Page 5 of Manny

I’ve never had a friend before. I doubt it’ll last, but at least Toby and his crew got what was coming to them.

“Least I don’t have to run any laps for a while.” I start to laugh, but it hurts.

Shep’s face is serious, and I wonder what’s going on in that head of his. Still, I’m glad that we’re back to talking again. Plus, he kinda saved my life. “My brother… he’s in college,” he tells me. “He’s… he’s like you.”

“Banged up in hospital with broken bones?”

“No, idiot, he’s gay.”

I cringe at the words. “Technically, I like girls, too…” I’ve never admitted any of this out loud.

“Whatever. He went through some shit, okay? So I get it.”

Wow, so big, bad Shep Daniels has a heart? Who knew?

“So that’s why you made a deal with me?”

He gives me a lopsided look. “That’s one reason, but after hanging out with you — and this pains me to admit — but you’re not as bad as I thought you were.”

“Careful, that almost sounded like a compliment.”

He chuckles, then sobers quickly. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

I shake my head. “You don’t owe me anything,hotshot.”

“I said I’d protect you and I failed. That won’t happen again.”

“So, you’re gonna wear a superhero cape every day of the week?”

He points at me. “This isn’t funny.”

He really must care a lot about his brother to even consider being kind to me. He’s Shep Daniels. I know he’s gonna be a star someday.

“How about we make a new deal?” I cough.

He quirks a brow in my direction. “Hit me with it.”

“I’ll keep turning in homework, and you up the ante by watching my back, for real this time. I’m sure Toby and Jarrod are plotting their revenge.”

“Don’t worry about them,” he assures me. “Over my dead body will they ever hurt anyone again.”

And he was right.

They never did.

I made my first unlikely friend.

I learned that day that not everything is as it seems, and that there is good in people. Sometimes you just have to dig beneath the surface and find what lies beneath.

1

MANNY

Present day

NOLA REBELS MC CLUBHOUSE

I shut the oven door and run my hands over my apron.

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