Firefly

61: fireworks.

Chapter 61: Fireworks

Justin 

"You're a terrible photographer." As if that direct comment wasn't bad enough, she snorted looking right at the pictures I clicked of the cemetery. 

"Contradictory to all the other times, but thanks." I give her a hate-dripping pursed smile. Not only did we go back to click the photos for the project, but we went back twice because she wasn't happy with my first batch of pictures. 

"You're good at portrait photography. But landscape? You suck." She reiterates it with an annoying grin. 

It doesn't suck that she's giving me genuine feedback. The criticism could've been used constructively. But the fact that she's saying with a mocking grin, the truth does feel bitter. 

"Thanks, Summer, I heard you the first time." I purposely take a swift left and she glides into my arm. "Jeez, I know you love me. Get a grip." 

She gasps. I smirk. "Oh, I will get a grip. Around your throat sounds good?" 

"If you're asking my advice, then I'd rather say. . ." I look down at my crotch. She instantly mumbles a curse word as she locks my phone and slides it into the center console before pushing herself away from me. She sits up straight, scoffing to herself. 

I try my best to hold back my laughter but I worsen it when it bursts out in loud fits. She crosses her arms against her chest, puffing the short strands of her hair out of her face. I raise my hand and attempt to help her by tucking it behind her ear but she slaps my hand away. 

I drop my hand to her thigh and continue driving with one hand—something that I know she can't resist. 

"Justin?" She doesn't say my name. She hums it. My heart tightens. "Can you be brutally honest with what I'm about to ask you?" 

The tight fluttering of my heart turns into a squeeze and I find my chest aching. "Okay." 

She clears her throat. "Did you or did you not cheat on the day we were paired by picking my name?" 

Well, fuck. I lick my lips. "I did." 

Her gasp is fake. She already knew I did. The real question was why and I knew she was getting there in her own twisted ways. "Why did you do that? Or better, why did you deny it?" 

There it is. I sighed, taking my hand off her legs to clasp the bridge of my nose. I would've come up with better excuses but all my mind repeated was that I had to be brutally honest with her. I couldn't escape from this one. 

I mumbled under my breath. She grunted, "Louder please." 

I bit my knuckles before giving in. "Fine, I didn't want you to be paired up with anyone else." 

"Wow, this is not creepy at all." She's finding joy in my torture. "Why didn't you just tell me?" 

I grip the steering wheel tightly. "Because I'm not the kind of guy who goes up to a girl and tells her she's beautiful and her mind's got him hooked and that she's all he can think about on her first day. Moreover, I shouldn't have liked you. I shouldn't have liked anyone. That was the plan." 

We're quiet and the minute seems like the longest and heaviest minute. I can't take my eyes off the road to see how she's taking it and because she's not talking, the suspense is driving me insane. 

"So you've liked me all along?" She concludes. I shrug. "Even when I kissed Caleb? Even when you choked me--heck, even when I called you the night I had a panic attack." 

"Yes," I yell, to all her questions. 

"Hmm," she's full of herself now. I sink into my seat. "I thought you were all villain, but you are half a gentleman, Justin. Regardless of your feelings and your reputation, you didn't lose your ground. It's admirable."