“Yeah, I know,” he says with a sigh. “I’ll tell her to stop coming over.”
“You have to do more than that. You have to get your key back, or change all the locks so she can’t get in.”
“I’ll deal with it later. I gotta get back to practice.”
“Okay, bye.”
A few hours later, Braden gets home. I find him in the kitchen, mixing up his protein shake.
“Hey,” I say, going past him to the fridge. “How was practice?”
“Fucking awesome. Tomorrow’s game will be another blowout.”
I open the fridge, then close it and turn to Braden. “Hey, was some girl over here earlier? I thought I heard you talking to someone.”
“She had to leave.” He smirks. “She’ll be back. They always are.”
“Who was it?”
“None of your damn business.” He gulps down the rest of his protein drink and chucks the container in the sink, then walks off and goes upstairs.
She had to leave?Does that mean she changed her mind about Braden?
Back in my room, I try to do my homework, starting with English, knowing Ms. Pruitt’s going to call on me again. The first page I flip to in the book is about dangling participles. I try to read what they are, but I’m too distracted to stay focused.
Picking up my phone, I call Shayla. I haven’t talked to her since she took me to the beach to meet up with Jackson.
“Hey, Rumor,” she says in a cheerful tone. “Are we still dating?”
I laugh. “Only if Principal Edwards asks. Or anyone at Twisted Pine.”
“He told everyone?”
“He told Kristen, and she told everyone.”
“Why? She knows it’s not true.”
“Yeah, but she hates me. It doesn’t matter. I don’t think anyone believed her. Braden’s friends are still flirting with me.”
“It better not get back to anyone at Legion. I have a hard enough time getting dates.”
“I thought you just had a date.”
“I did, but it didn’t go anywhere.”
“Speaking of dates, is there any way you’d consider taking me to meet Jackson tomorrow? I could pay you.”
“Rumor, we’re friends. I don’t want you paying me.”
“Yeah, sorry. If you can’t do it, I understand. I just really want to see him.”
“I’m going to a party after the game. It’s a football party so Jackson will be there. I could pick you up on my way and you could meet him there.”
“I don’t know. Someone might see us.”
“Only Legion people. They don’t know you, and they won’t know you’re from Twisted Pine. You wouldn’t have to stay. You could meet up with Jackson and leave.”
“Maybe. I’ll check with Jackson and let you know.”
