Page 64 of A Scandal in Homeroom
I didn’t bother to respond. I just put my head down and kept walking.
* * *
Monday
Cheerleading Practice
Reen
I waiteduntil most of the girls headed to the gym before I made my way over to the bleachers. It hadn’t been easy, but I’d managed to avoid both Beth and Janie all day. I needed time. Time to work out a story that explained my bank statement. A story that didn’t involve any explanations about illegal poker games.
Or maybe I should just tell them. After all, it was over now. I’d bailed on Saturday and hadn’t heard a word about it. Not from Coyle. Not from Moriarty. All that crap about how I was in until they said I wasn’t…it was all just bullshit. Why wouldn’t it be? More money for them, and they knew I had every incentive to keep my mouth shut.
Except I could tell Janie. If Janie knew the truth, and I made her promise not to tell anyone, she would at least let Beth know that I truly had nothing to do with Heath or the List.
“I saw you. I know you’re there,” I called to him.
It was cold and I was in no mood to stand around outside freezing my ass off.
“I wasn’t necessarily trying to hide. From you,” he said, as he came out from behind the bleachers.
I shook my head, still not over the fact that he’d followed me. Or maybe not over the fact that I’d been utterly oblivious to his presence when I thought I’d been so careful.
“So is that how it’s going to be from now on? You following me wherever I go?”
“I like answers to questions. You’re a question.”
“A question.” I laughed, then gave him my best lip pout. “I thought I was more than that to you.”
“Don’t,” he growled. “Don’t play your games with me. Not after what you did. I’m too smart for that, and you know it.”
After whatIdid. Or after whatheassumed.
“What do you want, Locke?”
“I want to help you.”
“I didn’t ask for it.”
“I know,” he said. “That’s something I’ve learned about you. You would never ask for it. You would neveraskfor anything, would you? Which is why I’m going to do it anyway.”
“Do what?”
“Save you.”
That made me burst out laughing. Save me? He thought he could save me? My very own white knight. Only he didn’t know that for girls like me, we didn’t get the hero in the end. We had to learn how to save ourselves.
“I can save myself, Locke.”
“Why do I think you’re lying? To both of us.”
“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay away from me. You said it. I’m nothing but a tease,” I reminded him.
He took a step towards me. “Is that really whatyouwant?”
Was it? I didn’t know. I liked him, I could maybe admit that, but I could also acknowledge I was too fucked up in the head for it to mean anything.
“Yes,” I said. This needed to be the end. For me and Locke anyway. “Stop following me, or I’ll report you for stalking.”
