Chapter Two
Elle
I was out the door before the bell finished ringing. Unfortunately, the universe had made sure my class was on the other side of the school from Jimmy’s. It took me a couple of minutes pushing and shoving my way through the crowd to get there.
As I got closer, my stomach began to knot up into a tight ball with that sick certainty of doom.
A scrum of kids had formed just outside his door and I just knew something was wrong. It had to be. Things were not allowed to go smoothly.
Squeezing through the crowd, I found Jimmy laying on the ground next to the lockers with blood dripping from his nose. Army jacket guy was standing over him, looking out at the crowd, his hands clenched in fists, like he wanted to destroy his next victim.
“What are you doing?” I yelled as I shoved him in the chest. The bastard didn’t budge. It was like pushing at a small mountain. “Get away from him.”
The guy looked down at me like I was a confused monkey.
“Elle,” Jimmy said from the ground. “It wasn’t him. You don’t understand.”
Not him? What was Jimmy talking about? Obviously, it was this jerk’s fault.
The big idiot continued to look at me with a bewildered expression that made me wonder if I might have made a mistake.
“It wasn’t him,” Jimmy said as he got up, wiping at his nose with his sleeve. “Nate stopped it from being worse.”
“Then who?” I demanded unwilling to look at the stranger. If I had been wrong I’d have to apologize. Never one of my favorite things.
“Joe McCain.”
“What?” I said as my voice rose an octave or two. One hour in school and Jimmy had already gotten on the wrong side of the most popular person in school. Not a good start.
“What did you do?” I asked, perfectly aware that the big guy was still standing there, looking at me strangely. Probably waiting for an apology.
“I didn’t do anything, I was just walking and…”
“Not then, in class, what did you do to upset Joe McCain. You do realize what you’ve done? You’re making everything worse. I told you to just be quiet.”
Jimmy shrugged his shoulders, “I just offered to help him if he needed it. It looked like he was having trouble getting some of the themes and finer points of the book we were supposed to have read over the summer. It was almost like he hadn’t even read it.”
I rolled my eyes and looked up to the heavens for help. A lamb among lions. That was my brother.
“Hey, give the kid a break,” Army jacket guy said. “He can’t help it if this Joe guy is a jerk.”
My mind reeled at the cluelessness in the man. Didn’t he understand how these things worked? If Joe McCain didn’t like you. Then three-thirds of the school didn’t like you. They would go out of their way to make life unpleasant for Jimmy and therefore me. And this big lug thinks it’s not important.
I turned on him to give him my best scowl. He smirked back down at me and I could have sworn he thought I was funny or something. Like my opinion didn’t really matter.
My frustration kicked up a couple of notches as I turned away and grabbed Jimmy’s arm to start him to his next class.
Jimmy pulled away from me and turned back to Army jacket guy.
“Thanks, Nate,” he said holding out his hand.
This Nate guy’s lips creased into a smirk as he shook Jimmy’s hand. “Sure kid, next time though, zig when they zag.”
Jimmy laughed and wiped at his dripping nose and nodded. “Come on Elle,” he said as he turned away. “I need to get to my next class.”
I watched for a moment as this new stranger gave me another smirk and a quick shake of his head before he turned and blended into the crowd.
“So, what happened?” I asked as I caught up to Jimmy.
He shrugged his shoulders. “Like I said, I was walking down the hall when that Joe guy suddenly pushed me into the lockers face first. He looked really upset. He held me there for a second, pinned against the locker. I think he was going to punch me but Nate stepped in between us and told him to back off.”
My heart turned over at the thought of my brother being bullied.
“Joe looked like he was confused for a second.” Jimmy continued. “A condition I am sure he is very familiar with by the way. Nate just stood there, daring him to do something. Joe studied him for a long moment and I could swear I saw something changed inside of him. Like he’d realized he’d stepped over the line and taking on Nate had not been in his plans. He pushed me down then turned and walked away.”
I forced my stomach to relax a little, Jimmy wasn’t hurt. Not really. Not enough to go to the nurse. But that didn’t matter when I told Mom about this. She’d have to pull him out of school. She couldn’t expect me to be able to protect my little brother especially not from Joe McCain and his crowd. I couldn’t be there all the time.
.o0o.
Elle
I was a nervous mess the rest of the morning. Just make it through the day, I kept telling myself. Mom would pull him out for sure. She had to see it now.
When I met up with Jimmy outside the cafeteria he shot me a quick grin. My guts relaxed just a little.
“How you doing?” I asked as I ran a quick assessment. He looked fine, but then, second and third periods were AP classes. No way that Joe McCain or any of his crowd were in those classes.
“Fine,” Jimmy replied like he had no idea why I was asking.
