Page 64 of No Good Deed

“Thanks, but I need to go home. I’ll see you guys later.”

“I’ll walk you out,” I say. “I need to get something from my car.”

Troy watches me as I get up. Does he suspect something, or am I just being paranoid? Honestly, I’d like to just tell him I’ve been seeing Tara and that she wants me and not him. But Tara insists on telling him that herself, and I understand why. I just wish she’d stop stalling and do it.

“Let me see your eye,” I say to Tara as we go outside.

“Jake, I told you, it’s fine. I just need to get some ice on it.” She walks off.

“Tara, wait.” I catch up to her, glancing back at the house to make sure no one’s watching us. “You weren’t at Troy’s very long. I thought you’d be there all afternoon.”

“I told him I didn’t want to…you know…be with him. So he told me to leave.”

“But you didn’t. You came here with him.”

“I didn’t have anywhere else to go. I missed the bus, and Troy didn’t want me at his house without him there.”

“How did you fall?”

“I tripped on the rug and hit the counter.” She laughs, but it’s a nervous laugh that makes me think she’s not telling me the truth. “I need to learn to pick up my feet.”

“How bad is it?” I pull back her sunglasses.

“Jake, don’t!” She pushes my hand away, but I’ve already seen it.

“That’s not a bruise,” I say, anger swelling inside me. “That’s a black eye.”

“It’s not. It just looks that way because of how I fell.”

“It’s a black eye. I know because my mom had them all the fucking time.”

“Jake, just let it go. I’ll be fine. It doesn’t even hurt.”

“Who the fuck did that to you?” I glance at the house. “Was it Troy? Because if he did this, I’m—”

“It wasn’t Troy. I’m telling you, I just fell and hit the counter.”

“You’re lying.” I grip her arm. “Why are you lying to me? Just tell me the truth. Did Troy do this to you?”

“I already told you the truth and you didn’t believe me.” She yanks her arm from me. “I need to go or I’m going to miss the bus.”

She walks off, leaving me wondering if she really was telling the truth. But there’s no way that’s what happened. Falling and hitting the counter doesn’t give you a black eye. Someone’s fist hitting your face does, and the only person she’s been with since I saw her this morning is Troy. The only other possibility is if a stranger did it when she was leaving her building or riding the bus, but that’s really unlikely. And if a stranger did it, she would’ve told me. If Troy did it, she wouldn’t, because she knows I’d want to kill him.

Going back into the house, I stop and take a breath, telling myself I need to calm down. I can’t prove Troy did it, and accusing him of it is going to end in a fight. I’m so angry right now, it’d actually feel good to fight him, to punch his face, watch him fall to the ground.

“Touchdown!” Sean yells, jumping up from his chair. “Finally!”

“I think I’m gonna go,” I say to Sean, deciding it’s probably better if I leave than to be around Troy.

“You just got here,” Sean says.

“I know, but I’m way behind on homework and I need to study for a test.”

“You can do that stuff later. Just stay until the game is over.”

“Let him go,” Troy says. “He’s bringing the mood down. He’s so damn serious.”

I can’t stand Troy. Just hearing his voice annoys me. I’ve never liked him, but now I hate him. He’s even more angry and bitter than when I knew him before.

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