Forever Golden: Dark High School Bully Romance (Kings of Cypress Prep Book 3) by Rachel Jonas (books like beach read txt) 📗

and let my gaze slip to the floor, knowing we’re no longer talking about my sister and his brother. Which brings me to why I asked him to stop by.

“I hear you and West had a talk tonight.”

After speaking, I imagine how uncomfortable that must have been for both parties involved.

Ricky nods. “We did.”

“And… do you think it’s as crazy an idea as I do?”

He thinks for a moment. “When he first brought it up, yeah, but the more I thought about it, the less insane it seemed. Why? You don’t think it’ll work?”

“Do you?”

He gives a nonchalant shrug. “I’m… optimistically intrigued.”

I think I get what he means. “It’s not so much that I don’t think it’ll work. It’s just that the whole thing feels…”

“Awkward as fuck,” he cuts in when I can’t find the words.

His summation draws a laugh out of me. “That’s one way of putting it. I mean, this whole ‘four-step-plan’ has my head spinning, but West seems so certain this is what it’ll take for his dad to keep his distance.”

“Yeah, he filled me in on the steps part on my drive over here. We had to cut our first conversation short so no one would see.”

I smile at him a little when he finishes explaining. “I get the feeling you two talk more than I realize. Do I smell a bromance in the making?”

He cocks his head to the side, as if to suggest I’ve lost my mind.

“He’s not my type,” he teases as I laugh.

“Seriously, though, how’d you do with the whole ‘cousins’ thing? I imagine that had to be quite the surprise.”

When his chest rises with a deep breath, his expression says it all. Hearing the news about his grandfather was painful, but he’s not so naïve to think it’s impossible.

“Is what it is,” he says plainly, which is code for ‘I don’t want to talk about it’ for those of us who speak fluent Ricky.

I take the hint and move on.

“Well, how are you feeling about this? I mean, with our history and all. Are you—”

He cuts me off with a quiet laugh. “I’m cool, B. You don’t have to worry about me getting attached or getting my feelings hurt. I’m a big boy,” he adds.

I see he wants me to believe that, and I’m trying, but I know the real Ricky. He’s tough on the outside, and no one on the street would even consider crossing him, but he’s got a huge heart. And, as his friend, I’d never want to do something I think could hurt him.

“You’re not lying?”

He laughs again. “No, so stop asking all these damn questions.”

“Okay, okay.”

He peers up and I meet his gaze. “So, does this mean we’re doing this?” he asks, making me think long and hard about that before nodding.

“For Scar, for all those girls out there, yeah. I guess we are.”

He nods and stands from my bed. “Then, I’m in, too. When’s this whole thing supposed to kick off?”

At the thought of it—publicly humiliating West, pretending not to love him anymore—a heavy sigh leaves me before answering.

“Monday.”

Ricky seems okay with that. “Cool. Let the games begin.”

He puts on a tough act, but I can only hope he’s really this strong on the inside. I guess time will tell.

QweenPandora: Did I call it, or did I call it?

What started as just a seemingly innocent pop-up appearance made by SeXyBeAsT at tonight’s game, has turned into a shady rendezvous of sorts. Shout out to the follower who just sent this pic of him headed inside NewGirl’s house.

While we can’t be sure what went on once they were alone, we have our imaginations. Tell me, do you think there’s a scandal brewing in Cypress Pointe?

Let the speculation begin.

Later, Peeps.

—P

Chapter 33

BLUE

Turns out being exposed in Pandora’s last post—although completely unplanned—worked in our favor.

Most commenters are convinced there’s some shady reason behind Ricky being at my house, so West thinks we should use that to our advantage for day one of what Joss has officially dubbed Operation: Heartbreak.

I guess naming these missions is kind of her thing.

To start, I’m supposed to seem disinterested when West shows up at my locker to walk me to first hour. So, spotting him coming down the hall, I put on my game face.

“Hey,” he says sweetly.

To which I respond with a very unimpressed, “Hey.”

I look away and close my locker before we start toward my first class. He puts his arm around me, and I keep my gaze on the ground, not saying another word. When we make it to the door, I barely wave before ditching him to head inside. He lingers there a moment, even after I’ve taken my seat, and this is already killing me. Even though we’re pretending, this is going to hurt us both.

The walk to second-hour is a repeat of the walk to first. I hardly pay him any attention and he plays the role of the doting boyfriend. At the door, I turn with an eye roll, then leave him hanging like before.

Gut-wrenching. This whole thing.

We wash, rinse, and repeat all the way up until lunch, when the real fun is supposed to begin.

West starts out walking with me, but then I make it a point to stay two steps ahead, looking like I’d rather be anyplace but here. Then, when we sit, I say nothing as he and the others carry on as usual. Eventually, his gaze shifts toward me while I pick over my food.

“Fuck it. What the hell is your problem?” he asks, just loud enough for those at the next table to hear and pretend they aren’t ear hustling.

I snap a look toward him and play along, just like we planned. “Nothing, just… I don’t want to talk about it.”

He breathes deep, shaking his head. “You’ve been acting like a bitch all day and I haven’t done shit to you. If anything, I should be the one who’s pissed.”

“Really, you just called me a bitch in front of