I know, my brother is laying Landry Reed out with a single sucker punch.

* * *

TENLEY

“Lo…I’m sorry,” I say, my cheeks reddening. “And not just about whatever that was back there with Blake Bourgeois.”

But my best friend only nods and continues crying softly. She can’t even face me. And I deserve it because I’m the jerk who ditched her for her older brother. Although she’s known about my crush on Landry for years and how badly I’ve been wanting him to give me my first kiss, I did technically abandon her for the one person she hates the most.

Because I’m the worst.

And after the news I got this morning, you’d think I’d be nicer.

“I mean it. I shouldn’t have gone off with Landry. If it makes you feel any better, he ruined the moment by trying to steal second front of everyone,” I explain.

She sighs, crossing her arms and kicking a loose rock on the edge of the driveway as we wait for my older sister, Tessa, to give us a ride home. “It doesn’t make me feel better, Ten. It just makes me want to kick him in the junk for trying to take advantage of you,” she mutters, her smirk betraying her.

“I wouldn’t stop you,” I return, and she finally looks up and grins.

“Can we pretend you aren’t talking about my brother for a minute so you can tell me what it’s like?”

I roll my eyes but humor her. “Weird. Sort of gross. Kind of fun at first, but then things got sloppier and more uncomfortable as it went.”

“Of course it was gross! You wasted your first kiss on Landry, you ding-dong.”

I elbow her softly, trying to hide my smile. “Don’t worry. I think I’ve gotten him out of my system for good. You’re still my favorite Reed.”

“That bad, huh?” she asks, chuckling.

“Yeah. I’m not sure I’m built for kissing,” I return. “But I couldn’t enjoy it, anyway, not when I felt like I’d betrayed you. I really am sorry.”

“I know,” Loren says, her tone soothing as she yanks my arm down and squeezes it. It’s as close as I’ll let her get to hugging me. I’m still not sure why I thought I’d enjoy dancing with a boy or even kissing one when I’ve always been a huge fan of personal space.

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