Crash

“Ryder, man,” the guy in front called out, wagging his brows at the two of us pressed against the wall. “I thought the locker room was more your domain.”

“Keep running, shithead,” Jude growled, slapping the air behind his head. “Morrison,” Jude said, grabbing the second guy running by. “What’s the deal? Your dates chasing you with a wedding ring or something?”

“There’s a shit load of cops that just showed up. They’re searching the whole gym and we’ve got something of a paraphernalia problem on us,” he said, tapping his jacket pocket. “Might want to take the back way out if you have the same problem.”

Jude’s arms tensed around me. “Shit,” he cursed under his breath. Shoving off the wall, he snagged my hand and began running down the hall. “Come on, Luce. We’ve got to get out of here.”

My stomach dropped. No innocent man ran from the cops the way he was now. I couldn’t believe it was drugs, because I’d witnessed enough stoners in the courtyard between classes at my last school to recognize the symptoms and Jude didn’t portray any of them, but I didn’t have the courage to believe he was running because of something worse. I just let him pull me along because running from the cops with him was better than being left behind.

Jude turned down another hall, right as the doors at the end of the one the first band of guys were running towards burst open with a stream of flashlights and shouts.

“Damn it,” Jude hissed, pulling me faster down the hall. I deserved some sort of medal or award for ascertaining the speeds I was in the height of heels I was wearing.

“Mind telling me what’s going on?” I hollered up at him as he shoved open a metal door. We were outside, close to the parking lot.

Spinning around, Jude’s face was tortured. I’d never seen him so undone. “I have to go, Luce. And I can’t take you with me.”

So many words wanted to come out, but none did.

The best answer I could come up with was, “They’re here for you.”

He nodded, looking between me and the door over my shoulder. “And if you’re with me, they’ll take you in too.”

I bit my lip, realizing I was about to be ditched on the sidewalk. “All right.”

“Damn it, Luce, I’m sorry. I did something really, really stupid,” he said, grabbing my arms.

I made a vow to myself I wouldn’t cry. I forced myself to look up at him; glaring at that face was an impossible feat. “You’d better go then.”

“Luce,” he said, begging me for something I wasn’t ready to give.

“Just go, Jude,” I whispered, looking into the parking lot.

He leaned in, wanting to kiss or embrace me, but I was not ready to be consoled.

“No,” I said, stepping back. “Go.”

His face broke, his eyes shadowing almost instantly. Backing away, he kept his eyes on me for another moment before turning and running like the devil had just arrived at Southpointe High.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Jude and the Chevelle had about a ten second head start before a screaming line of police cars screamed out of the parking lot after him. I just stood there, frozen like a lawn gnome, watching the whole thing like it wasn’t reality.

The man I thought I was falling for skidding out of the parking lot, hitting speed bumps so hard the Chevelle caught air, while a squad of police cars were hot on his tail, couldn’t be real. I caught the shortest glimpse of him before he spun out of the parking lot and his face was eerily calm. The only way a person could be calm in a situation like this was because he’d been in so many like this, it was like waking up and putting his pants on one leg at a time.

A slew of officers burst through the door we’d just come out and ran right past me, having no clue I had just been with, or was associated with, Jude.

“Suspect in stolen vehicle is heading north of Hemlock Ave,” the voice on the other end of the walkie said as the last officer rushed past me.

Theft. Car theft.

This last piece of information was the straw that broke my back. I crumpled to the ground, wrapping my arms around my legs, and closed my eyes, praying I’d wake up.

“So you didn’t even make it through the night,” a voice tsked-tsked as a flash of metallic red fabric came into view. “Let me guess,” Allie said, looking down on me, “in the janitor’s closet?”

I so didn’t need this shit right now.

“No? So the girl’s locker room, right? That’s a Jude favorite.”

I was a tough girl, but tonight went beyond tough. I didn’t have what it took to get past this mountain of crap.

“Okay, so the couch in the principal’s office.”

“Get the hell out of here,” I said, into my folded arms.

“How does it feel? Being left on the curb like the piece of trash you are,” she said, kneeling beside me. “At least when he was done screwing me, I got a few minutes of cuddling and a warm bed.”

“Allie!” a voice shouted from behind. “The party at Morrison’s is just getting started. You don’t want to be late.”

“Well, if it isn’t Sawyer Diamond riding in on his white horse.” Allie laughed. Sawyer stepped around me, his jacket slung over one shoulder. “You hoping to score with Jude’s sloppy seconds? Because I’d bet she’s ripe for a rebound roll in the sack right about now.”

“Damn it, Allie,” Sawyer said, grabbing her elbow and steering her away, limping on his bad ankle. “You’re a lot easier to be around when you’re trashed, so be on your merry shot slamming way.”