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“What. Happened. To. Your. Hands?” I ask slowly, forcing myself to turn around and face him. My fingers curl into fists on the table, all the pretense that I’m interested in finishing my lunch gone.
Nixon looks around, searching for the cause of my anger. I know the exact moment he finds Prescott. His shoulders stiffen, lips pressing into a tight line. “Fuck.” Nixon runs his fingers through his hair. “Smalls, I…”
“This is the last time I’ll ask, Nixon. What happened to your hands?”
He lets out a sigh, “You know what happened.”
Of course I do.
“I want you to say it.”
“I punched Wentworth.” He lifts his hands in the air defensively. “Is that what you wanted to hear? I punched my best friend—myex-best friend—for sleeping with my little sister behind my back and walking away from her. Are you happy now?”
“You had no right!” I hiss, pushing to my feet. The chair scrapes loudly against the floor, drawing attention to us.
“No right? He was fucking around with you behind my back…”
“I was fucking around with him too!” I yell. “Are you going to punch me too?”
Nixon pulls back, entirely appalled by the idea. “You know I’d never…”
“Then why do the same to him? What’s the difference? I told you, Nixon. I told you to leave him out of it. You promised!”
“You are my baby sister.”
“And it was my choice. He was my choice. You had no—”
“He left you!” Nixon gets to his feet and tries to reach for me, but I pull back. I don’t want him touching me.
“You didn’t see me trying to stop him, now, did you? I told you to leave it alone. I told you to leavehimalone.” I shake my head. “You hadnoright.”
Tears threaten to escape, so I bite the inside of my cheek. I can feel the coppery taste on my tongue.
“Smalls…”
I shake my head, noticing Yasmin and Callie watching us with wide eyes. “I’m done here.”
I grab my backpack and throw it over my shoulder. Before Nixon can say anything else, I turn around and get the hell out of the cafeteria.
But not before I find Prescott watching me. He’s standing in front of his table, clearly conflicted about what to do. My steps falter as I drink him in. The need to go to him and curl my arms around him is almost overwhelming. I want to feel those strong arms wrapped around me, feel his familiar scent, and make sure that he’s okay. Have him reassure me everything will be fine.
But it would all be a lie.
So instead, I look away and walk out of there without a backward glance.
CHAPTERSEVEN
PRESCOTT
Letting Jade walk out of the cafeteria is probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
Even after everything she did, after she kept shit from me, the pull between us was undeniable.
Seeing her completely threw me off. I don’t know why. I knew it was just a matter of time. It’s not like I could have avoided her forever. We’re on the same campus. We live in the same building, for fuck’s sake. There was no avoiding her.
I have cancer.
For how long, though?
