She laughs. “What are you gonna do? Beat up a girl?”
“Maybe.”
She shakes her head at me. “The more we ignore it the quicker it will go away. She’ll get bored soon enough and move on to a new victim. At least you and I don’t have to pretend anymore, right?”
It’s crazy to me that the girl who’s victimizing her is her own flesh and blood. How wrong is that? “Yeah,” I force myself to say. “At least we don’t have to pretend.”
But we are, and I know that. We’re pretending like we’re fine. We’re pretending like the girls in this school aren’t killing her, one cruel move at a time.
Presley and I leave the one hour of the day where we can breathe and be ourselves – photography class – and head to the hour of the day where my guard has to be one hundred percent up – lunch.
Yesterday we sat at my side of the table, which was a mistake. The cheerleaders “whispered” about what Jolee saw when she walked into Presley’s room…a story that’s grown into basically a scene out of the raunchiest porn movie – Presley the big breasted star who likes to feel herself up and scream out her demands while she rides me. The guys were no better; looking at her with smirks on their faces, their eyes glued to her chest. August was the only one acting decent and carrying on a normal conversation with us but even he couldn’t keep the pity off his face.
Summer’s doing a better job of defending Presley than I am – at least she’s scolding the girls for talking shit and trying to put a stop to the rumors. She’s furious and thinks we need to just abandon our friends altogether but I’m not backing down.
Today she leads us to the other side of the table where Angel, Tatum and Brandon are. Presley hesitates when she sees where Summer’s going but Summer whispers, “It’s okay.”
I wrap my arm tighter around Presley and follow Summer. The two of us barricade her, forming a wall on either side to protect her from the seething glare Tatum’s aiming at her. The look Brandon’s giving me isn’t much better.
Angel, who’s sitting next to Summer says, “Are you kidding me? You couldn’t hack it with your asshole friends so we get the pleasure of sitting with the new couple every day?”
I assume he’s talking to me so I turn to him, all the rage inside of be burning a hole in my corneas. “She doesn’t deserve the shit she’s getting just because she’s with me. You, as her fucking friend, should know that.”
He shakes his head then stands, tray in hand. “She’s not my fucking friend. The girl I knew would have stayed the hell away from your STD ridden ass. But this chick… I don’t know her. Guess I didn’t know that other girl either because she sure as hell played all of us… her fucking friends.” He walks away and it takes every ounce of will power I have not to follow him and bash his arrogant brain into the cinder block wall.
Instead, I look down at Presley who’s staring blankly at nothing like she does now when it’s not just the two of us. I reach my fingers into her hair, turning her head, forcing her to look at me. I don’t say anything, just stare at her. She looks broken. She simply shakes her head at me and then looks away.
“Asshole,” I mutter under my breath, my eyes unintentionally coming into contact with Tatum’s who’s looking at me with sheer hate. “What?” I bark at her.
She stutters a laugh and narrows her eyes at me. “How long has this been going on for?”
“Are you blind? Do you see the shit that’s going on around you? To your best friend? Is that really the question you want to ask, Tatum?”
“And whose fault is that? What the hell did you do, Nash?”
“Tatum…” Summer says with concern.
“What?” she asks, her angry eyes moving to Summer. “Did you know about this too? I mean is this like a little harem? Do you both belong to him now? What the hell is going on here? She was my best friend. She was the only girl I knew who was able to see through your bullshit,” her eyes are back on me now. “I mean, you even got this one to join your fan club,” she says blindly motioning to Summer. “I respected her. But turns out, not only was she stupid enough to have sex with you, but she’s been doing it behind my back. And for how long?” her eyes are on Presley now. “Because this,” her hand points to Presley and then to me, “is not a one night fling. I know him and I know you and whatever the hell is going on with the two of you has been happening for a while. Were you ever gonna tell me?” she asks Presley.
“Yeah, Tatum, I was,” she says coolly.
