AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I swallowed. That was not the reaction I was expecting. Then, it dawned on me. She knew Andy’s reputation. Hell, she’d been dealing with it for the last four years. So maybe she wasn’t as unprepared for this as I thought.
“Since the end of last year,” I answered shakily, digging my nails into my knees.
“Until?” Her eyes met mine, and her look willed me to tell the truth.
“I was at his house Wednesday night.” She closed her eyes, steeling herself with a deep breath. There was a moment of silence, and I could tell her mind was whirring. Mine was too. Then, she looked at me, and a smile plastered itself across her face. It’s forced, but I could tell it’s just as much for herself as it is for me.
“Thank you for telling me.” She reached out and squeezed my hand, before standing and helping me up with her. I nervously brushed my backside off, still watching her as her hands ball at her sides. “I’m not mad at you, you had no idea, we weren’t really telling anyone until we figured out what we were doing.” She sighed, looking at the ground. “Clearly, we were on different pages.” I fought the nervous giggle at the edge of my lips, and nodded instead. Her phone buzzed, and she pulled it out. “Listen, I’ve got to get back to the office to get my stuff before the bell. Can you get to class ok?” She gave my shoulder a squeeze. She was being much, much nicer than she should have been, given the circumstances. And I was incredibly grateful for it.
I nodded, and she gave me a final smile before turning on her heels and walking back toward the Freshman Vice Principal’s office, where she was an aid this period. I made my way back to Mrs. Calhoun’s room, taking my sweet time to kill the minutes I had to spend in the same room as Andy.
When I finally slid back into my seat, Alex turned and gave me a concerned look. I shook my head, nodding slightly toward Andy a few rows over, and her eyes narrowed. I moved my finger across my throat and without hesitation, she nodded. Friends this long, she could tell, I’m raging.
I heard a phone buzz on a desk a few rows over, and watched from the corner of my eye as Andy paused, mid sentence, and read whatever message just came through. Then, his head turned slowly toward me.
Fuck.
“Are you fucking kidding me?” My head snapped toward him, and it took me a second to register he’s actually addressing me in public.
“Andy!” Mrs. Calhoun cried, standing at her desk and narrowing her gaze at him. He gave her a cursory glance before standing up too. I knew from how he was seething that Jessica must have said something to him.
“Are you seriously this much of a goody-two-shoes that you went and tattled on me?” he sneered, clearing the empty desk between us in two steps. He stood over me, and I shrank. Alex jumped from her seat, trying to step between us.
“Back off!” she warned. Behind him, Fitz and his baseball teammate, Ryan, stood too.
“I wouldn’t have to tattle if you didn’t give me something to tattle about.” The second I said it, I regretted it, because if he was seething before, he was absolutely livid then.
“What did you just say to me, you cunt?” I drew back, realizing that the entire room had turned to watch us.
“Andy!” Mrs. Calhoun called again, walking around her desk and crossing her arms. “One more outburst like that and I’m sending you to Coach Tanger.” He didn’t even acknowledge that she spoke, instead, turning to Alex and looking her up and down.
“Did your killjoy nun-of-a-friend here tell you we’ve been fucking all summer? Or that she just opened her whore mouth and fucked me over with Jessica?” Alex glanced over at me before squaring up to Andy.
“I’m sure whatever she told Jessica was something you did to fuck up,” she said cooly. “And yeah, she shared a lot about her experiences with you, including some of your, uh, inadequacies.” She held up her pinky and wiggled it in front of her face, pouting as if it was the saddest thing in the world. If I wasn’t being stared down by a six-two prime example of toxic masculinity, I could have kissed her. There was a snicker or two from across the room.
“That’s enough!” Mrs. Calhoun said, her eyes wide. “Andy, go-"
Before she could finish what she was saying, Andy lunged toward both of us. Arms wrapped around both of his, pulling him back. He was spitting curse words, trying to break loose of their grip as the bell rang overhead, but nobody moves.
“Get out!” Fitz screamed, his hands wrapped tightly around Andy’s forearm. His copper curls flooded around his face as he strained to hold his friend back. Alex grabbed my hand and dragged me out of the room, while behind us, Mrs. Calhoun pressed buttons on her phone. We didn’t stop until we were far, far away, but the damage was done, and distance won’t change that.
Present Day
“Piper?”Jackie’svoicebreaksme out of my thoughts, and I turn to her. She’s staring, eyebrows raised, and looks between me and Fitz, who’s seated himself in the uncomfortable chair across from me. There was a perfectly good spot on the other side of Carla, but I notice he’s moved the chair a few inches away from the rest. “I was just wondering if you remember Fitz?” she asks, as if his face hadn’t been plastered across the school in his bid for office.
I turn to look at him. His once-longer red hair is short on the sides, leaving thick curls on top that are cut short. His face, while aged, and looking a little more worn than I’d expected, is nearly the same as it was when we graduated. Dark green eyes, framed by long red lashes, smatterings of freckles across his tan skin. He’s wearing a gray Kitan suit that’s worth at least three grand, with black Gucci loafers. Combined with his watch, his entire outfit is worth more than my car.
I always knew Fitz’s family was comfortable, but I didn’t realize they werethiswell-off.
I meet his eyes, and he gives me a curt nod before turning to Jackie.
“I don’t have all day, we have six weddings, a bat mitzvah, a corporate conference, and a charity gala happening tonight.” He rattles off the list coldly, like we’re inconveniencing him by asking him to be here. The waitress returns to the table, and he turns to her. “Whatever your lightest roast is, black.”
I purse my lips, settling back in my seat.
New decade, same Fitz.
For as long as I can remember, Fitz had been the quiet, stoic type. Even as a kid, he was never really a talker, but he knew how to get shit done, which is why he swept student body VP by a landslide. He wasn’t warm and fuzzy, like Jackie, but he could deliver a speech with enough determination behind it to make anyone believe he was the man for the job. Any job, really. His cool, easy confidence had been his trademark, so why I’d expected anything less today is beyond me.
