Lazily, he turns over onto his back, smiling at my mom. “Hey, Nat. You’re beautiful too, and I can totally see where Ange gets it from.”
Mom laughs lightly, lifting his arm and wrapping a blood pressure monitor around it. “Why thank you, Devin. That’s the nicest compliment anyone’s paid me in a long time.”
“Well, that’s a darn shame. Beautiful girls should be told they’re beautiful a million times a day.”
“Oh, dear God,” I exclaim, slapping a hand to my forehead. “Are you still drunk?”
“Sober as a judge,” he proclaims, flashing me one of his trademark shit-eating grins. Tears spill from my eyes, and an anguished sob escapes my mouth before I can stop it. His grin fades. “Hey. What’s wrong?”
Mom pretends not to listen while she takes his temperature and carefully probes the cut on his forehead and his tender ribs.
“You could’ve killed yourself last night.” My tears instantly give way to rage. “You fucking idiot! What the hell are you doing with your life?!”
“Sweetheart,” Mom cautions. “I know you’re upset, but shouting isn’t going to help anyone.”
Devin pulls himself into an upright position, remembering to shield his erection with the comforter in time. His expression is grim. “You’re right, and I don’t know.” He scrubs a hand over the thick stubble on his chin. “I know I’m messing up, but I don’t know how to fix it.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Devin’s words, and his helpless expression, are still on my mind Monday morning as I drive with Ayden to school. I was on edge all weekend, trying to figure out a way to explain Friday night to my boyfriend. No matter what way I spin it, I shared a bed with Devin, and I know Ayden is not going to be pleased about that. He was already in a foul mood when he arrived home late Saturday evening, so I chickened out, and I haven’t told him yet. I’ll tell him when he’s calmer, I promise myself.
The school morning passes by uneventfully. I haven’t seen Devin around, and I’m guessing he didn’t show up today, understanding there is no excuse he can offer which would adequately explain the state of his face except the truth. The less people who know about that, the better. Since he left our house Saturday morning, I’ve texted him a bunch of times to ensure he’s taking his pain meds, getting enough sleep, and drinking plenty of fluids. Luc has been taking care of him, and he texted me from Dev’s phone telling me not to worry.
I’m walking through the cafeteria, tray in hand, when Becky steps in front of me, blocking my path. Planting her hands on her slim hips, she glowers at me. Nothing new there. My gaze roams over her minuscule hot pink top and short leather mini in disgust. I wear more clothes going to bed, and while I know the weather is getting milder, I can’t fathom how she can walk around half-dressed. The more I think about it, the more Luc’s words ring true: she’s lording something over Devin to keep him by her side. I’d put money on it. “You’re in my way. Please move.” I keep my tone neutral, not wanting to get into this here.
She prods me in the chest with her finger. “I told you to stay away from him! He’s mine.” Her face contorts as she growls, and her lips pull into a menacing sneer.
“That’s really not a good look on you,” I say, watching Ayden getting out of his seat.
Her hands clench into fists at her side. “I know he spent the night with you on Friday, so don’t even try to deny it.”
My face pales as Ayden stares at me in shock. “It’s not what you think,” I say over Becky’s head, but she assumes my comment is directed at her.
“I know exactly what it is. You fucking skank.” She shoves me, hard, and I lose my balance, falling back onto my butt, the contents of my tray upending all over me.
Rage like I’ve never encountered before splutters to the surface as the crowd in the cafeteria joins Becky in laughing at my expense. Ayden is practically frozen in place, staring at me as if he doesn’t know me. Out of the corner of my eye, I spy Mariah approaching, but I thrust the tray away and hop up before she can stop me. My brain switches off as I lunge at Becky, and I smirk at the startled expression on her face before we tumble to the ground. She reacts fast, grabbing fistfuls of my hair and yanking firmly. Ignoring the stinging pain in my scalp, I launch my fist in her face, laughing as she screams. Then we’re rolling on the floor, surrounded by classmates who are chanting and calling our names as we throw punches and claw at each other. I shriek when she digs her long fingernails in my cheek and draws blood. Fury darkens my eyes, and I grab hold of her shoulders, squeezing hard. I’m ripped off her in a flash when a muscular arm wraps around my waist, pulling me upright. I hit out, thrashing about, screaming and shouting obscenities, as she does the same while Josh attempts to restrain her.
