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“You’re gonna pay for this,” he sneers. “If I’m going down, I’m taking you and your boyfriend with me.”
Out of nowhere, Jaron rushes between us.
“Back off, Brody, or I’ll finish the job.” His eyes are stone cold and his voice is tense.
Brody smiles and I shudder.
“Bring it on, tough guy,” he says, holding his arms out wide. “I’d love to see you destroy what’s left of your baseball career.”
Jaron clenches his jaw, but he takes a step back. Brody walks away, chuckling.
“Thank you, Jaron,” I whisper. “I don’t know what’s wrong with him.”
Jaron gives me a half smile and starts to walk away.
“Jaron, wait,” I say, grabbing his arm.
Jaron looks around. “Meet me in the library in five minutes,” he whispers. Then he hurries down the hall.
I turn and look at Stephanie. She smiles knowingly. “Go on,” she says, shooing me away.
“But the bell is about to ring.”
“This is part of your new popularity training. It won’t hurt you to have one tardy on your transcripts.”
I smile, but it fades quickly. “He seems really upset,” I say. “What if I ruined everything?”
“Go talk to him,” she says. “Make it right.”
“Thanks, Steph. You’re the best.”
“Don’t I know it.”
I rush the opposite direction and hurry into the library. I glance around. “Jaron?” I whisper.
Someone grabs my hand and pulls me behind a bookshelf. I turn to face him. His eyes are dark and his jaw is set in a firm line. My smile falters. He doesn’t look happy.
“It’s good to see you,” he says. His gaze seems to be looking over my head, instead of meeting my own.
“You too. I don’t feel like I ever really thanked you for Friday night,” I say
“You don’t need to thank me,” he says. “Any decent guy would have stepped in.”
“But that’s just it. In a room full of guys, you were the only one willing to stand up for me.”
“Yeah, then I punched a teammate and now I’m suspended and I may have ruined my baseball career forever. Go me.” The bitterness in his voice stands between us like a thick wall.
“I’m sorry you’re being punished for this,” I say. “I feel like it’s my fault. This isn’t fair.”
Jaron shrugs. “You’re not the one who punched Brody in the nose,” he says. “Although in the moment it was very satisfying, I never should have hit him. I let him get under my skin. I shouldn’t have lost control like that.”
“But you didn’t get kicked off the team?” I ask. I can barely look at him. The guilt is all-consuming.
Jaron shrugs and leans against the heavy bookcase. “Just suspended. For now, at least. Your dad is being really nice about it. He thanked me over and over for protecting you. But he can only do so much. If Brody’s parents do press charges, the principal might make him kick me off the team for good.”
“I’m so sorry, Jaron,” I whisper, not meeting his gaze.
Jaron lifts my chin with his hand. His chocolatey eyes bore into mine. “Listen,” he says. “I like you, Emma. I want to take you to prom. Can’t you just ditch those other two guys and come with me? Don’t you think I deserve that much, after all I’m going through for you?”
