“That’s what she told me.”
“What a lying bitch. Again with this story—” he spat spitefully.
“She didn’t want to tell me, but I insisted,” I admitted.
“Yeah, and she saddled you with the story that I took advantage of her. I can’t believe it. How dare she—”
I looked down at the ground when I saw him bring the paper to his tongue.
“Brian eviscerated me that night, and she didn’t lift a finger,” he whispered, releasing all of his resentment toward Amelia.
I would’ve liked to have known what kind of relationship the two of them had, but I couldn’t ask him too directly. What James did wasn’t my business, especially his ties with girls.
“Do you want some?” he asked before lighting the joint.
“Sure, so I pass out and then you don’t have to tell me anything else?”
“It’s a lot milder than what I had you smoke at my house, White.” He shook his head, then huffed. “Suit yourself.”
“Why’d Brian beat you up?” I insisted, now sure that I was getting close to an explanation.
“Because that dick found his sister in tears with me in Tiffany’s room. She said the first thing that came to her head, and he obviously believed her.”
“And then? What happened at that party?”
But most of all, why did he fail a year, and you went right to juvie?
James pursed his lips before taking a hit.
“I was in Tiffany’s bed with Amelia that night.”
“Wow, classy way to start a story.”
He burst out laughing and coughed from the smoke.
“What did you think? We weren’t fucking.”
“Weird. You have to clarify that otherwise someone’s mind could go right to the gutter.”
“Can you shut the fuck up and let me talk for once?”
18
James
One year earlier
Amelia didn’t look like she was going to stop. She walked back and forth in the room, continuing with her story like I gave a shit about it.
“Then when I left the homework on his desk, he didn’t just grab it. He grazed my hand.”
“I don’t get what you’re saying,” I said reluctantly, lying on Tiffany’s bed a to stare at the freshly painted white ceiling.
“He brushed against me with his hand!”
“So?”
“Don’t you get it, James?” She laughed, lying down next to me.
