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“New York.”
“Oh… yeah, I get it. “He nodded as if he understood everything I hadn’t said perfectly.What a douche.“And the Elites?” His lips curved in a smirk he tried to pass off as a smile. “Are you… with one of them? Or all of them, even? No judgment.”
Right.I suddenly understood what all of this was about, and I cringed on the inside. I knew there’d been a chance it would happen, knew people would eventually start talking about the girl who lived with three guys, but I had really, really been hoping for the best. I’d hoped if I just kept my head down, didn’t socialize a lot, concentrated on my schoolwork, that I could escape the rumors and nastiness.
I guess I’d been wrong. I set my fork down on my plate and folded my hands, giving him a look that my sister would have known was a precursor of my temper. “Would you believe me if I said it was the only dorm available?”
He laughed, then took a look at my face and sobered. “Wait, are you serious?”
“That’s the only reason.”
“Wow.” He shook his head a little. “That’s not what I was expecting.”
I allowed the corner of my mouth to lift, just a tiny bit. “What were you expecting? Did you think we were in there having orgies or something?” His expression, a mix of irritation and defensiveness, was answer enough.
“No! I… I just saw you at Sugar Babes and thought—”
I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Jesus, that’s even worse. You thought because I work at Sugar Babes that I’m somehow loose or easy or anything of the other words—”
“Everything okay here?” Ezra’s voice cut smoothly through my own and I looked behind me to see him and Baron standing there. My reaction to their arrival was mixed. On the one hand, it was nice that they were apparently done ignoring me and thought me worthy of defense. On the other… what message did it send to have them hulking over me and getting angry on my account?
“Everything’s fine,” Colin answered. “I was just getting around to asking Jude here if she’d like to go out with me.” He looked at me expectantly and my mouth fell open a little.
“Really? Was this before or after you insinuated I was a whore because I worked at Sugar Babes and lived with three guys?” Baron made a noise behind me and Ezra took a half-step forward.
Colin held his hands up. “That was not at all what I was suggesting. I just wanted to see… ” he gestured helplessly. “...which way the wind blew.”
I bared my teeth and stood, picking up my bag. “It blows like a fucking hurricane,” I answered, and stomped away.
In my periphery I saw Baron lean in and say something to Colin that made him pale. I kept going, not pausing until I’d crossed halfway through the grassy center dell. In the distance I heard my name and stopped, turning to see Ezra and Baron following behind me at a fast clip. I waited until they grew close, one hand on my hip, and then barked a single word. “What?”
Ezra held his hands up. “We come in peace.”
With a sigh I looked down, scuffing the heel of my foot against the ground. “Sorry. That jackass pissed me off, but I shouldn’t take it out on you. Thank you for standing up for me back there—”
“That guy’s a moron, Pinky. Please don’t let anything he said upset you.” Baron interrupted me quietly but firmly, and after a moment’s hesitation, I nodded.
“Can I ask you two something?”
“Of course,” Ezra answered.
“I know Galen wants me gone.” I met Baron’s eyes briefly. “And I understand why. But what about you two? Have I totally messed everything up, with your friends, and with Galen? Do you want me to leave?” My voice cracked on the last word and I cleared my throat. “Because I will. I will find a way to keep going to school, and—”
Baron’s hands came down on my shoulders, and he squeezed, a comforting pressure that made me want to lean forward and into him, tuck my forehead into his chest.
“Why would you even think that?” He asked.
“You all but ignored me in there.” I gestured to the cafeteria.
Baron flinched a little. “No. That’s not—” He paused and rubbed the back of his neck. “We want you with us, Pinky. Things are complicated with Gale—” He glanced at Ezra and Ezra stepped closer, nodding.
“Yeah. We’re trying to be respectful of Gale because… well, he’s our friend. But we want you there. And it may take a little time, but we’ll make sure Gale sees reason, too.”
I measured the truth in their eyes and saw nothing but sincerity. I nodded again, more resolutely this time. “Okay. I believe you.”
I turned after a brief moment of hesitation and walked away, feeling as though we’d left things unsaid. But maybe I shouldn’t dig too deeply into the murk of these feelings that stretched between us. Maybe… it was just better this way.
Chapter 18: Ezra
