I push my chair back and stand while glaring at him. “Shut! Up! Stay the fuck away from Skylar or so help me I’ll beat the shit out of you.”
Derrick pushes his chair back and stands, too. We stare each other down. His brown eyes bore into me. We’ve never been in a fight before, but I don’t care. I’ll kick his ass.
“You know what? I’m sick of you sometimes!” He pushes me first.
“And who says I’m not sick of you? You talk smack about her for months, told me what an idiot I was for wanting her. Now you want her because she’s single? You don’t deserve someone like her!”
“And you do?” Skylar asks.
I turn my head. Sure enough, she’s right there. Staring at me. “You know, you’re unbelievable sometimes. One minute I think, we can probably be friends. Then you go and do this shit. Act all jealous like I belong to you. News flash, I don’t belong to you, or anyone. I never want to date again. Because if this is the end result when it’s all said and done, I don’t want it. I hate feeling like this.” She sniffles. My heart shatters. I can’t stand seeing her like this.
I go to reach for a tear and she slaps me right across the face. “I hate you!” she hisses. “You’re worse than Kevin.”
“The hell I am. He used you to try to get in your pants. And when he didn’t succeed, he found another and kept you on the side. I didn’t do that to you! I’d never do that to you!”
“No, you didn’t. You just made me fall in love with you and then broke me. I never loved Kevin. That’s why you’re worse.” She grabs a piece of paper from the table and storms off. Derrick runs after her, and I stand there letting her words sink in.
Chapter 35
Skylar
No sooner do I leave the library again, my heart in shambles, than an announcement sounds. “Skylar Fletcher, please come down to the office.”
A sweat forms across my forehead and my palms feel slick. When did it get so difficult to breathe? An arm touches my shoulder and I jerk away. “Calm down, it’s just me. You okay?”
“I’m fine.” I stare up at Derrick. “You scared me for a moment.”
“It’s cool. Come on. I’ll go with you.”
I nod.
***
How many times can you sit inside the same office before everything starts to look different? Not like a picture moved here or there, but the size. What once was a decent size office now feels like a shoebox.
The door opens and two men enter. Mr. Keegan sits at his desk while Mr. Samson stands near a bookshelf. Mr. Keegan smiles at me and I can’t even manage to fake a smile back. “Skylar, how have you been? You haven’t been in this office for a while.”
“I’m good.”
“Cut the small talk, Keegan; let’s get down to business,” Superintendent Samson growls.
Mr. Keegan nods. “You have the floor.”
Mr. Samson turns to me. “It seems no matter where you go trouble follows you, Miss Fletcher. You came here and our pool was destroyed. You left and there were no disruptions from either school. But then you come back and our commons area has been trashed with graffiti. Care to tell us again how you have no idea who is doing this?”
“I don’t.”
He slams his hand down on the top of the three-tier bookshelf and yells, “You little liar! You better start owning up to what you and your little friends are doing! Or this school will turn around and press charges on you.”
“Well, we can’t really press charges on her, because we actually have to prove her guilt in this matter,” Mr. Keegan says.
The superintendent turns his anger on Mr. Keegan. “I know you want to wear blinders and ignore the facts. The facts are pretty clear she helped them get into this school. She’s been helping them destroy this place inside out!”
“She was—”
“I’d like to say something,” I cut Mr. Keegan off. “You people called me in here to help this school with the funding and all that, and I did it. I agreed to help. You used me as some kind of cash cow to fill your needs. But as soon as the school got tagged with my old school’s colors, you immediately turned to me. And when you couldn’t pin that crap on me, you wanted answers. I gave you answers, the only ones I have. I told you over and over that I don’t know who did this.” I look over at Mr. Samson and glare. “Now, if I were responsible for or knew who was responsible for destroying school property, do you think I would come back here? I’m eighteen, and as you clearly pointed out, I can be held responsible for all actions. Do I look like a person who wants to go to jail?”
