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“Calm down, hot stuff,” Ryan says, putting the emphasis onhot stuffso it’s clear he’s being sarcastic.
“You were told quite clearly yesterday….”
“Oh shut up, you ugly old hag. What’s the issue? Not getting enough dick from your sad sack of a husband?”
Something snaps in me. It’s just not fair, him talking to her this way, when she only ever wants the best for us.
“Della, wait.”
But I can hardly even hear Izzy’s voice.
I’m walking quickly across the grass, my head cloudy, distantly thinking that I’d never have the confidence to do something like this if I hadn’t started texting my hot tutor.
“Don’t speak to her that way,” I yell.
Ryan turns to me, his lips forming an ugly sneer.
Behind him, his three friends all exchange looks, laughing uncomfortably. I get the sense they’re not all completely onboard with this…that their friend convinced them to come here.
But that doesn’t excuse it.
“I’ll do whatever I want, you stupid bitch,” Ryan says, laughing meanly. “It’s your fault for not having better security.”
“We don’t surround the building with guards because it upsets certain student body members. But don’t worry, young man.” Mary aims her finger at him. “Securityison the way.”
Ryan laughs. “It might be but I won’t go as easily as I did yesterday.”
“You’re pathetic,” I snap.
Ryan’s sneer deepens as he looks at me. “Look at this little firecracker. Or maybelittleisn’t the right word. Get lost, bitch, before you make me….”
“Make you do what?”
Everybody turns at the sound of Eli’s calm voice.
It’s loud enough to cut through the music, but he’s not shouting. He gives me a look, his eyes blazing, silently telling me he’d never let anybody hurt me.
“Well?”
Eli rolls his shoulder as though getting ready for a fight. He strides past Mary and me and stares at the man. Ryan is about the same height, just as wide, and at least half Eli’s age.
But Eli doesn’t even look remotely worried.
“Relax, old man.”
“I’ll relax,” Eli says, “when you apologize to my woman, pack up your shit and leave.”
“Your woman…,” Ryan looks at Mary.
“No,” Eli snaps.
I open my mouth, meaning to tell him to stop. He can’t say this, not in front of Mary and especially not with the head of the college, Jocelyn, striding across the lawn with security in tow.
“My. Fucking. Woman.” Eli looks at me, his muscles throbbing in his pale green shirt, his sleeves rolled up to show the pulsing of his forearms, his intense eyes afire. He turns back to Ryan. “You don’t get to speak to her that way. Nobody does. Apologize, pack your shit, andleave.”
Ryan looks at me. For a second, hesitation moves across his features, making me wonder if he’s going to do the right thing.
I can feel Izzy looking at me. Out of the corner of my eye, I’m pretty sure I can see her mouth wide open, her eyes just as wide, shock taking hold of her.
