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“Tell me what happened,” Jacob said.

I shook my head. This was mortifying.

He stopped walking and pulled off his varsity jacket. He draped it around my shoulders and then grabbed the front of it, pulling me closer to him. “Sophie,” he said. “You gotta tell me what he did. Because my head is spinning with the worst and I’m about ten seconds away from going back inside and killing him.”

I started blinking fast. “It’s not him. It’s me. It’s always me.”

Jacob shook his head. “No. Whatever he did is on him. Not you.” He moved his hands to my shoulders and leaned down so he was staring right into my eyes. “Please, Soph. Talk to me. I’m about to lose my head, here.”

“Just tell me what I did wrong!” Adonis yelled from behind me.

I winced.

He sounded way too close.

I turned to look at him over my shoulder.

He was running down the stairs after us. He was quick and must have somehow sidestepped RJ.

“Aphrodite...”

“Stop calling me that!” I snapped, my voice finally coming back to me. “Aphrodite was beautiful. We both know I’m no Aphrodite. I heard you loud and clear, Adonis. I’m ugly.”

“He said that to you?” Jacob asked.

“Whoa.” Adonis lifted his hands. “I did not call her ugly. I would never say that to any girl, let alone her. What the hell, Aphrodite? Tell him I didn’t say that. You know I think you’re beautiful.”

“Please can we just leave?” I asked Jacob. Adonis wasn’t worth the attention. And I was done listening to his lies.

Jacob exhaled sharply and dropped my hand. “I’ll be right back.”

“Jacob, don’t...”

But it was too late.

“I warned you!” Jacob stormed over to him. “I told you she just needed a friend. And you had to go and push it and be an ass.”

“Aphrodite,” Adonis said. “I’m not going to fight your friends. Just talk to me...”

Jacob dropped his shoulder, ramming into Adonis’ stomach. The two of them toppled to the pavement.

Jacob’s fist slammed against Adonis’ jaw. Jacob was doing the exact thing I’d wanted him to do weeks ago. But now I didn’t want it. I just wanted to go home.

RJ, Liam, Axel, and Scarlett all ran out of the house toward us. And I wasn’t sure if the guys were going to break it up or join in. And if it was four against one Adonis would be hurt worse than he would be from the pudding prank my dad was planning.

“Oh, screw it,” Adonis said and landed a punch across Jacob’s nose.

“Stop it!” I yelled. “Everyone just stop!” I ran toward them. “Jacob, it’s fine.” I grabbed his arm to pull him off Adonis, but I wasn’t strong enough. “Everything is fine.”

“Would you stop saying that?!” Jacob yelled. He shoved the side of Adonis’ face into the ground as he stood up. “You’re not fine! You haven’t been fine in a long time. I thought we were finally getting you back and then this asshole hurt you.”

“I didn’t hurt her,” Adonis said. “I’d never hurt her.” He pushed himself up.

“Then what the hell happened?” Jacob asked. “If someone doesn’t fill me in right now, I’m gonna kill him.”

“Jacob...” Adonis said.

“I fucking warned you! You took advantage of her and...”