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Maia
I’m not ready for this.
I was so happy to be home last night, to feel the slightest bit of familiarity and normalcy, to finally let out the heaviest emotions I’d been holding as I cried myself to sleep in Vince’s arms. I was not thinking about coming back to school this morning.
Never in my life have I cared less about this place. People flitting about inside, worried about how their lip gloss looks or what party they’re going to this weekend or who hooked up with whom. It’s meaningless.
In case teen pregnancy wasn’t a crash course about what actually matters in life, these past few days have proven to me how utterly pointless so much of high school is. I guess it’s fun when you’re ignorant to how hard life can actually be. And the last thing I want is to go in and face a bunch of people who are talking about all this like it’s their entertainment for the week. I don’t usually fly off the handle, but it might happen today.
“We’re a team,” Leigh says, voice fierce and a little wily.
“Yes, we are,” Nick adds.
“So, we can tell everyone to fuck off together,” Vince says with a slight smirk.
I bite back a laugh. This all feels too surreal. “Let’s do it.”
We walk through the double doors as a united front. I don’t know if that makes it better or worse, but I do know a hush falls over the lobby when we enter.Great.
“Let’s just go to our lockers,” Leigh says.
I nod and we head in that direction, but before we make it to the hallway, we’re cut off. By Miller. And Ashley.I’m gonna frigging blow.
Nick and Vince stand on either side of me, fists clenched and Leigh has on her menacing eyes. Eyes that tell you exactly how she plans to kill you. I stare the two of them down with my most withering glare.
Although, when I really look at them, their typical bravado is gone. For only the second time since I’ve known her, Ashley looks genuinely concerned. And Miller, frankly, looks like shit.
“How’s Braden?” he asks. “Is he… going to be okay?” I bite back the wordsfuck you,though I continue to think them. “I—I feel awful about what happened—”
“Youshouldfeel awful. Don’t get me wrong, Braden made his own decisions, even if I wish I could blame you for all of them. But you handed him the keys, probably laughing as you did. So, I think you deserve to feel as guilty as you do right now.”
”Is he going to be okay, though?” Ashley asks. “I swear, I didn’t see him leave. I would’ve stopped him. I—” She stops and glances at Vince, who gives her a little nod. Sometimes I forget the two of them were ever together, but I know Vince knows more about her personal life than most people probably do.
“I’m sorry,” Miller mumbles, looking down.
“That’s great. Braden was unconscious for days, by the way. He almost died. He’s going to be recovering and in physical therapy for months. Like I said, that’s not all on you, but you sure as shit played a role, so do me a favor—there’s four weeks left in the school year—stay the hell away from all of us.” I throw a glance at Ashley. “And maybe avoid spreading rumors and talking shit about all of this, too. Okay?” Neither of them says anything. “Great. Good talk.”
I turn and walk away, leaving stunned-but-pleased Vince, Nick, and Leigh to follow me.
When we get to our lockers, Leigh smiles and says, “That was freaking awesome. I wish I’d gotten video.”
“Yeah, well, I just hope they actually leave it alone and don’t run their mouths. I’m a hundred percent out of patience to deal with that bullshit anymore. All of this feels ridiculous. I’m ready to graduate and be done with all the nonsense.”
Leigh gently rubs my shoulder. “I don’t blame you for that. I—” She holds up one finger and suppresses a gag. “I’m sorry, I need to go throw up now.” Then she hurries down the hall as Nick follows her.
I shake my head and suppress a laugh.What the hell is my life?
As I pull my books from my locker, I look over at Vince. “So, what was that little thing with you and Ashley?”
He swallows. “Her… asking me to believe her, I think.”
“And do you?”
He looks around and lowers his voice. “I do. I told you I saw a different part of her. She isn’t all bad, she just leans into being that way. Her dad is a pretty severe alcoholic. Comes home in a rage sometimes—”
My eyes go wide. “Shit, does he hit her?”
“No. More verbally abusive. That’s where the bitch exterior comes from. She does it to survive. Well, that’s why she does it at home. Here I think it’s to regain control she doesn’t have anywhere else. None of that makes it okay, but she’s… a product of the life she’s had.”
