Just my luck.
The cheerleaders are practicing in the gym today. Which means, Savannah.
The last person I want to see right now.
It’s starting to piss me off that everybody thinks this is about her. I ain’t like that. I haven’t thought about her in years, and certainly not since I met Iris. I care about her too much to be thinking about another woman.
I stride past Savannah, ignoring her when she looks like she’s gonna say something, and close myself into my office.
I’m sitting at my computer, about to start trying to learn more about being transgender, so I can be less of an idiot if Iris is ever willing to talk to me, when there’s a knock on my door.
Before I can call out that I’m busy, the handle turns, and Savannah’s walking toward my desk. Her blonde hair is up in a ponytail, and she’s wearing a pink tank top cut so low it’s gotta be in violation of the faculty dress code.
Maybe back when we were together, I would’ve thought she looked good, but now, I don’t feel a damn thing but annoyed that she’s interrupting what I was doing.
“Hey, stranger,” she purrs. I can’t hold in the eye roll I give her in return.
“Savannah, what do you want?”
“You’ve been hard to catch,” she says, leaning forward, making me worried her boobs are gonna fall out of that shirt. I ain’t interested in seeing that.
It’s nothing compared to Iris—
“I thought maybe we could…catch up.”
“Nah,” I say, looking back at my computer screen to continue typing, my jaw clenched this time.
“Oh, come on, I know you miss me, Nate.” She reaches across the desk, her manicured fingers brushing my forearm.
I jerk away like she burned me. “Don’t touch me.”
She stiffens, her smile slipping as she stands up straight andcrosses her arms. “What’s your problem?”
“My problem?” I repeat, anger bleeding into my voice. “You walked out on me, and now you think you can just waltz back in? I’ve moved on!”
“I left because you wouldn’t put me first. You were too busy playingdaddy.” There’s venom in her words as she spits out the word, like there’s something wrong with me taking care of my brother.
“Don’t you fuckin’ talk about Alex,” I snap.
“It’s the truth, Nate. You could have had a real life with me, but you chose to chain yourself to that kid instead.”
“He’s my brother!” I spit back. “I love him. I wasn’t gonna abandon him!”
“Yeah, well, look where it got you,” she sneers. “Alone. And now what? You think you’ve moved on? With her?” Her voice drips poison on that last word.
“Her name is Iris.”
Savannah scoffs. “Please. She isn’t even a real woman, Nate.”
Her words hang there, full of hatred and jealousy. And when what she said fully hits me, rage surges through my entire body. I stand up, towering over her,
“Don’t you ever fucking say that again,” I growl. “Don’t you dare talk about her like that.”
“Oh, come on,” Savannah sneers, looking up at me with an ugly expression on her face. “You actually think you can replace me withthat?”
I take a deep breath, trying to calm my racing heart and get my anger under control. She’s not worth it.
“You never loved me. You loved the quarterback. The ring. The perfect life. But you never gave a damn about me.” She starts to say something back, but I don’t let her. “Don’t youever talk about Alex or Iris again. Not ever.”
