“We arenot—” I began as she held her hand up.
“La-la-la, I don’t want to know,” she hummed as she walked away.
Gabe pulled me up, kissing my forehead softly.
“Ready to go, beautiful?”
I nodded and grabbed my bag, aware his eyes were on my ass when I leaned down.
“Told you all you think about is fucking me,” I smirked as he laughed loudly.
“It isnow, fucking hell.”
We made it to Caleb’s car, and he greeted us with an impatient glare.
“There’s a reason best friends and sisters don’t mix,” he complained. I stuck my tongue out at him.
The morning went by quickly, but I was late meeting Gabe for lunch—Jade was having a meltdown in the bathroom stall. Her boyfriend Bryan was tagged in a photo on Facebook with another girl, and Jade was on a rampage.
“I mean, he’s got hisarmsaround her. How can that be fuckinginnocent?” Jade yelled, her eyes blazing with rage.
“Maybe he was consoling her about something,” I suggested as she scowled at me. I shrugged as her phone rang, her face twisting in anger when she answered. She stormed out of the bathroom, and I pointed at the cafeteria, silently telling her to meet me there.
I was starving, and at that moment, I could havemurdereda big bowl of cheese fries. Pushing open the double doors, I saw a crowd of people all egging on a fight, and I groaned. I immediately elbowed my way forward, determined to see if I could help, when I stopped still.
Gabriel glared at Kennedy as she ranted and raved, his face stony.
“SummerfuckingFallon? What has she got that I haven’t? Other than a gangster dad,” Kennedy spat as people turned to gape at me.
The crowd parted, allowing me to fall into Gabe’s eye line. His eyes softened as they fell on me, and Kennedy turned to me, a snarl on her mascara-streaked face. She suddenly ran towards me, her hands outstretched.
I didn’t have time to think, but I defended myself. Kennedy’s hand rose in the air, though I swung first, my fist connecting with her cheek as her mouth formed a surprised ‘O’. She held her face while falling backward, her eyes wide as she stared at me in shock. I stood shaking, staring at my hand in wonder before offering it to her.
“Self-defense,” someone muttered as Kennedy shook her head, refusing my help. Nausea swept over me as Gabe strode forward, reaching down to pull Kennedy to her feet, before turning to me.
“Let’s go.Now,” he chuckled, guiding me away from the crowd, their eyes burning into the back of my head.
“Oh God, I’m sosorry, I don’t know what—” I babbled as Gabe pulled me close, his lips on mine. I kissed him back, feeling tears in my eyes. “I’mnotlike that. I don’t know what came over me.”
He held me like that for a while before answering me with a sigh. “Self-defense. Kennedy would’ve hit you first. I’m so sorry you were in that situation.”
My tears fell, and I wiped them away furiously.
“Fuck,” I swore as Gabe peered at me in concern, nodding towards the exit.
“I have a way I could make it up to you, but it would involve skipping school for the rest of the day.”
“Why would we have to skip school?” I blinked in confusion.
“Because once we start, I don’t think we will stop. Plus, my house is empty during the day, so...” his voice was low and husky as he stared at me, our fingers entwining. My heart thudded in my chest when I nodded before I could change my mind.
“Perfect.”
CHAPTER 22
CALEB
I’m irritated.
