Wouldn’t she?
As soon as class ended, Renee bolted for the door, but we were too quick for her, and I was hot on her heels with Jake and Matt right behind me.
“Renee!” I called, taking hold of her arm to pull her to a stop. “Hey, what’s the matter?”
Renee looked over my shoulder at Jake and Matt, who were eavesdropping near the door, unspeaking. I wish they’d buzz off, but I didn’t think they would, so I chose to ignore them and hope she could do the same.
“Look, Aaron,” she said, reaching out to squeeze my arm in a friendly way. “I need some time to think about things, okay?”
“Think about what things? I thought we had a great time the other night.”
Renee glances over her shoulder at Matt and Jake, and the flush in her cheeks becomes even more vivid. This seemed to catch my friends' attention, who stepped forward, uncaring if they looked suspicious standing there or not. She dropped her eyes from them and looked back at me, taking a single step back.
“Look, I have to go.”
“But, Ren—-”
“I already told you,” she said, backing away from us. Jake and Matt are on either side of me, watching her go, silent. “Don’t call me Ren, okay?”
She was gone before any one of us could stop her. I turned and looked at Matt and Jake, standing together, scowling at me, looking like they were ready to knock my block off.
“What?” I asked. Jake steps forward, and Matt is close behind him. I take an automatic step back, frowning. “Problem, gentlemen?”
“What did you mean when you said you thought you two had a great time the other night?” Jake asked, cold eyes narrowing.
“Um.” I freeze. I didn’t know what to say. The cat is about to drop out of this shitty little bag. “We went out,” I told Jake. Behind him, Matt’s fists are clenching and unclenching as he glares at me. Occasionally his glare returns to Jake, so at least I know I was not the only one who had done something wrong.
“Did you fuck?” Jake asked me.
I must take too long to answer because before I know what’s happening, Jake has me thrown against the corridor wall, holding me with one arm against my throat. He was seething.
“What’s your problem?” I gasped, clawing at the skin on his arm. I think Jake would very well choke me out for a moment until I was unconscious, but as that terrifying moment approaches, his grip releases suddenly, and I open my eyes to see Matt pulling Jake back with a single hand. He offers his hand to me, and I take it, getting to my feet and rubbing my raw throat. “What’s your problem, man?” I growled at Jake. “I can date whoever I want.”
“Yeah, well, apparently so could she,” Jake snarls. He whirls around and punches the wall hard, barely wincing, but I know the force is enough to leave a glorious bruise on his hand. Matt and I watch him without interfering. An angry Jake is a Jake I didn’t have any desire to fuck with, and I still couldn't figure out exactly what was happening here, but everything seems to be pretty clear to Matt.
“What’s going on?” I asked weakly, grabbing my bag from the floor. “Fuck, dude. You’re losing it.”
“Do you really not see what’s happening?” Matt asked, finally turning to me. He’s smirking, that stupid smirk I was so used to seeing. But right under that smirk is something else; anger, probably, and maybe even ... hurt?
“No, Matthew, I guess I don’t see what’s happening.”
Matt laughed, glancing back at Jake and shaking his head. “She played both of you, Connor.”
“What?”
“Did you and Renee Lyon have sex?” he asked. I know there’s no denying it now, so I slowly nodded. Matt turned to Jake. “And she fucked you, too, didn’t she?”
For a moment, I thought Jake might take a swing at Matt or me or both of us, but he didn’t. Instead, he muttered profanity under his breath and nodded his head. Matt continued to laugh, but he was shaking his head, and under that laughter was something sinister.
“She's still dating that Jason guy, too,” he said with a slight shrug. “I saw her at the restaurant with him last night. She is really getting around, apparently.”
“Wait, did she sleep with you too?” Jake asked. Something dark thunders over Matt’s face, but it was gone before I could even guarantee it was ever there.
“Nah, man, I haven’t even talked to her.” He turned away from us to walk out to his next class, but then he turned one last time. “This is your fucking mess to deal with.”
“Wait,” Jake called, and I was surprised Matt actually stopped.
“What, D?”
