Page 260 of Vicious Saint
“She spoke about you too, Jimi,” I remind her, not out of spite but out of frustration. This girl spent so much time during the car ride here enraged over what Annalie said about us, with barely a mention of what the bitch said about her.
In plain truth, Hendrix is theonlyperson in this room who deserves to be defended. But for some, most likely stubborn, reason, she refrains from doing it herself.
Well, she’s about to get utterly pissed the fuck off by me, then.
“Whatever.” Hendrix waves me off dismissively, but I’m no longer in the mood for games.
“Annalie spent all of last year and the past two months body shaming Hendrix, threatening her, making up bullshit rumors about pet fetishes and sex meets with Lloyd.”
“The janitor?” Hendrix shrieks.
“Really, Jimi? That’s the one you focus on?”
The parentals look on as though they’re not sure whether to celebrate the return of our banter or be mortified by it.
Hendrix’s aunt Poppy steps in front of her to rub her arm. “Did Annalie really say those things about you, kiddo?”
“The janitor one is news to me.”
“That sleazy. Little. Skank.” Poppy seethes. “I will fucking shank her.”
If I didn’t know better, I’d say Hendrix got her temper from the stray twin.
“Poppy!” Hendrix’s mother gasps.
“Oh, fuck off, June,” she shoots out with a furious gaze still on Hendrix. “You’re lucky I’m not marching over to that hospital and cutting the little twat’s facecompletelyoff.”
Well, shit.
Maybe there are adoption papers in her future somewhere.
“Alright, alright. Let’s refrain from any more violence,” my father says, back to his usual turn-the-cheek as he focuses on Hendrix. “I’m very sorry to hear the things this girl put you through, Hendrix, but what you did couldn’t have come at a worse time. You know we’re dealing with a lot right now.”
“Yeah, well, kinda hard to weigh the scales when neither you or Mom are choosing to be honest with me. Or at least Saint.”
Guilt takes another nasty bite out of me, even deeper when Hendrix casts a protective glance my way. I eat that shit down just as hard to keep up pretenses.
My father lets out a tired groan. “Look, I speak for all three of us when I say we’re happy to see you guys on better terms. Defending each other like family should. But this type of violence, Hendrix? It’s no good for anyone, as honorable as your intentions may be.”
Hendrix’s mother’s got an eye on her vibrating cell phone, but agrees with my dad.
“Baby, listen. We’ve come a very long way from your violent outbursts. Let’s not go back there for a girl who’s not worth any of your time or effort.” Her phone vibrates again and she silences it. “What you did is a serious crime, one that draws a lot of attention. It’s not going to be easy for Vic to make this go away.”
The first sign of reality hits Hendrix, making her gulp. “I couldn’t just let her get away with calling Theory a whore and Saint mentally deranged.”
“And you, a pitiful fat bitch,” I interject with a calm I don’t feel.
I leave out the fucking me part, since I know Hendrix is not ready to tell our parents about us. As for me? I say fuck what either of them say, even though most of the backlash will likely come from her mother. My dad’ll just be happy I’m choosing a girlfriend over random sex and violence.
“I’ll be sure to mention all of this to Mr. Beaumont tomorrow at our meeting.”
I’ve got my eyes narrowed on him as Hendrix blurts out, “You two are having a meeting?”
“Uh, yes. It’s pretty standard when your stepdaughter assaults another student.”
“Am I…gonna get kicked out of school or something?”
True panic grips Hendrix, probably for the sheer fact I know how bad she wants to get into Bromwell University and is depending on Riverside to make it happen.
