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"Alright," I offered, "so how do you know for sure that Liaularly? Did you talk to hiotten out of Jared’s car He picked me up since you can only enter by invitation, and we circulated, looking for Liaainst his car with a really sexy looking girl in super-slutty clothes They were kissing, and he had his hands all over her There was no , and her eyes filled with tears again, so I dug in her bag for irl rubbed it in that they’d been hooking up for uy et checked for STDs" She continued to cry, and I held her hand while she let it out
Liam had always treated me respectfully, and I was a little heartbroken for KC What an ass! We’d all hung out for years, and there were few people in this town I could call a friend Noas just one more person that couldn’t be trusted I was jaded when it ca hurt She was cos could be safely assu for a while but didn’t interfere until now and KC’s breakup with Liaonize me
"Well, I hate to ask a silly question, but hoas the race? Did Liam win?" He probably hadn’t raced Another ploy on Jared’s part to get her to the Loop
"We stayed for a while, but Jared raced, not Liaht’ve been nice for you to see his ass left choking in the dust" I tried to sound like I was just lightening her mood, but I really wanted information
"Oh, it turns out he wasn’t racing last night Jared misunderstood" She waved it off
Complete Set-up
"But Jared did say he would make sure Liam is on the roster for next week, and he’ll beat hih, as if that wouldto be okay?" The end of a two-year relationship by the tiet over
"I’ht me home early I think he felt bad that I’d had such a horrible time Really, Tate, even if he did know, he didback in her chair, she pulled out another tissue
KC stayed a while We lay under the sun, trying to cheer each other up She obviously needed to coinity and two years to that lothario, and I’d had a less-than-stellar first week of school
Liam had cheated on KC I still couldn’t wrap evity in a high school romance, Liam and KC were it So as I preoccupied with Jared’s role in all of this? KC clearly believed he was on the up-and-up, but I knew he had a plan Would she listen if I tried to steer her away from him?
After KC left, I went back to the patio to clean up and water the plants Decked out in ht in Europe but was only brave enough to wear at horabbed the hose and turned up the speakers on ly loud as I turned the mist on the flowers and bushes
My hps and shoulders swayed, while my head was lost to the music
A couple of fruit trees decorated our s with bushes and various plants and flowers The cobblestone pavereat retreat When the weather was pleasant, my dad and I ate most of our meals out here, and I often read in the hah, since the birds, wind, or barking dogs created too s…
Excited barking pierced through themy interest It was close, like next door close
Madman!
Jared and I found this crazy little Boston Terrier ere twelve My dad was gone a lot, andwas insane but completely adorable We na cars before he tried to cross a street Picking fights with bigger dogs was child’s play, and he would juhts when he was excited…which was a lot
I switched off the water and walked to the fence separating Jared’s backyard froh the sliver of space offered between the wooden panels, I felt like I was glowing on the inside My heart warain
He did the whole "bounce when you bark" thing that little dogs do and switched between racing the length of the backyard to ju now, in uy was still partly h Jared enteredour last encounter He started tossing obbled theed his tail anxiously for another iddy and well-cared for
Jared knelt and offered the last piece of meat from his hand Mad down the treat Jared ss to lick hisit’d been since I’d seen hienuinely happy His smile hollowed ed at the rare scene of Jared actually looking human,his skin Funny I didn’t see that the other night when he was shirtless in uess I missed it
Scattered in no particular pattern elts, about five or so, covering his muscular and otherwise smooth back He didn’t have them ere kids I tried to re injured I ca
At that moment, Apocalyptica’s heavy cellos vibrated out of my speakers, and Madman’s head twisted towardsto back away He started barking again, and the sound of claws scratching the fence gotfaster Mad to for years Fro the hose off the ground, I dropped it again when I heard the fence panels shaking Turning around, I laughed at seeing Made ht the little dog inbreath warross But he was happy to see otten me
I stopped dead at the sound of Jared’s voice "Well, if it isn’t the party pooper disturbing the whole neighborhood with her noise"
My temper flared He had no problem with my music, just me
I looked up and met Jared’s sardonic stare He tried to look annoyed with his cocked eyebrow, but I kneouldn’t engageover the top of the fence, his body perched on soht