Still, maybe I’m just seeing what I want to see. She’s never been rude to me, and no one’s said a bad word about her. Not even a rumor. I’m just making her the villain because I can’t deal with my feelings for Hud.
I guess I should bite the bullet and go find Ella. Maybe she will know why he isn’t at school today.
The bell rings, its shrill sound bouncing off the exterior brick walls and signaling the end of lunch. I have half a mind to cut the rest of the day and drive to Hudson’s house. But then what? Demand an explanation?
I sigh and let the idea go. Instead, I grab my phone and send him another text, hoping this is the one he answers.
ME: I get that you’re probably still pissed, but at least let me know you’re alive.
No response comes.
Dejected, I make my way down the hallway to my locker.
Not talking to Hud these last few days has left me feeling lonely, like a piece of me is missing. The heart wants what it wants, and mine desperately wants to hear Hudson’s voice. Even if it’s just to cuss me out for disrespecting his girlfriend.
My dad was right. I should’ve just been supportive. Voicing my opinion wasn’t worth losing Hudson.
Coming down the hallway, I see Hadley and Ella standing at my locker. Hadley is tapping her foot, arms crossed tightly around her books.
What did I do now?
“Hey Hads. Where is Hud?” I ask, stopping in front of them.
Her nostrils flare, fury practically oozing from every pore. “How is Hud?” she snaps, voice rising. “You’re always more concerned about him than you are about me.”
Ella, always oblivious to the room, pipes up. “Oh! I stopped by yesterday because he wasn’t answering my texts. His mom said he wasn’t feeling well and needed to rest.”
“Thank you, Ella. At least two of us care about Hudson.”
Hadley drops her jaw, affronted. “I care about my brother.”
“Then what is he sick with?”
“He… well, um…”
I scoff. “Yeah, you really care.”
She tenses, then shifts her books in her arms. “What’s this?” she hisses, shoving a small yellow square in my face, changing the subject.
I look at it, bored. “A sticky note?”
I’m already over whatever bullshit this is. I’m more concerned with making sure Hud is okay. If he doesn’t have the energy to at least text, he must be pretty sick.
She doesn’t move the paper from my face, hers an angry shade of red.
“Read it,” she snaps.
You don’t care about him. But I do.
My skin prickles. This is similar to the text I got the other day. “Where did you get this?”
Hadley scoffs. “It was stuck to my locker. Who do I need to step out of the way for, huh?”
I pull my cell out, scroll to the anonymous text and shove it in her face. “Whoever this psycho is. Apparently, Hud has an admirer.”
I flick my eyes to Ella, wanting to see how she reacts. Her eyes are wide as she reads the message over Hadley’s shoulder.
“You got one too?” she asks, surprised. “I got a similar message from a number I didn’t recognize after our date. It freaked me out a little, so I blocked and deleted it.”
