I was too frozen to do anything, when Nina pushed me. I fell backward on my ass as fury coursed through me like an angry cat who’d lost a mouse.
Ferris caught Nina’s arm just as she was about to punch me.
I hopped to my feet, listing to one side before I steadied myself.
With Nina in his grasp, Ferris asked, “What are you doing here, Montana?”
I let out a nervous laugh. “Me?” The puzzle pieces were slowly falling into place. “Youbothare out to get me? I can see why Nina would, but you, Ferris? That’s where I’m lost. Are you mad because I ditched you as my tutor? Or are you mad because I won’t go out with you? And why this building?” When I walked past them to get a closer look at the graffiti, I spotted a paint can on the pebbled ground and wondered if they had written my name on the can. I picked it up and inspected it in the dim light, but I didn’t see my name. I pivoted on my heel to face them. “I’m waiting.”
Ferris’s chest heaved as though he was ready to talk. Nina, on the other hand, pulled free from him and launched herself at me.
I sidestepped her, and she fell on her hands and knees, growling like a rabid dog.
Hmm. I was holding paint in my hand.
Nina jumped to her feet.
I pointed the nozzle at the side of her head. “Talk, or I’ll spray your hair blue.”
Her eyebrows shot up to her scalp. “You wouldn’t.”
Ferris walked over to her. “Tell her,” he said to Nina in a gruff tone. “It’s over. And I’m out.”
“No,” Nina whined. “She doesn’t belong in this town. She doesn’t deserve Train.”
“Ferris,” I said. “Do you honestly want to go to jail? Vandalizing school and now private property? Do you want to ruin your chances for making valedictorian?” I hoped one of those options would hit home with him.
He packed up his paint cans with the exception of the one I held. “This building is owned by Train’s dad.”
I gulped down air. “So you thought spraying my signature artwork would make me the guilty one? Like you did in school? And what? You think Train will find out and not want me anymore?”
Nina’s body was stiff as a board. “Don’t talk, Ferris.”
I still had the paint can pointed at her.
Ferris tipped his chin at Nina. “I didn’t do the one in school. She did.”
“Argh!” she squealed. “Stupid boy.”
I understood Nina’s motives but not his. “What is she holding over your head?”
Nina moved an inch. I pressed down on the nozzle, letting the paint fly, coloring her hair bright blue.
She hunched her shoulders, stomping her feet. “I will end you.”
I lowered the can but kept it directed at her. “Move again, and I’ll paint your body.”
Ferris glowered at Nina. “I needed the money. And you owe me my other half.”
“I’m not paying you crap. You didn’t even follow through on the school wall. I had to do that.”
“Oh, so you did vandalize the school.” I eyed both of them. “And the locker room door?”
Ferris threw his bag over his shoulder. “Her. Not me. All I did was tutor you, try to get you to go out with me so your attention wouldn’t be on Train, and I shared your artwork with Nina.”
At that moment, something occurred to me. “Did Ms. Shepard ask you to tutor me?” After hearing his confession, I got the feeling I had been duped from the very beginning.
He nodded. “Ms. Shepard did.”
