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Neil clears his throat and continues while I pray for some peace for him. “I locked myself in the bathroom and puked my guts out. Too embarrassed to face Savannah. Once she finally talked me into coming out of the bathroom, she just hugged me and cried. She apologized to me.” Neil looks at me like I have an answer. “Why would she apologize for what they did?”
“I don’t know,” I whisper.
“The funny thing is, I was more worried about her watching what they made me do than the video. But she stayed, and we fell asleep. When we woke up, I went in the bathroom, brushed my teeth for the hundredth time, and got back in bed with her.” His muscles constrict as he wipes his hand over his mouth. “She wouldn’t kiss me. When I tried to kiss her, she flinched away.” He swipes at the tear that falls down his cheek. “And I don’t blame her, I wouldn’t want to kiss me either after witnessing that.”
What the fuck do I do with this? Murder seems to be the only solution on my mind right now.
I grab Neil’s bag and sling it over my shoulder. “Let’s go.”
Panic spreads on his face. “Go where?”
“Away from here, because if we stay at this godforsaken school today, I won’t be able to keep my word to you. I need to get the hell out of here, and so do you. Fuck all of them.”
“I’ve never missed a day of school for something that wasn’t academically related and excused.” I think he’s gonna refuse until he flashes a big smile to me. “Fuck ’em all. Let’s go.”
As we make our way down the hallway, I pray to get out of the building without seeing one of them. Especially when I hear the pain in Neil’s voice as he says, “I really thought this year would be different. I just didn’t realize it would be a worse different.”
31
MORGAN
This fucking sucks ass. How did I become the desperate bitch that is watching for a dickhead and wondering where he is? Because I haven’t seen Cade all day. And now, he’s not at practice.
“Where’s your boy at, Morgan?” Ava asks with a gleam in her eye. She knows I’m struggling, and she’s taking pleasure in it.
“Don’t know. Haven’t seen him much since he fucked me Friday night.” I make sure to have her and everyone else’s attention before I add, “But if you want more details, ask Lenny. He watched. He wanted to join, tried to, but had to settle for jerking off instead because Cade wouldn’t share.” Her face flushes as she starts to say something, but I cut her off. “Or how about we just settle this right now, we can go over and ask him who’d he rather fuck.” I take a step in the direction of where Lenny is practicing down the field, but Ava remains in place. “What? Scared you might not like his answer?”
Her lips actually tremble as she crosses her arms over her chest. “You’re such a bitch. Wouldn’t it be easier to just be nice than such a bitch all the time?”
“Sure. And it would’ve been easier for your mom to just swallow you. But yet here you are. Some of us like a challenge.” I stand my ground until she full-on cries and hurries away. The others are looking to me like they’re afraid they’re next on my hit list. Good. “Practice dismissed.”
I don’t want to be here. When I approach Dad, he gives me the usual cold shoulder. “Where’s Cade?”
“Don’t know.” He tells Paul something then looks back to me. “But I’m sure you know why he’s not here.”
“Maybe he got punched in the stomach by someone he thought was a half-decent person.”
Instead of shock, Dad just gives me an I’m-tired-of-your-shit look before he turns his back to me. I stare at the back of his head. I could punch him, and he wouldn’t even see it coming. He wouldn’t let that slide. But it’s not enough. When I serve his payback, he won’t see that coming either. And I don’t give a damn about the consequences. First, I need to find the other jerk who claimed I set fire to his world. He’s about to find out how right he can be.
32
CADE
“Boy, don’t you ever get tired?” Otis jokes as he drops down to sit on the ice chest.
“Yeah.” I’m fucking exhausted. But after skipping school and practice to hang out with Neil, my anger is still alive. What they did to him is unforgivable. I promised I’d leave it alone. But how can I? I don’t know how to get them back and keep my best friend.
“I heard you slept out here the other night.”
Damn it. It’s not like I’ll be in trouble, but I don’t want to explain the reasoning behind it. “Yes, sir.”
“Well, I want you to take the rest of the evening off.” Otis stands and stretches. “We’re already the last stragglers here, so we win the hardest-workers-of-the month award.”
I’m not ready to leave. “I’ll just finish up with this, then head home.”
“The ole’ King machine. Coach hardly takes it out anymore.” Otis glances down the length of it. “Are you going with him?”
“No way.”
