Nolan chuckles. “True. Thanks to D and Con, those idiots are going to be scared of their own shadows for weeks.”
“What I don’t understand is what would possess those idiots into causing the confrontation in the first place?” Kaleb ponders out loud. “As much as I disagree with the tactic, Donovan’s abrasiveness has left most terrified to look him in the eye, let alone say something disparaging to his face.”
“They have a death wish?” Donovan replies with a smirk. “What I want to know is what the hell they meant? When did hanging out with a girl mean my nuts were clipped?”
All the guys wince with that remark, before Connor growls, “New rumor.”
Nolan sighs, resting his chin on my head. “What did the evil bitch say now?”
“Callie freaked seeing you with another girl,” he answers with a bitter edge. “Threatened to hurt herself if we all didn’t leave the party.” His jaw flexes with how hard he grits his teeth and spits, “Calling her a manipulative, possessive psycho.”
“That’s rich coming from her,” Donovan sneers with disgust.
Kaleb offers me a look of gentle sympathy, as he seems to attempt to gauge my reaction.
“Wow, this must be serious,” I joke in an attempt to lighten the mood. “Connor said three whole sentences-- it’s practically a monologue.”
Unfortunately, this only earns a few pity laughs and a look from Connor.
“I’m sorry, Callie,” Nolan murmurs, equal parts frustration and sorrow in his voice. “Gina has always been obsessed with me and thinks if she scares off any girl that gets near me, I’ll eventually come back to her. Which makes her delusional on top of being a bitch.” He releases a slow, deep breath that causes a few strands of hair to fall into my face. “I feel like I should’ve warned you before inviting you into our collection of misfit toys.”
“Please,” I snort with a dark edge. “If anyone should come with a warning label, it’s me.” Relaxing more fully into him, I attempt to pat his hand, which is hard to do since his arms are wrapped over my own. “I’m okay, really. It’s not the worst I’ve been called, and there’s a twisted irony that of all the rumors she could make up about me, she chooses the one thing that I literally can’t do-- well to any great effect.”
No one looks particularly amused with the irony.Tough crowd.
“As glad as I am that you’re handling the rumors so well, it doesn’t make what she’s doing okay,” Kaleb counters, crossing his arms and resting them on top of the lunch table. “You’re not the first person she’s done this to.”
“And these aren’t your everyday high school bullshit rumors,” Nolan adds with derision.
He lets me go, sits up, and shifts so we’re back to being next to each other verses leaning on each other. Sadness anchors in my chest with his retreat-- noticing it’s something he does every time Gina is brought up.
He runs a hand through his hair, which somehow doesn’t mess it up, and explains quietly so as to not be overheard, “Her magic may be limited, but what little she has is air magic, and she’s perfected the spell to spread a rumor like fucking wildfire. Everyone that hears it believes it as fact, but nothing points back to her because no one can remember who told them.”
“I’m getting real fucking tired of your ex,” Donovan snarls. “That bitch can’t keep getting away with this shit.”
Connor grunts his agreement, and I can feel his body tense. I place one hand on his arm, and when he glances down at me, I offer up a weak smile. Flickers of different emotions cycle through his amber eyes, and my heart aches over the war that wages within him. I couldn’t care less what lies people believe about me. Hell, the only thing that would really do damage is if anyone found out the truth. But the fact these rumors are hurting my friends--Bitch is going down.
“Preaching to the damn choir,” Nolan replies to Donovan, but eerily fits with my internal thoughts. “This shit is one of the reasons I broke up with her in the first place. Someone would piss her off, then days later their reputation was ruined. Honestly, I’m surprised it took this long to get back to us. Must have been a slow weekend for her.”
Before anyone can comment further, the bell rings announcing the end of lunch period. As we throw away our trash and collect our backpacks and coats, Nolan asks, “You guys coming over today after school?”
Donovan and Kaleb shoot looks at each other, then Kaleb sighs, “We can’t. We have to help out with today’s evening service since we missed Sunday’s.”
“Aww. What a cute little choir boy,” Nolan teases, reaching to try and pinch Donovan’s cheek, only to get his hand smacked away.
“I’m not a choir boy,” he denies, the gravel in his voice illustrating that he’s not really a boy, period-- choir or otherwise.
“Tonight you are,” Kaleb insists, the deep rumble of his own voice even less “boy” like.
We funnel our way out of the cafeteria, and I head with Donovan and Connor toward Study Hall. Walking between them today is an interesting experience. The rumor is clearly flowing viciously through the halls, but self-preservation seems to kick in, and students go silent and plaster themselves against the walls when we pass.
“Subtle,” I mutter to myself. “Real subtle.”
I swear the guys take it as a challenge, because Donovan immediately throws one arm around my shoulders and Connor places a hand on my back, which is vacant since he’s also holding my backpack. I might as well have ‘Ours’stamped on my forehead.
I guess I should be grateful they haven’t started picking me up and carrying me around like a tired puppy, since it nearly takes two of my steps to meet one of theirs.
Feeling slightly guilty for Kaleb and Donovan missing Sunday service, even though they didn’t tell me they were missing it, I say offhandedly, “I didn’t know you were religious, though I guess it makes sense-- you being part angel and all.”
