Page 42 of Becoming Cinderella

“Brush off?” I drop my jaw dramatically. “I haven’t brushed you off.” I turn to a pile of graphic t-shirts to start tagging them when Jared grabs the tagging gun from my hands. I let out an annoyed huff, glaring at him. “Jared!”

He puts his elbows on the pile of clothes as he leans towards me instead. “That right there was a brush off. I mean, that closet doesn’t even have a lock, how did you even get locked in?” He raises his right eyebrow, seeming suspicious.

“It has a lock,” I say with full confidence. At least it does now, since Liam switched out the knobs. I just need to try to convince Jared that it always has had one. “We’ve just never needed to lock it before, so you probably just never noticed.”

Jared nods, accepting this explanation and I let out a small sigh of relief.

“I still think you’re hiding something from me.”

I am. I’m hiding the way I’ve felt about him for years. I’m hiding the truth about Jared’s feelings from Penn. I’m hiding the fact I’ve been a huge Liam Taylor fan from the moment I knew who he was. Not to mention I am basically living a double life right now where my parents are concerned. I am weaving a growing web of lies, keeping secrets from those I care most about, and it’s exhausting.

“No Jared, I’m not dating Liam. We accidentally got locked in the closet, it doesn’t mean anything. He’s just a friend.”

He looks at me like he doesn’t believe me, so I pull a face at him.

“Just a friend? Yeah, right. I know he’s usually your phone wallpaper. And let’s see, didn’t you once say something on Twitter about how you could swim in his eyes?”

My eyes go wide as I hold up a hand to stop him. “Oh my gosh, stop!” I can feel the heat rising in my cheeks, knowing full well I had tweeted that and many other similar things regarding Liam. I had no idea Jared had seen them!

“You’re telling me the guy you think has the most kissable lips is spending time with you and you haven’t tested out your theory?” He gives me a pointed look, a challenge to admit he’s right.

“That’s exactly what I’m telling you.” I move around him to go fold shirts or hang up clothes or something that isn’t in a close proximity to him. Maybe he’ll drop the subject if I do.

Jared steps into my path to block me. “Come on Carter, it’s me. You know you can trust me.”

“And it’s me,” I meet his eyes, but for some weird reason they don’t cause a small electric spark in my stomach like usual. That’s…new. “I promise you, nothing is going on between me and Liam.”

Except maybe now a better understanding of each other.

“Fine, keep your secrets, Adams.” He reaches towards the computer and grabs a can of Dr. Pepper that I haven’t noticed next to it. He holds it up for me to see before he sets it on the counter next to me.

“Uh oh. Emergency Dr. Pepper.” I glance at it, afraid to pick it up. Is he going to try to bribe me to tell him about why I’ve really been hanging around Liam? Because no amount of Dr. Pepper’s will make me talk.

“I’m just hoping if you haven’t talked to Penn yet, this will be the bribe to get you to do it.”

I stare at the can, unable to meet his eyes. He is making it real hard to stay in denial about the knowledge he has feelings for my best friend.

“It’s just, Homecoming is coming up and I would really like to ask Penn. I just don’t know how she’ll take it. I mean, if you think I should just ask her, then I will.”

I pick up the Dr. Pepper and open it, taking a drink from it like it has the powers to numb my insides.

“I’m sorry Jared. I just haven’t had the right opportunity to talk to her about it.” I know my time is running out on how many more times I can get away with this excuse.

“That’s okay, I get it.” Jared starts picking up the shirts he had dumped on the counter. “If you can talk to her soon, I’ll appreciate it. If not, don’t sweat it. I’ll just risk the humiliation of being turned down and ask her anyway.”

Jared can’t ask her. Not yet. Not when my plans thus far to win over his heart haven’t worked out. Is there a point I will also just have to risk the humiliation of being rejected and tell Jared how I feel? On top of the possible humiliation, what will Penn think if Jared asks her and she finds out I’ve known this whole time that he likes her? Best friends aren’t supposed to keep secrets from each other.

I haven’t wanted to tell her though because I’m worried she’ll tell me I need to talk to Jared. That she’ll tell Jared she isn’t interested and he’ll ask someone else to the dance. Someone who isn’t me.

I don’t want to keep this from her anymore though. I need my best friend.

Maybe it’s time I make my web of lies slightly smaller.

I start picking at my teal fingernail polish, trying to distract myself from the conversation I am going to have to have. I have no idea how she is going to react and I am not looking forward to finding out.

I end up driving straight to her house after work, needing to tell her before I can convince myself to further delay the conversation.

Penn’s mom lets me in, directing me upstairs to Penn’s room where she sits at her small white desk in her corner. I knock on her opened door to get her attention. She pulls out one of her headphones to look back at the door but yanks them both out when she sees it’s me.

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