Page 100 of Always Love You More
Just as I answer, “No,” Billy says, “We’re having a party.”
“It’s a family thing,” I butt in.
I don’t want this girl anywhere near that party, and if I had my way, nowhere near Billy, either.
There’s something about her that’s always rubbed me the wrong way. Something about her that feels off. Maybe I just don’t buy the nice girl cheerleader act. Plus, my old man doesn’t do well with bringing outsiders around.
Noting the look on my face, Billy says, “Sorry, babe, it’s just a small family thing.”
She bites her lip. “I would never say anything about, you know—”
“Madison,” Billy warns.
“No, let her finish. About what?”
She shifts nervously. “Just, um … about what your dad does. I mean …” She takes a breath before rushing on quickly, “Everybody already knows, but I wouldn’t say anything. You can trust me.”
“And why would I trust you? You’ve never given me any reason to.”
“What about her?” she asks, motioning to Sam. “How come I have to prove myself and she just gets a free pass?”
“You wouldn’t even be able to wrap your pretty little head around all the ways she’s proven herself loyal,” I respond coldly.
“All right, let’s just calm down, huh?” Billy says, always trying to mediate the situation. “There’s no need to—”
“No,” Madison huffs. “He can’t talk to me like that.” Her face shifts, and for the first time, she drops the mask, glaring over at me. “You act like you can do and say whatever you want just because of who you are, like it’s some sort of excuse to be an asshole.”
Billy pulls his head back. “Whoa—”
“What’d you just call him?” Sam demands, taking a step forward.
“Just because I didn’t grow up the way you guys did doesn’t mean you can treat me like I don’t matter.”
“Pretty sure you’re from the same shitty neighborhood,” I mutter.
“Yeah, but my family is …”
“Your family is what?”
“Nothing.”
“No,” I push. “Your family iswhat?”
“Respectable.”
“Ah,” I say. “And that what? Makes you better than me?” I wave my hand around. “Than us?” She starts to answer, but I cut her off. “This is why you can’t come tonight, why I don’t trust you, and why I don’t fucking like you.”
Her face drops before she turns to Billy. “Are you just gonna stand there and let him talk to me like this?”
“Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because we’re—”
“We’re nothing,” Billy tells her. “Not anymore.”
“But—”
He backs away. “You should go find someone morerespectable. You know, so my filth doesn’t rub off on you.”