“Because I’ve asked you… I’ve asked you why you’ve seemed different. I’ve asked you why you’re never around anymore. I’ve ask you where you spend your nights. I’ve asked you why you broke it off with Angel….” She stops suddenly, her eyes burrowing into Presley’s. “Oh my God, is he the reason you couldn’t make things work with Angel? Has this shit been going on for months? Have you been lying to me for months?”
“Tatum…” Summer tries to interrupt again.
“Summer, stay out of this,” she warns, her eyes never leaving Presley’s.
“Yes,” Presley finally says, and I wince. “There’s been something going on for months.”
“Jesus,” Tatum says, shaking her head. “Who the hell are you? I don’t even know you.” She stands too and walks away. Jesus, we’re clearing them out faster than shit on a shovel.
Just when I think things can’t get worse, a Jolee lackey reaches her arm around me, setting down two cantaloupe halves in front of Presley. “To tide her over until she can be alone with herself.”
23
Ever since we started having family dinners at the Carter house I’ve looked forward to Friday nights. But this one absolutely sucks. I hate everyone here. Because they can’t seem to shut the hell up about what’s happening to me at school.
Everyone but Nash. He’s staying out of it. I still love him.
“It’s terrible,” my mom is saying. “The things she says to her, right in front of me… in front of Presley… in front of the whole family. And LeAnn acts like the girl is a virgin. Even I know she’s slept with the entire football team… sorry, Nash… and I just moved back to this god forsaken town. And I mean, hello, the girl was having a party in the home of the woman who has a full on panic attack if her cups aren’t positioned the right way in her cabinets. But who is she mad at? My daughter. Who was making out with her boyfriend. My daughter who gets good grades, does her chores, never complains, is always respectful, has a job, and is not a self-absorbed bitch… Oh my god, I have got to stop referring to my niece that way. And do you know what she said to me the other day? That she needs a father figure in her life. A god damn father figure. Like Joe, who my sister has basically turned into a wet rag, is doing such a great job with his daughter. And I mean… there’s nothing wrong with Presley. Besides the fact that her cousin… her own flesh and blood cousin… is doing her damndest to make Presley’s life miserable.”
Nick laughs. “I can see where Presley got her oration skills from.” I can feel him staring at me, but I don’t look at him. “Although she’s been so damn quiet this week I can hardly stand it.”
“What I want to know,” Nate butts in, “is what the hell you’re doing about it?” He’s clearly talking to Nash.
“He’s doing nothing about it,” I interject. “Because I’ve asked him not to and he, unlike all of you, respects my wishes. I don’t want to talk about it. How many times do I have to tell you people that?”
“Presley, we’re your family. We’re not gonna let you go through this alone. If you don’t want to talk about – fine. But then we’re going to have to do something about it,” Nick says sternly.
“It’s our problem, Dad. You have to let her handle it however she’s comfortable handling it,” Nash says tensely, his hand finding mine, our fingers fitting together.
“I don’t know how you can just sit there and watch her take that shit,” Nate mumbles under his breath.
And Nash loses it.
I’ve been waiting for it. He’s
been patient. He’s been calm. He listens to me. He does what I ask him. But I can see it, I can feel it, all his anger and frustration building under the surface. Sitting back and watching is not who he is. But he’s been doing it. For me.
So yeah, he totally loses his shit.
He’s got Nate pulled up by the collar of his shirt, veins in his neck bulging, his eyes, I swear to god, are on actual fire. “You think this easy for me, huh? You think it doesn’t kill me watching those bitches do that awful shit to her? To Presley. I would kill that bitch, I swear to god, I would fucking kill her. But She. Doesn’t. Want. Me. To. And it’s not up to me. I want to hurt someone so damn bad I fucking dream about it. Every damn night. But it’s not up to me so stop giving me shit about it.” He drops him then and Nate goes stumbling backwards into his recliner. He picks up his beer like nothing happened.
“Wow,” my mom mutters- the only one in this room who’s slightly taken aback by the scene. The rest of us are used to it. Most of us are usually participating in it.
