Novel Storm
Chapter 54
him, calling out again for the ‘lover’.
After checking under the bed and in the bathroom, Estrella finally opened the closet, then closed it. “Well, Jason, what now?”
Every nook and cranny was searched, and still nothing found. This belongs © NôvelDra/ma.Org.
Jason stared at Estrella for a long moment, then slowly approached the bed. His gaze settled on the neatly made bed, finally resting on something at the foot.
Estrella watched him, expecting some sort of explanation. After a long stare, just as Jason was about to leave, he paused. Bending down, he picked up a short hair from the foot of the bed.
Estrella claimed it was hers with cool confidence.
Jason, skeptical, moved towards the wardrobe, pushed Estrella aside, and opened it. Atop the wardrobe, Bryce froze, watching Jason like a statue.
When Jason saw someone in the closet, it was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on him. But upon realizing it was Bryce, he breathed a sigh of relief. No matter how reckless Estrella might be, she wouldn’t be involved with Bryce. And Bryce wouldn’t dare cross that line with Estrella.
The two looked at each other, and finally, it was Bryce who spoke first. He called out, “Hi.”
Jason, cool as ice, stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets and tossed out a casual ultimatum, “You coming down on your own, or should I help you make the trip?”
“I’ll come down myself, okay?” Bryce hurriedly surrendered. He knew better than to provoke Jason’s assistance; it wouldn’t end well for him.
Moments later, they regrouped in the living room, where Bryce had turned sheepish. “Jason, I was just being a jerk and intentionally teasing you earlier.”
At the entrance, Drew’s jaw was practically on the floor. “Bryce, weren’t you out building schools?” he blurted out, visibly shocked. What Drew hadn’t expected was that Estrella’s house was indeed harboring a man..
“Just couldn’t adjust to the new place, so I came back to rest a bit,” Bryce explained away.
Jason lounged on the couch, a picture of ease, his legs sprawled out before him. He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he fixed Bryce with a calm,
penetrating gaze. “What do you have to make me believe that you were just being a jerk and nothing happened between you and her?”
12:49
Jason had heard a man’s voice on Estrella’s phone, but he hadn’t really gone after her. His entire focus was on hunting down that mystery man and putting an end to him.
As Bryce listened to Jason’s questioning, his voice immediately raised, “Look, bro, Estrella’s a tough cookie that only you dare to bite into. She’s so fierce, I go limp just looking at her. How could anything
happen between us?”
As he spoke, Bryce raised his hands as if taking an oath, “Man, I swear, there’s nothing shady going on between Estrella and me. I promise.” Whether that would change in the future, he couldn’t say. Feelings and thoughts are like rivers, always flowing.
Bryce threw Estrella under the bus without a second thought, even went so far as to say she was such a tough nut to crack that he couldn’t get it up around her. Estrella’s face soured like she’d bitten into a lemon, and she kicked Bryce several times in response, “Bryce, you ungrateful mutt, what the hell kind of talk is that?” And with that, she sent a few more fierce kicks his way.
Jason wasn’t too pleased with the conversation himself, and with a cold tone, he asked Estrella, “So, you want him to get excited over you?”
Estrella, fuming, gave Bryce another kick and turned to Jason with an exasperated look, “Do what you gotta do to him.”
“Hey, we’re supposed to be in this together. Why are you kicking me?” Bryce dodged another kick from Estrella and turned back to Jason, “Bro, seriously, there’s nothing going on. Besides, if there were, we would’ve been an item already.”
At the doorway, Drew looked on with sympathy, thinking Bryce was planning on becoming a permanent outcast from Ravenwood.
Jason just gave them an icy glance, and Bryce slapped himself in the face, “I’ve got a loose tongue, I admit it. But, bro, please, no more talk of sending me to work on some school project. That place is a nightmare.”
“How could Thomas stay there?” Jason retorted.
Bryce quickly added, “Thomas has already come back.”
With an amused snort, Jason turned to Drew, who was already dialing to start an investigation.
Sympathy still evident, Drew said to Bryce, “Bryce, I don’t think anyone can save you now. You’ve spilled the beans pretty thoroughly.”
With a look of innocence, Bryce turned to Jason, who smirked and said, “So, you want to play house? Have a bit of heavenly fun?”
“Bro, it’s just me running my mouth, I was just trying to stick up for my Ella after you took