Page 57 of Protect

“Lucky young man you are, son, taking my princess to the prom. And you’ve done good to not disappoint heragain,” he says, looking between Jacob, me, and Max. “I don’t take lightly toanyonewho disappoints Kyleigh.”

“I’ll text you, King, can’t wait for the next two weeks,” she says happily as she gets in the passenger side.

I look back at Jacob on the porch, he gulps. I flex my fists. I’m ready to fucking pummel him.

“You’re putting me in the worst fucking situation possible!” I yell at Jacob as I drive his high ass home. “The fuck are you doing right now? I feel like I don’t even know you.Myfriend would never risk his future,myfriend would never risk his sister’s future!”

“This is exactly why I didn’t want to tell you!” Jacob says, his knee is still bouncing in my front seat as he looks out the window. “I know. I need to get my shit together,” he adds.

“I could’ve helped you. I’m fucking great at trig, I have a ninety in that class.” I look over at him in the dark. “Or was it just easier to steal it? Take the easy way out?”

My brain is going a hundred miles an hour.I will find a way out of this. I will get that video.

“I don’t fucking know, man,” Jacob says quietly. “I need help.”

“Youneedto stay sober and stop hanging around Max. You need to let me help you study so you can pass, the honest way.”

Jacob scoffs. “It’s in two weeks.”

“We can do it,” I tell him, “I can help you if you straighten your shit out and you fuckingletme.”

I pull over as we near his street. I need to set this straight before I drop him off and I can’t risk running into Violette right now. The thought of going to prom with Kyleigh makes me feel fucking nauseous. But the thought of Violette caught up in all this makes me feel even worse.

“I’ll stop hanging around him, but I need you to do what Kyleigh wants. Please, man, did you see her dad? He knew. She said she told himeverything. I’ll be expelled, he could charge me! I’ll have a record and Violette could get in so much trouble. What a fucking fuck up I am.” He smacks a fist against his thigh as tears well in his eyes. He’s paranoid, but he could be right.

“You don’t understand,” I tell him. “I care about Vi, Jacob,” I say. “I’d be giving her up.”

Jacob looks up at me like he had no idea I had real feelings for his sister. He’s been oblivious.

“Fuck, man, I need you. I don’t know what else to do.”

We sit in silence for a beat, both of us catching our breath from this bullshit night.

“Look, even if you could just go with Kyleigh, get her alone and get her to delete the video. But for now, please youhaveto agree. You know Violette. She could never hate you, but, fuck, I don’t want her to get in trouble.Please.”

I hit my steering wheel, once, twice.

I look over at Jacob—my best friend, my brother— crying now in my front seat, and I know I have no choice. I have to help him and stop Violette from being dragged into this.

“No more drugs. You focus on rugby, school. We study—every fucking day—until the final.”

He sniffs. “Okay, yea.”

“I fucking mean it, Jacob, you have no fucking idea what I’m giving up here.”

I’ll think of something. I’ll win her back.

“I didn’t know you felt like that for Vivi, I thought you guys were just friends…” His face is contorted like he isn’t sure how he feels about it, but I don’t even give a fuck. My feelings are honest. Right now I’m so angry at him, but I don’t want to see him get into real trouble regardless. I lean my head back against the seat and blow out a breath.

“I’ll go in a group to prom, I’m not going alone with Kyleigh. I’ll get the phone. I’ll make sure she gets rid of any copies. But if you let me down after this I swear to fuckin?—”

“I won’t, man, this is rock bottom. I promise.” Jacob sniffs again and swipes his tear-stained face.

“This is your future, man, and Violette’s…” I tell him, hoping I’m making the right choice.

I look toward his house, knowing Violette is in there, knowing this is going to break her damn heart and praying with everything in me that one day she’ll understand and forgive me.

“There’s one more thing.” Jacob adds “You can’t tell Violette. Not yet.”

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