Em
Shay’s words ring in my head. Don’t do it.
I stare at the front door and feel my pulse leap into the stratosphere. A solid, sickly lump is wedged at the back of my throat and I can’t seem to swallow it away. I need to do this. What other option is there? Jake’s in jail. His bail hearing is later today. He might end up with a life sentence, which doesn’t even bear thinking about.
I get off my bike and start walking toward the house. I don’t head to the front door but veer to the left, to the basement door, instead. Taking a deep breath in and trying to calm myself, I knock.
Tanya answers, wearing one of Rob’s football shirts and nothing else. I stare at her bare legs and her severe case of bedhead. She leans casually against the door and smiles at me through lids so heavy she looks drugged.
“Hi,” I say, licking my lips, which are suddenly drier than sand. “Is Rob here? I need to talk to him.” I figure talking to him is my best bet.
“Rob!” Tanya yells over her shoulder, not taking her eyes off me.
In the background I can hear the sports channel playing on the TV. After a few awkward seconds with Tanya standing with her nose wrinkling like I’m a bad smell, Rob appears. He’s wearing a pair of sweatpants and a yellow college T-shirt that doesn’t do much to flatter the purple shiny bruise around his eye. Tanya presses up against him. His hand rests on her ass as though she’s his property, and she preens like a cat who’s got the cream. I repress a giant eyeball roll.
“What do you want?” Rob grunts.
“I . . .” I stop, all the words I had prepared, erasing on my tongue before I can speak them.
Tanya laughs. “She’s come here to get you guys to drop the charges.”
My eyes flash from Rob to her, then back to Rob. He frowns at Tanya and then jerks his head at her, dismissing her. She glares at him but then follows his order and stalks off.
“That right?” Rob asks me, once she’s gone. “You want me to drop the charges?”
“Jake never threatened to kill anyone. You provoked him. And Reid tripped.”
Rob crosses his arms over his chest and glowers at me.
“I didn’t two-time you, Rob. I got together with Jake after we split up.”
His nostrils flare and two red spots appear on his cheeks. I know his pride has been dented, and that he probably hates Jake for a number of reasons, more to do with Jake’s successful sports career than the fact he’s dating me, but I have to believe that the person I dated for three years isn’t a complete asshole, that he has some redeeming qualities . . . somewhere.
“Please, Rob. I’m begging. Speak to Reid. Please drop the charges.” I almost choke on the words. Having to plead with him is making me feel like hurling all over him, but right now it’s all I’ve got.
Rob considers me and hope bursts from a spark to a flame. “Shame how it’s going to affect his career, isn’t it?” he says. “Guess the Red Wings will be dropping him faster than you can say ‘game over.’ ”
My stomach clenches. “Rob . . . come on,” I whisper. “If anyone knows what it’s like to lose their shot at their dream, it’s you.”
Something flickers across his face. I think it might be empathy, but I’m wrong. It’s spite. “He should have thought about that before he punched me.” He moves to shut the door on me.
“I know,” I say, quick to be conciliatory before he slams the door in my face. “It’s just this could really screw things up for him. He’ll lose his scholarship and get thrown out of college. He’ll have a criminal record. If you ever cared about me, even the slightest bit, I’m begging you, please help. Talk to your dad. Tell him it was a stupid fight. Tell him that you guys started it.” Rob’s face turns thunder-dark. I backtrack fast. “I mean, tell him whatever you need to tell him to get the charges dropped. Please.”
Rob weighs me for a moment, and then he nods. Hope fills me like helium.
“Break up with him.”
I deflate immediately. “Excuse me?”
“Break up with him,” Rob says, glaring at me defiantly. “Then I’ll drop the charges.”
I laugh. I actually laugh. Because he has to be joking. “What?”
“You heard me. Break up with Jake.”
“No,” I say, shaking my head.
He shrugs at me, then moves to shut the door on me.
“Why?” I finally manage to whisper.
Rob turns around. “Because.”
Now I’m mad. All the rage contained within me all these years comes spewing out of me.
“Because why, Rob?” I yell. “Because it makes you feel like you’re getting one over on him? Because you want to punish me? Or him? Are you jealous because he still has the chance to make it as an athlete? Are you pissed at me for breaking up with you? I didn’t cheat on you, Rob.” His face twists into a scowl and I know I’ve hit a sore spot. That is what he thinks. “You admitted yourself that you never loved me and you didn’t care about me, so why does it matter if I’m dating him? You just can’t stand him winning, can you?”
Rob scowls. I’m right. He knows it. That’s exactly what it’s about. Because Rob always wants what isn’t his and he’ll bully to get it. It’s like the tree house wars all over again.
“You don’t get to tell me who I can and can’t date, Rob.”
“Actually, I can.” He smirks at me. “If you want to see your boyfriend ever again. And not in an orange jumpsuit with Plexiglas between you.”
Shit. He’s right. I have to stuff all the anger and rage back inside me. And from the gloating, smug expression on Rob’s face, he knows he’s got me over a barrel.
“How can you do this?” I whisper, fists clenched at my side.
“No. How can you do this?” he answers. “You want to be the one who’s responsible for Jake going to prison? Because it’s on you now.”