Page 70 of Glad You Exist

I can do this. I’ve been through worse. My friends have my back and I have Brad.

The only thing giving me any stress today is knowing that at some point I will have to talk to the principal, but other than that, I can’t wait for school to end.

Brad texted me last night asking if I could hang out and talk after school, which of course I agreed to. We need to figure this thing out between us.

Smiling, I remember the selfie he sent me of him posing in front of the monitor I got for him. And at the memory of his texts that came again this morning reminding me about our “date.” He’d gone on to say he wished he could’ve been the one to pick me up and that he’d been thinking of me. I still haven't seen him and it’s almost time for lunch.

I saw Kim earlier today because we have PE together. A giggle escapes me thinking about the way she scanned the gym pointedly while she talked to me. At how she glared at the two juniors who quite literally stopped to scan me from head to toe. I had to hold on to her arm to restrain her while she yelled obscenities at them.

Patting my cheeks, I roll my shoulders back and head out of the bathroom

Stepping out into the hall, I mentally prepare myself to tell Kyle to please let me walk to my next class in peace when I find him already gone.

In Kyle’s place is Brad with his head down, scrolling on his phone. He hasn’t noticed me yet which gives me time to really look at him. His brown hair is tousled in a way that tells me he has been running his fingers through it all morning. He’s wearing a dark-gray t-shirt that hugs him just right with a black and forest green flannel over it and dark denim jeans.

With one hand in his pocket, his legs are crossed at the ankles.

He’s leaning on the wall opposite where I stand, looking like he’s been pulled straight from one of those teen movies with that cute boy you fell in love with and sent a love letter to.

I don’t think he even knows how beautiful he really is. I notice a few girls checking him out as they walk past him, and I can’t help the twinge of jealousy I feel in my gut.

Then I blush when I remember he only has eyes for me.

The ten-minute warning bell rings, prompting him to raise his head. The second he sees me, his eyes light up and if I hadn't already spent the last five minutes working on my breathing, I may have gone into cardiac arrest simply at the sight of it.

Brad pushes off the wall with his foot and as I step back to let someone pass me, I feel a hand on my elbow.

"Hey, can we talk?"

My chest tightens at the sound of Hunter's voice, but I can’t look away from Brad, not now when his jaw tightens as he sees Hunter touch me.

I stiffen and angle my body away from Hunter, so his hand drops from my elbow. My eyes stay glued to Brad as he angrily crosses the crowded hall to me. I put my hand out just in time to meet his chest to put some distance between him and Hunter.

In a flash Brad pulls me gently to him, turning me around so that my back is on his chest.

"I strongly suggest you back the hell away from her right now."

Brad’s growl makes me flinch and I feel his hold loosen on me as his arm circles my waist.

"This doesn't concern you man. I just want to apologize to—"

Hunter's gaze drops to Brad's arm wrapped around my waist.

"I—I didn't know you wereseeinganyone, Elizabeth."

My eyebrow raises at the way Hunter’s tone is laced with accusation.

I glare at him. "Why is that any of your business?"

I don't deny my relationship status and I don't appreciate the insinuation he is making.

God, I want to slap that look off Hunter’s face, but I don’t want to risk leaving Brad’s hold. He’s breathing hard; it would take very little to set him off right now and I have to tread carefully to avoid escalating this. I’m not about to let him get into trouble for my sake.

"Do you actually think the fact that you thought I was single excuses your behavior?"

Hunter takes a step back at the anger in my voice, his hands curl into fists, and he looks discouraged. “I’ve never done that before. I was faded and drunk. I like you. I thought all I had to do was kiss you and you’d let me. I can see now that that was a big mistake.”

He is still eyeing Brad’s arm around me, so I place a hand on top of his, letting Hunter think what he wants to think because to hell with his misplaced accusations.

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