Why the fuck am I playing statue?

Why haven’t I grabbed her and drug her from this toxic place already?

Maybe I want to test her when I have no right to, maybe the pressure of being in my dad’s house with his new wife and chosen son is too much, or perhaps it’s that her mother so quickly disregarded my being what her daughter wants when she realized Alex fucking Hammons, my unclaimed, bitch of a stepbrother wanted her, too.

Whatever the reason, I say nothing at all, forcing an emotionless expression when all I really want to do is fall at her feet and erase the hurt in her eyes.

Alex, though, he opens his mouth.

“You know, I was surprised when I found out you two were hanging out.” Alex smirks and pushes to stand.

The fucker dares walk closer to her with me standing right here.

He’s baiting her and damn if she doesn’t fall for it, unable to hold back in asking, “Why is that?”

“It’s just, everyone knows Nico to be a bit of a hothead, so it was interesting he didn’t tear into me when I told him, and most of the guys on the team, I was planning on asking you out.”

Demi’s eyes fly to mine and narrow before she slowly moves them back to Alex. “That is interesting. When was this... exactly?”

My stomach muscles tighten and I grow light-headed.

Fuck.

This is not how I wanted this to happen.

“After our Thursday night game,” Alex tells her, sliding his hands in his pocket like the prick, preppy boy he is. “You know, the night Nico gave you a ride home, and I called to ask if I could come by?”

Instead of focusing on what he wants her to, she asks, “How did you know Nico gave me a ride?”

His pretty boy smile slips, but only for a second before he realizes and puts it right back in place. He lifts his hands. “You caught me. I saw you get in his truck, got worried I’d miss my shot and called you.”

I fucking knew it.

That’s the one and only reason he called her that night. To take her attention from where it could have possibly been, on me.

“Wait... the Thursday game...” Demi trails off, shaking her head.

Tension wraps around my body, making it harder to breathe.

Alex has no problem clearing it up for her.

“Yeah, the week before Krista’s birthday weekend, before you and Nico got together?” He chuckles, but the malice within it is easy to find. “I should’ve made it by that night, and maybe asked you then, huh?”

Demi’s eyes fall to the hardwood, and she rubs her lips together anxiously, before lifting her stare to mine. “Yeah... maybe.”

Anger builds in the pit of my stomach, my eyes twitching and unable to meet hers while desperately wanting to.

I fucked up.

“Competition between siblings, it’s quite healthy,” my dad says loudly. “I bet had you known of Alex’s intentions in advance, Demi, you would have made a wiser choice, am I correct?”

I keep my head straight, but cut my eyes to her, my pulse beating like crazy while my skin starts to crawl. I need to get out of here before I’m gutted, fucking torn apart from the inside out, for all these assholes to see.

Demi’s smile is tight, and I prepare myself for the sickening gleam that will fill my father’s eyes when the son he’s chosen is chosen or agreed upon by her, be it in anger or in truth.

It doesn’t matter, it’ll sting the same.

She opens her mouth, my chest tightening more and more by the second, but then she clamps it shut.

Demi shakes her head, anger clouded by fresh tears, transforming my favorite shade of green into a murky mess it slays me to see.

She moves her focus to my dad, pity leaking into every word spoken. “I’m not even sure how to respond to such a foul question, Mr. Sykes.” She’s quiet but resilient. “Your obvious and ill-placed insult of your own son makes me sick, and I’m positive the answer isn’t one you want to hear anyway.”

Her mother gasps while my heart threatens to tear from my chest.

Demi turns to Alex next. “I’m not going to formal or anywhere else with you. The fact that you so easily disregarded how you already have a date to formal who, I’m sure, is excited to go, speaks to how shitty of a person you are.”

“Demi!” her mom shrieks.

Demi rolls her eyes and looks to her mom. “And, seriously, Mom. Will you ever stop?”

“Demi!” she hisses.

Demi isn’t discouraged. “Quit trying to use me to set yourself up. Be happy for me and what I want or back the hell off,” she snaps.

Demi spins, pins me with a heavy glower that warns me not to follow and storms out.

I’m stuck until the door slams with her exit, and then I fucking chase her.

I catch her rushing down the driveway.

“Demi,” I call, but she hustles even more. “Baby, wait!”

Suddenly she halts, a little growl leaving her as she spins and stalks toward me. Eyes heated and ready to fight. “I cannot believe you pulled this shit!” She shoves me, but I don’t budge. “You knew he was planning to ask me out before you suggested we pretend to be together!”

“Yeah. I did,” I say unapologetically, and fear gets the best of me. “What, you mad? Now you know he wanted you all on his own, you ready to say fuck it and run to him?”

“Did it look like that’s what I was ready for?!” she shouts, throwing her arms out. “I was the only one speaking for us in there, or should I say the us I thought we were.”

“What the fuck does that mean? All the shit that was said between us goes out the fuckin’ window now that all you originally wanted got dropped in your lap?!”

“Don’t.” A quick breath hisses past her mouth.

I know my words aren’t fair, but this is what I’ve feared, her walking away from me.

“Don’t you dare try to turn this on me. You played me this entire time.”

My head tugs back, shock sending a zing down my spine. “What? No! Fuck no!”

“Yeah, Nico, you did.” She nods. “Maybe something changed along the way, or maybe everything you’ve said and we’ve done was a part of the lie, but from the first fucking day, this was about using me to get to him. Admit it.”

What the fuck?!

I’m shaking I’m so... I don’t even know what, but everything hurts worse when Nico shouts his denial.

“That is not what this was.” He glares, daring to show a hint of anger he has no right to give. “Not even fucking close.”

A humorous laugh leaves me, and I cup my face with my hands, shielding myself a moment before pinning him with a hard look when I’m feeling anything but tough right now.

“Your dad, Josie, Sandra...” I trail off as a thought hits, my mouth falling open as his grows tighter. “Oh my god.”

“Demi. Don’t.”

“Miranda. He fucked her, too, didn’t he? That’s why you two stopped hooking up over the summer, isn’t it?”

He licks his lips, looking off.

I scoff, but it comes out as more of a cry. “Of course. Of course! You would have fucked her again, wouldn’t you? If only she didn’t let Alex stick his dick in her after you, right? It wasn’t about me or us or anything else you led me to believe.”