Axel nods. “Fuck, man. I know stalkers can be dangerous, but what if you’re wrong about Jackson? There’s no one else in your girl’s life who could be doing this?”
“If it is, they aren’t making themselves known.” I press my lips together. “This is why we haven’t gone to the police or accused him.”
“But you think Jackson wants your girl?” Axel asks.
“The way he acts. The texts. The things he says sometimes.” I shrug.
“Just talk to him. If you have to, ask him outright if he has a thing for your girl.” Axel pushes to stand. “Chances like these don’t happen every day. And I don’t want you to lose out because youthinkhe’s after her.”
Axel taps the table and walks away. Maybe I should confront Jackson. I don’t trust he wouldn’t lie to me, but it can’t hurt. I can get some sort of read on him. It’s worse going back and not knowing. Fuck.
I take my tray over to the trash.
“I overheard you talking to Axel.” Jackson stops beside me. “I don’t know why you think I want your girl. I was interested in Mia. Well, until I found out she had two boyfriends.”
I narrow my eyes at him and try to remember every interaction. Mia was always with Evan when Jackson sought them out. But it also gave him a plausible reason to talk to Evan.
“Here, you can look at the texts Mia sent me. She’s got some crazy idea that Evan is in her way at her new school. When we talked at the football game, she wanted to know what I knew about Evan as a kid.” Jackson pulls out his phone and taps on the screen.
He holds it out for me to see the text conversation.
Mia:
This is Mia’s number
Me:
I hope you don’t delete my number
Mia:
Why would I?
Are you coming to the party?
Me:
Can’t get away
Though I’d love to see you
How about Sunday night?
Mia:
Sounds good
I just have rehearsal and then I’m free
“Mia said she hasn’t heard from you.” We saw her phone and there was no back and forth, but she handed over her phone withno problem at all. From Evan, I would expect that, but from Mia, she might hesitate to give her phone to someone. That always bothered me.
Fuck, Evan and Mia being friends always bothered me.
But texts can be deleted or faked. What Jackson showed me only has Mia at the top not a number. So which is it? Did Mia delete the evidence or did Jackson create it?
Jackson smirks and puts away his phone. “She’s been texting me since I got her number at the football game. We’ve met up a few times even. But she doesn’t want to be tied down. Well, not in a relationship.”
I try to think of everything we asked Mia. The things we told her. She’s been close to Evan this whole time. She knew Jackson called herpretty girl, and that we thought he was stalking Evan. But why?
