Yeah. Really, what could he say? We’d run into her in the hall.
Five minutes later, we slid into the parking lot at Blaze’s. The pizza place was a longtime favorite of ours. I snagged my backpack on the way out of the car and Coop said, “You can leave it, it’ll be fine.”
“Yeah, but I brought my lunch.”
“We’re having pizza.” Jake tugged the backpack out of my grasp and slid it back in the car. “My treat. You skipped the pizza party in June, so now we’re making up for it.”
I hated when they paid for me. But Bubba and Archie had already vanished inside, and Coop gave me his smug,I-know-something-you-don’tlook.
We had so much else to argue about. I let this go. “Thanks, Jake.”
“You’re welcome, Frankie.” He winked then shoulder-checked Coop as we passed him. Inside, the restaurant was darker, so it took a minute for my eyes to adjust. The smell of pizza hit me from everywhere. My stomach let out a growl.
Right behind me in line, Jake loaded his plate. We grabbed cups when we got to the register. He paid, and I waited a beat for him, then we got our drinks and went in search of the guys. They’d claimed a rear table with Coop following right behind us.
“Congratulations to us for having made it to senior year. Only one-hundred eighty days left until we graduate,” Archie said. He toasted us with his soda and I wanted to laugh.
I really did.
It seemed like forever and no time at all.
Instead of saying anything, I dug into my food. The pizza was perfect. The peanut butter and jelly sandwich I’d made would have satisfied the need, but it wouldn’t be this tasty.
Across the table, Jake stared at me as he bit into his slice. The weight of his regard was almost crushing. It didn’t help that Archie was also staring at me. At least Bubba and Coop were on my side of the table.
Still.
Their presumptuous behavior continued to annoy me even if it was as familiar as the halls of the high school. It was just the way they had always behaved. Pushy, occasionally kind, and always looking after each other.
I used to think that applied to me. Eating the pizza Jake paid for reminded me of that same feeling. But we all knew better. Twice, I’d considered asking them and twice I’d discarded the idea, words unspoken. For all that we’d hung out for years, I was and wasn’t a part of their group.
My choice.
Not theirs.
I didn’trunwith any one crowd. I’d avoided pigeonholing at all costs. I’d read the books and seen the movies. High school was often depicted as a nightmare gauntlet, but I hadn’t let it touch me. I had too many other things I needed to do, and I wouldn’t make the mistake of thinking high school was the rest of my life.
Today, introducing them to Mathieu reminded me of all the times they made all the calls and I just went along with it.
No more.
A foot collided with mine. “Hey,” Bubba said, nudging me. “You’re not listening.”
Nope. I hadn’t been. Instead, I’d been thinking about the fight we needed to have.
The real one.
“You have my attention now,” I said, rather than apologize. I’d been apologizing for a long time.
I wasn’t going to anymore.
Archie studied me for a long moment and I lifted my chin as I met his gaze.
“Do we?” His murmured question shut everyone else up.
“Yes,” I answered easily enough.
“Good. Thanks for ditching Frenchy.” He actually sounded genuinely happy about it.
