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“Does he have to come?” Kayla whispers to me.
I nod. “Sorry. Something about the Phantoms. He’s worried about me after … well the incident at the hot springs.” I roll my eyes.
“I heard some guys tried to take advantage of you,” Crystal whispers. “Is that true?”
Rumors travel fast here. “Sort of.”
“I’m sorry,” Crystal adds.
“Nothing too bad happened,” I say. “Ali and Dylan were there to protect me.”
“Ali? Nickname basis already?” Kayla shoves me with her elbow. “You’re getting too close for comfort, girl.”
“Hey,” Felix snarls at her, and we both turn around to look at him. “Don’t touch her.”
Kayla grimaces. “You’re a lovely fucking dude, aren’t you?” she scoffs. “Asshole.”
He steps closer to her. “I’ll show you how fucking lovely I can be.”
They’re up in each other’s faces again, so I jump between them. “Stop. Just fucking stop, okay?” I bark at him. “If you can’t fucking behave around her, then leave.”
“No,” he says through gritted teeth.
“Why not? Nothing’s gonna happen.” I point at my friends in the grass. “Who’s gonna try to do something in the middle of the day while we’re having a picnic? Not even the Phantoms are that stupid.”
“I would rather cut off my own finger than leave you alone,” he grits.
It doesn’t just make Kayla’s eyes widen. Everyone in our vicinity is staring at us.
He’d go that far just to keep me safe?
I can feel my cheeks heat again, and I hate it.
And judging from the penetrative stare in his eyes, I already know arguing with him will be futile.
“Fine,” I growl, folding my arms. “Sit with us. But quietly. I don’t want to hear you moping around.”
“Lead the way,” he says, eyeing Kayla too.
She rolls her eyes and turns to walk away, and I follow suit.
“Sorry about that,” I tell her.
“I don’t get what you see in them. I really don’t,” she says.
“I’m sorry they treat you like shit. I’ve already told him he needs to quit that.” I swallow. “You guys are my friends, and they just need to accept that, end of story.”
“So they’re all like hanging out with you or something?” Crystal asks.
I tuck a strand of hair behind my ear, laughing it off because I don’t know how to answer this without sounding ridiculous. “It’s complicated.”
“With those boys? For sure,” Kayla says, rolling her eyes.
Crystal laughs. “They sound like a handful to me. But at least they’re protective over you.”
“Protective?” Kayla snorts. “More like stalkerish.”
Felix grumbles again, but he doesn’t say a word. Good. I don’t need more trouble. I’ve got enough as it is with him following me everywhere from now on.
We walk up to the rest of the guys sitting in the grass, and they all look up in surprise like they never expected to see me here.
“Hey, Pen. Long time no see,” Jeremy says.
“Pen! Not covered in gunk today, I see,” Calvin says, and Jeremy punches him in the knee for saying that out loud. I’m just glad I didn’t have to do it myself.
“Look who’s with her,” Jeremy hisses at him.
Calvin’s eyes lurch up to Felix’s, and he loses all the color in his face. “Um … why is he here?”
“He’s her stalker,” Kayla announces like it’s not a joke at all.
“He’s a friend. He won’t be a bother, I promise,” I add.
Calvin almost chokes. “Friend?”
I turn to look at Felix. “He’ll just sit in a corner, far away. Right, Felix?”
He rolls his eyes and sighs. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
I’m so fucking embarrassed he just said that out loud like it’s a normal thing to do because everyone heard.
“Oh my God,” Jeremy mutters.
Calvin snorts. “Oh, she’s got it good.”
“You can just ignore him,” I say as Felix sits down on the farthest tip of the picnic blanket, his nostrils twitching like the mere smell of their food sets him off.
“Tough luck,” Kayla jests. “Fucker is like a statue.”
“Oh, c’mon now, he can’t be that bad,” Crystal says, smiling at me. “She likes him so there must be something nice about him.”
Okay, now I’m really blushing. “He just helps me.”
“With what?” Calvin asks.
Oh Jesus. How do I answer this?
“He …”
“He’s her silent protector,” Kayla jests, putting her finger in front of her mouth. “Like a goddamn ninja warrior.”
The boys laugh, and Jeremy says, “Cringe.”
“I wouldn’t put it past him to suddenly ninja kick the shit out of someone just for looking at her, though,” Calvin says.
“Come here and find out,” Felix retorts.
“Felix,” I warn him, so he folds his arms and looks away again, annoyed as hell. “As I said, ignore him.”
“Wow,” Calvin mutters. “I’m impressed.”
“Eat your fucking sandwich,” Jeremy says, and he stuffs the sandwich Calvin brought into his mouth so harshly half of it falls onto the blanket.
I laugh. “Good thing I brought plenty more.” I pull out my big shopper and hand out some sandwiches. “On the house.”
