Free Flirt: Bad Boy Romance by Ashley Hall

Wes.
     
    So I got out the cleaning solutions and set about wiping down the wooden floors. I even waxed them for good measure, all the while going over each and every one of the bad aspects of Wes—the trouble he’d gotten in over the years with his foster parents and the state, his lack of respect, his selfish desire to use people. No way did he have the money to get himself that bike, and I’d bet my savings he conned the money for it out of his mom. Plus we’d both be graduating and leaving soon, although who knew if he would be going to college. He so didn’t seem to be the student type. Instead of finding the hypotenuse of a triangle, he was busying adding up the number of his conquests. Wes was a player, and he thought he could get any girl he set his sights on. He was obviously just teasing me for fun. Pressing up against me, warning me to be worried about myself.
     
    Then there was Adam. I’d had a crush on him for years now. He was so much more my speed. Good-looking, smart, kind…he’d never push the envelope like Wes did. Wes was a bad boy, and I didn’t need a bad boy in my life. He was way out of my league, untouchable, my step-brother.
     
    “What’s wrong, hon?” my mom asked, appearing in the doorway of the living room.
     
    “Nothing’s wrong.” I scrubbed a small stain to avoid looking at her, even after I worked the stain out.
     
    She crouched beside me. “Talk to me. I know something’s bothering you. Is it one of your friends?”
     
    “Nope.” Wes wasn’t a friend. Didn’t know what exactly he was to me, and it would probably be best to avoid figuring that out. Maybe ignoring him for the next five months would be ideal. Pretend he didn’t exist. He’d ridden his bike to school today. If he continued to do that, there was that much less time for us to be together alone.
     
    “That boy you like?” Mom pressed. “Adam?”
     
    As much as I had a close relationship with her and told her just about everything, I just couldn’t talk to her about this. She’d never understand.
     
    “Not him either,” I muttered.
     
    “Aha, so something is up.” She reached over and patted my shoulder. “You know you can always talk to me, right?”
     
    I finally glanced over at her. My mom and I were closer than most of my friends were with their moms. And I also had Dad’s other wives to talk to too, if I wanted. It wasn’t always easy, having so many parental figures, but maybe the one I should be talking to was Wes’s mom.
     
    No, that wouldn’t be a good idea either. I mean, I couldn’t come out and say, “Hi, Jacqueline. How are you? By the way, I’m attracted to your son. What do you think I should do about it?”
     
    “Is it your grades?” Mom asked. “Didn’t you do well on your report on the Mayan civilization?”
     
    “It was the Aztecs, and I did fine on that.” But her question gave me inspiration. I had to give her something, otherwise Mom would keep probing. “I guess I’m worried about the future. What comes next. It’s kinda scary, you know?”
     
    The concern on her face melted away. “Aw, April, yes, the future can be scary, but it can be wonderful too. You have a bright future ahead of you. I know you’ll do great, whatever you decide you want to do. Community college is the best way to go.”
     
    She hugged me tight, and I had to admit I did feel better. Wes would only be a part of my life for five months. Then he’d move on, I’d move on, and my stupid attraction would be over and done with.
     
    Besides, with the grades I suspected Wes was getting, he’d never get into a college, whereas Adam was going to the same community college I planned on attending. My dad knew several members of the faculty there and was even friends with the president. It was a great school. If only Wes would keep his hands off of me in front of Adam and everyone else. Not that I wanted his hands on me when we were alone either.
     
    Maybe I could finally make some