“We’ll don’t worry. When we tell mom, she’ll pull you out of school. Either that or rain a world of pain down on the principle. No way will you have to deal with this stuff.:
Jimmy looked at me strangely for a second. “You’re not telling mom,” he said as if the matter had been settled.
“What do you mean? Of course I’m telling her.”
“No, Elle, you can’t.”
“Why?” I asked. This was ridiculous. Why were we even having this discussion?
“No,” he repeated. “I know you don’t want to hear this, but, she’s right. I do need the experience. Besides, if she pulls me out. She’s not letting me go to Stanford any sooner. In fact, she’d probably use it as an excuse to keep me home for the next five years.”
I studied him for a moment. Jimmy wasn’t normally a demanding type person. He didn’t interact with enough people to ever demand anything. This was important to him, I realized.
“They won’t let up,” I told him. “It can get a lot worse,” I added for effect.
I continued to stare at him as I tried to figure out what to do. This was unusual for Jimmy and me. We didn’t keep secrets because we didn’t really have secrets. He never did anything wrong. I never did anything interesting.
“Okay,” I said finally. “For now. But if it gets bad, I’m going to mom.”
He smiled then gave me a hug, right there in the middle of the hall. So uncool.
“Thanks, Elle,” he said as he turned and started back towards the west wing.
“Where you going?” I asked.
“I’m not hungry. Besides, I want to check out the computer lab. They told me it was open during lunch. And you’ve got to admit. Joe McCain wouldn’t be caught dead in the computer lab.
Watching him walk away, I made a silent promise to myself. Somehow, someway, Jimmy was going to be allowed to finish the school year. Mom could crow that she’d been right. But somehow, I was going to figure out a way to make it work.
It took me a good thirty seconds to come up with a plan. I didn’t know if it would work, but it was the best I could come up with under the circumstances. Of course, the best plan would be to get Jimmy out of there and into college where he belonged. But that was off the table, so plan B it was.
My best friend Jeanna Simpson gave me a strange look as I walked right by our table. I shot her a quick apologetic smile that let her know I’d explain later. Right then, I had something I had to do and if I hesitated I’d never have the guts to do it.
Taking a deep breath, I made my way to the back corner where Nate Clark sat all alone, head down, focused on his mac and cheese.
Stopping by the table, I held my tray and nervously tapped my foot while I waited for him to acknowledge me.
Nope, the jerk just kept eating, pretending he didn’t know I was standing right there.
Gritting my teeth, I slammed my tray onto the table and slid in across from him.
He looked up, his expression as blank as a stone wall, then returned to eating.
How rude could a person be? I was positive he was doing it on purpose. That whole aloof attitude that was designed to make me mad.
Don’t let him get to you, I thought to myself. Remember the plan. Sighing, I said, “I owe you an apology.” There that should set things right.
He looked up and stared at me for a long moment as if he were waiting for something.
My insides boiled. “Normally, a person forgives someone after they give an apology.”
The corner of his lips turned up and I swear his silvery blue eyes looked like they could burn through a tombstone.
“I haven’t heard an apology,” he said. “All I heard was that you said you owed me one.”
My jaw clenched down so tight my back teeth hurt. I closed my eyes and tried to gather myself. If this was going to work we needed to get along, I reminded myself for the forty-third time. But deep down, I knew there was something else. Something that threatened to turn me inside out if I ever let it surface.
Taking another deep breath, I said, “I am sorry for assuming you had hurt my brother. It was wrong of me.”
His fork halted in mid-air for a moment then he nodded and finished taking a bite.
“No problem,” he muttered around a mouthful of food.
And just like that, it was behind us. Good to know he didn’t carry a grudge because I was going to need him if this was going to work.
“So, I have a proposal for you?” I began as I held my breath. Just say it Elle, get it out there. If it didn’t work. Then I’d have to figure out a plan C.
He stopped eating long enough to look at me like I had finally said something worth listening to.
“Yes?” he asked.
Here goes. “I need you to be my brother’s bodyguard.”
A pregnant pause hung in the air like a dark cloud, then he snorted with laughter and returned to eating.
“I’m serious,” I continued. “He’s only thirteen and shouldn’t be here. He’s already upset most of the school and the day’s only half over. By the end of the day, he’ll be the primary target for every jerk in this place.”
Nate slowly shook his head. “You do know this school isn’t exactly prison. In fact, it’s pretty tame compared to some of the places I’ve been. He’ll be okay.”
“You don’t understand,” I began as I fought to keep the frustration out of my voice. “He’s different. Special. And believe me, some of the people around here can be very mean. Especially when there isn’t anything stopping them. They see weakness and they pounce.”
“Why don’t you get your boyfriend to do it?”
Boyfriend? What was he talking about? “I don’t have a boyfriend,” I replied before I realized how lame that sounded.
He smiled slightly and then slowly nodded. “So what’s in it for me? After all, I’ll be putting my butt on the line. What is in it for me to make taking a beating worth my while.”
