Page 53 of Landon & Shay: Part One

Especially me.

Me and my sensitive heart.

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“I need ammo, Raine,”I told my friend, barging up to her and Tracey where they were talking at Raine’s locker after school. Tracey was probably going on and on about Reggie, seeing how she was the only person on the planet who hadn’t faced the reality that he was a complete douchebag. I’d watched him in the hallways, had studied the way he treated people who were deemed lesser than him in the way of looks.

He bullied Billy Peters for the clothing he wore. He tripped Jovah Thomas during gym class and called him a fat Teletubbie. He also told Wren Miller that eating disorders were okay if they were used on a body like hers.

I told Tracey all of these things, and she refused to believe it. “It’s just his humor, Shay. You just don’t get it,” she’d told me.

I supposed I didn’t find bullies hilarious.

I didn’t push the topic any further, because each day it seemed she was growing more and more protective of the guy. I didn’t want to ruin my friendship over something as mundane as Reggie. I simply prayed Tracey would figure out what he was really about before she got her heart broken.

As I walked up to the girls, Tracey made a quick excuse to leave. I’d have to find time to talk to her and make sure she wasn’t upset with me about voicing my opinion about Reggie. But first…

“Ammo? Why, are you going hunting?” Raine joked, tossing her schoolbooks into her backpack. “I’m pretty sure Hank can lend you some of his camo to blend into the woods.”

“No, I’m serious. I need you to give me some ammunition to use against Landon. I need information to use against him.”

Raine’s green eyes widened with nerves, and she shook her head. “Oh, no. Hank said I’m not allowed to meddle in other people’s business anymore, ever since I helped my nonna order a vibrator through a television commercial because she said my grandfather wasn’t the stallion he used to be.”

I cocked an eyebrow. “But you owe me.”

“Owe you? For what?”

“Oh, I don’t know—telling a boy I was auditioning for the school play and then having said boy also audition and get a part in the show.”

Raine’s eyes lit up. “Oh my gosh! He got a part?! I’m so proud of him!” she exclaimed. “I mean, I know you hate his guts, but it’s no secret Landon is like a little brother to me.”

“He’s older than you, Raine.”

“Yes,”—she placed her hand over her heart with a gleam in her eyes—“but his childish ways make him seem so young.”

“Well, seeing how you helped him out, it means you need to help me out, too.”

She cringed. “I can’t, Shay. Hank would kill me if I got involved again. He gave me the silent treatment for a solid five minutes after I helped Landon, and I don’t know if I can handle that again.”

“Fine.” I frowned, crossing my arms. “I guess that’s okay.”

“Don’t do that,” Raine said, waving her finger my way.

“Don’t do what?”

“Pout. You know I can’t take it, seeing my friends sad.”

“Well, I guess you just like Landon a little more than you like me,” I argued. “Seeing how you helped him out and not me. I thought we lived by the mottochicks before dicks, but I guess not…”

“Ugh.” She groaned, slapping her hand against her forehead. “Fiiine. You twisted my arm. But this doesn’t get back to Hank—or any of the guys. They are worse than us and tell each other everything.”

“You have my word.”

“Okay. Landon loves his dog Ham. Like, loves him. You should take them to a dog park to get on his good side.”

“What? No. I don’t want to know what he loves. I want to know what he hates!”

“Why?”

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