People are watching her, too.
This is her nightmare come true. Exposed, surrounded by everyone looking at her like she’s some kind of—
“Iris!” I shout as we push through the crowded hallway.
Layla reaches her first, a gentle hand brushing Iris’s arm. “Honey, it’s okay…” But Iris jerks out of her hold.
“They all know,” she gasps. “Everyone…” I try to reach for her, but she takes a stumbling step back, hand over her mouth, shaking her head. “No. Don’t touch me, I can’t.”
She turns and runs toward the exit.
We’re right behind her, past the office and out the double doors into the winter air. Iris barely makes it before she doubles over a metal trash can, her body wracked with sobs.
She’s gagging, shaking so bad I can see it, with mascara tears streaking her face. Her breath coming in ragged, panicked gasps. I stop beside her, pulling her hair back. “Hey, you’re okay, I’m here, Layla’s here, we got you.”
She slumps forward. “They know,” she gasps, her voice broken.
“I know,” I whisper, putting my hand on her back, trying to soothe her. Slowly, like it takes everything out of her, she leans sideways and wraps her arms around me, my own coming around her instantly. She presses her wet face against my white t-shirt, getting mascara on it, but hell if I care.
“I’ve got you, Darlin’. I’m not going anywhere.”
Layla is standing behind Iris, wiping tears from her own eyes, but I don’t even bother doing that.
Because this ismy fucking fault.
The cafeteria is louder than usual, with everybody talking about us.
I’ve been trying to focus on getting through the day. There ain’t no way Holloway would let me leave. He’s not exactly known for caring about personal problems. But I can’t stop thinking about her. How fuckin’ happy she was yesterday.
Seeing her hurt like that, my heart can’t take it.
When I walk past a couple of tables, all conversation stops. I grab a soda from the vending machine and try to ignore it.
“Wesley,” Coach Tanner calls out from a corner table. I head toward him. He’s a buddy, and I could use a friendly face right about now.
“Didn’t expect to see you today. Thought maybe you’d be takin’ a day off, after all the excitement.” I tense, slowly stopping in front of him, tray balanced in my hand.
“What excitement?”
He snorts, pushing his sandwich aside. “You know what I mean. Didn’t realize you were into, uh…” He hesitates, then adds, scrunching his nose in disgust. “People like that.”
I don’t say anything, frozen for a solid minute. Mostly out of shock that somebody who’s been my buddy for years would talk about the woman I love like that. I expect that shit from the kids, they don’t know any better.
But the teachers, too?
“Tanner,” I say, and his name comes out like a threat. “You wanna repeat that?”
He shrugs, like he doesn’t know what the big deal is. “Hey, not judgin’. You can’t fault me for bein’ surprised. I mean, she used to be… Just didn’t know you were one ofthemis all.”
There’s a tightness in my chest that I’ve never felt before, as heat rises to my face. I glance around to see a few teachers looking down at their lunches, pretending they’re not listening.
“That’s enough, Tanner. If all you’ve got to offer is bullshit, maybe you oughta keep your damn mouth shut.” A couple of students gasp at my language, but I’m past caring.
He raises his hands in mock surrender. “Relax, man. Just sayin’ what everyone else is thinkin’.”
“Well, I don’t give a damn what people think.”
He leans back in his chair, smirking. “Even if it costs you your team?”
