False Regret: Pikorua - Book 1 by Angela Reid Read Free Book Online Page B

gave me, but Cade was so good
looking, I had no doubt his presence provoked Will worse than usual.  It was a
futile emotion, in my opinion.  A guy like Cade would never be into a nerdy
girl like me, anyway, but it ticked me off that Will felt the need to blurt it
out in a way that seemed out of context, like he was laying down a claim on me.
    “Yeah,
so far, I have had every class with her.” Cade smiled and took a bite of his
food as I watched the information process on Will’s face. He didn’t like it,
and he would grill me about it later, even though I had no control over Cade
Cantrell’s class schedule.
    Will
and I began dating our freshman year, and we managed to stay together until the
start of our senior one. Everyone assumed we would get married someday, but I
knew better. My plan after high school was freedom, not only from Will, but
from my small town life. It wasn’t crazy love that kept me with him, I simply
liked having a boyfriend, even if he was tedious at times. He was a body to
take me to dances and listen to my troubles.  He was comfortable and familiar.  I
loved the stability he offered.
    Maria
had on and off boyfriends all the time, guys that used her and then left her. Poor
Ashley had never been out on a date. The closest she’d ever come to a romantic liaison
was a brief sexting relationship with a douche-bag in California who
turned out to be a forty-year-old, married man. She went to prom alone the year
prior and sat in the bleachers crying for most of the night. I protected myself
from those things by staying with Will.
    My
heart hurt for Ash, and I usually invited her to tag along on my dates.  It annoyed
Will, but I didn’t care. Her presence made me happy, and it also kept him from
pressuring me about sex. After three years of dating, he believed we should be
going all the way, but I was still refusing him.  I never let him do anything
with me, always making excuses for not accepting his advances. It seemed wrong
to give up my virginity to someone I liked, not loved. I wanted to be in love
for real, but I couldn’t tell him the truth. It was a point of contention
between us, but I continued to hold firm on the subject.
    Someday,
after we graduated and moved on to college, I figured the relationship would
just melt away, naturally. He was on his way to State on a wrestling
scholarship, and I was planning to attend the University of Tennessee on an
academic scholarship. I hoped the distance of separated states with twelve
hours of travel between would be the end.
    “Where
did you move here from?” asked Maria, smiling and licking her finger at the
same time. Overt flirting was always her thing.
    “Detroit,”
he answered, and we all nodded as if that explained his appearance.
    “Why
would you move up here to hicks-ville in your senior year?  That seems crazy,”
said Ashley. Her plump cheeks turned red, and I knew a crush was developing.
    “It’s
a long story, but I moved up here to live with my Aunt and finish school. My
cousin goes here, but I don’t have him in any of my classes. Do you guys know
Jimmy Ferguson?” asked Cade. 
    We
all knew his cousin. Our school was small, and Jimmy was a popular jock,
fitting every stereotype that word implied. I didn’t like him. He was mean to
me in fourth grade when I’d moved there.  The jerk put a wad of sticky
bubblegum in my hair that led to a haircut I hated.  In high school, freshman
year, he called me ugly and fat because I wouldn’t give him the answer to a
test question in social studies. The nasty remarks and obscene gestures had
continued all through school, so I avoided him. Lucky for me, he was basically
an idiot in remedial classes so I didn’t have any periods with him. Not wanting
to offend Cade, I kept my mouth shut about his asshole cousin.
    “I
wrestle with Jimmy,” offered Will. “He also plays football and baseball. Do you
play any sports?”
    “Nope,”
stated Cade. “I used to play football but got