“Very,” I informed him and pushed his hands off my waist before walking away. Unconcerned, he strolled alongside me in silence. If he started whistling I was going to kick him in the shins. We reached his car and I made sure to buckle my own damn seatbelt. My phone played a different song when it began ringing again, “I’m Real” by Jennifer Lopez and Ja Rule.
Nervously answering it, I managed to say in an even tone, “Hey, Jared.”
Caleb made an irritated sound from next to me while pulling out of the parking lot.
“Gigi?” Jared asked hesitantly. I hoped this wasn’t going to get awkward. What I needed was alone, non-Caleb time to think over Jared’s declaration of love.
“What’s up?”
“As much as I want you to choose me, I can tell it isn’t going to happen right now. He’s manipulated you into thinking he’s a good guy. Just promise me I won’t lose you as a friend.”
“I promise, Jared.” We had history so losing him would royally suck.
“Okay, Gigi, that’s all I needed to hear. I’ll talk to you later.”
“Bye, Jared.”
What the hell had happened to my life? Things weren’t this complicated a few weeks ago. My best friend was in love with me and my stepbrother was now my boyfriend. It was like some freaky alternative universe.
While I was trying to get my head on straight, Caleb must’ve been fuming over Jared’s phone call. “What the fuck, Gianna?”
At this point, I was in no mood to put up with any boy’s bullshit. “What the fuck what, Caleb?” Maybe I should’ve just stayed single, like forever. Boys were pains in the asses. First Josh, then Caleb and now Jared.
Taking his attention off the road, he shot me an exasperated look. “What the fuck are you promising him, Gianna? And what the fuck is up with that ringtone?”
I shot him back a look like he was retarded. “Just that we’d stay friends no matter what happened and that song is mine and Jared’s song.”
“You two have a fucking song? I don’t know if I like my girlfriend hanging out with a guy who wants to take her away from me.”
“Too bad you don’t get a choice. You knew how close Jared and I were before you asked me to be your girlfriend. He and Cece have been the most important people to me, besides my family, for a long time now.”
“Way to make me feel special,” he muttered peevishly.
“Caleb, should we be fighting like this already? I mean, our relationship is only a day old.”
A worried expression flashed over his handsome features. “I’m sorry, Gianna. I think I just need to get used to this boyfriend thing. I’ll try harder. I’m just not used to being jealous over a girl.”
He was saying the right things and I didn’t actually want to break up with him. Figuring a few bumps in the beginning of a relationship were normal, I brushed aside all thoughts of ending things with Caleb. I wasn’t sure I had much of a choice anyways. I was drawn to him in a way that drugged my mind, preventing logic from winning out.
I rubbed the back of his head, running my fingers through his hair. “Oh, poor baby, getting jealous over a girl.”
He did a mock pout. “I know. I’m going to need some cuddling to make me feel better.” By cuddling he probably meant groping each other in our underwear.
He looked so cute, how could I deny him? “Later, hot boyfriend.”
Caleb brought my hand up to his full lips and kissed it. “Gianna, I have to know how you feel about Jared. Do you have feelings for him?”
To be fair, I went over it in my head for a moment before answering. “I don’t know. Before he kissed me last weekend, I’d never thought of him in that way. He’s always been my rock, one of the few people who acted real with me. He tells me the truth, good or bad.”
“How do you feel about him saying he loves you?” Jeez, I could practically hear Caleb grinding his teeth.
“I haven’t had time to digest that yet. I’m trying not to think about it. I don’t want things to change between me and him.” I’d think about what Jared said later, when I was alone. Jared deserved that much.
Caleb didn’t look completely satisfied with my answer, but nodded his head. I noticed he still kept my hand in his.
A change of subject would be best. “So we did go down to 16th Street, does that mean I’ve completed number six?”
“I’ll consider it completed. I definitely don’t feel like doing it over again.” Good to know he wasn’t eager to fight Jared again.
The Sunday afternoon traffic going north was bad due to a car wreck up ahead, so it ended up taking almost an hour to get home. Not that I was looking forward to being home. I didn’t want to tell my mom and Scott about us, but we shouldn’t have to hide it. Walking in the front door, we could see through a back window that Scott and Chance were in the backyard.