Modern Monsters (Entangled Teen) Read Online Free PDF Page B

burst out of my ribs if I didn’t say them. Callie’s friend is watching me with a smoldering glare.
    “Right. She just made it up, then.”
    “N-no. I didn’t say…say that.” Once I’m sure she isn’t going to use some weird karate move to put me on the ground again, I pick myself up. “I’m just saying it w-wasn’t m-me.”
    She squints, looking me over. Studying me. I’d feel less exposed lying naked on a silver tray in biology being sliced open in the name of science. “Why were you following me?”
    Why was I? What, exactly, did I want to ask? What did I want to say? I rub the back of my neck, ducking my head. “I wanted to s-see if you could deliver a m-message.”
    “Uh-huh. What kind of message?”
    “T-tell her…I d-didn’t do it. I swear on my life. And…” The guilt. It comes out of nowhere and slides its slivers into my lungs, making my chest tight. “Tell her I’m sorry.”
    She folds her arms, gaze steely. “Sorry for what ?”
    “For not keeping her safe.” That’s what it comes down to. No, I didn’t rape Callie Wheeler, but I feel like it was my fault it happened. The number of things I could have—should have—done to prevent it seems staggering. The weight of my guilt makes it hard to breathe. Brett was right: I wouldn’t hurt a fly. I’ve never made fun of anyone. I’ve never gotten into a fight. Even the idea of hitting someone makes me unhappy.
    Callie’s friend lets her arms drop to her sides. She huffs out a breath. Miraculously, she doesn’t sound quite as furious as she did before. Just wary. “Yeah. Whatever.” Then she’s turning her back on me and storming off in the direction of the library. I watch her go. The sway of her hips is mesmerizing.
    Or maybe that’s the concussion talking.

    Brett laughs his ass off when I tell him. “You got laid out by a girl? Nice.”
    I sink down in the passenger’s seat of the car, trying not to mope. “D-don’t be a dick.”
    “Sorry, sorry. What did she look like?”
    “Uh… Dark brownish-reddish hair, I guess? Soft-looking…” I space out for a second. She had a really nice mouth. Like, ridiculously nice. It was probably her most defining feature.
    “Nice hips? Curves in all the right places?”
    My brows draw together. “Yeah. Now that you mention it…”
    Brett nods. “That sounds like Autumn.”
    “Autumn?”
    “Autumn Dixon, I think. She’s Callie’s best friend. I had a calculus class with her once. She’s a firecracker, man, let me tell you.”
    “I noticed.” It was…kind of hot. Nerve-racking, but hot. Probably not the sort of thing I should be thinking about given that Autumn threatened to run me over with her car and I’ve been accused of raping her best friend.
    Brett glances at me once, twice, three times. “You don’t have a thing for this girl, do you?”
    I look out the window to avoid letting Brett see how my mouth twists funny and my face gets red. “I d-don’t even know her.”
    “Doesn’t mean you can’t think she’s hot.”
    “Sh-shut up.”
    “Hey, I’m just making an observation. If you want me to put in a good word for you…”
    “Sure. That’ll go over great,” I mutter.
    Brett laughs again. I let the conversation drop. He’s done this any time I’ve shown interest in a girl…which I have. Plenty. Girls are these fascinating creatures. Beautiful in all shapes, sizes, colors. He teases me for not having a “type.” How can I possibly have a type when they’re all so intriguing? Girls who read. Girls who play sports. Girls who draw, paint, dance, cheerlead, wrestle, sing. I’ve yet to meet a female who wasn’t good at something while I sit here uselessly and have an anxiety attack at the thought of trying to talk to them.
    Well, at least I got through that awkward introduction phase with Autumn. Not so sure I left a good impression.
    We don’t drive directly to Brett’s place. He pulls up outside my house because I’ve already worn the same clothes two