Holy shit, I thought. My sister really is gay!
Suddenly, everything made sense. Why Rebecca had always been so overprotective of Molly. Why Rebecca had seemed apathetic to Rob’s advances…when Rob was just as much of a tomcat as I was. And most of all, why Rebecca was such a bitch to Molly whenever I was around.
I couldn’t believe it. I was competing with my sister for Molly’s heart!
Chapter Nineteen
Molly
I tried to stay strong. It wasn’t easy – Alex was texting and calling nonstop. I moped around the house for days, alternately crying and stuffing my face with ice cream, cookies, and cake. Rebecca rolled her eyes every time she saw me tear up. It was getting to be too much – I knew she wasn’t thrilled with me for dating her brother. But she was supposed to be my best friend! Would it kill her to show at least a little empathy?
My life felt empty without Alex. The excitement, the adventure, all of the fun had vanished, just like that. I closed my eyes and sighed, shuddering deeply. And this is all just because you couldn’t admit your feelings for him, I realized, shaking my head. If you could just woman up and tell him how you feel, maybe you wouldn’t be alone with a gallon of ice cream right now!
It was really hard to be in my room. I could hardly lie in bed without thinking about being fucked by Alex. After all, he’d taken me for the first time in my own room – he’d even kissed me for the first time in here!
With another sigh, I rolled out of bed and got to my feet, stretching tall towards the ceiling. I swallowed nervously before opening my door and walking down the hall.
Rebecca was sitting in the living room, watching a talk show. She glanced over her shoulder and nodded at me before turning her attention back towards the television.
“Hey,” I said. “How are things?”
Rebecca shrugged. “Probably better than they are for you.”
I snorted. It was the most empathetic thing she’d said in days.
“I really want to talk to him,” I said. I sighed. “I just…I don’t know what to do, Becks.”
Rebecca shrugged again. “You know how I feel about the situation,” she said. “I wouldn’t get too attached. Trust me, Molly. He’s not the guy for you. You’ll find someone,” she added. “Just give it some time.”
Tears welled up in my eyes. “But I don’t want to give it time,” I said. “I want to talk to him, now!”
Rebecca rolled her eyes. “You’re hopeless,” she said. She switched off the television and yawned. “I think I’m going for a run. You want to come?”
I narrowed my eyes. “You run now?”
“I thought I’d try something new,” Rebecca said. “I can always walk, if you want to come.”
I made a face. The idea of sweating and panting under the hot sun didn’t sound like fun. I’d never understood why people liked to exercise – it was all so uncomfortable.
“Nah,” I said. “I’ll stay. Thanks, though.”
Rebecca went into her room and changed. When she emerged, she was clad in a sports bra and tiny spandex shorts. She rubbed some sunscreen on her face, then gave a half-wave and left.
As soon as the door closed, I felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders. Being alone didn’t relieve the pain of Alex, but it was better than being with Rebecca. When had things changed? When had I started enjoying the time I spent alone more than the time I spent with Rebecca?
It made me feel guilty just acknowledging it. I loved Rebecca, I always had. She’d been my pillar, my rock, the only source of strength. Was I bad a friend for liking her less now that Alex was around? Except he’s not around, I thought. You scared him off!
But that wasn’t it. It wasn’t just because of Alex, or was it? And it wasn’t just me – Rebecca had gone from sweet and loyal to bitchy and judgmental, seemingly overnight. Maybe I didn’t know her as well as I thought I did.
I grabbed the remote and flipped through the channels, not even paying attention to the frenzy of commercials and shows passing by.
A knock at the door made me jump. I rolled my eyes and groaned. “God, Rebecca,” I said. “Forgot your key?” I muttered under my breath as I got to my feet, taking my time as I crossed the floor and opened the door.
But it wasn’t Rebecca who was standing there.
It was Alex.
When he saw me, he made a pleading look with his eyes. “Please, Molly, don’t shut the door,” he said. “Give me a chance, hear me out, okay?”