“Lina,” Ayden commands in a stern voice. “Enough.”
“What the hell is going on here?” Principal Wells demands to know, appearing in our line of sight. The crowd parts, instantly muting.
“She attacked me!” Becky screeches. “It’s all her fault.”
“You pushed her to the floor first, Becky,” Ayden confirms. “You started this.”
“In my office. Right. Now.” The principal’s tone brokers no argument, and she isn’t doing anything to conceal her frustration or her anger.
Ayden removes his arm from around my waist, taking my hand in his as he steers me out of the cafeteria after Principal Wells. Sheepishly, I look up at him. “I can explain.”
“Not now.” A muscle clenches in his jaw, and I gulp. I’ve never seen him looking so hurt or so angry.
The principal is holding her office door open, and Ayden lets go of my hand, stepping away without a word. I walk inside, preparing myself to face the consequences of my action.
The principal doesn’t hold back, refusing to accept any explanations or apologies. After she’s torn a few strips off us, she instructs us to wait outside her office until our parents arrive, and we both drop dutifully into seats. Becky and I stare straight ahead, not looking at one another. When the principal leaves to go to the bathroom, Becky casts a surreptitious glance over her shoulder at the secretary. She has headphones on, and she’s tapping away on the computer, not paying any attention to us. “You’re going to pay for this, bitch. You are going to regret the day you crossed me.”
I ignore her, and judging by the way she grips the arms of her chair, I can tell it pisses her off. If I thought Becky was my enemy before, it’ll pale into insignificance in comparison to the war she’s going to wage on me now. I’ve seen how vicious she can be, and now I know I’m going to feel the full extent of her wrath, I’m actually worried. She is going to make the last few months of senior class sheer hell.
Mom sends me a worried look when she rushes into the room twenty minutes later, quickly followed by Becky’s parents.
“Mrs. Ward.” Becky’s dad greets Mom formally, before sending a disgusted look my way.
“Dr. Carmichael.” Mom gulps nervously, and I send her a puzzled expression.
The next half hour is torturous as we are both forced to explain what happened in front of all the oldies. Dr. Carmichael sends a sharp, disappointed look at his daughter as he listens to her trying to downplay the part she played.
“I will be taking statements from some of the other students,” the principal explains after we have finished talking, “considering you are both giving me different accounts. In the meantime, you are both suspended until further notice.”
I hang my head, disgusted that I let that malicious bitch get to me. Now, I’m suspended for the first time in my life, and I hate that I’ve tarnished my reputation with the principal, dented my exemplary record, and, most of all, disappointed Mom.
Ayden is nowhere to be seen when we exit the principal’s office, and that only enhances my shame and my anxiety. I need to find him and explain before he receives some embellished account of what happened with Devin and breaks up wi
th me.
Mom escorts me to the car without saying a word. “I’m sorry, Mom,” I admit, once we have driven out of the school gates. “I shouldn’t have let her get to me, but she’s been on my case for months now, and something inside me just snapped.”
“There is no excuse that’ll ever be acceptable for resorting to violence.” Her voice is low, and now I feel like utter shit. “None.”
Shame shrouds me in a veil of regret. “I know. I wish I could take it back.”
“If Becky has been bullying you, you should’ve told me, and I would’ve come to the school with you.”
“That wouldn’t have helped, Mom. Girls like her are a law unto themselves.”
She sadly shakes her head. “And for it to be Dr. Carmichael’s daughter of all people.” She sighs.
“He works with you?” I wasn’t aware of that fact until now. I thought Becky’s dad ran his own practice in town. I never realized he worked out of the hospital too.
“He’s the director of the hospital. Essentially, he’s my boss.”
Double shit. “I didn’t know. I’m sorry. Will you get in trouble at work?”