“I’ve got two hundred dollars. And I can get a job and pay you fifty a week.”
His brow narrowed, then he smiled and shook his head. “Keep your money.”
“What do you want?” I asked as I held my breath. Suddenly my mouth had gotten dryer than the Mojave Desert.
He studied me for a long moment, a glint forming in the corner of his eye made my insides turn over.
“Are you offering me your body to protect your brother? Because …”
“What? No. of course not,” I stammered out. How dare he think such a thing.
“Because,” he continued, “while it is an excellent body. I’m not sure it’s worth getting beaten up for. I’d have to see more.”
His eyes roamed over me and it took everything inside of me not to slap him right there in the lunch room.
“How could you think I’d sell myself like that?” I said, totally ignoring the whole comment about an excellent body.
He laughed. “What? It’s okay for me to sacrifice my body as protection for your little brother. But, it’s not all right for you to do it? Okay, I’m just trying to figure out the parameters around here.”
I stared at him in disbelief.
“Have you ever been in a fight Elle?” he asked.
My heart jumped hearing him say my name. I had no idea why, but something inside of me shifted just a little.
“No,” I answered hesitantly. “And I don’t want you fighting. I just want you to scare them enough to let Jimmy alone.”
He laughed and slowly shook his head again. “I didn’t think so. Anyway, threats only work if they are backed up by truth. Believe me, If I stick my nose into your brother’s business. There will be a fight.”
“So you won’t help us?” I said as my insides turned to stone. What now? I wondered. And no, I did not consider sleeping with him just so he’d protect my brother. Well, okay, the thought did sort of hover around the front of my brain. But I didn’t seriously consider it.
He looked at me for a long moment, then slowly smiled. My entire world shifted again. That smile lit up the world. Especially when paired with those silvery blue eyes of his that just melted a person. It was enough to make a girl reconsider her priorities.
“Maybe,” he said, sending my heart into overdrive. “What does the kid think about this?”
“He doesn’t know. He can’t know. It’d ruin what little stupid male ego he has.”
Nate laughed at me and slowly shook his head as he took another bite. One thing I was learning was that this guy took his food seriously.
“Your other problem is I’ve got to convince everyone that I’m going to stick up for this kid I don’t even know. Right? If they don’t believe it, then it won’t work.”
“Well yes,” I answered as I began to totally rethink my plan.
Nate stopped eating and slowly smiled at me.
“This will only work one way,” he said as if he was really considering it.
“How’s that?” I asked.
He smirked again, “We need to convince the idiots around here, as well as your brother, that I have a good reason for sticking my nose into his business.”
I watched him closely, waiting for some enlightenment. “Okay, I’ll bite, why?”
A happy twinkle flashed into his eyes. “There’s really only one way. We’ve got to be dating. It’s the only legitimate reason for me to stick up for him.”
“What?” I demanded as my stomach fell to my shoes. “I already told you, I’m not sleeping with you.”
He laughed, “Never say never.”
I tried to give him my most evil stare but I’m pretty sure it was as effective as water dripping on a stone.
“No,” he continued. “We just have to flirt around Jimmy. Go out occasionally. You know, you laugh at my jokes, flip your hair that way girls do. Look at me adoringly. You know, like I’m the most unbelievable thing ever.”
“You’re unbelievable alright,” I answered through gritted teeth.
Nate laughed again and took another bite of food. “Think about it, you’ll see that I’m right.”
“So, you’ll do it? Protect my brother.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Why not. Besides, if the other girls see that we’re dating. Who knows? Maybe they’ll think I’m worth getting to know. Like they say, the best way to get a girl is to already have a girl. They might think the new guy is safe.
I laughed, “You safe? No girl in this school would ever consider you safe, believe me.”
“Safe enough, shall we say,” he said with a knowing look that led me to believe that he knew a lot more about what women wanted than most guys.
My stomach felt like a tight ball of pure iron and my heart was racing so fast I thought for sure I’d pass out any minute. Which would just about ensure my reputation as a lost cause.
Was he serious? Could I do this? Should I? What exactly would he expect? These and a thousand other thoughts bounced around in my head as I frantically tried to examine all the ways this could go wrong.
Suddenly I realized, the thought of Jimmy being hurt was no longer the most frightening thing. Suddenly, the thought of me being hurt was even more likely than something happening to Jimmy.
He looked back at me, waiting.
“Okay,” I said before I could stop the word coming out of my mouth. “But don’t get your hopes up. I don’t want you thinking I’m falling in love with you. It’s all a sham, remember that.”
He laughed. “Sure Elle. And don’t worry, I promise not to break your heart. At least not intentionally.”
My heart stopped for just a moment. For some reason, I was suddenly aware of just how much of a possibility that was.