Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 117820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 117820 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 589(@200wpm)___ 471(@250wpm)___ 393(@300wpm)
Something is off about this. It’s almost too easy. “Is this to get back at Kane? To prove that you’re a big man or something?”
“No.” He scratches the peach fuzz on his jaw. He’s almost a man but not quite, it’s still attractive though even if compared to Kane he’s practically a preschooler. Not his fault that Kane started puberty before he was born. He could probably grow a full beard if he wanted to. “This is purely because I like you, my parents like you, and because I need them off my back.”
“Right.”
“I like hanging out with you.”
“We haven’t hung out for three months,” I point out and he looks at the sky. I was right when I guessed that something is off about this. It’s weird and random and I can tell he has a motive. “What’s wrong? What is it?”
“Nothing,” he snaps, annoyed now. “Forget I asked.”
“Hey,” I soothe, placing my hand on his thigh. “I’m more trouble than I’m worth. You’ve gotta find somebody else.”
“Sure.” He doesn’t look as though he believes me.
“Friends though?”
He smiles for real now. “Sure. I’m sorry I stopped talking to you after what happened.”
“I deserved it. I wasn’t good to you. And that’s why I know there’s a reason you’re asking me to date you and I don’t think it’s got anything to do with the fact you like me.”
Laughing, he looks back through the window and whispers, “Maybe one day I’ll be able to tell you.”
“When you can trust me, you mean?”
“Exactly.”
“Well…” I hop off the swing and turn to face him. “If you need a cover for what you actually wanna be doing, I’m your girl.”
“Thanks, Immy.”
“No problem Marshall.”
“No problem, Marshall,” Kane mimics, making his tone high-pitched and whiny. He has just rounded the house, likely having jumped the gate. “This is interesting.”
“Oh fuck off, hillbilly,” I snap at the guy I’ve been secretly having sex with. Although dinner tonight proved that my love life ain’t so secret. “Go get your hair cut.”
“You like my hair when it touches the insides of your thighs,” he argues and looks Marshall up and down. “Fuck off, poser.”
“Kane, he’s a guest. You fuck off.”
Kane’s eyes darken and my brother grabs his shoulder before he can approach. “Why don’t we go hang out? I’ve got a doobie in my pocket that’s just dying to be lit.”
“Naw, I’ve got some unfinished business to take care of with your sister.” Shrugging my brother off, he keeps going and stops with his forehead against mine. Our eyes connect, his are blue and fierce. Mine are hazel and defiant. His mouth moves as he chews on a wad of gum.
“Why are you in my personal space?”
“Why are you pretending you’re bothered?”
I scoff and try to look at Marshall but Kane nudges his head against my own. “Eyes on me, babe. You better tell me right now; did you invite this prick?”
“Don’t call him a prick.”
“Mee-maw invited him, his parents are inside,” Poppy explains, frowning at us both. “And if she catches you out here, Kane Jessop, she’s gonna take it out on Imogen.”
“That’s what he’s countin’ on,” I say with a roll of my eyes. He wants Mee-maw to catch me so she beats me and I run straight to his bed. “Kane back up. I’m not in the mood.”
“Not in the mood?”
I shove his chest and step around him. Looking at Poppy, I say, “I’m going inside. Call me when he’s gone.”
Kane snags my braid and pulls me back a step.
“This is how it’s gonna be?”
“Yes, I don’t want to be your toy anymore,” I admit, turning and yanking on my braid until he releases it. “I’m done.”
“Done?” He spits his gum into a distant plant pot and wets his lips. “So just like that you get to decide it?”
“I don’t want to be your time filler!” I hiss, exasperated now.
“You ain’t my time filler.”
“Then what the fuck am I?”
“You’re…” he hesitates as he tries to think of a word. “Mine.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only fucking answer I have you argumentative bitch.”
“Don’t call my sister a bitch,” Matthew snaps and I send him a grateful smile.
I shrug and catch Kane’s eyes without blinking. “And it’s a shit answer. So, go about your evenin’ and I’ll go about mine.”
“Tell me what you want from me,” Kane growls, grabbing my bicep and pulling me around the building. “I swear you just wanna fight, right? That’s it. You want dick and then fire? Because I’m not feelin’ these games, Immy.”
“Fuck you, Kane, you love the games. You play them more than I do.”
I watch him light a cigarette but I take it from his lips, snap it and throw it on the ground.
“You know how much I hate those.”
“Yeah, well, I’m stressed.”
Pointing towards the road I demand, “Yeah, well, go be stressed somewhere else and smoke your death sticks for comfort alone.”