“No. He’s a difficult man, but he’s a professional through and through. He wouldn’t allow anything that happened outside of the work environment to impact my position, but I’d still rather it wasn’t his daughter involved.”
“It’s not my fault she’s a class-A bitch.”
“It’s still no excuse for violence,” Mom reminds me.
Ayden shows up after school, knocking on the front door with more vigor than usual. Mom sends me a knowing look. “I know I’m grounded, but I need to explain things to him. He’s pissed at me.”
“Fine, and you can see him for one hour per day, but that’s it. You know I don’t like punishing you, but this is a serious matter, and I need to know you understand that resorting to violence is never the answer. No matter what.”
“I get it, Mom, and I’ll take whatever punishment is coming my way.”
I wipe my sweaty palms down the front of my jeans before opening the door to my boyfriend. Mom has made herself scarce so I walk into the living room with Ayden silently following me. “I was going to tell you.”
He folds his arms over his chest. “Excuse me if I find that hard to believe. You had all weekend to tell me and you didn’t.”
“Because you were in a bad mood when you returned, and I didn’t want to add to it.”
“I’m calling bullshit on that.”
“It’s the truth. Well, part of the truth,” I admit, averting my eyes. I draw a long breath before I prepare to spill my guts.
“Did you fuck him?”
My eyes pop wide. “What? No! Of course not!” Against my better judgment, I step into him, placing my hands cautiously on his chest as I peer into his face. “I would never do that to you.”
He stares back at me, and I wonder what he sees. “You’re still into him, aren’t you?” He shakes his head, refusing to make eye contact. “Even after everything we’ve shared.”
“Ayd.” He removes my hands, and there’s no disguising the hurt on his face. “Nothing happened between Devin and me. I woke up in the middle of the night to discover him injured and bleeding in his backyard. He was wasted, and he’d crashed his truck. Lucas was there, and he asked me if they could stay here ‘cause his dad was furious. We fixed Dev up and put him to bed. Mom said to wake him every few hours to ensure he didn’t have a concussion, and I tried to stay awake, but I fell asleep beside him, but it was all innocent. I swear.”
He shoots me a disbelieving look, and I hate that he thinks I’m lying. “Ask Mom if you doubt me. She was there when we woke up, and she’ll tell you I was fully clothed.”
His eyes drill into me, and I hold my gaze steady. I’ve nothing to hide, and my conscience is clear. All I’m guilty of is helping an old friend out in his time of need and being stupid enough not to come clean with the boyfriend the minute he showed up. It’s not like I’ve murdered someone.
His face relaxes, and air expels from his lungs. “It’s okay. I believe you.”
A layer of stress lifts off my shoulders. “Are we okay?”
“Do you want us to be okay?”
I frown. “What does that mean?”
“Am I still who you want, Lina?”
“Of course, you are.” I snake my arms around him. “I’m sorry I’ve made you doubt yourself, doubt us, but I couldn’t leave him out there, Ayd. He was in really bad shape. Go over and see for yourself.”
Slowly, his arms encircle my lower back, and I offer up silent thanks. “It’s okay. I know we’re not friends anymore, but helping him was the right thing to do. I just wish I hadn’t found out the way I had. Now everyone is talking about the three of us again, and I’m sick of all this shit.”
“I’m sorry.” I look up at him. “I promise it won’t happen again.”
As he lowers his mouth to mine, I ignore the conflict brewing to epic proportions inside me and open my mouth to welcome him.
Becky and I are suspended for a week, and when we return to school, we are both cautioned to stay away from one another, but I know it’s only a matter of time before open hostilities resume. Becky’s a smart bully, and she won’t do anything while there’s a spotlight on our heads, but I know I only have a small window of reprieve.
Devin is also back at school, and most of his injuries appear healed, but he’s also back to blatantly ignoring me, and it’s like I’ve regressed in time. I don’t know why I thought it’d be any different, but those few hours in his company has reignited old feelings and scars, and I’m sinking back into a bad place.
February turns to March, and it’s a couple weeks before spring break. I can’t believe I’m close to entering my last semester of high school. It still seems surreal to think I’ll be in college in six months’ time. Remarkably, Becky hasn’t come near me, and things have settled down again.
