“What? I mean, seriously. Come on. Your dad can’t actually think any of this was your fault. They almost killed you. They were drunk, from what I could gather from that night. They should be rotting away in jail. Or juvie. Or something.”
I shrugged. “My father pretty much showed his ass in that office. Said things like I needed to be focusing on school instead of chasing down four guys I’d provoked.”
Aly’s jaw dropped open. “What!?”
“He also said I’d been a problem child my whole life. Essentially tried to paint me as some bad boy trying to get the one-up on someone before they got the one-up on me. He told the lawyer that he didn’t see those boys pressing assault charges on me when I started the fight. So why should I press attempted murder charges on them simply because they were seeking out revenge like most young boys do?”
Mike’s face turned red. “Is it always like this with your father?”
I sighed. “I mean, let’s just say I’ve talked a big game in the past with bruises I’ve come to school with.”
“Oh, Clint.”
Aly reached across the table and offered her hand to me. And when I took it, I felt like I had a genuine friend in her. An ally, so to speak. It felt good, opening up to them. Leaning on them during a time like this. And before I knew it, my mouth ran away from me. I told them everything. When the hitting with my father started. The parties I went to on the weekends to get away from it all. The reasons why I came to school and bullied other people around. How I enjoyed it when my father was off on his trips and shit like that. I couldn't get my damn mouth to stop running until it had all come pouring out. And when I was done, Aly wiped tears away from her eyes while Mike placed his hand on my forearm.
“Clint, we’re in your corner, man. You need to know that when I tell you this. Okay?”
I nodded. “Hit me with it.”
Mike sighed. “You can’t let these assholes off the hook. I’m serious. They deserve everything coming at them, and you can’t let them get away with it. We’re in your corner. The three of us. Backing you up if you need it. And if you need a place to come crash sometime, I’m sure my parents wouldn't mind one damn bit if you came and crashed at my place.”
“I thought you hated my guts, Mike.”
He shrugged. “I did.”
“So… what's changed?”
He grinned. “You put your neck on the line for our girl. And that means more than a
nything that’s happened in the past.”
And when his eyes met Rae’s, she snuggled against me. I wrapped my arms around her body and mindlessly kissed the top of her head as Mike pulled his hand away. I felt accepted by them. Loved by them. Respected by them in ways I’d never felt with anyone else in my life. For the first time, I understood what it meant to have genuine friends. I understood what it felt like to trust someone. I planted my nose into Rae’s hair and breathed deeply as Mike pulled Aly closer into his side.
Then, Aly spoke up.
“So, who wants to come to my study party this weekend for midterms?”
And collectively, the three of us groaned together.
35
Raelynn
“So, ready for the study party this weekend?”
Clint’s voice sounded in my ear as I turned around, standing next to his locker. I leaned against it, watching as he placed his hand just beyond my shoulder. He was back. I loved it when he did this sort of thing. Cornered me and gazed down into my eyes with that knowing grin on his face. I licked my lips as my hand reached out for him. I slid my fingers along his chest. I let them settle against his heartbeat, reminding myself once more that he was still breathing. Still alive.
And that this wasn’t a dream.
“You, Clint Clarke, want to go to a study session this weekend.”
He shrugged. “Might be fun to watch Mike weirdly try to mack on Aly again.”
I nodded. “Oh, oh. Gotcha. So, not about studying at all.”
“Just about the drama. And the laughter. Nothing else. You know how it goes.”
I winked. “I definitely know how it goes.”