Molly attempted to shrug off his arm. “Actually, I wouldn’t.”
“But we’ve got lots to talk about,” Dex said. “You remember Sandy’s cousin Danielle lives in Rushton.”
Molly turned red. “So?”
“Soooo. Did you think we wouldn’t hear what you did last weekend?” Dex grinned, and Mike and Pete laughed.
Mike bumped his shoulder into mine so hard I almost fell off the bench. “Molly let some guy named Jason get to second base,” he explained, mostly just to watch Molly squirm. Then he added with fake seriousness. “Oh, shit. You probably don’t even know what that means, do you? It means she let him touch her—”
“Iknowwhat it means,” I interrupted, feeling my face flame. I mean, I only knew what it meant in ahypotheticalsort of way. I’d never actually experienced it, and honestly, I hadn’t wanted to. No matter how many times my mom pestered my dad into asking me if there were anyspecial girlsat school or if I needed any advice, and no matter how seriously I wanted to please them both, I couldn’t seem to muster much enthusiasm for girls. My Nana Mary said I was a late bloomer. I wasn’t so sure.
Judging by the mortified look on Molly’s face and the way she stared at her sandwich like she couldn’t decide whether to cry or commit murder, I didn’t think I was missing much.
“Get your hand off her,” I said. “Whatever she did or didn’t do is none of your fucking business.”
Pete snorted. “Will you listen to the mouth on him?” he demanded of no one in particular. “S’not your business to decide our business, Parkie-poo. You can shut right the fuck up before Imake you.”
“Dexter, you’re such an idiot. My brother isright there.” Molly nodded her head toward Jamie. “Move your arm, or I’ll call him over.”
“You want Jamie to come over here and hear how hisfourteen-year-old sisterhas been spending her time, be my guest,” Dexter retorted with a grin. “Rumors usually come from somewhere, Molls.”
Molly bit her lip and looked up at me like she was torn between suffering embarrassment or sufferingDexter. Andshehadn’t done a damn thing to engage him or to bring this bullying on herself any more than I ever had. Molly’s eyes filled with tears, and that wasunacceptable.So I did what any red-blooded man in my position would do.
I grabbed my fruit punch and squirted it in Dexter’s face.
It got in his hair. It dripped all over his t-shirt. It formed a puddle on the tabletop. Meanwhile, Dexter’s mouth opened, and he gaped like a fish, completely unable to comprehend what had just happened.
It was possibly the greatest moment of my entire life.
Then, all hell broke loose.
I mean, as expected, right?
Dexter jumped up and grabbed me by the hair, which was kind of humiliating, then threw me on the ground, which was painful. He landed on top of me with a knee to the stomach that stole my breath and a knee on my left arm that was gonna bruise like heck, while someone else—probably Pete or Mike—held my other arm down. Dex lifted his arm back to hit me, and you know what? I didn’t even care. I wasglad. Becausefuck him.
And then suddenly, Dex wasn’t there anymore. He was lifted clean off me so I could breathe again. I sat up and saw Dexter bent over the picnic table, with his hands held behind his back, while Jamie Burke mashed his face into the puddle of juice.
“What the hell are you doing, Dexter?” Jamie demanded. “Why’s my sister screaming her head off?”
No lie, Jamie didn’t look angry. He wasn’t even winded. He’d just picked Dexter up, bodily thrown him over the table, and was holding him in place while he wriggled like prey in the paws of a hunter. It was… impressive.
So impressive, I was having trouble catching my own breath, and my stomach was tying itself into knots and… Oh.Ohhhhhhh.So many things became so very clear in that moment.
Could a late bloomer bloom all at once? I was pretty sure he could. I was pretty sure Idid.
I rolled over, feeling wet mud seep through the knees of my jeans, and tried to stand, but my stomach was aching and my armkilled, so I knelt and watched the show, while my heart beat furiously.
“Get off me, man!” Dexter screeched.
I didn’t scream at all, I thought, perhaps a bit too smugly for a guy who was still on his knees in the mud.Who’s the loser now, Dex?
“Parker was saying shit about Molly,” Dexter lied. “I was defending her.”
“What?” I gasped.
“Wasn’t I, Molly?” Dexter insisted.
My eyes tracked left to where Molly was standing, arms folded over her chest. She looked at Dexter in disgust, but her throat was working like she couldn’t quite force herself to speak up.