He doesn’t answer, so I continue, “Do you really believe I would roam the halls and re-try out for the swim team if I’d done it? Or convince the scouts trying to recruit me at my meets to have meetings with all the seniors playing winter sports at this school? The answer is no. No sane person would do any of that. They’d bail and they wouldn’t come back. They’d be gloating and laughing with their friends about how they all got away with something. So, for the last time, I don’t know who is responsible for this mess. Stop trying to push me into a corner. Stop demanding names from me. And stop trying to bully me. I’m done!” I stand from my chair and walk out of the office.
I don’t run. I walk.
Chapter 36
Caleb
When Skylar’s name is called on the PA system, I hurry down to the office. I don’t know what exactly is going on, but I know she needs me.
I pull on the door and see Derrick slumped in a chair. We nod at each other and I take a seat next to him. “What’s going on?” I ask.
“The lunchroom was tagged.”
So they want someone to blame? But Sky wouldn’t do something like that. They must have looked into that before calling her in there.
She’s not in there for long. She storms out with a glare that could kill someone. Derrick goes after her and I would, too, but I don’t think she wants me to. So I don’t. The bell rings and instead of heading to class I decide to look for Danielle.
I need to start owning up to my messes. I find her tucked away near the water fountains rubbing her belly. Man, it’s getting big. I didn’t notice the bump there before. Oh man, this shit is super real now. I stare at her as she talks to some girls on the cheerleading squad. I can’t really stand any of them, but I smile while stepping closer to her. “Hey.”
She smiles up at me. “Hi!”
“Can we talk for a second?”
She nods. “Ladies, I’ll be back.” She throws up a finger at me and fills up a water bottle at the drinking fountain, then comes over to me. “What’s up?” She takes a swig of water.
“How are things? I mean. I know I’ve been an ass lately, not really asking you how you’re feeling and stuff. I guess, I’m trying to get used to this. I know it’s my fault we’re in this mess, but I just … I’m going to be better.”
She smiles and rubs one of my arms. It doesn’t send my whole body into a spiral like when Sky touches me, but I let her try to comfort me. “I know. As long as you’re trying, it counts. I’m doing okay. A little lonely at night. Can’t really sleep all that well. I think it’s because that’s when he decides to kick me.”
“He?”
“Well, yeah, I can just tell it’s a boy. You know?”
I shake my head. “No. But when do you get to know? I mean, like, for sure.”
“Oh … um … I don’t remember. I’ll have to ask the doctor again.”
“Well, okay. Yeah. So when do you go do that again?”
She looks lost. “Do what?”
“See the doctor. I want to go.”
She laughs and slaps my chest. “Oh, you’re so silly. I’ll call you later.” Then she walks off.
***
Danielle comes to the house in a full smile and a pink dress draping to the floor. I don’t know why I agreed to do this, but I told her I’d take her to the Valentine’s Day dance. While we’re sitting in the living room, the last person I expect to enter is Skylar. But there she is.
&n
bsp; She doesn’t say a word to me or Danielle. In fact, I don’t think she looks over at me at all. She kind of sweeps in, says something to her mom, and boom—out the door.
“She’s so rude,” Danielle says in a low, snippy tone. She sighs. “How much longer are your friends going to be?”
“I’m not sure.” I check my cell and, sure enough, Derrick and Lance are both late. I contemplate calling them right as the doorbell rings. Erin hurries off to answer it.
“Sam, Mikia, you just missed her. I think she had to help Alex with something. She should be right back. You girls want to wait?”
“Eh … ” one of them says.
The other chimes in. “Yeah, we can wait, Ms. Fletcher. How are the wedding plans coming? You know we love teal, right, Sam?”
“Oh, Liv would beat me with her bats if I made her wear teal,” Erin says.
“Um, I think that’s pink you’re thinking of. Right, Mi?”
“Oh yeah, definitely don’t do pink. She’d kill you.”
