Clara reaches up from where she is sitting on the step next to Evan’s girlfriend and tugs the implement from Evan’s hand. “He’s right. This is a body fat caliper. It doesn’t measure clothing. It only measures body fat.”
The blue haired girl breaks down crying again. “Stop using the word fat. I’m not fat.”
It’s pretty apparent to me that this young lady has some problems and she’s trying her best to make them Evan and Levi’s problem as well.
I’m about to send Levi to our room when Rigs speaks up. “I don’t know exactly what’s going on here, but I can guess.” Glaring at the still sobbing teen he gives it a shot. “You wanted to do this body fat thing, but you didn’t want your friends helping in case they teased you. And you didn’t want Evan helping, so you picked the most naive guy you could find to help you. Am I close?”
She nods, “I wasn’t trying to start trouble.”
“I didn’t say you were fat,” Evan says, clearly hoping to dig himself out of whatever hole he’d dug himself into.
“Curvy,” the girl says.
“Yeah, curvy. You got curves,” Evan says clearly not reading the room.
Clara turns to Evan, “It’s a female thing. Nowadays people use curvy as a euphemism for being plus size or overweight.”
Levi who’s been silent for a few minutes goes ramrod straight, which his is angry pose. “I’m not naive.”
Evan’s expression clears. “You are when it comes to girls.”
My club brother cuts them off. “Enough. Kayla, you need to leave. From now on, you aren’t allowed back without advance permission from me.”
Evan makes an angry noise in the back of his throat but curiously, it’s Levi who intervenes on her behalf. “There’sno need to need to throw out a perfectly good potential chess partner.”
“Yeah, everything’s fine now,” Evan readily agrees with Levi, and just like that they’re best friends again.
Rigs is looking more confused by the minute. I can see it in his face. So, I quickly ask, “Do y’all even play chess, Miss Kayla?”
She shrugs. Glancing from Evan to Levi and back again she looks up at me with wide eyes. “I’m learning. Does that count?”
I point towards the parking lot. “We’ll see. Let the boys calm down and remember what Rigs said about coming here. From here on out, y’all have to have his permission ahead of time.”
Kayla gets to her feet, clearly unhappy, but not brave enough to go toe to toe with Rigs or even me for that matter. She rushes down the steps and turns, bringing her hand to ear in the phone position and mouths to Evan,call me.
The minute she’s out of sight, Rigs turns on Evan, “I’ve got a good mind to take that prospect vest right off your back. You’re the youngest prospect the Savage Legion has ever had. Siege made an exception for you because he thought you were mature enough to be responsible. You’re almost eighteen, is hanging out with Levi making you act like a fourteen-year-old?”
“Hey, I’m almost fifteen!” Levi exclaims indignantly.
Evan slaps his chest with one hand. “I am responsible. You know I am. I saved Siege’s sister that time. Remember?”
“What is rule number one when it comes to women?” Rigs asks.
“Don’t ever let a woman come between brothers.” Evan says proudly.
“And what did you just do?”
Evan begins to look unsure of himself and steels a glance at Levi.
Levi clears his throat before speaking. “That was more my fault than his. I should have known better than to have my hands on his girl.”
Rigs points in Levi’s general direction without taking his eyes off Evan. “See that? Levi’s not even a prospect and he knows enough to try to cover a brother’s ass. You let a woman come between the two of you.”
“But Levi doesn’t count. He’s not a club brother.” Evan turns his head and whispers, “No insult intended, Levi.”
“None taken,” Levi whispers back.
Rigs takes three steps, closing the gap between Evan and himself. Looking down at his son, he states firmly, “I have three points to make. Firstly, brother doesn’t only mean club brothers. It can mean best friends too. Secondly, Kayla is bad news. I know you don’t see it but with the blue hair and drama, she might be the most attention seeking person I’ve ever met.”