Ash looks to me for support.

“Sorry. I agree with Bree.” I hold out two dresses I think would look cute on her. “Try them on.”

In the end, the three of us go in the dressing room and laugh. We try on dresses that nobody our age would wear except the most conservative girls at school. Then we try on dresses that show more skin than is probably legal and would get us kicked out of the dance. Lastly, we pick out our favorites and vote on the best ones.

It’s nice hanging out with friends. Bree and Ashtyn have been there for me when I’m happy, sad, freaked out, weird, and off-the-wall. We’ve all gone through crazy times with each other. I share everything with them.

Well, almost.

They don’t know about my struggle with arthritis.

Only my parents know, and now Vic. I felt close to him at his house, closer than I’ve felt with anyone in a long time. A flush came over me when I looked into his intense gaze until Cassidy came in and broke the connection, which was probably a good thing. My stomach had butterflies when I felt the strength of his hand touch my arm. I’ve never felt like that before with him.

He’s always been Trey’s best friend. One of the guys.

It didn’t feel like that at all when I was in his room.

I’m sure it was just me being overly sensitive and reading into things that aren’t there. With everything going on between me and Trey, it’s no wonder my emotions are all over the place.

While Ash is trying on another dress, Bree looks at her phone.

“Damn,” she says.

I peek over her shoulder. “What?”

“Looks like Cassidy’s calling someone out for cheating on their boyfriend.”

My heart sinks into my chest. “Who?”

Bree glances at me, then back at her phone. “It’s kind of anonymous. You know she always posts those cryptic messages that keep the gossipers gossiping.”

“Isn’t that what we’re doing?” I say. “We’re falling into her trap.”

Bree waves my concern away with a wave of her hand. “I fully admit that I love to gossip. Who doesn’t?”

Ash raises her hand. “I don’t.”

Sitting up straight, Bree holds up her phone and reads Cassidy’s post. “‘If you’re in a relationship, you need to stop flirting with other guys. I’m just sayin.’”

“Who do you think it is?” Bree asks, her eyes wide with excitement.

“I don’t care,” Ash chimes in.

“You’d care if Derek started flirting with some girl behind your back,” Bree tells her.

“Well yeah, but…” Ash starts biting her nails until Bree slaps her hand away from her mouth.

“Ash, Derek is not flirting with other girls,” I assure her.

Bree nods. “Yeah. If anyone has a solid relationship, it’s you and Derek. How is everything with you and Trey, Monika?”

“It’s all good,” I mumble.

Maybe I shouldn’t have gone to Vic’s house. The way that Cassidy looked at me while Vic held onto my wrist was enough to make me step back and wish she wasn’t in the room.

I don’t need anyone gossiping about me.

I don’t need anyone thinking I’m cheating on my boyfriend with his best friend.

Even if I was swept up in Vic’s strong, capable arms after I fell off the fence. And okay, I did have a little fantasy flash before my eyes of Vic’s lips crushing down on mine… but I didn’t let my mind linger on that image for long.

So why am I still thinking about it?

Chapter Seventeen

VICTOR

I don’t ask for trouble. It finds me no matter what I’m doing or who I’m with.

Hell, maybe I’m cursed.

Rumor has it that I came out of my mother’s womb kicking and screaming. I arrived into this world fighting, and I’ve been fighting ever since. It’s probably why I’m good at football… Coach Dieter says it’s the modern gladiator sport.

On Monday, Dieter gave us the day off from practice. I’m playing basketball with Trey in front of the apartment building he lives in. I used to spend most nights at his place when I was in junior high, just to escape my dad. When Trey started dating Monika, we stopped hanging out as often because they were always together and I didn’t want to be a third wheel.

“So you were right. The roller coaster thing was a bad idea,” Trey tells me as he aims the ball for the basket but misses. “Seemed like a good idea at the time, but it sucked.”

“She told me what happened at Wild Adventures with Bonk,” I tell him after I do a layup and get a basket. “Listen, if you want to do the picnic thing on the football field with the band and everythin’, let me know.”