Gio’s lips curved into a smile as he held up his hands. “Sorry, Falco. I didn’t know they were with you. Get back to your little friends.”
“They aren’t my friends,” he told Gio while glaring at us. My heart shattered as my face heated. He wasalwayswith me. I sucked in my bottom lip so no one could see it quivering. Ten sets of eyes leered at the three of us. If I shed even one tear, I’d be eaten alive.
I ran to Josh as he turned his back to the both of us, grabbing his arm.
“What’s the matter with you? Why are you here?” I yelled, trying as hard as I could to hide the crack in my voice. The only way to accomplish that was to somehow channel the hurt into anger.
“Leave, Brianna!” he spat through gritted teeth and shook my arm away. I gazed into the green eyes I’d loved all my life and didn’t even recognize them. They were sunken in, surrounded by dark circles, as if he hadn’t slept in days.
“What’s wrong with you?” I screamed back. “You never text or call or even come to school anymore.”
“Because there’s no point. At least here I can make some money. I’ll go next week so the truant officer doesn’t break my balls again. You guys have no idea how it really is with your perfect little lives. I’m doing what I have to do; if you don’t like it, not my problem.” He gave us an angry shrug.
“Not your problem? We’re your best friends, and now we’re disposable to you?” I shook my head, anger and devastation gathering into a lump in my throat. “Who are you?”
“He’s part of Gio’s crew now, Bri.” Reid leveled his eyes at Josh as he strode toward him. “He doesn’t have any time for us. He’s all about his new friends. Isn’t that right?”
Josh’s jaw tightened as he stared back at Reid. “I’m so sick of your self-righteous bullshit. You guys don’t get it.”
“Oh, I get it, Josh.” Reid let out a sad chuckle. “You’re one of them now. Oldlittlefriends mean nothing, right? And if we, and ourbullshit, are that much of an inconvenience to you . . . I can’t speak for Brianna, but I’m done wasting my time.”
They both fell silent for a long moment, and I prayed Josh would disagree, fight, saysomething, but he didn’t. Reid shook his head and stormed away.
“C’mon, Bri. We can still make the next bus back,” Reid said over his shoulder.
I wouldn’t listen and called out to the back of Josh’s head as he stalked back toward the house. I rushed toward him, tripping over a large branch by the curb. My body lurched forward and even though I broke my fall with my forearms, I swallowed a yelp of pain.
Laughter boomed from across the lawn, and Josh’s head whipped around. I lifted my eyes and saw Gio holding his shaking belly as he gaped at me. What happened to the boy who punched a kid he didn’t even know because he made me cry? Why wasn’t he telling all these assholes to shut up and stop laughing at me?
A hand grabbed my elbow and lifted me up to stand, but it wasn’t who I wanted. It wasn’t my superhero. He didn’t exist anymore.
Josh kept walking, without giving either of us another glance.
The bus pulled up the second we got to the curb. I waited until I plopped into a seat before I let the sobs go free. I was only there for maybe fifteen minutes, but it was the worst fifteen minutes of my life. Josh was so entrenched in this horrible new world, there was no place for me in his life anymore. The tears streamed off my cheeks as my troubled mind tried to make sense of it all.
“Brianna,” Reid whispered as he looped an arm around my shoulders. “I know you love him, but he’s gone. We tried. There’s nothing we can do.” I didn’t reply as I leaned into Reid’s chest and cried all the way back home.
Josh
“THIS PLACE ISamazing, Josh.”
My chest swelled with pride as Brianna’s widened eyes darted around the shop. Maybe it wasn’t reallymyplace, but Uncle Billy trusted me enough to run it on my own. I hired the employees, handled the books, and met with customers. He depended on me instead of waiting for me to fuck up. The local troublemaker came back and made good, but that wasn’t such an easy sell for everyone. Good thing I didn’t give a shit about everyone. The only opinion that ever mattered stood in front of me, beaming with pride.
My mouth split in a wide grin. “Thanks. It’s getting there. Hoping things pick up a little after the holidays. No one wants a new bike when there’s an inch of ice on the ground.” I laughed until Brianna’s face fell.
“Can I ask you something?” She slid into the chair in my office as her lips pursed.
“Of course.” I leaned my hip against the edge of my desk and crossed my arms. “What’s up, Cupcake?”
“Did . . . did you really have a new client in Manhattan last week, when you drove me to work?”
I took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “Why would you ask that?”
“Scott and I—” She shook her head and waved her hand. “It’s nothing. Don’t mind me.”
“No.” I nudged her ankle with my foot. “Let me guess. Scott isn’t too happy about me hanging around so much.” I raised an eyebrow.
Brianna reluctantly nodded. “It’s a guy thing, I guess.” She chuckled to herself. “They get territorial if someone else tries to play with their toys.” She laughed until she realized what she said and then covered her mouth with her eyes huge. She was so fucking cute I couldn’t stand it. “I didn’t meanplay, I meant . . .” She dropped her head into her hands, and I couldn’t hold in a laugh anymore.
