Smithy ended up not coming back when we thought because his sister took a turn for the worse again. I can’t be angry that he’s looking after her when she’s suffering so much, but I'm kind of sad that I’m going to be on my own for an unknown amount of time. Even if Mrs. Potts is looking after the basics. It’s just not the same.
I shake my petulant pity party off and climb into the car. The dread I’d started to feel when heading to the unhallowed halls of ECP doesn’t exist anymore. Even Blair has left me the fuck alone lately. I don’t know what East did or said to my family when he got them to drop the charges, but I even got an apology note from my aunt about the ‘misunderstanding.’ It’s been a very surreal few weeks.
I pull into what I’ve come to see as ‘my spot’ next to where Indi’s already parked in the Wrangler. I grin up at her when she bounces around to my car door, two coffees in hand. I double check my hair in the mirror before climbing out of the car and taking the coffee she thrusts in my direction. “You, sweet cheeks, are a goddess.”
“I know,” she says with a weird little curtsy that makes us both laugh. We link arms and head into the school. I give Maverick a little finger wave as I pass by him, basically scaring the snot out of a freshman. He grins at me, and I shake my head as he drops the kid, who runs off the first chance he gets. “How are things going with the guys?”
I look at Indi, who has the audacity to look sweet and innocent, like she didn’t just imply some sordid shit. “We’ve come to a mutual agreement of avoidance, I think.”
“So no more public fuckery then?” She laughs, wagging her eyebrows, and I feel a blush coloring my cheeks.
“No, nothing like that. I told you, I’m not here for anything like that. I don’t have time or the want for a guy in my life. Let alone multiples.”
She pouts as she leans up against the locker beside me. “Spoilsport. How are we meant to do double dates if you won’t date?”
“You think any of them would do a double date?” I bark out a laugh, and she shrugs. “Even if I was to date someone, it wouldn’t be any of them. They’ve been so hot and cold that I have no idea where I stand with any of them anyway.”
She rolls her eyes at me, and I sigh like we haven’t had this conversation a few times over already. “I’m telling you, all four of them are chasing your kitty cat. They would all definitely do terrible things for a peek at the meow. Just sayin’.”
I close my eyes, trying not to laugh at her absurdity. Who the fuck says shit like that? “Indi, it is a good thing I love you. Anyway, you don’t need the comfort of double dates, right? I thought things were okay with you and Jackson.”
She shrugs and clutches her books closer to her chest. I can’t help but frown, apparently I’ve missed something. I’ve been so wrapped up in my own shit that I haven’t noticed what’s been going on with her. “Things have started fizzling out after the camping trip.”
“Please tell me you didn’t put out and now he’s ghosting you. If you tell me that, I’ll murder him. I’ll have a straight up murder party and dance on his grave.”
“I wasn’t really ready to take that step with him; but he seemed so into it, I didn’t know how to say anything since we were out in the middle of nowhere just the two of us.” She shrugs, looking down at the floor, and I see red. That fucking asshole. I’m going to rip his dick off and then see how he feels. A tear slips down her cheek, and she wipes it away quickly. “I’m sure it’s not that. Maybe I wasn’t any good and that’s why.”
Her voice is so small, and I hate him for doing this to her, and I hate myself for not noticing something was off with her. I pull her into my arms and hug her tightly. “I’m going to kill him.”
I let her go and look up and down the halls, searching for the jacked-up jock. And here I was thinking he was a half decent guy. I’ll gut the motherfucker.
All of the weird emotions I’ve felt about my own shit, mixed with the looming sadness of tomorrow, are pushed into my well of rage toward Jackson.
Finley walks toward us, and his eyes go wide when he sees me. I’m seething, and I can’t control how hard I’m shaking. “Who pissed in your Wheaties?”
“Uhm…” Indi starts to talk, but I spot the jock in question. She reaches for my arm, but I shake her off.
“You!” I hiss, moving toward the asshat that broke my friend’s heart.
Finley doesn’t even ask questions. He hauls Jackson up against the lockers, lifting him from his feet by his throat.
“What did you do?” he hisses, and Jackson coughs and splutters where he holds him.
The football player claws at Finley’s hand, and Indi taps on my shoulder. “Please don’t hurt him. Not here.”
I look at Finley and nod. He drops Jackson, who crumples to the floor in a pile. Finley crouches down and talks to him so quietly that I almost miss the words that spill from his lips. “We are not done here, Jones. I’ll be waiting.”
He stands and nods at me before heading down the hall toward his class like nothing just happened. I turn to Indi, who’s watching Jackson as he catches his breath. I move closer and press my foot against his balls, applying pressure before I lean forward to talk to him myself. “If I hear that you’ve done something like this before, you can expect to lose these.” I push a little harder, and he squeaks like a pathetic fucking loser.
I lift my foot and turn to Indi, linking her arm in mine before dragging her down the hall.
“Thank you. No one has ever stood up for me like that before.”
I give her a side hug, squeezing her as tightly as I can. “Ride or die, bitch. There isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for you.”
She gives me a watery smile, and I want to turn around and step on Jackson’s balls so hard they actually pop. I’ll deal with him later. For now, my friend needs me, and that’s all I’m going to focus on.
* * *