Through the Layers (Rumor Has It series Book 4) Read online

  I turn and stare at him.

  He raises his hands in defense, before taking the final bite of his pizza crust. “Sorry. Too soon?”

  Returning my attention to my cereal, I pour the milk and put the carton back in the fridge.

  “You know what you need?”

  “Oh no, I remember this spiel.”

  He laughs. “Yeah, but last time we were still in high school. And we didn’t have our own place.”

  “Taylor, I don’t need anything. I’m not a wreck like last time. You’re right,” I take a deep breath before biting into a spoonful of Cocoa Puffs, “she is a bitch.”

  “That had to feel good, bro.” He chuckles. “Anyway, don’t think about it like this is for you. This is for us.”

  “What’s for us?”

  “Start of the summer party.”

  “Come on, seriously?”

  “Yes! It’ll be just what the doctor ordered, Micah.”

  “I don’t know,” I say, taking in another spoonful of cereal.

  “It’s either a party after finals, or we continue to do two-a-days. I can’t stand this mopey shit you got going on.”

  “Dick,” I reply with a chuckle. In addition to our regular workouts, since I broke up with Lana again, Taylor’s been forcing me to work out a second time. Usually at midnight, since the gym is open twenty-four hours, or we’ll hit the weights again on days we both work.

  “So?” He raises an eyebrow.

  I let out a groan. “Fine, whatever.”

  “Awesome. Invite whoever you want. Preferably chicks.”

  “Of course.” I scoop up some more cereal. “Who knows, maybe I’ll find Mrs. Right.”

  Taylor lets out a laugh, opening the fridge back up and grabbing an energy drink. “Mrs. Right? Micah, I’m not trying to find you Mrs. Right. I’m just looking for a Ms. Right Now for you.” He cracks open the can, taking a drink.

  I laugh. “I think you cornered the market on those.”

  “Two more!” Taylor yells.

  We’ve been at the gym for a couple of hours. I grip the bar sitting across my shoulders, squatting low, hamstrings burning. My shoulders stiffen, as I grunt to stand back up straight.

  “One more!”

  The sweat beads off my face. I never thought I’d be a gym guy. I exercised here and there, but nothing measured or regular. The first time Taylor brought me to the gym, I fought him tooth and nail. I’d just broken up with Lana, and the last thing I wanted to do was workout. I struggled through it, but by the time it ended, I could feel the endorphins kicking in and got hooked. Especially on days I need to blow off steam.

  The steel bar clanks as I set it against the rack.

  “Shit, Micah. Max weight today. Not bad.”

  Collapsing to the mat, I throw an arm over my face. “Thanks.”

  Sitting next to me, he throws me a towel. “I’m gonna have to step my game up.”

  “Right.” I wipe my face. “You’ve still got me beat by twenty pounds.”

  “Well, you keep pushing yourself at this pace, I’ll have to do the same.”

  Weight training with Taylor has become an outlet. Therapy. He’s the only person who knows what really went down between Lana and me the first time. Well, other than the guy I caught her cheating on me with. I let out a loud sigh, the memories surfacing.

  “Micah, you need to forget that bitch, and you know I’m right. What she pulled? That’s some bullshit. You gonna call Olivia?”

  I shake my head. Before we got to the gym, he texted me this girl’s number, telling me he put in a good word for me.

  “Micah, come on. I’m trying to help you out here.”

  “Dude, I can’t just screw her out of my system. I’m not you.” He lets out a scoff, and I glance over at him to see an insulted expression. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “Whatever. I don’t even care because this isn’t about me. Hey, what about that Veronica chick you told me about last semester?”

  “I said she was in my art class. That’s it.”

  “I’ve seen her around campus with her friend, Cindy. She’d be perfect.”

  “It’s not gonna happen. It’s been two weeks, calm down.”

  Veronica is cute. I met her last year, briefly during a bonfire. We talked a little in our art class, but not much. Since it was before Lana and I got back together, it did cross my mind to maybe ask her out. I’d gone out with a couple girls, but I didn’t want to do anything serious.

