Page 141 of He's The Reason Why

“Always,” Lizzie said. She still had her hand on Piper’s arm, a warm comforting presence that grounded her.

“Bellamy Babes forever,” Della said with an emphatic nod. “No matter what.”

Piper’s eyes blurred. “I know. Don’t worry. This is…it’s not a big deal. It’s just a shock.”

She managed a grateful, watery smile, then returned to staring out the window. They were getting close to her house now. She could feel the pull like a magnet. She just wanted to be home. She wanted to get into pajamas and find a quiet spot and pretend the world didn’t exist.

A phone buzzed somewhere in the car.

Piper checked, heart pounding with the thought that it might be a text from Blake, but it wasn’t hers.

“It’s not mine,” Lizzie said.

“It’s me,” Mattie said as she took her phone out of her tiny, for her, bag. “Adam’s worried.”

Piper’s phone buzzed. She glanced at the sender. Her manager, Neil.

“Is it him?” Lizzie asked softly.

“It’s Neil.” Piper sighed. “He thinks we should probably issue some kind of statement.”

“Why should we?” Della shifted in her seat. She seemed a little uncomfortable even though she’d already kicked off her heels. “Blake’s the one who screwed up.”

“Um, maybe because of this,” Mattie said. Her voice sounded so strained that they all turned to look at her.

She held her phone so they could all see the screen. It was another video, this time with Blake and Della center in the frame, surrounded by a crowd of onlookers.

Piper recognized the spot. She’d been standing there herself just a few minutes ago.

“What…”

Mattie pressed Play, and they all watched as Della punched Blake in the face.

Blake fell backward with the force of the blow.

Della said something, but it was too noisy to make out what it was.

Blake looked so dazed and confused a part of her almost felt sorry for him.

Another part, the hurting part, felt slightly better and somewhat vindicated.

“She kicked his ass,” someone, maybe the guy holding the phone, said with a laugh. “Oh man, I have to show…”

The video stopped.

All of their heads swiveled in Della’s direction.

Della pressed her lips together and thrust her chin up. “He deserved it.”

Piper gaped at her baby sister. Della was the sunshiny one. The perpetual little girl. The one the entire world revolved around most of the time. She loved dancing and music and laughter. She wasn’t a fighter. At least, she hadn’t been before.

“Well, I guess we know why she was late getting to the car.” Lizzie sounded a little out of breath.

Mattie stared at Della like she’d grown a horn in the middle of her forehead.

Giggles started somewhere deep in Piper’s chest. “You punched him. You punched a movie star. You…”

Laughter spilled out. She couldn’t stop it. “Oh my God, the look on his face…on yours…”

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