Before I could say anything, he looked from me to Dawson and then back at me.
“Contain your freaking boyfriend, Ivy,” his voice was muffled as he wiped his hand under his bloody nose. “You were the one that broke up with me.”
His words stung. Not only did they sting because, uh, hello, he was making it seem like I wanted to break up and that I wasn’t at all hurt by his choices. But it also stung because Dawson wasn’t my boyfriend. He had made that very clear over the last few years of our blossoming friendship. He had had so many “flings” with girls that I’d lost count, and yet, he never, ever, tried to pull a move on me.
I was friend-zoned to the max, and I went along with it. Putting him in that dreadful zone, too. Tyler always argued with me over it. He thought there was something going on between Dawson and I, but there wasn’t—well, not in the open at least. I kept my true feelings hidden deep down below the surface, barely recognizing them myself.
Dawson’s eyes scanned my face and I knew he could tell I was hurt by what Tyler had just said. Dawson knew me too well. We had our own way of speaking. I knew what he was feeling before he’d even tell me and the same went for him. He just knew.
Dawson turned his attention back to my pitiful ex-boyfriend, who was still lying on the dirty cafeteria floor, and seethed, “If you ever, and I mean ever, fucking look in her direction again…I will put you in the hospital.”
Tyler stared up at Dawson and then slowly slid his body away from him. Dawson didn’t get into fights often. He was the guy who was always happy and joking with people. He didn’t have any enemies, unless of course, you count the girls that he used for “fun” and then so casually ignored afterward (yet they still fell for it every time—stupid, stupid girls). But honestly, he didn’t have beef with anyone.
Unless they messed with me.
It made half the guys afraid to even look in my direction, which was just grand. That was probably another reason why the break-up with Tyler hurt me a little more than I’d like to admit. He was my first real boyfriend.
Sigh.
“Let’s go, Mr. Lanning.”
I didn’t even realize that Mr. Williams, the P.E. teacher, was standing only a few feet away from us with his arms crossed over his stark white t-shirt, his whistle resting over his pot-belly. Dawson let out a loud breath and swiftly walked away from a bleeding Tyler and the rest of the gawking stares of our classmates.
Right when he was about to stride past me, he stopped. Mr. Williams let out a frustrated sigh but didn’t say anything.
Dawson’s crystal-blue eyes softened. “You okay?”
My eyes almost fell out of my head. Am I okay? That would be a big, fat no.
“Why did you do that, Dawson?” I whispered, still aware that everyone’s eyes were still on us.
He smiled widely as he tucked a loose hair behind my ear. “Because no one messes with you. Not on my watch.”
My eyes instantly welled up and I realized that even though we were only friends, best friends at that, it didn’t mean I couldn’t love him. Because I did and I probably always would.
I smiled up at him, trying to keep my emotions under control. He smiled back and then sauntered off, walking lazily behind Mr. Williams.
I felt Becca slide up beside me as I watched everyone turn their attention back to the strange-smelling cafeteria food.
“That damn Dawson. He’s got you all tied up, doesn’t he?” Her hazel eyes twinkled as I slid my gaze over to them.
I shook my head no, but we both knew I was lying.
Chapter Two
Dawson
“You’re not grounded for getting in-school suspension for the last two days?” Max asked, following me out to my baby.
My baby = my cherry-red Camaro.
“Nah,” I answered, pulling out my keys and searching the parking lot for Ivy. Where is she?
Max whistled. “You are one lucky dude. My dad would probably beat my ass for fighting in school.”
I shrugged. Max’s parents were the type that cared about stuff like that. My parents were too wrapped up in keeping my brother out of trouble and burying themselves in endless amounts of work. They probably weren’t even aware that I’d gotten into a fight. Which, it wasn’t even a fight. In order for it to be considered a fight, Tyler would have had to fight back and he didn’t. Pussy.
“Hey, you goin’ to Shane’s tonight?”