While Ayd said he forgave me, things aren’t quite the same between us, and there’s a wall in place that wasn’t there before. Not only that, but he’s acting strange. Usually, he collects me from the diner after my shift ends most Friday nights, but the last couple of Fridays he has gone out partying, staggering home in the early hours, smashed and rambling incoherently. He falls into bed beside me, smelling like beer and cigarette smoke, snoring loud enough to wake every household in the area. I’ve also been present for the many rip-roaring arguments with his dad and the disappointed looks from Coach when he saunters into practice late.
I’ve asked him continuously what’s wrong, but he keeps telling me nothing, and I hate that he won’t open up to me, but I don’t push him, because I’m fearful it’s me, and I’m terrified that I’m on the verge of losing my other best friend, so I seal my lips and try to pretend like my boyfriend isn’t transforming before my eyes.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
It’s the first Friday of the month, and I’m walking to my locker with Mariah after the last class of the day when a commotion up ahead claims our attention. People are huddled around their lockers, pretending they’re not listening to the massive argument between Becky and Devin.
“I said we’re done, and I meant it,” Devin says, glaring at her. “So get the fuck out of my face.”
Mariah and I trade surprised expressions.
“Baby, come on,” Becky pleads, pouting her lips and fawning at him. “I said I’m sorry and there’s no need for anything to change. We’re so good together.”
Devin slams his locker shut, and she jumps a little. His mouth is curled into a sneer as he puts his face in hers. “We were never good together, and I hated every second of it. Every fucking second was torture for me.”
Becky stiffens her spine, glancing subtly at the devout crowd. She tosses her hair over one shoulder, fixing Devin with a fierce look. “There’s no need to lie.”
He harrumphs. “Are you for fucking real?” He glares at her, and I swear every person close by rears back from the look of pure hatred in his eyes. I’m captivated by the scene unfolding. Although, it’s nothing to do with me, and I can’t see how anything will change in our situation, I’m thrilled Devin has finally woken up. Thrilled that the bitch is finally getting her comeuppance.
“The only liar, the only cheat, around here is you.” He stabs a finger in front of her face. “You’re a despicable, pathetic excuse for a human being, and I wish I could lobotomize myself to wipe all memory of you from my mind. I have never met anyone with such a poisoned mind, and, one day, hopefully soon, you’ll get what’s coming to you. Until then,” he says, slinging his bag over one shoulder, “stay the hell away from me.” His eyes lock on mine momentarily. “And if you ever so much as look funny at Ange, I will take that personally and come after you with everything I’ve got. I’ve never hit a woman before, but, by God, I think I’d make an exception for you.”
Shocked gasps greet his words, but my heart is galloping around my chest throwing cartwheels.
“Screw you, Dev. You were a fucking lousy boyfriend anyway.” She slams into his shoulder as she moves away, narrowing her eyes at me. “You’re welcome to my sloppy seconds. Good luck slumming it.” Her expression turns to disgust as she rakes her gaze over me. “Not that you’ll have to lower your standards much.”
Ayden reaches my side before I can respond. “Fuck off, Becky. Everyone knows Lina is worth a million of you.” He loyally laces his fingers in mine. She flips him the middle finger before flouncing off, her minions scurrying after her like the pathetic idiots they are. The crowd disperses, until there’s only a handful of people left.
Devin is rooted to the spot, staring at Ayden and me. A muscle ticks in Ayd’s jaw. “Get your stuff,” he tells me, never taking his eyes off his former best friend.
I scramble to my locker, pulling out the books I need and stuffing them into my bag. Mariah is quiet at my side as I close my locker and turn back around. The guys are still in a silent standoff. I shuffle anxiously on my feet. Ayd reaches out, tucking me into his side. Devin’s chest rises and falls, but he still says nothing. I trade looks with Mariah, and Ayd tightens his hold on me. “This changes nothing,” he finally says, breaking the tense faceoff. “I’m glad you ditched the bitch, but Lina and I are still dead to you.”
Inseparable Page 17