YESTERDAY WAS THE one-year anniversary of my dad’s death. Mom and I spent the day in our pajamas bawling our eyes out while watching home movies and looking at old photos.
Family and friends called throughout the day but knew we needed our space. Bass spent the day with Lisa and Grace stayed in her room. Dr. Ramos called on FaceTime to check up on both of us. We had a nice talk and I realized how much I miss talking to her.
Zach called and we talked on the phone a little. He understood it was a bad day, deciding to stay home and spend some time with his mom.
My mom wouldn’t talk about her fight with Cam, but after a long talk, I gave her the okay to move on. Not that she needed it, but I knew she needed to hear it.
I pull into my usual parking space beside Zach’s Jeep and see Reagan sitting in the passenger seat with her back to the window. What in the ever-loving fuck!
My emotions are too raw from yesterday to even bother putting up a fight. Grabbing my bag from the front seat, I climb out of my car and hurry through the common area heading straight for my locker.
“Hey.” Cole leans against the locker beside mine. He looks terrible.
“Hey,” I say. “Are you okay? I haven’t heard from you since you stormed out of my house Saturday.”
“No,” he breathes. “This shit with Harper….” He shakes his head.
“What happened?”
“She lied. That’s what happened.”
My stomach flips. “Lied about what?”
“Everything.” He shakes his head again. “I don’t want to talk about it right now. It’s a long story, but I promise to tell you later.”
“Okay. I’m sorry, Cole. Is there anything I can do?”
He shakes his head. “I’m sorry I didn’t call you yesterday. How are you? How’s Em?”
“We’re fine. We spent the day together, just the two of us, in our pjs, watching home videos, looking at old pictures and missing my dad.”
An arm comes around my waist and pulls me against a solid chest. “Hey, babe. I missed you,” Zach says, kissing me on the neck.
I pull away and shut my locker. “It didn’t look like you were missing me a few minutes ago,” I snap. “You just can’t stay away from her, can you?” I walk off and head to my first class.
“What are you talking about?” Zach calls out to my retreating back. I lift my middle finger in the air and keep walking.
“WHAT WAS THAT about?” Cole asks.
“As always, your cousin has the worst goddamn timing. Reagan hopped into the passenger side of my Jeep this morning before I even had a chance to put it in Park. Jay must’ve seen her.”
“What’d she want?”
I shrug. “Don’t know. Don’t care. I told her to get out.”
Cole shakes his head.
“It’s my fault for dragging her into my shit in the first place. I never should’ve used her to hurt Jay.” I look over at Cole, taking in his appearance. “Dude, you look like shit.”
“Fuck! I know.” He rakes his fingers through his hair and walks off as I step into my class.
I head straight for Jay’s desk as she busies herself pulling her book from her backpack, pretending she doesn’t see me coming. Leaning over so that we’re eye to eye, with one hand pressed flat on her desk and the other gripping the back of her chair, I growl into her ear, “I don’t care what you think you saw. It wasn’t like that and you know it.”
“I think you’re still confused,” she drawls.
“What happened to not making assumptions?”
“We’re way past that, Zach.”
I let out a low growl under my breath. “We will talk about this after class.”
“Talk? Don’t you mean you’ll explain? Again?” She rolls her eyes. “Oh, my God, Zach. I’m so sick of lies, excuses, explanations, misunderstandings, and all the other ‘he said, she said’ bullshit. I’m done. Let’s just call it quits and move on.”
I’m going to let that comment slide because she’s obviously still emotional from yesterday. However, she’s so full of shit and I want so badly to call her on it, but Mr. Baxter walks in with his usual Starbucks in hand. “Break it up, lovebirds.”
“Ease up on the crazy, Jay. You’re being ridiculous. We’re not calling it quits.” I press my lips to the spot under her ear. “I love you.” I stand, pinning her with a hard stare. She stares back, unfazed with a raised brow.
Mr. Baxter continues, “Okay, class, open your books to page one fifty-eight. You have twenty minutes to review the material and then there will be a test. Get started.”
Dropping down in my seat, I pull my backpack into my lap and dig out my book and a pencil before dropping it on the floor beside my desk.
“Psst…Jay,” Dex whisper-yells. Jay glances at him over her shoulder. “Girl, that dress you was wearing Friday night was sexy as fuuuuck,” he sings. “I need to buy one for my girl. Where’d you get it? Victoria’s Secret? Frederick’s? Hoes R’ Us?” He laughs. “Come on, tell me.”
Rolling her eyes, she flips him off and turns back around in her seat.
“She did look sexy in that dress,” I add in a whisper, “but you know what looks even better on her?”
“Huh?”
“Me.” I wink.
A few people in the surrounding desks snicker.
Her leg stops mid-bounce as she whips her head around and pins me with a glare. After a pause, she gives me that sarcastic smile she smears on right before she tells someone to eat shit or to fuck off.
“You can’t just play with me when it suits you, Zach. I’m not wired that way.”
I chuckle. “You like when I play with you.”
“Yeah, well maybe it’s time for someone else to play with me.” She smirks and high-fives Kali, before she turns back around in her seat. A chorus of “oh, shits” and “day-ums” circulates around the classroom.
Derek the douche raises his hand and snickers. “I volunteer.”
I shoot Derek a murderous glare before turning to Jay. “Don’t start, Jay,” I hiss. “I was joking.”
“Someone is pissy today.” Dex chuckles. “We just messin’ witchu, Jay. You know Dex ain’t got nothin’ but love for ya, baby girl.”
She smiles. “Thanks, Dex.”
Just as we turn in our tests, the bell rings and the little sneak slips out the door before I can even get to my feet.
“Damn, Easton.” Dex laughs, gripping my shoulder. “What’d you do this time?”
I don’t have time to explain Jay’s impeccable timing to Dex, so I just shake my head and hurry after her. I see her weaving through the busy hallway, moving as fast as her long legs can carry her, heading to our next class. Too bad for her that my legs are longer and I’m faster. Dodging and weaving is what I’m good at.
Hooking an arm around her waist, I pull her to my chest and turn my back to the nosey fuckers walking by. To them we look like the typical affectionate couple they see every day.
“Stop fighting me,” I growl in her ear, tightening my hold on her. “Reagan jumped in my car before I’d even parked. If I had to guess, that psycho bitch saw you pull into the parking lot and timed her little move perfectly just to piss you off. She said she wanted to talk. I told her to get the fuck out. She got out. I got out. That’s it. End of story. No more fighting, Jay. Not in front of our friends, classmates, at school, or in public—period. After everything that’s happened in the last week, people are more curious than ever. I was an idiot for doubting us and it won’t happen again. I love you and you love me. Let’s stick with that. No more drama. Okay?”
She nods and her body relaxes against mine. “Fine. Okay.”
“Now give me those delicious lips.” She tilts her head back with her lips puckered for a kiss. That’s my girl. I press my lips to hers and slide my tongue across the seam, teasingly. She moans affectionately. I pull away with a smirk. “I haven’t forgotten about that smartass comment in class, but you’re gonna make it up to me after school.”
“Oh, yeah?” She arches an eyebrow. “I thought you loved my smart ass. And what about your douchey comment?”
“I do love your smart ass. And your smart mouth.” I smack another kiss on her lips. “I’m sorry for what I said. It was douchey, but I’ll make it up to you after school.” I grin.
She huffs out a laugh. “You’re such a horndog.”
“I love you.”
“I love you, too.”
“Good.” Unhooking my arm from her waist, I step back and hold out my hand. “Now hold my hand like a loving girlfriend and let’s get to class. We’re late.” Taking her hand in mine, our fingers entwined, we make our way to our next class.