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“Stop! You wanted to hear this so don’t go running off before I can give you the rest.” He sits back down. “It hadn’t always been that way. I knew a lot of the girls would want to stay the night at my house in junior high because they wanted to be around Van. He ignored them. It pissed them off. Some couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t give them the time of day, but back then, football was Van’s focus.”
“He seems super focused. Kind of a dick. Must run in the family,” Fleur teases.
“It got out that Van and I weren’t blood related.”
“They turned on you,” Fleur says, already knowing where this story is going.
“They started to make up stories. Spread gossip. Then Van got involved. It was all just a mess.” That’s putting it mildly. It was pure torture for me from the moment I stepped into that building every day.
“And I bet Van never got shit, did he?” Fleur shakes her head. No, the boys never have to deal with that drama.
“Not that I noticed, but Van wouldn’t give a crap what was said about him. It all rolled off him. Except when it hit me. Then he hit others.”
“As he should,” Dunc says. He may have things to work out with Van, but I can tell he respects him for sticking up for me. Maybe some good will come out of this situation with Rose. “Eat.” He nods toward my food that I haven’t really touched beyond one bite. Fleur, however, has managed to clear half her tray.
“Is he always this bossy?” Fleur asks.
“It can be kinda sweet,” I admit. Dunc smirks. “Don’t let that go to your head.” Fleur laughs.
“You haven’t signed up for any activities,” Fleur says, stealing a grape from my bowl.
“How do you—” I stop mid-sentence. “You know everything.”
“You could too.”
“All right,” I agree.
“And no, you can’t join,” Fleur tells Dunc without him even asking.
“Why not?”
“You wanted us to be friends. Deal with it.” She pops another grape into her mouth. Dunc grabs my bowl and moves it to the other side of my tray away from her, making us both laugh.
It feels good to laugh in this space and gives me hope that everything will be okay.
CHAPTER21
DUNCAN
I makea promise to Sadie that I won’t talk to Van about what happened with Rose.
“He’ll go ballistic and then get kicked off the football team,” she explains on our way to Calc.
“Is that a bad thing? I thought you hated that he played football.”
“I do, but I don’t want him to get kicked off. I want him to quit because he knows it’s harmful.”
“I’m sure he knows it’s harmful.” I hold open the classroom door and nudge her under my arm before following her into the room. “He just doesn’t believe the harm will happen to him, so he won’t quit.”
“Thanks for your words of encouragement.” She flounces to her seat.
Rose is sitting two rows over. I catch her attention. “You find your phone, Rose?”
“Yes. It’s broken, thanks to you. I’ll be sending you a bill for the new one.” She gives me a saccharine smile.
“Good luck getting it paid.”
“I can’t believe I ever thought you were hot. I hope your dick melts off.”
