Page 13 of The Bookworm

“You have no right to take her,” Dad says, shaking his head and wavering as he tries to stand tall. I can practically smell the booze wafting off him from across the car. “I can charge you for kidnapping. You know that, right? That'smydaughter, and you took her withoutmypermission!”

“She's not your property. She's eighteen, so she can do whatever the hell she wants,” Talon says, not taking his eyes off my dad once.

At this point, the people in the parking lot have made no effort to disguise the fact that they're watching this fight attentively. A few parents have shielded their kids' ears as they rush by the altercation, hoping to keep them from hearing any swear words. What stings the most is the people I've been getting to know this past week have pulled out their phones and are recording.

“You better back the fuck away from me before I do something,” Dad slurs, trying to seem tough all of a sudden, emboldened by whatever concoction he probably has in his flask now.

“What are you going to do?” Talon asks, making himself look bigger in front of him to intimidate. I feel sick seeing it.

My dad backs away as if he's going to choose to be the bigger man for once in his life, but then he changes his mind and swings haphazardly at Talon. Of course, he manages to dodge the weak blow from my father, and he smirks at my dad. People all around are gasping and holding their hands over their mouths as they watch the situation unfold.

“No wonder you only hit women,” Talon says, mocking him. This seems to embolden my father, and he steps up even bolder than before.

I see it all unfolding so quickly, and I can't let anything happen to Talon right now. After everything he's done for me, I won’t let my father get in his head to the point where Talon feels he needs to do something to protect my honor.

“Stop it!” I shout as I put myself between the two of them, pushing both of them away from each other. I look at Talon with pleading eyes, silently begging him not to give in to my father's goading. I know my dad, and this is what he wants. He wants to make a scene. “That's enough. Go home, Dad.”

“What? Afraid your boyfriend is gonna hurt me?” he scoffs, pacing back and forth with anger practically simmering around him.

“Yes, actually,” I say, putting a hand on Talon’s arm to calm him. “He actually cares about me, so he might because you’re being a fucking asshole right now.”

“Oh, now you’re trying to protect me.” He laughs, rolling his eyes and pulling his flask out.

Now it’s my turn to laugh. He looks at me with a confused face as I shake my head in disgust. “I’m trying to protect Talon. This isn’t because I love you, Dad. It’s not because I want you safe and protected. It’s because you’re a manipulative asshole who will likely use this against him somehow.”

He sneers at me as if he’s going to lash out and say something to hurt me, but Talon pulls me away before he has the chance.

We get in the car, and Talon puts it in drive as quickly as he can. Eyes are still all over the two of us as we pull out of the parking spot and drive away. I look in the rearview mirror as my father moves to stand behind the car, glaring at both of us as we leave.

A week ago, seeing him upset would have broken my heart. I would have done everything in my power to make sure he wasn't upset with me anymore. But now, with Talon by my side, I'm stronger than I've ever been.

I can't go back to the girl I was before.

NINE

For some strange reason, I'm surprised to see cars parked outside my house and dozens of people from school standing on the lawn with beer cans in their hands. I park the car in the driveway and help Merrit out of the passenger seat while looking out at everyone.

Sawyer has been known to throw some epic parties at the house, and I forgot he planned one after the Hatfield game. I look at Merrit apologetically, wishing I'd have taken her somewhere else so we could talk about what just happened. She wraps an arm around my waist and excitedly walks inside with me, ready to put it behind her.

“Are you okay?” I ask her while we're in the kitchen away from prying ears.

“I'm fine. Really,” Merrit says, wrapping her arms around my neck and pressing her lips to mine. “I'm pretty used to his antics at this point, and I'm just glad nobody got hurt back there. I want to be here. Iwantto celebrate your win.”

I kiss her and run my fingers through her hair, wishing everybody would leave so I could take her right here in the middle of the kitchen.

Unfortunately, too many people spot me and rush over to pat me on the back and congratulate me for my game-winning touchdown. Hatfield put up a pretty good fight this year, and they were close enough to winning that a lot of people in town were worried they put their bets on the wrong team.

“You’re the man, Mitchell!” Oscar Voughn shouts at me from the kitchen door. He rushes over and pats my shoulder harder than he should and offers me a bottle of beer. I take it with a silent thank you and look at Merrit to see how she's feeling.

She's laughing and joining in with everyone else. I grab her a beer and crack it open before handing it to her. She sniffs it before tentatively bringing it to her lips and wincing at the unappetizing taste.

“Please don't tell me this is your first time having a beer,” I say, taking a swig of my own.

“Definitely not.” Merrit laughs, raising her eyebrows as if surprised I would think that. “You don't have a father like mine without sneaking into the fridge a few times and testing out the drinks for yourself. That being said, I've never been a big fan.”

I almost want to ask her more about that to make sure she's okay, remembering that her father and I almost just got into a fistfight in front of her. But then I see her bring the bottle to her lips again and drink, shimmying her shoulders as a new song plays on the stereo.

If she wants to have fun, who am I to stop her? It's the least she deserves after what just happened.

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