Page 59 of Backstroke

“Aw, our boy’s in love,” Nix teases, but then he loses the smile and continues. “But if you really want to be with her, you need to do damage control. Losing your shit won’t fix this.”

Gray nods, stepping closer. “Exactly. If Fallon means that much to you, you need to show her you’re in control, not out of it. The girl looked pale as a ghost when she saw you hit Nix.”

I shake my head, still fuming. “It’s not that simple. You saw what happened.”

Nix steps closer, his voice low but insistent. “Remy, you’re one of the toughest guys I know, but right now, you’re letting your anger control you. If you want Fallon to see you as her protector, not another threat, you need to calm the fuck down and talk to her.”

Their words start to pierce through my anger, making me see the bigger picture. My shoulders slump a bit as the vision of Fallon’s scared face comes to mind. I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

“You’re right,” I finally admit. “I fucked up.”

Nix claps me on the shoulder. “It’s nothing that the Remington motherfucking Frampton can’t fix,” he laughs. Gray busts out laughing beside him, causing me to join in.

“I can’t wait ’til you fuckers find the right girl. She’d have to be tough as nails to deal with both of your special blends of bullshit,” I laugh, knowing Nix and Gray are into sharing.

“Yeah, I don’t see that happening anytime soon,” Gray argues, looking at Nix.

“You say that now.” I sigh, looking up at the ceiling.

“Be prepared to be twisted inside out,” I warn. They both chuckle but soon they’ll know what I’m talking about. I feel for the poor girl they set their sights on.

“I’d apologize about the face.” Gesturing to Nix’s busted lip. “But you did touch my girl,” I tease. I know neither of them would step in my way with Fallon, but after she’d stormed off from me then I saw her on the stairs. It’s like every emotion I was trying to keep a lid on boiled to the surface, and Nix happened to be my unlucky victim.

“Chicks dig battle wounds. I’ll just tell them they should see the other guy.” Nix’s laughter booms through the room as we chime in.

“Alright, now get the fuck out. I need to make a plan.”

I pull out my phone and click the tracker app I installed on Fallon’s phone last night. Should I feel guilty for invading her privacy? Probably. Do I? Abso-fucking-lutely not. I also stored my number in her phone, because why not?

Her phone pings on the map, showing me she’s in her dorm.My good little fox, I’m coming for you.

Remy:

Meet me at the Compton Observatory beside the science building at 8pm, little fox.

It takes a minute but I see the second she reads it. I don’t expect her to respond. Hell, I don’t expect her to be ready either but I don’t care. She’s coming with me even if I have to throwher over my shoulder. She’ll learn how serious I am and if others happen to see, well then I’m killing two birds with one stone.

Now it’s time to call in some favors.

Twenty Two

Fallon

My phone chirps besideme, waking me from my restless sleep. The screen illuminates, casting a pale glow over the room. As I reach for it, my heart pounds, already feeling the weight of whatever message awaits me. I swipe to unlock, squinting at the brightness, and see a new message from The Shark .Ugh, Remy.When the hell did he put his number in my phone?

The Shark:

Meet me at the Compton Observatory beside the science building at 8pm, little fox.

The nerve of him to even think I’d agree after everything that went down this morning. I bite my bottom lip, debating my response, but then decide to leave it unanswered. Maybe that’ll send the message. I change his name in my contacts to something more fitting, then toss my phone on the bed. Groaning, I roll out from the covers, feeling the need for a hot shower and a couple of ibuprofen tablets.

Steam fills the bathroom as I step under the hot spray, letting the water wash away the tension from the morning’s events. My mind races, replaying the confrontation with Remy and the brief moment with Nix. I can still see the anger in Remy’s eyes, the wildness that scared me so much.

The water cascades over me, and I take a deep breath, trying to calm my thoughts. I need to figure out what to do next. How to handle this complicated mess of emotions and situations. I know avoiding Remy isn’t a long-term solution, but right now, it’s all I can manage. I’m just exhausted, mentally and physically.

After my shower, I towel off in front of the mirror in my room and I notice the black drawings on me. I never looked after Remy was finished. I move closer, seeing the stars he drew around the ugly scar on my stomach. Butterflies erupt in my belly, filling me with anxious energy. I toss the towel in the bin, then pull on some comfortable clothes. The faint buzz of my phone catches my attention, but I ignore it, not ready to deal with whatever messages are waiting for me. Instead, I head to the kitchen, hunting for some ibuprofen. The headache from the morning’s stress is still lingering, a dull throb at my temples.

“Hey! You’re up!” I spin on my heels, seeing Rowyn at the table.

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