Oh hellno
This can't be
No way I, no way she
anyone else, maybe
but not me
I don't do this kind of thing
My heart pounds against my chest. His voice is dripping with pain. No wonder he's running at the speed of light. He doesn't want to fall in love again.
He's not being cruel on purpose.
But that doesn't make it any more excusable.
When they're finished I offer a small clap. "That was beautiful. Thank you." I scoop my books into my hands and keep my eyes anywhere but Pete's. "But I really should finish this assignment."
"There's a desk in the guest room." Miles sets the guitar down. "I'll show you."
"Thanks."
I can feel Pete staring at us as Miles leads me up the stairs. He takes me to a large room with colorful decoration and a wide desk and explains all the bits and pieces of it.
He lingers in the door for a minute. "Want me to talk to him?"
"You strike me as the kind of guy who will do whatever you feel like doing, no matter what I say."
"Fair point. Do you?"
"You think it's a good idea?"
Miles nods. "Something is wrong. Pete's always been the steadiest guy in the band. I keep pretty cool. Not so much back in the day. But now, I can take shit in stride. Tom and Drew—they fly off the handle like that." Miles snaps.
"You push their buttons."
He smiles. "Me? No."
"You enjoy it."
He nods. "Teasing is great when everyone is on board. When they're not—" He cocks a brow. "What the hell happened? You still look needy."
"I barely know you," I say. "I'm not about to share my relationship problems with you." That's already too much.
"I can give him a verbal lashing about being a cunt-tease."
"No. I'm the one who stopped him." I bite my lip. "It's complicated."
"He does care about you. Whatever is going on. He does."
"What do you mean?"
"Details don't add up. I don't care. Whatever you're trying to prove, whoever you're trying to prove it to, it's not my place to get in the way."
Miles knows we're full of shit.
I swallow hard. I'm not going to convince him otherwise. The best I can hope for is a poker face.
