Page 27 of Pretty Broken Things

Tracy tips her head back, and chuckles. “You should see yourself right now. Relax, okay? I’m not in love with Ford. He’s definitely not in love with me. We both knew that last time was the last time. Maybe once our little arrangement made sense, but while he used to be my life raft, I fear he’s part of what is pulling me under. I couldn’t leave this place if he weren’t okay. If he’s with you, I know he’s not going to be stuck in the Park after graduation.”

“You aren’t leaving already, are you? I’ve seen the class rank. You’re in the top five percent of our class. You could get a scholarship.”

“I’m actually third in our class. The only reason I’m not first is because the principal is a bit insulted that I have been able to come and go as I please without a drop in my grades.” She shrugs. “That, and the fact I’d be the first student from the Park to get the honor of valedictorian if she hadn’t adjusted my GPA.”

“Aren’t you pissed off? I’d be pissed,” I tell her. I shut off the water and wrap a towel around myself while I wait for her to reply.

“What’s the point? Yeah, you’d be pissed, because even with shitty parents you aren’t used to the deck being stacked against you. I expect nothing less. None of this surprises me. Sure, I’m angry, but really, fuck him. Dr. Taylor is a pretentious asshole who has no life outside of this school. This is his entire world, and it’s just the launching pad for me. Let him hold on to his small world with his tiny fists. I’ve got enough credits to graduate, so if I’m going to be excluded from the ceremony, I’m just going to be done at the end of the semester.”

“So, that’s it? You’re just going to leave us?” I ask sadly.

Tracy shakes her head. “I’m leaving the school. You, babes, are stuck with me. Besides, we have a few months before I’m out of here. A lot can happen before then.”

“Like what?” I ask sullenly. Of course I know how fast life can change. Just yesterday I was lamenting that Ford only wanted to be friends, and now we’re on the verge of being more.

“Well, to start we’re going to turn you into the hottest bitch at this little party, and you’re going to give me the pleasure of watching Ford Shaw being brought to his knees,” she says, rubbing her hands together.

I give her a skeptical look. “He’s made it very clear he wants me to dress down.”

“He thinks he does, but it’s not what he needs,” she replies.

“And what does he need?”

“A push. Consider this me handing the responsibility of him over to you. No matter what happens with you guys, you must promise me to make sure he gets out of Jefferson Park and goes to college. Ford was meant for more than this world tries to give him.”

I nod. It seems like an easy promise to make, but my gut tells me it might be the hardest promise I’ll ever try to keep.

ChapterTwelve

Ford

“Thank you for this,”I say to Shane as we work together to set up the food Tracy and Ted brought over in the dining room. It’s weird that this house has an entire room to feed a lot of people, considering there’s only ever one person here.

“I’m just helping. You’re the one who texted me to throw a party. I thought you’d lost it when I got the text, because you barely tolerate the hangouts at the Grand. Then I come into the kitchen to see you trying to bake a cake. Why didn’t you want her to know you’re the one pulling this together?”

That’s a good question. I’m not sure I have an answer for it though. “I just didn’t want her to read too much into it.”

Shane shakes his head. “That’s bullshit and you know it. You can try and fool Tessa into believing I set all of this up. You can lie to me and try and make me think you don’t care as much as I know you do, but don’t lie to yourself. When I brought Mandi and Kaitlyn over to your locker this afternoon, that was you not giving a shit.”

I glare at him. I don’t appreciate being analyzed by my best friend. “Are you my fucking shrink or something?”

He gives me a bored look. “Deflect and be an asshole all you want. It’s not going to change the fact that you want her. And not in a temporary scratch an itch kinda way. The sooner you admit it to yourself and do something about it, the happier we’ll all be.”

“How exactly will it affect you?” I demand.

“Because your grumpy ass is dragging a dark cloud over all of us. Look, if you need me to be the good guy here and take credit for bringing everyone together, it’s no skin off my nose. Might even earn me bonus points with Lydia,” he replies.

I punch him in the shoulder. “Like you need it. We both know she’s half in love with you.”

This causes his face to turn down. I regret my words almost the second they left my mouth. Shane has made it clear he doesn’t feel the same way. He cares about her, but he doesn’t love her. I know he feels guilty about it, but you can’t make yourself feel something you don’t. Tracy and I proved that over the years.

“I hope you’re wrong about that. I don’t want to hurt her,” he says quietly so we aren’t overheard.

I nod. “You’ve told her. What she chooses to do with that information is up to her. We’re all just surviving life the best we can.”

He looks off to the side, seeing something play out in his mind. “I just hope I’m not another thing she has to survive.”

Shane shakes his head and his expression lightens. He’s good at that, changing his mood in an instant. I don’t know how deep the change goes, but all of us have the ability to show people what we want. Shane is just a bit more convincing than the rest of us. “Well, apparently I’m throwing a party, so let’s get this shit started,” he shouts the last part, earning some whoops from our friends.

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