The girls walk into the living room, but Erin doesn’t follow. I recognize them instantly. Not that I have an idea which one is which, but I’ve seen them in Sky’s room. In her picture frames near her desk, on her walls, and on her nightstand. I smile. “Hey.”
Danielle slaps my arm. “Don’t talk to them. Ugh! I can’t believe she had the nerve to let those things in here. I mean, seriously, is your whole house going to be flooded with them?”
The blond turns her attention to Danielle. “Sky was so right; this chick is a walking advertisement for Pepto.”
Her friend snorts. “Wow. Just, wow. You know, sweetie, sunsets are pretty, but that doesn’t mean you have to wear them.”
Danielle stands and huffs. “You two can kiss my ass!”
Erin steps into the room carrying a tray of lemonade. “I thought you all needed a drink. Caleb, are your friends running late? Maybe you should call them.”
“I’m going to.”
“Do it now, will you?” Danielle says.
I nod.
The dark-haired girl comes over and grabs a glass. “Ms. Fletcher, I’ve been missing your homemade lemonade since you moved!”
“Well, you girls know where to find us. You should come by more often.”
“We will, right, Mi?” the blond says, so I assume she’s Sam.
Mi nods. “Oh, yeah.”
The door pops open and this time Sky and her coffee shop guy, Alex, waltz in. What the hell? Is she into him?
“Oh wow, I thought you two were joking.” Sky swung her arms around her friends. “Caleb, your limo just pulled up. Hey, Mom, I’m going out.”
“Wait! Where to?” Erin asks.
“Club 7. Alex is going to be with us. Right?”
Erin smiles. Is she seriously trusting that jackass? “Oh good. Alex, make sure these ladies don’t get into any trouble. Liv, remember our agreement.”
“Mom, I’m not going to do anything stupid. You can check my pee when I get home.”
“I’ll do more than that. I’ll take a hair sample, young lady!”
“Uh, why would she test your pee or hair?” I ask. I don’t really want to know, it sounds gross, but I want to be included in the conversation.
My friends come into the house, and Erin smiles. “Be good,” she says to Skylar. She turns to me. “I was talking about drugs; she better never come home stoned. So far she’s been clean but, yeah, I test. Better believe I test.”
My eyes bulge. Holy shit! Erin probably tests my hair. Not that I do anything illegal, besides the occasional underage drink here or there, but I’ve never smoked or anything. I’m flipping glad I haven’t either. I don’t need Erin or my uncle hounding me about drugs. I swallow.
“You’re clean, too. So far. Better stay that way!”
“Um … okay.”
She walks out of the room, leaving me with Lance, Kayla, Derrick, some girl named Felra, and Danielle. We all head out to the limo, and I swear it’s like homecoming all over again—minus the flask. But my mind is on Skylar, and not on my date. The one I probably should be paying attention to since she’s the mother of my unborn child.
Chapter 37
Skylar
Alex agreed to take me, Samantha, and Mikia to Club 7, this place up in Cedar Hills. I’m not a club type person but Alex told me the other day at work that this will help me get into the college scene. Maybe it’s a little silly, but I’m sort of over trying to make senior year awesome.
Sam elbows me in the car. “Girl, you okay?”
“Yeah. I’m fine.”
But she and Mikia know this whole “let’s get a little taste of college before we go” excursion is just a front to avoid my feelings for Caleb. Mikia smiles at me. “So, you know Grayson Anderson? He apparently saw you the other day and wanted me to tell you ‘S’up.’”
I feel my eyebrows pulling together. “Ugh. Really?”
“Yes, really. I know what you’re thinking, he’s so gangly and weird. But since you left, he buffed out, got tall, and he’s like major hot stuff now that his braces are gone. Seriously, you should hang out with us one day. Maybe we can go play softball at the indoor park,” Mikia suggests.
Alex peers at me in the rearview mirror. Sam slaps my leg and says, “Yeah, it’ll be fun.”
“I don’t know.”
Alex winks at me. “You need to quit being all mopey at the shop. It’s really killing the vibe in my happy establishment. They order espresso from you and you had them depress in a cup.”
