Page 18 of Wanted You More

They won’t.

“Why does it look like someone boob punched you?” she asks the second she lowers her phone.

My nose scrunches as I open my locker and grab one of my textbooks for chemistry. “I fell asleep in Filch’s class.”

Marybelle laughs. “Again?”

“It’s your fault!” I accuse, closing my locker with a grumpy expression on my face. “If you hadn’t insisted on going to that stupid party last night at Luke’s house I wouldn’t be tired.”

Her eyes roll. “You didn’t have to go if you didn’t want to.” We both know that’s bullshit, but I don’t bother saying it. “What did Filch do?”

Grabbing the detention slip, I wave it in front of her before crumpling it up and putting it back into my pocket. “I have to find Wolfe during study hall and tell him before he misses the bus.”

My best friend winds her arm around mine as we make our way to our science class. “I could always give him a ride if he needs it. My shift at the smoothie bar doesn’t start until five, so I’ve got time.”

If there’s one thing Wolfe hates more than walking or taking the bus, it’s Marybelle. Not just because of the trouble we get into together, but because she’s a terrible driver. Even I have to yell at her to pay attention to the road when she gets busy jamming to music or gets a text message that’s apparently more important than abiding by road laws.

I hold the door of the classroom open for her. “I’ll tell him you offered but he’ll probably take the bus.”

She shrugs and takes her usual seat in the back of the room. As I take the one beside her, something smacks me in my chest. I glare at the gaggle of laughter coming from the boys responsible for the paper that bounced off my boobs and onto the workstation.

It’s Marybelle who grabs it and un-wrinkles the paper. A devious smirk tugs her glossed lips upward. “You don’t want to lose these STD results, Conrad. Your doctor will need to see these to treat the herpes.”

He lifts his middle finger as a few of our classmates laugh at her jab. One of them calls out, “Buuuurn, Conny.”

But Conrad snorts and comes back with his own retort that has Marybelle gasping. “Not as bad as the burn from the chlamydia Mary probably got over the summer from all the dudes she was seen with.”

I grab her arm when she pushes up to stand and say, “He’s not worth it.”

“Yeah,” Conrad prods, escalating the situation with the intention of starting something. “Listen to your little guard dog. After all, the friends who screw together stay together.”

My nostrils flare with irritation over the statement that makes no sense, but I don’t feed into his taunt like he wants. He’s just bitter I didn’t pay him any attention over the summer whenever he’d hang around me trying to get me drunk. There isn’t enough alcohol in the world to make me want to sleep with him.

Thankfully, Mrs. Byrd walks into the room and gets everybody’s attention before anything else can be said.

Leaning back, I sneak my phone out of my pocket and hide it under the table to send a text to Wolfe, letting him know I can’t give him a ride just in case I don’t see him at his usual spot in the library next period.

His reply a few minutes later makes my lips twitch.

Wolfe:Typical

Marybelle nudges me with her arm. “Is everything okay?”

I stare at my brother’s text with a frown before turning my phone screen off. “Yeah,” I lie.

Because lying is all I seem to be good at these days anyway.

***

Walking through thefront door, I expect another lecture as soon as I step over the threshold. Instead, I’m greeted by dark silence. There are no lights or televisions on, no talking, and nothing happening in the kitchen.

“Hello?” I call out, dropping my keys onto their usual spot on the counter. Setting my backpack down next to them, I look around for a note or sign of life. When I see neither, I poke my head into the garage and notice Dad’s car is gone.

Our phones were taken from us during detention, so I haven’t checked it since I got it back. When I unlock the screen and check my messages, I see one from Dad saying he and Wolfe were going to get dinner.

Dad:Pick you up something

It’s not uncommon for them to do their own thing without me. What is strange is not being scolded for doing something dumb. Like mouthing off and getting detention. Or failing my math test. Or not driving Wolfe home multiple times when I promised Dad I would all year.

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