“She’s not my—”
“I didn’t raise you to act like this.”
“I wasn’t fighting,” Cal rushed to say, and I was surprised his dad hadn’t interrupted him even then.
“Don’t get an attitude with me. You’re grounded at best. Do you really want to make this worse?”
I kept my mouth shut when everything inside me wanted to scream for Cal’s defense. He hadn’t done anything wrong.
“This is unacceptable, Calvin. This is not the way you get into a good college. You think this doesn’t go on record? You think the things you do in high school don’t have consequences years from now?”
Seeing Cal’s dad in action for the first time, I understood how helpless he’d been. Even if he could get a word in, I doubted the man would listen.
“No son of mine is going to get the rep of a troublemaker, and you’re well on your way to it.” He finally stopped his pacing and pointed a shaking finger at Cal. “You go to school, and that’s it. I want your gaming consoles and your phone in my office tonight, and when winter break starts, I want your laptop too. You can get it back next semester,ifyou’re still there. If I haven’t pulled you out in favor of an all-boys school for troubled youths.” Mr. Winters waved in my direction. “No friends over, and your ass does not leave this house without permission. Am I understood?”
“Daddy, please, just—”
“Am I understood?” Mr. Winters shouted. “You’ve been stepping in shit since summer, and I’ll be damned if I’m gonna let it get any worse.”
“Daddy, I—”
“What were you thinking?” Mr. Winters asked Cal, then glared at me. “I told you to leave.”
Cal stepped in front of me. “Daddy, would you listen—”
“Not another word, Cal. You’ve done enough. I’m neck-deep in shit from your momma, and now you’ve heaped even more on top.”
“What’re you talkin’ about? I shoved a guy at school. It’s not the end of the world,” Cal yelled quickly, and I didn’t blame him. His dad was every bit impatient and self-absorbed as Cal had said.
Mr. Winters charged in close and snatched Cal to him with his fists in Cal’s shirt. “You started a fight with a girl, Calvin, in the middle of school, with witnesses. I’m shocked the police aren’t here right now.”
My heart tripped over a beat with his elevated tone, then pounded double time.
He let go of him with a shove, and Cal slammed into me. If it hadn’t been for me steadying him around his waist, he would’ve fallen to his knees.
“What?” he gasped, asking the same thing in my head. That wasn’t what happened at all.
“Sasha, Calvin. Don’t play games. This isn’t the time.”
Fuck that crazy bitch. Cal was afraid of her but had always maintained a brave front. No one would ever see, but he’d whispered her crimes to me in the dark. This man, God, I loved him. His inner strength, his stubbornness to hold on to that tough exterior so no one would ever be uncomfortable facing what he’d been through: a guy like him being the victim.
“Wh-what?” he stammered. “No, I, I might have grabbed her arm harder than I thought.”
“Calvin—”
“Mr. Winters, just listen to him!”
If ever there was a time I could reel my words back in, hit delete, it would’ve been now. Both of them spun to face me as if they’d forgotten I was here. I clenched my fists, hating how they shook, but ready to defend Cal with everything I had.
“Go the fuck home!” Mr. Winters shouted at me.
I ignored him and stared at Cal. His eyes were red, moisture gathering on his lashes. God, how I wanted to reach for him, or him to reach for me, but he didn’t. He dropped his chin, and with it, the first tear fell.
“Please, go home,” Cal whispered.
“No, I—” I cut myself off when he shook his head.
“Please.” The word shuddered out of him on an unsteady breath.
