TRAITOR

“CASSI! WAIT UP.”

I flinched when I heard my nickname—the one that only Ethan used. The mixture of adrenaline and anger shooting through my veins had made me forget anyone else was in Aimée’s backyard. I glared at Madison as I blotted the tears threatening to spill over my eyes.

“I’ll go inside with you,” Ethan finished when he reached me, a little out of breath. He squeezed me around the waist and whispered in my ear, “It’ll be cold out here without you.”

I leaned into his kiss on my cheek, temporarily forgetting the crushing truth I’d learned minutes ago about my so-called best friend. I eyed the thick oak tree to make sure Caleb had done what I asked. Relief poured over me when I saw that he wasn’t in sight.

“Why did you leave the bonfire?” Ethan asked.

I went into insta-blasé defense mode. “I was on my way to find you. Someone told me a lie that you were inside.” I glared at Madison again. She covered her face with her hands.

“Oh, Madison.” Ethan looked up like he’d only noticed her there that second. He probably had. He never paid anyone else a drop of attention when I was around. His voice lowered with quiet concern. “Are you okay?”

Madison dropped her hands, letting her arms dangle weakly at her sides. She wasn’t only crying, she was bawling. I bit down on the inside of my cheek and swallowed back the venom I wanted to spit at her.

“What’s wrong with her?” Ethan asked me.

“The usual drama,” I replied in the most even voice I could manage.

“Is it Drew? He said he had something to tell me after the party.” He gave Madison a sympathetic smile. “Another breakup?”

“No one’s breaking up,” I blurted. “I mean, he’s her ride. He needs to take her home now.” My voice went flat. “She’s sick.”

A whimpery sob sputtered out of Madison. I rolled my eyes. She had no right acting like the victim here, but I couldn’t get into it with her again, not with Ethan around.

Ethan looked at her, and she bowed her head. He must’ve known something was up, but he didn’t question what I’d told him. He never did. I savored that small moment of trust, knowing if he found out the real reason I wanted Madison to leave, it would be gone forever.

“I’ll get Drew.” He started toward the bonfire, but I grabbed his hand, suddenly terrified about him rejoining the party where rumors of our breakup were running free on who knows whose lips. I racked my brain for an excuse to keep him near me, but everything I came up with sounded like a transparent lie.

Then Madison squeaked out, “Ethan, I’m sorry.” I threw her a look that could’ve iced over hell.

Ethan turned back to us and furrowed his brow in the adorable way he did when he tried to conjugate Spanish verbs. “About what?”

I stepped toward her and hissed between my teeth, “Don’t, Mads.”

Madison gnawed on her pinkie fingernail and looked away.

The lines in Ethan’s forehead deepened. “Are you sure she should leave with Drew? If they’ve broken up…” His voice was timid, releasing his first inkling of doubt in me.

I wanted to answer his pleading eyes, but a few feet away the spotlight on the covered bridge flickered as if it were reminding me of where I’d said I’d be. My eyes skittered between Ethan and the bridge and Drew standing by the bonfire a few million times before I locked my gaze on Ethan’s warm eyes.

“Wait for me inside. I’ll get Drew and make sure he’s okay to drive. It’ll only take a few minutes.”

I grabbed Madison’s shoulders and mimicked her signature air-kiss goodbye, using the closeness of the gesture to whisper, “Not a word or I’ll make sure Ethan hates you every bit as much as you want him to hate me.”

“Are you sure?” Ethan asked me. There was the doubt again. A pang of guilt stung me.

I nodded emphatically. “You know how they are with each other. I should explain things to him before he sees her like this. I’ll meet you inside, but … promise you’ll wait for me.”

He leaned forward and kissed the crown of my head. I wanted nothing more than to forget about Madison’s betrayal and how easy it had become to lie to Ethan, ignore the nagging light on the bridge, and tilt my face up so I could melt into Ethan’s soft lips, but I couldn’t get my lips to relax. They were frozen in a thin line.

He pulled back and smiled a small, almost-sad smile at me. “I promise.” His expression shifted to a more playful one. “As long as I’ll have you all to myself when you come back.”

I placed a hand on each side of his face. “Always. All yours.” My lip didn’t even twitch when I said it.