“What about you then, Kitty Cat?” Nate asks. “What the hell are you gonna do about it?”
“What’s there to do, Nate?” I ask him. “She’s in love with your brother. And he’s in love with me. I can’t change that.”
“She’s not in love with me,” Nash mutters under his breath.
“Please,” I mutter back.
He shakes his head at me. “Summer was in love with Brandon so she let him go so he could be happy. I wasn’t in love with Tatum so I manipulated her so I could keep her. If you’re in love you care about that person’s happiness more than you care about your own. Which is why, brother,” his eyes turn angry as he shifts them to Nate, “even though beating the shit out of everyone who looks at her sideways would make me very happy, I don’t do anything because that’s what makes Presley happy. She wants it to go away so she doesn’t react. She wants it to go away so I… don’t react.”
My mom sighs, Nick smiles warmly at me and Nate says, “Where the hell did you learn that? Dr. Phil?”
“Summer,” Nash says with some malice. “And then… Presley.”
“I guess I agree with you, honey,” Mom says, patting me on the leg. “If you feed into the monster it will probably just grow. But, god, I would love to hear you tell her off. Just once.”
I laugh. “I have Nash- the one thing she’s always wanted but could never have. Trust me, I’m hurting her more than she’s hurting me.”
“You know what would really chap that girl’s hide?” Nick asks with a sparkle in his eyes.
“I doubt I want to hear this, but I know you’re gonna tell me anyway.”
He winks at me. “If you showed up at that big fancy dance with my dashing son.”
“Yes,” my mom eagerly agrees. “Like Cinderella with the prince at the ball while the nasty step sisters watch from the sidelines where they’re standing because nobody wants them.”
I roll my eyes. This winter formal thing’s becoming super annoying. “Pretty sure it’d be more like Carrie. I’d end up with pig’s blood in my hair.”
“She’s right,” Nate concurs.
Nick punches him in the arm.
“Would you at least think about it?” my mom asks.
“No,” I say, appalled. “I’m not kidding, Mom. Something terrible would happen to me and if you think I want to go and voluntarily hang out in a gym with a bunch of people who hate me and love to torture me, you’re insane. Plus, it’s Summer’s senior formal. She actually wants to go.”
“She’d be happier if I went with you,” Nash mutters.
I glare at him.
“I’m going with her. Promise. I’m just saying – if you’re worried about her being happy, nothing would make her happier than me going with you.”
“Yeah, well Summer’s too nice for her own good. Plus, even if we were just a regular old couple you wouldn’t catch me dead at a school dance.”
“Alright,” Nick says through a long breath. “I’m done. You’re impossible. Go ahead and be miserable, see if I care.”
I can’t help but smile at his bullshit. “I’m not miserable. Not when I’m here with my mom and your family.”
He looks at me, his eyes narrowed like he’s thinking. Then he turns to my mom. “That’s not a bad idea.”
“What?” she asks, confused.
“You should let her stay here with us… you know, until this all blows over.”
I expect her to say hell no but she just looks at me and smiles. “Jolee would hate that. Knowing that you’re staying with Nash temporarily because she’s making your life at home so miserable.”
“Is that a yes?” I ask tentatively. The thought alone of being away from Jolee would be enough to make that proposition irresistible, but going to sleep and waking up with Nash makes it the best idea in the world.
“Yes!” my mom exclaims excitedly, standing and telling me. “Let’s go… you too, Nash… let’s go!”
“This is crazy,” I laugh as we head down the road. All five of us crammed into my mom’s Volvo.
“Not as crazy as it’s about to get,” Nate tells me. “I can’t wait to meet this bitch. And if she says one word to you I’m gonna punch her in the vagina.”
“In the vagina?” I laugh.
“Yeah. Right in the vagina.”
“Please don’t do that,” my mom says from the front seat. “I still have to live there.”
“You can come stay at our place too,” Nick says, winking at my mom. Ugh. Puke.
“Nick, you cannot hit on my girlfriend’s mom,” Nash says. I laugh.
