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I hope she still likes me later.

I rev the engine, and I can’t get the shit-eating grin off my face as I peel away from the FreshMart parking lot.

I grab her hand as we drive. “Come on. The movie starts in ten minutes. We’re gonna be late.”

TOMMY

We roll into Roadies, and I see Bax’s Shaggin’ Waggin’ parked, loud and proud. Remy’s shiny new bike is parked next to it, and they are all hanging out in our usual spot off to the side. Bax must have laid some heavy charm on Mrs. Holly because he’s already knocking back a beer.

Roadies is the only drive-in theater in town and is the place where everyone drinks and hooks up. It’s a large open lot, lined with trees on either side, a large silver screen at the front, and a crappy popcorn stand where all the freshmen work.

The rumble of my sexy car catches everyone’s attention, but just wait until they see the sexy girl I have with me. I ain’t hiding Didi tonight—not from Remy, not from anyone.

I need to flex. Everyone needs to know she’s my girl.

I pull up next to Remy and Bax and roll down the window and nod at them. Bax throws a peace sign, and Remy gives me a nod, but his eyes slice right to Didi.

Remy and I are friends again…I need to remember that. Since telling me about our families and confiding in me about Talia killing Daniel, I feel closer to him than ever. Didi’s been the perfect distraction, but she’s also the only thing keeping our friendship from getting back to the place we used to be.

He keeps looking at her, and I ain’t sharing her with him…at least, not yet.

Didi grips my hand hard as we roll past Cindy and the rest of the Jesus freaks, and I find a dark spot in the corner away from the rest of the group.

Didi presses her lips together, and if possible, her face loses color as we roll by.

I park, but they are still in our line of sight, and Didi’s usual blank eyes are drilled in, and not in a way that makes her seem weak. Something gleams in her eyes—something different.

“I heard what Cindy did to you.”

She turns to look at me, her gorgeous white eyes and plump pink lips in a flat line. “How do you know that?”

“Remy told me at practice. Said I need to watch out for you when Cindy’s around.”

She twitches her head to me. “And I heard what you and Remy did to Cindy…”

My heart stills. “Oh, yeah?” There is no way Remy told her.

“He told me you bent her over a tree.”

Damn. What the hell, Remy? Why would he tell her that? I had my reasons for doing it—I was trying to make Talia jealous, and Talia hates Cindy with a passion. And since Talia was playing games with me all summer, I thought, why the hell not.

It felt right at the time.

I’m not sure why Remy took a go at her—she’s not his type. Cindy has some older boyfriend now…some Jesus freak frat boy a couple of years older than us who she’s here with tonight.

I bite the inside of my cheek. “He told you that, huh? When were you with him?”

She presses her lips together. “He took me back to his house to watch over me. He took me home before Mama got suspicious. Nothing happened.”

I knew it…I knew he was with her. I’ll deal with him later. And if nothing happened, then why does she look guilty as sin?

I run my hand through my hair. “Look, Didi, it didn’t mean anything with Cindy. We didn’t do anything she didn’t explicitly consent to.” I pause before I say, “She wanted it, firefly. She begged for it.”

Didi watches me with her bright white eyes. “It’s fine, Tommy. I was curious about it, so I asked him. I’m not upset with you.” Her breath catches, and her chest rises and falls.

My eyes slip to her shirt. From this angle, I can see right down her buttons. Her ivory flesh and hard nipples. Pink nipples.

Now I can’t stop staring at those pointy breasts.