Chapter 15: Chapter 15

I step into my room and look through my drawers for one of my racing suits. I found my favorite TYR suit and pulled it on, it was a personal favorite and it was relatively new. It was a deep purple color, the back was almost completely open but it was good for the water, good for swimming in competitions and stuff.

I pick up my bag and check what I've got, my lesson plans are written up on foam squares. That was an old trick I'd picked up when I first started teaching lessons, write on foam with a pen and it won't come off. I had my whistle, goggles, and lock for my work locker.

I quickly grabbed my pool shorts which were just a short pair of black Nike shorts and rifle through my drawer for a t-shirt to wear too. I slip on a pair of shoes and grab my sunglasses for the walk, I close my room door. I find my lanyard with my keys by the door and I hear the most high-pitched voice.

"Kent, when are we ever going to hangout?" Piper asks and I turn watching her latch onto his bicep.

"Get off, Piper." He mumbles, pulling out of her grasp.

"Look, you didn't call me.' I hear her say quietly and my stomach twists as I turn back to the door.

I'm pretty sure I know what this means, they've definitely slept together. Gross. Isn't it incestuous to sleep with a member of your friend group? And why her?

"I-I know, I-urn I have to go, I promised Juls I'd drive her to work.' He says suddenly pulling away from her.

My eyes shoot wide and I'm thankful I'm facing the door. What the hell does he mean he's driving me to work?

"What?" I ask, turning back and he gives me this pleading look, looking tangled up and uncomfortable with her. I don't owe him any favors, but I wouldn't mind a lift to work if he really meant it. Plus, maybe this would help him to stop looking at me like I'm the worst person ever all the time.

"Remember, I said I would last night?" He asks, raising his eyebrows and I sigh. He looks desperate, and as much fun as it would be to leave him at her mercy, I wouldn't mind Kent owing me a favor.

"Right" I sigh, crossing my arms and he grabs his keys out of the dish on the table.

"Could I come?" Piper asks and he presses his lips together.

"No, we're headed to the gym. Everyone's going to be gone in about an hour so just leave and we'll see you tonight." He tells her, putting his hand on my shoulder and leading me out the door. My mouth gets dry all over again as I try to pull away from his grasp.

We get up the stairs and I start walking to the end of the driveway. "Where are you going?" He asks and I furrow my eyebrows.

"She's gone, I thought you just wanted an excuse to leave." I shrug. "You don't have to drive me anywhere.'

"Well, we're pretty much going to the same place, their gym's right next to the pool." He says, walking over to his Jeep and opening the door. I hesitate and he stares at me with this 'what are you waiting for expression'. "I don't have all day, Juls?'

I quietly walk over, feeling tense. It seemed to me that Kent came from money, he didn't work and he drove a really nice expensive Jeep.

I open the door and slide inside the Jeep, weary of the leather seats on the hot day. He opens the roof and plugs his phone in, the car is absolutely spotless, no dirt or trash anywhere. If he can keep this so clean then why can't he wash his dishes?

He puts the car in drive and I feel a lump forming in my throat, it's too hot and this car feels way too small. Almost like he can read my mind he puts the windows down and I lean close towards mine.

This doesn't mean anything, you're just an excuse to avoid a conversation with a sneaky-link.

"I didn't know they were coming over." He says quietly and I shrug.

"It's okay, they're your friends, right?" I ask and he seems to wince slightly.

"Well, we were all in the same friend group in first year but we've all kind of figured out who we actually mesh with and who we don't, we just don't like them as much anymore. When we went house hunting they just so happened to buy the upstairs apartment?'

"That sounds interesting?' I sigh, rolling my eyes and his mouth quirks at the outside edge with a faint smirk. "Piper seems interested—”

"I don't like Piper." He says firmly and I nod, putting my hands up.

"Message received." I chuckle, but he looks agitated again. It's so hard to figure out where to walk the line with him.

The car gets quiet after that and I realize this ride will probably be silent. I felt so nervous the whole time, my pulse was racing and I was resisting the urge to do what I felt like doing when an awkward silence came around, talk.

"Did you eat the cookies last night?" I ask, completely changing the subject and he chews the inside of his cheek. Why did I even ask that?

"Yeah." He says quietly, looking pissed with himself for even telling

me.

"Really? Even though they were packaged/?" I ask with a laugh and he rolls his eyes.

"When you're drunk, all food looks delicious." He retorts and I roll my eyes in return.

"That's not even my best work, one day I'll make homemade ones." I assure him and that weird look crosses his face again, like he wants to laugh but won't let himself smile.

Silence drifts back in and eventually we reach the parking lot behind the fitness center. I turn and unbuckle my seatbelt.

"Thanks for the ride, even if it was just an excuse to get away from Piper." I laugh, pushing open the door. He nods and I step out onto the pavement.

"Wait." He says before I close the door and I furrow my eyebrows, looking back at him. He looks irritated that he'd said something else and I wait impatiently, I had to get to work. "When are you done today?"

"Six." I answered, wondering why he was asking me that. "Don't worry, the sun's still going to be out when I'm coming home and I won't wear my headphones." I sigh and that smile quirks at the side of his mouth again.

"Okay, I'll see you later." He says and I nod with a small wave, shutting the door to his Jeep and making my way back up to the street and onto the sidewalk.

I felt these bubbles in my chest, maybe it's all in my head but he seemed different right then. Maybe he wasn't as much of a dick as he wanted me to think he was. But then again, this doesn't change anything, he's been awful to me since I've moved in and I can't let two random acts convince me otherwise.

He's a rich boy who messes around with girls like Piper in his spare time, and that's all there is to it.