Page 90 of Beautiful Defiance

29

LEIGH

After I told Seven I am his, we stripped to our underwear and fell asleep in each others’ arms, too tired and emotionally drained to do much about our half-naked state and our hormones.

The next day, Henry stopped by Seven’s quaint place. I don’t know how he knew where Seven took me, but he did. We talked, and I apologized for meddling in his life. He said next time I plan on meddling, give him a heads up. He freaked out big time seeing Jackson leading me up the stairs. Before he could storm inside the bedroom, Seven beat him to it.

The video Midnight took of Jackson and me circulated online. Interestingly, Ashley stuck with Jackson. We later found out Ashley was hooking up with a different guy, and that was her reason for not being at the party. Wow, just wow. Those two are meant to be together. I hope they use protection. Talk about STD city.

At school on Monday, Hannah pulls me into a hug, having heard from Henry what I did for him.

Her welcoming me like that sent a message to the rest of the students. Leigh is my friend. Mess with her and you mess with me and my kickass cheerleaders. I like being wanted, but that doesn’t mean I am for Team Hannah. I have my own set of friends.

During math class, one of the office staff walks in holding a vase of red roses. She walks to my row of desks. I wait for her to walk past. She stops at my desk and sets the vase down.

Everyone looks at me. The back of my head tingles. Not giving a care that the entire class is watching, including the teacher, I open the envelope and slide out the card.

“I’m sorry, Leigh. S.” I slip the card back inside, happiness blooming warm across my chest.

Seven apologizing for what he did to Shay, for being a jerk in front of my new friends. I fight back the urge to turn in my seat and tell him thank you.

It’s dumb, but I want him to be the first to tell the world that I am his and he is my guy. Even signing the card with the first letter of his name isn’t cutting it. Call me old-fashioned, but I am after a public declaration.

When the last bell rings, I hurry to my locker. I see Seven walking away from my locker, his backpack hitched high on his shoulder. Walking next to him is Ginger.

She must have said something funny. Seven laughs. His arm slides across her small shoulders, and he pulls her to him. Am I wrong, and the roses aren’t from him?

My chest aching, I open my locker, suddenly not excited to go to Seven’s practice. Slipped inside my locker is a piece of paper. I unfold the paper and read Seven’s words with tears stinging the corners of my eyes.

Ginger is tutoring me now. Thanks for the help. See you around. Seven.

See you around?Cold settles over my body. I grab my backpack out of my locker, shove my books inside, and trash the vase and the roses in the nearest trash can.

Torn up inside, I hurry from the school and board the bus, grabbing the last seat at the back of the bus. Pitying glances all around from the other kids. My face must’ve said it all. Or they only need to look out the bus windows. Seven has his arm across Ginger’s shoulders, and she’s wearing his letterman jacket.

I duck my head and stare at my shaking hands clasped in my lap. Well, damn, I didn’t see that one coming. And it only gets worse from there.

The rest of the week plays out like that. Seven doesn’t acknowledge I exist. As soon as I said the words, “I am all yours,” I sealed my fate.

There isn’t much more of me he wants. There are prettier, smarter girls out there. Girls who follow the rules. A girl who won’t rock the boat. Someone who fits perfectly in his crowd.

The only good that’s come out of Seven’s rejection is my growing friendship with Hannah. She comes over and hangs out at my place. We do cool things like make jewelry and put on these fake tattoos we ordered online. We also bake like crazy.

The bad? I have to know more about Ginger. At first, Hannah didn’t want to tell, but after I told her I’ll go with when she gets her first real tattoo, she caved.

“Ginger’s parents own the town center. They graduated from DU.”

“So she’ll be going there, too?”

“4.0 GPA, and she’s a track star.”

Double whammy for me. Ginger is the perfect girl for Seven.

“Thanks for being my friend, Hannah. I appreciate you coming over and baking with me.”

“Carbs solve all the problems of the world, don’t they?”

“For sure.” I bite into a gooey cookie. “How are things with Cam?”

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