Craving My Brother's Best Friend (Bailey and Kaleb) novel Chapter 19

**The Night We Borrowed Fire from a Broken Star by Selvin Arlo Crest**

**Chapter 18**

**Bailey’s POV**

Turning my gaze away from Kaleb, I felt the weight of the crowd pressing in around me, students jostling against one another, their voices rising in a cacophony of cheers and chants. The atmosphere was electric, yet I needed a moment of clarity.

“Let’s go,” I urged Selena, just as my phone buzzed in my pocket, its shrill tone slicing through the noise.

I fished it out, squinting at the screen. David.

“Hello?” I raised my voice, straining to be heard over the raucous celebration.

“Bailey, are you at your apartment?” he inquired, his voice barely audible amidst the chaos.

“It’s so noisy! Where are you?” I replied, shifting my position, desperate for a sliver of quiet. “I’m at the stadium,” I finally managed to say.

“I’m here too,” David responded. “Come to the second gate.”

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You’re here? At the game?”

“Yes,” he confirmed, his tone urging me. “Hurry up, I’m waiting.”

“Okay, I’m coming,” I promised, ending the call and turning to Selena, who was still practically glowing from her earlier encounter with Kaleb.

“I’m heading off to meet my brother. Do you know where the second gate is?” I asked, hoping for a quick answer.

She blinked, her excitement momentarily overshadowing her confusion. “Oh! Your brother’s here? Sure, let’s go!”

Without waiting for my consent, she linked her arm through mine, her enthusiasm bubbling over. “I’ll show you the way!”

Casting one last glance at the field, I realized Kaleb had vanished, leaving a strange emptiness in his wake.

We navigated through a throng of students, their screams and laughter filling the air. Music blasted from a nearby speaker, and clusters of people danced joyfully, lost in their own world.

Selena squeezed my arm, her curiosity palpable. “You didn’t tell me you had a brother here! Is he older? Is he hot?”

I rolled my eyes, trying to suppress a smile. “Selena…”

“What? I’m just asking,” she replied, her mischievous grin widening.

“Don’t worry, I won’t steal him, unless he wants to be stolen,” she added with a playful wink.

Finally, we reached the second gate, and my heart raced as I spotted David. But my steps faltered when I noticed who stood beside him.

Kaleb.

He was tall and broad, laughing heartily at something David had just said. Dressed in casual clothes, he exuded an air of confidence that made my stomach flip.

Selena gasped, gripping my arm tighter. “Bailey… is that him? Is that him? The hot guy? The one from the field?” Her voice was a mix of disbelief and excitement, almost as if she might faint from the sheer thrill of it all.

I couldn’t bring myself to respond, my mind racing.

She began fussing with her hair, pulling it over her shoulders, her nerves palpable. “Do I look okay? Tell me I look okay. Oh my God, I wasn’t ready for this. Is my lip gloss smudged? Is it fine now? Bailey, don’t just stare, answer me!”

With a sigh, I dragged my feet toward David. “You look fine.”

“Fine?” she hissed incredulously. “Not fine, stunning. Say stunning.”

“Stunning,” I muttered, my heart not really in it.

David smiled broadly as I reached him. “There you are. Took you long enough.”

“What’s up?” I asked, deliberately ignoring Kaleb, even though I could feel his gaze burning into me.

David reached into his bag and handed me a stack of heavy books. “Got these from a senior in business administration. They’ll help you with your classes this semester.”

I blinked in surprise, taking the books carefully into my arms. “Oh… thanks.”

“Don’t mention it,” he said, adjusting the strap of his bag, clearly pleased with himself. “Give me my flowers, Best Brother of the Year.”

I rolled my eyes, unable to hide my smile. “Yeah, best brother of the year. Thanks.”

It was impossible to ignore the fact that Kaleb hadn’t taken his eyes off me, not even for a second.

“Are you guys fighting again?” David asked, a teasing lilt in his voice.

Selena, not one to let a moment slip by, nudged me hard with her elbow, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Introduce me. Now.”

“This is my brother, David,” I said first, gesturing toward him.

Selena beamed, her enthusiasm infectious. “Hi! I’m Selena. Nice to meet you.”

“Nice to meet you too,” David replied politely, nodding in her direction.

“And,” I added, my voice flat, “this is Kaleb. My brother’s best friend.”

“I knew it!” she squealed, practically bouncing with excitement as she followed me. “Bailey, tell me everything! Don’t you dare walk away. Tell me, tell me!”

I quickened my pace, but she kept up effortlessly, tugging at my sleeve, her laughter ringing out like a victory bell.

Finally, I sighed, relenting a little. “Selena, listen. Kaleb isn’t someone to mess with. His loyalty is to his… well, let’s just say he’s not the type to settle down. Don’t even bother.”

Selena burst out laughing, her joy infectious. “Oh my God, Bailey, the way you said that!”

She wiped away tears of laughter, still chuckling. “His loyalty is to his… what? That’s hilarious!”

I stopped walking, my frustration bubbling over. “I’m serious. Stop laughing,” I said, my tone sharp.

Her laughter faded quickly when she saw the seriousness etched on my face. “Okay, sorry.”

I turned my gaze down to the sidewalk, the weight of my thoughts pressing heavily on me. “We had a summer fling. It wasn’t even a fling…”

I found myself spilling everything, and her excitement only grew.

“Bailey, this is so cool! If your brother finds out about this, you’re done for,” she said, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

I shook my head sharply, panic rising within me. “Don’t you dare tell him. It’s over. It doesn’t matter anymore.”

She leaned in closer, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Do you still have feelings for him?”

“Never,” I said flatly, trying to convince myself as much as her.

She studied me for a moment, her expression softening. “You do,” she said quietly. “Maybe you don’t want to admit it, but I can tell.”

“I don’t,” I insisted, my voice firm.

Selena just grinned wider, her determination shining through. “Then I’ll make sure you two get together again. Just wait, Bailey; I’m good at this kind of thing.”

I groaned, rubbing my forehead in exasperation. “Please don’t.”

She ignored my plea, her excitement bubbling over. “This semester is going to be fun. I’m so happy I met you today. Seriously, we’re going to have the best time.”

I didn’t reply, allowing her chatter to wash over me like background noise.

“Okay, I’ll see you tomorrow! Don’t miss me too much,” she winked, hurrying off, still humming to herself.

As I watched her go, I let out a tired sigh, my body aching for rest. All I wanted was to collapse into my bed.

I didn’t care what Selena said or what her plans were. All I knew was that Kaleb wasn’t going to affect my mood ever again.