~Keenan~
I don't know what I was doing when I walked into this kitchen, knowing fully well that Joey was in here doing dishes and that I'm supposed to be staying away from her this period.
I can't get the look I saw on her face out of my head. I have no idea what I want from her right now, but I definitely didn't come to get water, so I stand for a few seconds before finally speaking.
"Hey."
"Hey, Keenan."
Alright, fuck it.
I grab her hand and tug her to the end of he kitchen behind the large fridge. I need to get this apology off my chest before I get a stroke.
"What are you doing?!" She whispers, "Aren't you supposed to be out on a stroll?"
"I am. I just wanted to tell you I'm sorry." I rip the bandaid off. "I couldn't apologise earlier because I haven't been able to get you alone."
It's been hard dodging her all day, from when she newly showed up and said hello, to when she sat at the kitchen island, reading smut out loud for her friends, to when she sat outside to eat and I couldn't get my eyes off her for longer than five minutes.
Her eyes soften as the words leave me, and she seems visibly relieved as she nods. "It's okay, it's all in the...past."
Okay, good. She forgives you. Now walk away.
I truly never meant for her to get hurt. I don't know if I'd have been pissed if anyone else had been on the other end of fresh GHB, but it's Joey I'm talking about. The same girl I've imagined being in this exact position with since day one: our foreheads several inches apart due to height differences, but the distance between our eyes seeming to grow less and less with every second we spend beside this extra large fridge. To complete the dream so real, this feels like déjà vu, I lift a hand and tuck a lock of her blonde hair behind her ear. "Goodnight, Jo."
I can take advantage of watching everything she does like she's a never ending movie, but whether I like it or not, it's all we are. She's the jewel in the secured glass cabinet, and I'm the thief who can gaze at it all day but can only ever dream of having it.
"Yeah, goodnight," she says, her top lip shivering slightly, whether with nerves or fear, I'm not sure.
I pull back and let her go, remembering my words to the others to be right out. If I waste any more time here, they'll either leave or hurry me up, both of which will lead to suspicion. If it were anything else, I wouldn't care, but the last thing I want anyone here thinking of Joey is that she's sneaking around with me, or that I have any kind of designs on her.
It won't be a hard impression to build, considering Brett, Wyatt and Vincent look at Joey like she hung the moon, and those who don't have designs on her are either her family or close friends.
When I return to the guys, they're leaning on a wall, blowing smoke and waiting.
"Ready?" Brett asks.
"Where are we going again?" I ask, throwing the hood of my jacket over my head.
"The house across the Lake is occupied. We're gonna go check for any nice tits in there." Brett winks at me.
"Don't be an asshole," Tayo says. "Gentlemanliness from all of us or we might end up scaring them away."
"Speak for yourself," Kevin says from Vin's other side, adjusting his button up. "I'm not scary in the slightest."
Vincent scoffs. "Yeah, right. The nerd routine will only get you laid three out of five times. Be like me, Alvarez. Ladies love me."
"Yeah? Because Joey's giving you all the damn attention you want. I saw her ditch your tour earlier." Tayo quips. Brett and Wyatt burst into laughter.
"Hey! she's off limits to you all, especially you, Reid."
"I didn't even say anything," I defend myself. He still hasn't gotten over what happened last week. Not that I blame the asshole, though. I'd hate him more if he didn't care at all.
"We didn't fucking know her, dude," Brett mutters. I cast him a side glance because I don't believe him when he says that.
Maybe it's because I'm sure he knew her, or maybe I'm so used to people around me telling the same lies over and over, that I can smell a lie from even the most convincing faces. Old classmates telling me they're not getting addicted so I don't cut off their supply, others lying that they'll have money to pay later when they clearly don't. Even Rob, on several occasions, has lied about his side of our business so he can cheat me on the profits. He's called about twelve times since I sent him his money a few days ago. I know it's for another deal and that is exactly why I won't take it.
After what happened to Joey, I'm done. We've saved enough for the next few months, and he's going to have to get a job because I'm not doing this shit anymore. Life is fucked as is, and the last thing I need is some college student calling the authorities on me for blacking them out.
If only my piss of a father would just end his stupid phase and let me take the wheel, both our problems would be solved. But no. Go through four years' worth of college in two because of him and this is the reward I get. I have to wait till I'm 'ready' to take over a life that was mine in the first place.
"Yo, Reid!" Brett pauses his steps to let me catch up, since I'm lagging a good ten feet behind him. Vincent and the others are far ahead, Kevin somewhere in between. "What the hell are you thinking about?"
I shake my head. "Nothing."
He holds his hands up, pursing his lips. "Alright, fine."
I sigh, knowing exactly what he's doing. "What?"
"Nothing," he says, copying my tone from before. I square my jaw and glare at him to get his deal out of him but he simply pockets his hands and begins walking like a childish idiot.
"Alright, speak up and maybe I will."
"You were fine, you went to the kitchen and returned and now you're a brooding mess."
"You always think I'm a brooding mess."
"No, now it's different cause I know she was there with you."
Fuck you, Brett. So he knows Joey was there, but it's clear he doesn't know much else. If he did, he would've said it by now. "Who?" I ask, feigning ignorance.
"Alvarez's little sister."
"They're twins, dumbass," I mumble to change the subject. "And how the fuck didn't you know that they're twins?"
He shrugs and bobs his head. "I told you. I didn't even know he had a sister until you showed up with her on your shoulder."
I rub at the back of my neck, suddenly uneasy with his words. I know I wasn't fully conscious when Joey and I first met, but I can vaguely remember Brett being there. He seems convinced he doesn't recognise her, but there's something about the story he told Kevin that seems a bit...off from what he just said.
Deciding to go with my gut, I slip my hands into my pockets. "You and I both know that's a lie, Brett." I say. He stops walking and gives me a look, but I don't acknowledge it. "You told Kevin you didn't know Joey until she woke up and now you're saying you saw me bring her in."
"Same thing." He scoffs and shakes his head to throw me off, but I'm not an idiot. "What's your deal with Joey, anyway? Do you like her or something?"
He's trying to change the subject, which only means I'm on the right path. "I think you knew who she was from the start."
"You don't know shit about what you're talking about."
"Yeah?" I ask, stepping up to him. "Why have you been planting your lie in everyone's heads, then? You and I both know that she's almost always at the same parties her brother's at. There's no way you didn't at least recognise her at Haskins'."
His expression goes hard as he senses that I'm onto him. "You have no idea what you're implying."
"No, I think I do." And now, fueled by his guilty reaction, I don't hesitate to say it out loud. "You spiked her on purpose."
He clenches his jaw as my accusation sinks in. "Seriously dude?"
"How else would it have happened since you knew who she was?" I ask.
"Then why didn't Wyatt stop me if he knew who she was?" He asks. "I mean if I'd recognised her, Wyatt had to have known her too, right?"
I don't say anything because I haven't figured that part out. I have a couple of options, but none make sense yet.
"Why don't you quit playing cop and just move on like everyone else? Stick to selling dope and be thankful nothing happened."
"Everything a'ight back there?" Vincent's voice reaches us.
I send one final look of warning to Brett then turn and head onward. This is far from over.