  Getting back to my feet, I’m about to head to a new rack of weights when someone catches the corner of my eye. Matt Hillard.

  I have nothing against Matt personally. He’s a nice guy. But I’ve resented him for over a year. It calmed down a bit when Lana and I got back together, but now that we’re done again, and the fact that I caught her again, the memories come back. He didn’t play a personal part in that situation per se, but it all happened around him. So seeing him just sparks the fire of annoyance and hurt again.

  “Hey, I’m gonna hit the lockers.”

  “What? We didn’t do calves yet.” Taylor gets to his feet, blocking me.

  “Yeah, but I got a paper to finish—”

  “Hey, what’s up guys?” Matt calls out.

  Taylor knows him better than I do, playing football and basketball with him during high school. He also knows the truth of why I get so frustrated by just the sight of him.

  “Hey,” I say and abruptly walk past him.

  I know it comes off as cold and it looks like I’m being a jerk to him. Two of my best friends from high school, Emma and Jen, have told me that. But I can’t help it.

  “What the?” I hear him say behind me, but I keep walking to the lockers.

  “What are you doing here?” Taylor asks, and by the sound of it he’s following behind.

  “I usually hit up Gold’s Gym, but my dad’s firm was giving out guest passes. Hey, Micah?” I don’t turn around. “Micah?”

  “What?” I call back without looking, walking into the locker room.

  “What the hell, man? What’s your problem?”

  “Matt, come on,” Taylor says, and I turn toward a set of lockers, seeing him try to usher Matt back.

  “No, this is bullshit,” Matt’s voice gets louder. “Micah, you’ve acted like a douche to me ever since high school. I want to know what the hell I did because I’ve tried to be nothing but nice to you.”

  “Man, get out of my face.” I curl a lip, putting in the code on my lock.

  “No, I want to know. You’ve treated me like dirt for over a year.”

  “Matt, come on, bro.” Taylor puts a hand on his chest. “Just leave him alone.”

  “No. Micah, what the hell is your problem?”

  “Matt—”

  “You’re my problem, okay!” I cut off Taylor, stepping to Matt. The memories from the party start rushing back.

  “Why? What’d I ever do to you?”

  “Everything! You did everything, you asshole! You and that damn party.”

  Confusion masks his face. “What are you talking about?”

  “You want to know why I can’t stand to be around you, Matt? It’s not because I hate you, because truth be told, I actually thought we could’ve been friends. You seemed like a cool guy in school. The reason I can’t stand to look at you has nothing to do with you personally, and everything to do with that damn party you threw.”

  “Micah, just drop it, man. It’s not worth it,” Taylor interjects, but I’m already worked up.

  Maybe I should’ve told Matt about this a long time ago, but I didn’t. I’m saying it now though. If he wants to know why I can’t stand him, he can finally have the truth.

  “No.” I point at Taylor, who raises his hands in submission. Looking back at Matt, I see he’s giving me a smug grin, waiting on what I’m sure he thinks is a flimsy excuse. “Your whole basketball team was at that party. Emma and Carter had just got together. I was actually having a good time. You had your backyard s
et up, people were in the jacuzzi. Mr. Class President was throwing one of the best senior parties of the year.”

  “You don’t like to have fun? That’s your problem with me?” He lets out an incredulous scoff.

  “No, I like having fun as much as anyone else. But you know what? Lana, my girlfriend at the time, well she really liked to have fun. I went inside your house, got sidetracked, and talked to a few people. Coming back out, I looked for her and guess where I found her?” I stare at him. He stares back, looking at me like the story I’m telling him is completely pointless. “In your pool house, giving head to one of your teammates.”

  His apathetic grin vanishes. He stands a little straighter, concern across his brow. “What?”

  “Do you need me to spell it out for you? She was sucking some guy’s dick. You happy now?”

  The locker room’s silent. Matt’s face drops. I grab my gym bag out of my locker and slam it shut.

  “Damn. Micah, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.”

  “No shit.” I scowl at him, before brushing past him and out of the gym.

