“All here if we don’t count the time that that asshole broke two of my ribs the next day and sent me to the hospital.”
Brian’s calm, deep voice startled me.
“Do you mean when they sent him to juvie?”
He nodded, staring at Amelia.
“But it does beg the question, why’d James beat you up, Brian?”
Amelia blinked nervously.
“What happened?”
“Nothing. Out of spite for what I just told you, for what I did to him the day before. Except he went off even more, and I ended up in the hospital.” Brian’s green eyes darkened, staring at something in front of him. Marvin and Jackson were sprawled on a velvet couch with two girls next to them. Will was talking with James, who didn’t look like he was paying much attention to him. He was concentrating on painting a girl’s décolletage as she took a big swig of sparkling wine.
“Look at them. They think they’re kings of the world when they’re just criminals with too much money in the bank,” snarled Brian, grabbing a cup.
Blaze shot me a worried look, before walking away with him.
“Did James try to force you to do something?” I whispered in Amelia’s ear.
“I don’t really remember. I told you, I was drunk.”
“How can you be so casual about it? What if he didn’t do anything to you? It’s awful to accuse him if you don’t remember very well. But if he did do something, he needs to face the consequences.”
“What on earth do you mean? It’s James!” countered Amelia, as if that was a good enough explanation.
“So he’s your scapegoat when something happens?”
“Do you hear yourself, June? You’re defending him too? Why don’t you go be with him instead of us then?”
“Amelia, you don’t get it.”
“No, you don’t fucking get it. When something happens, you can always be sure he’s behind it.”
“Yeah, but what did he spend a year in juvie for? He gets into fights, but there’s a reason why he has such an issue with Brian, isn’t there?”
Amelia shook her head, disappointed.
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you when you get dragged into shit because of him.”
Her words left me speechless. I watched her storm off.
“Why don’t you ask James or William about it? Let’s see if they have the courage to tell you the truth,” Poppy ordered, before following her friend with a disappointed look on her face that didn’t suit her.
I’d definitely gotten confirmation of one thing—the grudge they held against each other was much more serious than I’d thought.
I decided to go join Will. I didn’t intend to stay with that group, but it was getting pretty hard to be around Amelia and Poppy. I glanced at the couches, but Will wasn’t there with his friends anymore.
“Imagine coming here with the pajamas you were wearing yesterday.”
The warm voice that slithered into my ear made me jump. I turned around suddenly like I’d just been stung by a bee. I could only see his board shorts and his body completely covered in fluorescent paint.
They’re called hormones, June, hormones. Let’s stop doing the Savage dance, thank you.
“What’d you say?”
“I said you’re ridiculous.”
