Secrets and Lies 2 Read Online Free Page A

years ago?”
    “Yes, it says something about a person.”
    He pulls up to a traffic light and stops abruptly, letting out a harsh laugh. “So there’s no forgiveness from you? No growth? It’s insane to judge someone for something they did before you even met them!”  
    He shoves his hands through his hair and shakes his head. I can tell my opinion matters to him, but then he goes and says dumbass things that make me think he hates me. If that were true, he wouldn’t have offered to drive me back to school. He would have waited and made a fool out of me at the most convenient time. With information pumped from Beth and Chelsey, the roommate from hell, Josh could ruin my entire college existence. He worries me.  
    There’s a patch of silence while we sit at a light. Josh won’t look at me. He just clutches the wheel tighter and tighter.
    I don’t say it to be an ass, I say it because it’s true. “What I think shouldn’t matter to you, Josh. I’m nobody. I have no money, I don’t run with your crowd, plus I’m the new girl.” It’s the trifecta of lameness at a private college where each kid gets a swank car and an allowance from their parents. I’m lucky to even be here. I don’t fit and it would be easy to turn the few friends I’ve made. “I don’t understand you. Carter’s my friend. How do you expect me to act like it never happened? Your past is screwing up my present. Otherwise, you’d be right, and it wouldn’t matter, but for that reason it does. You’re my best friend’s brother and my other best friend’s nemesis. Anyway, it shouldn’t matter what I think.”
    The light changes and he floors it. Anger flashes in his eyes, as if I don’t understand him at all. “But it does matter. You’re always with Beth. I see you every day and the condescension in your eyes is unbearable. I can’t take it anymore, and you have no right. I’m not the same guy anymore.” He glances over at me as he pulls into a parking space.
    I reach for the door, but I don’t open it. I don’t know what to say. It seems wrong to hold someone to a mistake they made, but there’s a reason why I can’t forgive him—it’s because of Carter. “You’re right, it’s none of my business and that was years ago, but Carter still hurts because of what you did. Telling him you’re sorry would go a long way.”
    Josh stares at me. “Are you kidding?” His mouth twitches like he doesn’t know if he should laugh or scream. This one has a temper under all that charm. He tries to quench the embers, but they don’t go out. They’re always there, burning, waiting to erupt. “I don’t owe him a fucking thing.” His words are too sharp, too much like scolding.
    I kick the door open and get out. Before I close it, I lean down and repeat. “This isn’t my fight, but Carter is my friend. I thought you were, too. I guess I was wrong about that.” I slam the door and walk away.  
    Josh doesn’t follow after me, not that I expected him to, he’s too proud for that. I did expect him to peel out and fly away in his race car, but he doesn’t. He sits very still and watches me until I disappear into the building.

Chapter 7
    Maybe the quarrel with Josh was a good thing. By the time I find the classroom, I’m stoked and ready for a fight. It’s going to take a lot of finesse to make it look like I kept my word and not be butt naked.
    The little voice in the back of my head whispers, don’t do this! You’re being just as prideful as Josh.
    I could back out. I could no-show and laugh it off, or pretend I didn’t know Jax was serious, but when class comes around again I’d have to go through the whole deal again. Evil Santa doesn’t think I’m mature enough to be in an upper level class. I have to prove him wrong.  
    I’ve drawn nudes before. The human figure is a masterpiece and I find the uniqueness of each individual body astounding. I’ve always wanted to draw a couple embraced, to capture the adoration