“Is she ready?” Braden appears at the door, his knee wrapped in a bandage.
“Hey.” I go up to him. “How’s the knee?”
“Good enough to play. I’m still pissed Coach wouldn’t let me back in the game.”
“Weren’t you in pain?”
“I’m always in pain. It’s part of playing football.”
“She says she’s not coming,” Trystan says.
“Why not?” Braden asks me. “Dad’s not here.”
“She’s got her period.” Trystan laughs.
I smack him. “Shut up!”
“That’s why you’re not going?” Braden asks. “Seriously?”
“I’m tired, okay? It’s been a long week. I just want to go to bed.”
“This is one of the biggest parties of the year,” Braden says. “You miss it and everyone will be talking about you, making up stories about why you’re not there.”
“Just tell them I’m grounded.”
“After you just punched the principal’s daughter? They know anyone who does that wouldn’t stay home because they’re grounded.”
“Then tell them I’m sick.”
“They just saw you at the game. They know you’re not sick.”
“Tell them whatever you want. I don’t care. I’m not going.”
“You going out with someone else?” Trystan asks in a suspicious tone.
“Who would I go out with? The only people I know will be at the party.”
“She was hanging out with Shayla,” Braden says, staring at me.
“The maid’s kid?” Trystan says to Braden. “When was this?”
“Last week. They were at that taco place. I had to go pick her up because Shayla took off.”
“Only because your friends trashed a house and she had to go clean it,” I say.
“Is that what you’re doing?” Trystan asks. “Going out with Shayla?”
“No. Not that it’s any of your business.”
“It’s our business because you being seen with her could ruin our reputation,” Braden says, narrowing his eyes at me. “Stay away from her.”
“You can’t tell me who I can hang out with.”
“You keep doing stuff with her I’ll get her mom fired. And not just from here but around town. Everyone she works for is connected to Twisted Pine. Parents. The teachers. Even my coach has her clean.”
“You’d really do that?” I say, staring into his dark eyes. “Destroy her business just because you don’t want me being friends with her daughter?”
“If that’s what it takes to get you to stay away from her.”