“Sorry.” But seriously, what does he expect from me? “I can’t switch my moods like a light bulb.”
“No, but it would help.” He laughs. “Or if you’d just tell me what’s got you like this.”
Mikia takes the lead on this one. “The love of her life got some chick preggers.”
“Seriously? That sucks, Sky. Still, you could have said something earlier.”
And have him ask me how I was doing every day? Um … no. But now that the cat is out of the bag I ask, “So, how’d you like the little mother-to-be?”
“Wait a second. Mr. Hottie on the couch is having a baby with that girl—in the pink yack-fest dress?” Sam practically yells.
“Yeah.”
“When’s she due?” Mikia asks.
I shrug. “I don’t know. June maybe. Why?”
“So that would make her what?” Sam starts calculating on her fingers. “Four months pregnant?”
“I guess,” I say.
“She doesn’t look any kind of pregnant,” Mikia says. “I mean, my sister had some acne, and her boobs got way huge.” Sam nods. I honestly can’t remember Mikia’s older sister’s pregnancy, or maybe I just don’t want to. “Caleb’s girl just looks a little pudgy in the belly.”
Alex parks the car. “Sky, you’ll figure it out. In the meantime, don’t let it run your life. Have fun. Live a little. I promise everything will fall into place as it should,” he says with a smile.
I nod. He’s right. I need to just let things happen. Stop worrying about it. If Caleb and I end up together, great. If not, it’s not that big of a deal. It’s not like end-of-the-world type stuff at least.
Alex guides us all to the gate, where a bouncer checks our IDs and nods us in. Eighteen has its perks. The only one here illegally is Sam ’cause her birthday isn’t until April, but she’s had a fake ID since she was fifteen. Her older brother got it for her before he left for college.
Alex places his hand on the small of my back. At first I almost jump away, but he whispers, “Relax, I’m just making sure you get in safe.”
And I do. Relax, that is. It’s just Alex. I’ve known him for almost two years now. Besides, I know he’s not really into me.
The loud music makes it hard to have a conversation. “Want drinks?” he shouts as we all find a booth.
“I want a water,” I say.
Everyone eyes me like I have snot smeared on my face. “What?” I ask.
“You don’t want no damn water!”
Mikia shouts. “Get her something strong. Help her lose her senses!”
I don’t want to lose anything. Last time I was drunk I woke up with a massive hangover and then walked in on Caleb and Danielle. I don’t want to feel that again. Let alone see anything like that when we return.
“All right.” Alex gathers the rest of the orders and walks to the bar.
Sam smacks my arm. “Water? Seriously? Alex is totally crushing on you. Something going on in that coffee shop that you haven’t told us about?”
“No!”
Sam and Mikia laugh. But I can feel a blush spreading across my cheeks. Thank goodness it’s too crowded with people, fog, and retro blue and white lights swirling about for anyone to notice. Some hip-hop mix is blasting while breakdancers take the floor, as well as the girls who like to twerk.
“Here you go, ladies.” Alex hands me a tall glass filled with red and orange liquid. It looks like a sunset.
“What is this?”
“A Tequila Sunrise. Drink up,” he whispers in my ear.
Shivers cascade down my spine.
I take a sip and I’m surprised how much I like it. I drink some more and slump back against the seat. The music fills me, and my feet tap to the beat. I need to dance.
Shuffling out of the booth, I grab Sam and we head to the dance floor. She whoops and starts laughing as we shimmy and dance about. “That’s my Sky. Welcome back. We’ve missed you.”
I laugh. “I missed me, too.” We continue to dance and suddenly arms wrap around my waist.
I stiffen, especially when the grip tightens and my backside is pulled into what feels like a wall. Sam is in some guy’s arms next to me and is grinding against him like it’s normal. I glance up and smile at the tall, dark-haired guy that has me. “Hey.”
“Hey. I’m Jake.”
“Okay.”
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