Beware of Bad Boy(57)

“So, do you want to spend the weekend at my mom’s place with me?” I asked, trying to remember what my mom said she had going on this weekend.

She squeezed my hand, cuddling closer. “I can’t.”

“Why not?”

She brought her head up at my abrupt tone. “I’m going camping up in the mountains.”

“When were you going to tell me this?”

“Before I left tomorrow,” she explained, looking as guilty as she should.

What the hell was going on? “Who are you going with?”

“The crew,” she said slowly.

I was beginning to see where this was going. “Does that include Jared?”

“Of course it does, he’s part of the crew.” When she tried burrowing into me again, I inched away.

“So, you’re telling me that my girlfriend is going to be alone for a whole weekend with some dude who has the hots for her?” I tried to keep my voice down so the guys playing a game of basketball close by wouldn’t hear.

She looked even guiltier. “Well, when you put it that way, I guess it sounds kind of bad.”

“It sounds really bad to my ears,” I said. “That’s okay. I’ll just go out partying with Dante.”

“Are you trying to make me jealous?” she asked, sitting up straighter.

“No, but since my girlfriend will be busy on a camping trip with a bunch of other dudes, I feel like I’m entitled to a night with my best friend.”

“Cece will be there too,” she pointed out.

“Oh, so sorry, my bad. You each only have a few guys to yourselves,” I said sarcastically.

“You know it’s not like that!” she yelled. “You could come, you know.”

“Yeah, you invite me as an afterthought. No, that’s okay, I’ll pass.”

Gianna moved closer. “No really, I want you to come. And you can bring Dante, since Cece will be there!”

“I’ll think about it,” I told her, upset that she’d been planning on ditching me to hang out with Jared and the crew. She could keep her damn charity invite.

Since the mood was ruined, I grabbed her by the hand and took her home.

Should I go with her? It seemed like a sort of bitch move, to tag along with my girlfriend and her friends. Of course, Taye would be there and I was friends with him. Also, if I brought Dante, I could just call it doing a favor for a friend, since Cece would be there and he wanted to get to know her better.

Who was I kidding? If I went, it’d be to keep Jared away my girlfriend.





CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO



“. . . Beauty is jealous, and illy bears the presence of a rival.”

-Thomas Jefferson



GIANNA



At school on Friday I was feeling guilty about the whole camping thing. I’d never felt the need to explain myself when I was with Josh. He didn’t even know Jared, Cece and the rest of the crew. I was with Josh for a long time but he never got to know the real me like Caleb had. It was almost as if Josh had only been a boyfriend in name and Caleb was the real thing.

We’d had this camping trip planned for weeks now. We wanted to go before the weather turned cold. For the past few weekends we’d had club appearances and battles scheduled. This weekend was the perfect opportunity to finally go. With how unpredictable weather was in Colorado, maybe even our last opportunity until late next spring.

I hadn’t thought it’d bother Caleb I was going camping with the crew, since he knew they were my friends. But I guess I could see his point when it came to Jared. I wouldn’t have wanted him going on a trip with a girl who wanted him as more than a friend. When I realized it bothered him, I did the right thing and I invited him along. Shouldn’t that have counted for something? Cece and I told the guys they couldn’t bring girls so it would be me breaking the rule.

And what did Caleb say to my invitation? That he’d think about it. I could tell he was still upset with me. He’d been moody all day at school. I actually did want him to come camping with us now. I didn’t want to seem like the clingy girlfriend and tell him, though. I actually thought it’d be nice to cuddle next to him in front of a campfire.

Still barely talking to me on the ride home from school, Caleb hadn’t given me his answer yet. Sitting in his car outside my house, I asked, “So are you coming with us?”

He looked thoughtful for a moment then turned his head to tell me, “No.”

I was actually surprised. I’d thought he’d say yes but was making me suffer. “Oh, okay. What do you plan to do all weekend?”

“I’m sure I can find something to occupy my time, Gianna. I did manage to have a life before you came along,” he said sarcastically.