Was it always like this?
I couldn’t imagine it.All I’d ever known was kindness and acceptance, even if I’d been incrediblyslow.
ButI’donly ever beenaccepting. Surprised, when I found out Gray was gay, less surprised when Foxannounced how hot the bartender was two drinks in on our first day offtogether, but…
It’d neverbotheredme, and I couldn’t work out whyit bothered anyone else. I didn’t understand.
“You’re fucking Ashley,” sheaccused.
“No,” I said, silentlyhoping the lie would hold up, that I wouldn’t blush or twitch or give myselfaway somehow.
I wasn’t physicallyintimidated by a woman who was all of five-foot-six and weighed maybe ninetypounds soaking wet, but I was scared.
For the first time in a longtime, real fear rose in my chest, the worry that things were about to go southin a big way making my throat tight.
She had power here. Not overme—I didn’tcare what anyone thought of me, I had friends to go back to and a life where Icould do whatever the hell I wanted.
But she could hurt Ashley.She could hurt Ashley long after I was gone, and I couldn’t stand thethought of that.
That would hurt so much morethan anything she could evenimaginedoing to me. A wave of nauseawashed over me at the thought.
Maisie smirked. “Well, he wantsyou to,” she said. “Panting after you like some kind of sad puppy with a littlecrush.”
“Ashley could do better.” Ilooked down at my phone, pretending to read something on the screen.
The one time I needed Grayto rescue me, he hadn’t texted back immediately.
That shut her up, afrustrated huff the only response.
“It’s gross,” she said.
“My best friend is gay,” Iwarned, looking up again. I was still scared about what she could do to Ashley,but I wasn’t about to stand by and let her get away with saying things likethat.
What was it Doc used to say?The standard you walk past is the standard you accept.
I wasn’t acceptingthis.
“And he’s a better personthan most people even aspire to be. He’s saved my life a dozen times and so manyother lives that no one could count them all. He’s kinder than he ought to beand stronger than anyone I know, he loves with all his heart and there’s roomin there for everyone, for the whole goddamnworld. He’s not gross. You’relucky you get to share a planet with him.”
Maisie’s jaw dropped.
At some point, I’d raised myselfup to my full height and squared my shoulders. I wasn’t as tall as Gray, or asbroad, but I was a lot bigger than she was.
I felt like an ass for doingit, but it had the effect I needed. She backed off a pace, still notafraidof me, but wary.
Good.
As long as I was here, Iwasn’ttaking any shit. Especially not if it was directed at a friend.
“What’re you gonna do? Tellyour dad I’ve got a gay best friend?” I asked. “What do you thinkhe’sgonna do?”
This was a mistake. Ashleycould suffer for this later.
But I couldn’t just let itgo. What kind of afriend was I if I did? What kind of amanwas I?
Maisie glared silently at mefor a few moments, then turned and walked down the hall without another word.
Ashley’s door opened amoment later, his head poking out.
