Page 16 of Girl Violence

“No, nothing like that. It’s just...” Josette doesn’twantto tell her about what Vince told her. She doesn’t want to hurt her, but she also doesn’t want to lie about it either.

“Just what, Jo?” she asks. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Vince said Austin was with another girl,” she finally mutters, squirming uncomfortably admitting it. Jenna goes quiet; the only noise to be heard is the crackling static every now and then on the line. Almost a minute passes before Josette asks, “Jenna, are you there?”

“Y-Yeah,” Jenna manages to say, but Josette can hear the emotion thick in her voice.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to tell you like this.”

“I’m such an idiot.” Jenna sniffles. Josette’s heart feels heavy as her best friend sobs down the phone. “I can’t believe him. I called him…after you said he wanted me to call, and he told me he missed me. I believed him.”

“I’m really sorry, Jenna,” Josette whispers, wishing she were there in person to hug her best friend. She hates that she can’t.

“I’m glad you told me. I needed to know.” Josette slings her arm across her face and exhales a deep breath, her insides bristling with anger. How Austin plays with Jenna has always made Josette sick, and she hates him for doing this to her.

“Are you okay?” It’s a stupid question to ask. She knows it. Nothing is okay, but what else can she say?

“Not really... I’m going to go. I feel sick.” Josette nods, even though she can’t see her.

“Message you tomorrow?”

“Yeah…sure.”

Jenna hangs up before Josette can say goodbye. She imagines her friend pushing her face into her pillow and crying over a guy who doesn’t care.

Throwing her phone down onto the bed, Josette glares around her bedroom. Why do guys act like this? When it comes to Austin, everybody backs off. Except for Vince. He isn’t afraid of him. He stood up to him, and it’s probably the reason for Austin’s sudden friendship with him again. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.

Putting on her boots, Josette heads downstairs. Just as she reaches the bottom step, she sees her dad about to stalk back into his study with a steaming mug of coffee in his hand.

“Where are you off to?” He glances at the window. It’s dark already, and Josette is technically still grounded.

“To see Vince for a minute,” she tells him, and he looks surprised. Maybe it is surprising, considering she had made such a fuss about it last time. “It’s about work. He works in the library now, too,”

“Yeah, Diane said.” They talked again? “It’s okay, you can go. Just don’t be out too long.”

With a nod, Josette grabs her keys and walks outside. It’s a warm night, so she doesn’t need a jacket. Making her way over to Vince’s house, Josette rings the bell, waiting for a minute or so before Diane answers. The white crocs on her feet make Josette’s insides cringe, and she’s got cream paint splotches all over her. Diane smiles when she sees her. “Jo.”

“Hey, is Vince home?”

“No, he’s out,” she tells her. “He said something about going to the park?”

“Oh…” Vince went to the park without asking her. Well, howniceof him. Here Josette thought they had bonded over sexy book titles and taking each other’s pictures.

“Are you heading over there?” Diane asks, pushing her paint-streaked hair back from her face. Josette nods. “Tell him to come home soon, would you? He isn’t answering his phone—don’t know why he has one sometimes.”

“Yeah, sure.” Turning, Josette heads toward the park entrance. As she’s about to pass the gates, someone slams into her, nearly knocking her back. Josette’s about to curse at them when she realises it’s actually Vince.

“What the hell, Vince!” she shouts at him. “You scared the shit out of me.” When he looks at her, Josette immediately notices the dark shadow of a forming bruise on his left cheek. “Whoa, what happened to your face?”

“Nothing.” He pushes past her, but Josette grabs the bottom of his T-shirt to stop him from going further. He turns to her with his jaw clenched. “Leave it, Josette.”

Josette. Not,Josie.

“What happened?” she demands, a little firmer this time.

“Your boyfriend happened.”

“What?” she asks with confusion. “I don’t have a boyfriend…Wait, are you talking about Tyler?”

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