Page 63 of Jack

“Ava, I’m so sorry, this is crazy! Why does anyone even care that you’re dating Jack? I don’t get it.” Hannah shook her head in disbelief, her dark-haired ponytail swinging behind her. “And Ava, please don’t forget, this isn’t Michigan. You’re not alone, you have us and we’re going to get to figure this out,” Hannah assured her, reaching out to rest her hand on Ava’s arm in a consoling gesture.

Ava couldn’t help it, she started to grin. “Hannah, you’re right. That’s what I needed to hear. This is not Michigan and I’m not some powerless fucking victim. I have friends.” She nudged me in the ribs and smiled up at me. “And I have a smart, sexy, aggro boyfriend who’s going to help me take care of this asshole.”

I knew she was saying that jokingly, but she was fucking right. I was definitely going to take care of this for her and I was going to pound the shit out of whoever was behind it. I leaned down and gave her a hard kiss that quickly turned into something hotter.

“Ugh, get a room. I’m trying to eat here,” Hannah squawked while throwing fries at us.

Ava broke away, laughing. “Okay, okay, I agree lunchroom make out sessions are kind of gross, but it’s not like I haven’t had to watch Nikolai shove his tongue down your throat a million times.”

“I bet that’s not the only thing he’s shoving–” I started, until Ava clapped a hand over my mouth.

Nikolai gave me a warning look followed by a punch in the arm. “Watch it.”

Hannah was blushing but reached up to give Nikolai a kiss on the cheek.

“So sensitive,” I joked.

Nikolai gave me a considering look. “How would you feel if I talked about how you like Ava suc–” Hannah duplicated Ava’s move on Nikolai and I felt a growl come out of my mouth as I shoved Nikolai’s shoulder.

Nikolai smirked. “See?”

Relationships. So fucking complicated.

Ava grinned at me but reached under the table to squeeze my knee, indicating her pleasure that I’d stopped Nikolai from mentioning what Ava liked to suck. In fact, just thinking about it was starting to make my dick twitch in my pants.

“Okay, back to the stalking.” Hannah refocused us. “Who are the suspects?”

“Well, until this week, I would have said my ex-boyfriend, but considering what happened to my locker Monday and today with my gym clothes, we can rule him out.”

“I figure we have two main suspects. Mike and Shelby,” Jack explained. “They are the only two I can think of who would be this worked up about us dating. You saw how they acted at Rico’s party.”

Everyone nodded their heads in agreement. “So, what are you going to do about it?” Nikolai asked.

I was about to answer when Shelby passed our table and smirked in Ava’s direction. “Nice outfit. By the way, I heard about your locker. Can you tell me who did it? I’d like to shake their hand.”

Addison snickered behind her. I guess Casey was with Crenshaw, so Shelby only had one henchperson with her.

I looked at Nikolai and stood up. “I’m going to take care of one of my suspects right fucking now.”

“Wait, Jack, should I–”

“No, Ava, this is obviously my problem. Stay here. Shelby and I are going to have a little chat outside.” I looked at Shelby directly when I said the last part which caused her to purse her lips in disdain.

“I don’t have to talk to you,” Shelby insisted, not moving a foot towards the door.

“Shelby, I know a lot of shit about you. You did a lot of yammering when you were around me. I don’t think you want me to share any of your deep thoughts on your fellow classmates in the middle of the cafeteria.”

She shot a panicked look around the room and quickly made her way to the door. Addison started to follow us, but I shot her a hard look that stopped her in her tracks.

Shelby stomped out the door ahead of me and stopped when we got to the picnic tables. “What the hell do you want to talk about? You want me to lay off your girlfriend?”

“Yes, I do, and that means all the fucking stunts you’ve been pulling.” I said, looking to provoke a guilty, defensive response.

Shelby eyebrows jumped then pulled together in puzzlement. “What stunts? What the hell are you accusing me of? Are you talking about the locker thing?”

I nodded. “Among other things.”

Her look of confusion was now replaced by one of satisfaction. “Oh, there are other people who think you two are sickening? I can’t say I’m surprised.”

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