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I hesitate because she didn’t exactly tell me to stop Rose from spiking the punch bowl, but I know that’s what she would’ve wanted.
“Exactly. Come on,” he starts to drag Rose toward the house. More people are looking at us. I cross the distance in three short strides and pull Rose from Van’s grasp.
“Enough.”
Rose stumbles and somehow pulls Van toward her. We all careen backwards. I feel my head hitting the table. First there’s a trickle followed by a flood as the punch fountain crashes onto my face. Van pushes Rose out of the way and lands on my gut with a hard thud. The breath whooshes out of me, and my vision blurs. Instinctively, my fist comes up. I make contact with something—his chin, the table, the metal of the fountain? I don’t know. Something strikes me in the chest. I respond with another punch and another. Distantly I hear screams. Someone might be crying. The weight is suddenly lifted off of me and then I’m hauled to my unsteady feet. I sway, gasping for air, blinking pink juice away. Beside me, Van is in the same state, drenched with liquid and some weird white stuff that I vaguely register as frosting.
In front of both of us, Sadie is full of tears. Behind her are the parental units and beyond them are fifty of our classmates, all staring big-eyed.
“I think we fucked up,” I say.
“You think?” Van replies.
I rub my aching chest. “Did you have to do a solar plexus move on me? I think my ribs are broken.”
“Maybe if you hadn’t pulled me on top of you, it wouldn’t have happened. That was an accident, unlike your two fists to my nose. I think you broke it.”
“I wish he’d broken your jaw,” Sadie spits out. “And you.” She points an angry finger at my face. Maybe it’s two fingers. I can’t really tell. “You broke your promise.”
And that punch is the one that hurts the most.
CHAPTER24
SADIE
I don’t missthe shocked expression on my mom’s face as I rush by her muttering an apology knowing this is partially my fault. Nothing can go right anymore. Maybe I should take that as a sign from the universe.
“Sadie.” My mom calls after me, but I keep going, heading into the house, the need to get away from everyone overwhelming me. I don’t want everyone to witness me ugly cry. “Sadie!” she shouts again. I pause on the stairs, knowing she will only follow me up if I don’t answer her. I turn around to face her. “Honey, that was not your fault.”
“It kinda was. I’m not helping with getting the two of them to like each other. If anything, I’m making it worse.” I sniffle.
Van has been quiet since I told him not to talk to me about Dunc. To keep me out of whatever their beef is with one another. Maybe he’s pissed I’m not on his side. I don’t know. He probably sees it as some sort of betrayal. We’ve always stuck together.
“They’re stupid boys. If it wasn’t you, they would find something else to fight about. It will work itself out in time.” I’m not so sure I believe her.
“Sadie! Babe!” Dunc shouts through the house. He sounds as though he’s in a panic.
“It’s not your fault, and I’m not mad. Okay?” Mom says. I nod as she takes a step back. Dunc almost runs right into her, but I think my mom knew she needed to get out of the way. She did say Dunc reminds her a lot of Cooper. She probably understands him more than most. I’m not sure what to do with him.
“Sorry,” Dunc mutters to Mom as he shifts past. He’s a hot mess. If I wasn’t so upset, I’d laugh. Dunc freezes when he realizes I’m on the stairs. “Babe.” His expression turns to pleading. It’s not one I’m used to seeing on him. My anger falters. He has this secret power over me I don’t understand.
“I’ll leave you two to it,” Mom says before heading back downstairs.
“You look ridiculous.” I stomp up the stairs. Fleur slips out of my brother's bedroom. I didn’t even know she was here. I’d texted her but hadn’t heard back.
“The hell happened to you two?” she asks like I didn’t just bust her coming out of Van’s bedroom. I’m the one that should be asking the questions here.
“Why were you in my brother's room?”
“I thought it was the bathroom.”
“Friends don’t lie to each other.”
“Fine, I’m nosy. I can't help myself.” She throws her hands up. “What happened to him?” She nods toward Dunc.
“I fucked up,” Dunc sighs.
“That's a good start.” Fleur smacks him on the shoulder as she passes him going downstairs.