  I was actually looking forward to this summer. Not that I ever really hang out with Matt, but his friends mingle with my friends. I wanted to catch up with Jen and Emma, who I’ve barely seen since college started, and I knew he’d probably be around. But now that Lana and I are done—for good this time—I don’t want to see any one of them. Which sucks. Not only are the memories coming back of that damn party but the fresh memories of catching her at her apartment. I thought we were in love. Once we got back together, I thought we’d put it all behind us. I was wrong. And now, I just feel lost.

  Chapter 4

  Veronica

  “That’s cheating,” I try to sound serious, but the laughter surrounds my words.

  “How is that cheating, Vero?” my brother, Javier, asks. “It’s called a poker face. Ever hear of it?”

  “Yeah, except we’re playing Go Fish, Javi.” Tossing my cards down, I watch as they slide across the table.

  Ever since I was in middle school, all of my brothers—Javier, Tomás, and Miguel—along with Cindy, have had a standing traditional card game after we have a family dinner on Friday nights. Cindy laughs, while Tomás, my oldest sibling, stands up and starts organizing the cards. Javier reaches over the table, clawing at his winnings; an obnoxious amount of gummy bear packages.

  “You can’t lie and say you don’t have a two in Go Fish. If you have it, you have to hand it over.”

  He smirks, lifting his shoulders, and opens up one of the candy bags. “Whatever.”

  “Come on, Cin.” I push away from the table.

  My parents have already retreated to the living room, my dad reading while my mom watches one of her telenovelas. Miguel steals one of Javier’s bags of candy.

  “So, how’d your finals go?” Tomás asks Cindy.

  “Aced ’em,” she says proudly.

  “Of course you did,” I tease her. “I still can’t believe you decided to not go to some fancy college and leave me behind to suffer in community college hell.”

  “Watch it,” Tomás warns me.

  Being the oldest, ten years older than me, he’s always played the authority figure. It gets annoying because I’ve heard him use more than his share of f-bombs, but he likes to act as our second dad, to me especially. I’m pretty sure my father enjoys that because that way there’s another set of eyes on the baby, even though Javier is only two years older than me. Miguel is in the middle, at five years my elder.

  ‘Whatever,’ I mouth to him, making my thumbs and fingers into a W.

  “I could never leave you, V,” she says, wrapping me in a hug. Her arms still around me, she looks over at Miguel. “Besides, you know I’m waiting on Mike to ask me out.”

  “Very funny,” he brushes her off, eating another gummy bear.

  “Oh, I almost forgot.” She turns around and follows me as I head back to my room. “I ran into Taylor after class. He invited us to a party he’s throwing tomorrow night.”

  “What party?” Tomás asks more commanding than necessary.

  “Whoa, down boy.” I pat his shoulder.

  “Who’s going to be there? You guys aren’t twenty-one, will people be drinking? Vero, you’re not drinking.”

  I stand there, flabbergasted. Miguel and Javier are snickering while Cindy tries to stifle a laugh. “Oh my God, Toto. I have no idea who will be there, what will be going on, or if I’m even going. You were standing right next to me, two seconds ago, when Cindy brought it up. It’s the first I’ve heard of it.”

  “I’m just saying—”

  “I know what you’re saying.” I fold my arms, staring down my older brother. “Come on, Cin, let’s go to my room,” I say without breaking my line of sight with him. “That way we can have some privacy, talk about drugs and alcohol, and figure out when we want to get knocked up while being drunk at some college party.”

  “Vero,” Tomás admonishes, but I turn around and walk away.

  “Go home, Toto. I think I hear Yesenia ringing for you.”

  The last comment makes everyone burst into hysterics, leaving Tomás grumbling as I close my door.

  Yesenia is Tomás’ wife, and they live in the guest house in our backyard. She’s super nice, and we get along great, but the ringing comment is an ongoing joke. She broke her leg last year and Tomás, being the thoughtful and loving husband he is, decided to get her a bell. Whenever she needed something, all she had to do was ring the bell, and he’d turn up. I thought it was adorable, but Miguel was the first to bring up the fact that she was beckoning him like a dog.

