Rewritten

Chapter 18: Scott

"You guys are cousins?" Maria asked in disbelief as me and Aaron are staring each other down. My intention coming here was to finally convince her that I'm a good guy in and out of the sheets, my cousin being here ruined my good mood.

"I thought you were off the face of the earth," I said to Aaron ignoring Maria's question.

"I came back. I didn't know you knew sweet Marie," Aaron said walking to her and putting his arm around her shoulder. She smiled tightly. My skin boiled at the sight of him touching her.

"Why didn't you tell me you knew my cousin?" Aaron asked her.

"How would I know you guys were related?" she asked in a hushed voice.

She looked back at the living room. Clenching my fists tight of their friendly moment, I stepped forward ready to throttle him.

"Aaron, let's go." Her brother came back from upstairs, motioned the front door for them to leave. Aaron mumbled goodnight to Maria, kissing her on the cheek before he left. Passing me by an evil smirk across his lips he left with her brother.

"Sooo, you guys are family? That's nice," Maria said with a sheepish laugh.

"Why was he here? How do you know him?" I asked lowly with clenched teeth.

"He's my brother's best friend and my friend too."

"Friend? The way he was looking at you didn't seem like you were friends. Did you guys used to date or something?"

"No. It was just a crush."

"Did he know?"

"Technically."

"What does that mean?"

Fiddling with her fingers, she rocked her heels back and forth looking down, "we kissed."

"That's it? He didn't take advantage of you?"

"No. He wouldn't do that. I stopped it after my clothes were off." Her hand went straight to her mouth from what she blurted and eyes wider than ever.

Scoffing at her declaration I stomped out of her house, pulling out my phone I texted Lauren for a quickie. It might be late but I needed a distraction.

I'm coming over - Scott I texted her and she responded back.

I'll be waiting, sexy -Lauren.

-&-

I haven't talked to Maria in two weeks, ignoring her in the hallway and in class. On Monday, she tried to talk to me but I didn't want to hear any of it. I had no right to judge her but Aaron was not someone to trust and she kept pushing me away. Images flashing through my mind of her and Aaron together, him touching her everywhere made me sick. "Shitface!" exclaimed Dom pushing me to the locker and I pushed him back.

"What the hell?"

"Relax, just getting you out of your zone. What's up with you anyway?" he asked.

"Nothing," I told him frowning.

"Are you sure, bro?" he asked suspiciously.

"Yeah, I am. What's with the damn questions?" I spat out.

"All right man, calm down. Any girls you hooked up with?"

"Just Lauren, I haven't slept with anyone new." I said as we made our way to his locker.

"Yeah you've been with that Maria chick for a while. Did you screw her already?"

"Not yet," I admitted.

"What's holding you back? She's hot as hell." He was right, she was but it's more than that, I liked spending time with her. She's funny, humble and gorgeous. What the hell? I'm not supposed to feel like this at all.

"Scott, get your head out of your ass. You weren't even listening." Dom said breaking my trance.

"Sorry, man just thinking about things." I told him.

"Maria, right?"

"What?"

"You obviously like her. I barely see you anymore."

"So?"

"You spend most of your time with her. You need your bro time." He was right again; I haven't hung out with any of my friends in a while. So I suggested to Dom that he and the guys come over this weekend. "Cool, see ya man." Dom left me behind my steps becoming slow.

"Hi," said a small voice behind me, I recognized that it was Maria.

"Hi," I responded, turning around. She tugged on her sleeves and smiled. I crossed my arms with a blank look on my face. She rolled her eyes at my lack of emotion.

"Look, I get it. You're mad but you have no right to be. I didn't know you guys were related, what happened with me and him was a long time ago," she explained.

"So you did screw him," I glared at her.

"I didn't screw him! What's it to you?!" She squinted.

"You don't even know him," I spat out.

"I know him better than you."

"Not the real him."

"He was nice to me after Tyler and I broke up."

"He just did that trying to get into your pants."

"You're unbelievable. Talk to me when you have your head on straight." She bumped into my shoulder hard and walked away.

-&-

"When did Aaron come back?" Logan asked, his eyes on the screen while all of us played Call of Duty in my room on a Saturday afternoon. I told them about what happened between me and Maria and Aaron coming back.

"I don't know man, he didn't even call anyone in the family that he was back," I told him.

"So you mean to tell me that he knew Maria all this time and staying at her house doing the nasty with her? Your cousin is cool!" Dom exclaimed fist bumped Jake with a laugh.

"You almost shot me, asshole!" Screamed Logan to a distracted Dom, he aggressively hit the buttons on the controller.

"They weren't doing the nasty while he was there. She told me that they kissed." I defended.

"You don't know that. They could be doing it right now," Dom said wiggling his eyebrows, they all roared with laughter.

"Shut up, you guys suck," I said seething.

"Dude, we're just joking," Logan said trying to breathe from his laughter.

"But seriously, you need to keep her away from him," said Dom.

"You don't think I know that, dumbass? He's living there though. I gotta think of a way for him to get out of there." I concluded.

"Maria does have a point," Jake chimed in, "she didn't know you and Aaron were related."

"That doesn't matter, he's bad news Jake."

"We get that you have a thing for her Scott, but" Logan started to say.

I cut him off, "I don't have a thing for her."

"You talk about her whenever we're around." Dom spoke.

"I talk about a lot of girls."

"But with her you're smitten. Just admit you like her so we can get on with our lives."

They all looked at my direction with the same expression: raised eyebrows and smirks for an answer when they paused the game. "Fuck you," I muttered walking out the room.

"Ha! Scotty's whipped!" shouted Dom as they presumed the game. I'm not whipped. Fuck these feelings.