“In a way,” he smirked.

“Because I can’t be trusted. I get it.” I really don’t.

“No, because Keiran doesn’t trust anyone. Especially with you.”

“What happened to his parents?” I blurted. I was planning to ask that question in a crowded hallway during the middle of the school day but hey…shit happens. I was done skating around the issue.

Keenan froze and then glared at Sheldon who actually looked contrite for once. “What makes you think something happened?”

“Keenan…”

“I don’t know, okay? He doesn’t talk about it. He probably doesn’t even remember.” He looked away and I could tell he was either lying or holding back something. Just then Dash walked up to our circle with a scowl on his face.

“Where’s your girl?”

“You tell me…you were with her last.” He thumbed his chin and eyed me before rolling his eyes and fishing out his phone. He punched in some numbers, mumbling. After dialing into his phone three times he muttered, “this is bullshit” and walked off.

“Willow still won’t talk to him?” Sheldon asked.

“Would you?” I asked.

“I’d cut his dick off and hang it over my mantle.”

Keenan gave Sheldon a crazy look. “So you’d touch your brother’s dick?”

“Of course not. I’d make you do it, pumpkin.” She planted a loud kiss on his cheek.

“Oh no. I’m not doing that again.”

“Again?” We both asked at the same time.

Keenan scratched the back of his neck. “I uhh…lost a bet last year so I had to hold his dick for two minutes.”

My mouth fell open and Sheldon was bent over laughing. “Oh honey, you’re such a pussy,” she chortled.

“Hey, he had pants on!” Keenan said defensively. He looked at me pleadingly and said, “Don’t tell Keiran alright?”

“Why?”

“Because then he’d make me hold his dick.”

We burst out laughing and I fell to me knees clutching my stomach. Keenan’s face was surely a Kodak moment. “What’s so funny?” Keiran’s voice suddenly came from behind us. I was still on the floor laughing as he approached. “Why she is on the floor?” he asked, mean mugging Keenan.

“Whatever, you guys are lame,” Keenan muttered walking off. Sheldon followed after him, still laughing.

“Lake, get off the floor, baby.” Oh so now I’m ‘baby’ again? I rolled my eyes and ignored the butterflies that erupted in my stomach each time he said it. It always sounded so sexy and sensual and intimate. Now, he only used my last name when he was being a dick or I was being punished. He scooped me up when I took too long to move but kept his hands on my hips, tugging me into him.

“How was volleyball?” he asked pecking me on my lips. I stared at him in surprise considering what happened the last time we talked. It was becoming really hard to keep up with his moods. Or maybe I was the only one who carried grudges over an entire weekend.

“Oh you know…someone hits the ball over the net so I hit the ball back over. It’s sort of like playing hot potato but with a volleyball that’s not hot.”  He ignored my sarcasm and used the opportunity to feel me up instead. Thankfully, everyone had either gone to lunch or class so no one was left in the hallway but us. “What did you have to see Coach about?” It wasn’t important for me to know but I needed a distraction from the feeling of his hands on me.

“He wanted to talk to me about our next win.” I smiled at his assumption that the team would win their first game.

“Cocky much?” He gave me a lopsided grin that I thought made him look adorably human and started kissing on my neck.  “Are you trying to go pro?”

“That’s the plan,” he mumbled against my neck.

“Are scouts still considering you for college ball?”

“Coach said they’re eager to see me perform this year.” He lifted his head from my neck and look down at me with a serious expression. “Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that.”

“Okay.”

“I need to bring my game stronger than I have before considering the year I missed and the circumstances. I’m not blaming you so fix your face,” he added when I sent him withering look. “That year was justified for the shit that I have done.” Like murder a little girl? I masked the nauseous feeling that overcame me but realized I missed part of what he was saying. “…I’m going to be practicing a lot and won’t have a lot of spare time.”

The bell rang just as I caught on to what he was telling me. “I understand.”

“Do you?”

“We aren’t dating, Keiran. No worries.” He narrowed his eyes before he took my lips with his in a possessive kiss that said otherwise. We ended up spending the entire lunch period making out against the lockers and thankfully weren’t caught. I had to end it when he tried to stick his hand down my pants. He didn’t put up too much of a stink even though his face said he wanted to because the bell rang. He wordlessly led me to class and when we arrived he slapped me on the ass and walked off.

I watched him swagger down the hall and couldn’t help but admit how much I loved his walk…and every other girl in the vicinity. Some even stopped to stare or reach out to touch him.