  That, combined with the fact that I call him Toto—I started calling him that when I was three and it stuck—sent all of us into a fit of laughter when Miguel said, “Look at that. Yesenia is Dorothy, and she has her very own bell for Toto.”

  It wasn’t hilarious, but at the exact moment he said it the bell rang. Tomás flashed us all a menacing scowl, before turning around and sulking back to the guest house and his wife. “You’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto,” Javier yelled out. That sent us overboard.

  “So, what’s this about a party?” I ask, laying down on my bed and pulling out my phone.

  “I guess Taylor said it’s just a party to kick-off summer, or whatever. It’s the perfect chance to finally get you with Micah. They’re roommates.”

  “Cindy, would you stop with that already.”

  “What? It’s my job, V.”

  “Nothing is your job.”

  “You’re right. It was our job. But seeing as how Izzy decided to take UC Santa Barbara up on that scholarship, we don’t see her as much anymore.”

  Izzy is our other best friend from high school. She was initially going to enroll at Irvine Community with us, but she had a great scholarship offer from UCSB. It’s only a couple hours away, but far enough that she stays close to campus, and when she is home, she’s usually with her boyfriend.

  “Oh God, not this again.”

  “Yes. This again. Project V.”

  I let out a long, exasperated sigh at the stupid nickname. After we graduated high school last summer, they said they were making it their responsibility to find me a good guy. Not for a long-term relationship mind you, but someone they thought would be the perfect guy to lose my virginity to. And they gave themselves a deadline, too.

  “V, we just finished out the second semester. July fourth is right around the corner. You know as well as I do that that’s the deadline.”

  “I can’t believe you’re taking this that seriously. It was a stupid joke.”

  “Izzy may have said it as a joke, but I’m serious. Look, I know why you’re nervous,” she says, and I can feel her eyes on me. She knows what happened with Tim, I just told everyone else I broke up with him. They both assured me he’s a lying dirtbag, but they know how much his words stung. “But that’s why I’m taking this so seriously. It’d be fine if it were something big, like waiting until you were married. That’s fine. B
ut you and I both know that’s not why you haven’t tried to do anything this entire year of college.”

  I bite my lip, breaking eye contact with her. I love and hate that she knows me so well.

  “We’re going to this party, and I’m not saying you have to hookup with someone there. Hell, I really don’t care about that deadline either. This isn’t a bet thing. This is a Veronica thing. I want you to feel good with yourself. Comfortable with who you are because you’re so great. And once you finally realize that, whether it’s because you punched your v-card or not, that confidence is only going to magnify what I already know. That Veronica Rodriguez is amazing.”

  Chapter 5

  Micah

  After finals week, I’m not interested in having a party. Taylor tried talking it up throughout the week, and while it sounded like a good idea, I knew he was just doing it in hopes of me hooking up with someone. But it’s actually a good distraction. While it’s not a huge house party, due to the size of our apartment, it’s a good size crowd. Plus, Veronica shows up with Cindy.

  “So, how’s your graphic novel coming along?” Veronica asks as we hang out in the kitchen.

  I’m a little impressed she remembers me talking about it in the past. “About as good as a snail in a salt field.”

  She lets out an exaggerated cringe, making me smile. “That’s too bad. I remember you telling me it’s a sci-fi story, right?”

  Impressed again. “Yeah, kinda. It’s part science fiction, part romance. Kind of like a rom-com set in the future.”

  “Wow, so not your typical Marvel comic.”

  “No, definitely not.” I laugh.

  It’s only a small tidbit of conversation, but it’s the same throughout the night. Talking to her is easy. And here’s the thing; Veronica is exactly my type.

  My friends were shocked when I started dating Lana because she’s taller, blonde, and seemed high maintenance. I mean, she was, but I didn’t really care because I did like her. I thought I loved her at one time.

  Veronica, on the other hand, is shorter, with dark curly hair, and incredible dark chocolate eyes. She seemed a little shy talking to me, but I get the feeling she’s down to earth. She gives me the impression that we could just chill on a Saturday night, whereas if Lana wasn’t partying Friday through Sunday, she’d complain for hours.