“I’m not hitting on her. I’m just offering her a place to stay.”
My mom huffs. “You realize I just got divorced, right? And my ex-husband is dating a twenty-six-year-old? You can sugar coat it, Nick.”
My heart sinks like it’s been doing lately. Everyone wants me to get all bent out of shape because of Jolee. But no one’s talking about the real problem in my life – my mom, who I love completely, was left by her husband of twenty years. And when she got married, my dad’s current girlfriend was six. Why isn’t everyone losing their shit over that little tid bit?
He looks at her, I can’t see his expression but it makes her smile. “Darling, if it weren’t for the kids in the backseat I’d be doing a whole lot more than just hitting on you. You’re beautiful. And you intrigue me. And, Nash, before you start running your mouth again I would like to point out that if I someday married this beautiful woman you and Presley would indeed be step siblings but… I would get to be her step dad. So maybe I don’t really care what you think.”
“Jesus,” Nate complains. “I don’t want to be part of this messed up family.”
“You’re twenty one, son. You can leave whenever you want.”
My mom huffs again and hits Nick on the arm. “You don’t mean that.”
He laughs. “Of course I don’t. What do you think Nate? Could you use a mom?”
We’ve pulled up in front of Jolee’s house now and the doors are open. No one seems to care. Everyone’s still just being smartasses.
Nick and Nate follow my mom up the walkway like they’ve been to this house a hundred times. Nash’s hold on my hand tightens. At least he’s aware that we are probably about to walk into a shit storm.
My mom heads up the steps and we follow her like some bad ass gang and I can hear Rage Against the Machine’s Killing in the Name running through my head.
When the door’s busted open and we’re all through it, it’s totally anticlimactic. No one’s here to see us do it. I laugh. Nash looks at me and I just shake my head.
“This is ridiculous, right?” he smiles.
“Totally.”
My aunt comes walking out of the kitchen and only looks surprised for a moment before she composes her features and says, “What’s this?” to my mom.
“We’re here to move Presley out of the house,” Nick says. “Where’s your room, girlie?” he asks me.
I point
up the stairs.
“Laura,” my aunt says sternly, hands on hips now. “Who are these people and why are you allowing him to speak to me like that?”
“You know Nash,” my mom says cheerily, “Presley’s boyfriend. This is his father, Nick, and his brother, Nate. Presley’s going to be staying with them until Jolee can start treating her with some decency.”
A cackle comes from the steps. I look up and see Jolee standing there in a tank top and shorts – her midriff and all of her legs showing.
“That skinny, bitch?” Nate says, looking at his brother. “You slept with that? Jesus. She’s got the body of a ten-year-old. I didn’t know you were a pedophile.”
“Nate,” I warn. “Don’t.” Words hurt. I absolutely understand that. But I don’t want any of us stooping to her level.
“Excuse me,” my aunt says with a laugh of disbelief. “I don’t know who you think you are but you cannot come into my home and insult my daughter with lies.”
All of us let out our own sounds of disbelief at that. “That’s a little hypocritical, don’t you think?” Mom says.
“Meaning what, exactly?”
“Meaning, Jolee has been doing nothing for the past week but insulting my daughter with lies. In fact, she’s been pretty atrocious to her since the first day we came here.”
“And those aren’t lies,” Nate buts in like he likes to do. “Your daughter’s got quite the reputation. Nash is one of what…” he says, looking at Jolee who now looks thoroughly pissed. “Dozens? I don’t even know you but I personally know of at least ten guys you’ve slept with.”
“Nate, that’s enough. Let’s just get my stuff and go…”
“No,” he says walking to me and pulling me out of Nash’s arm and into his. “This is bullshit. You want to explain to me why you think you’ve got the right to treat this girl the way you’ve been doing?” he asks Jolee.
We all stare at her now, waiting for her answer. She shifts uncomfortably but manages to keep the evil grin plastered on her face. “She was having sex with him. In my house.”
A Son of Carver (Carver High #2) Page 30