Total pages in book: 117
Estimated words: 112951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 112951 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 565(@200wpm)___ 452(@250wpm)___ 377(@300wpm)
Or I hoped she would.
Kristina and the others were almost to me, and when they started to show signs of slowing to talk, Casey spoke up, “Can you guys give us a minute?”
Kristina frowned, all of them did, but they kept on ahead.
She waited till they were far enough away not to overhear. “Is that the guy?”
My eyes widened. “What?”
“You said a guy knew, not your brother, but someone else.”
“Oh.” My mind was racing. What was the right play here? “No, he isn’t that guy.”
“Oh.” Air left her, and her shoulders relaxed.
“But he knows.”
Those shoulders tightened up. “What?” She visibly swallowed. I saw her throat moving.
“My brother knew. He called me. I called a different frie—someone else.”
“Had he heard?” Her eyes were so wide, so frightened. She seemed to shrink before me, looking like a frightened little girl.
Okay. I had to go with complete honesty. That was what I would want. Honest, but kind. “He hadn’t when I’d spoken to him.”
She closed her eyes, bracing herself.
“But he had by the time I saw him before class Friday morning.”
“What class?”
“My poli-sci class.”
Her eyes opened, and she was nodding, taking the information in. “And that guy just now, he knows?”
I answered her again, “He and some others on the team went to the coach. The guy who . . . did that to you wasn’t allowed to suit up today.”
“I know.” Her voice was so quiet. “I was so worried. I didn’t want to see him, but if I didn’t come to the game, the others would know something was wrong. I had to come.”
“I don’t know who the guy is. Did he come out on the field? Was he on the sidelines?”
She shook her head. “No. Thank God for that, right?” A tear formed in her eyes. She wiped at the corner of them with the back of her hands. “That was really nice of them to do that. That isn’t normal, is it?”
“If I were to guess, no.”
“Your brother’s been really nice.”
I frowned.
She explained further, “He told me he’s there for me, too. Or you. He said you’re all prickly on the outside, but that’s to keep others from hurting your soft gooey inside. You’re all bark, but no bite.”
“Negative. There’s bite. A lot of bite. I’m a rabid dog, actually.”
She laughed, wiping at her eyes again. “He said you’d say that but that I shouldn’t believe you. You might snarl at him, but not me, not if I’m hurting.”
I kicked at the ground. Why did I feel like crying?
“Um.” She started, but stopped. “I have to know. I mean, not a lot of people are giving me weird looks, but there are some.” Her eyes darted to a group of guys coming up behind us. They were loud, obnoxious, and drunk. She moved closer, lowering her head. “It’s mainly from guys. I’ve just been getting the normal bitchy looks from the girls.”
I hated being the sponsor-friend. I sucked at this stuff. “The guys know, but it seems like the girls don’t.”
She didn’t talk, not for a moment. Her eyes remained closed, and she sucked in her breath as the group of guys parted, going around us. I saw a few leer at us, their gazes raking Casey up and down.
I narrowed my eyes at one, and he stopped.
He spread his arms out. “What?” He was around five eight, not much taller than I was, but muscular in an athletic way.
He was the kind who gave the word ‘cocky’ a bad name.
Casey looked, but seemed to wither in front of me.
Not me. I raised my chin. This guy was going to try to intimidate me? I started toward him, knowing my eyes were cool. “You’re going to square off against me? Against a girl?”
His friends had stopped. A few started back.
One said, “Come on, man.” Another jumped beside him, as if he was going to help him out.
Oh, no.
I dealt with this shit in high school.
This was not going to happen to Casey. Or me. That rabid dog side of me was about to come out, and soon. Damned soon.
I turned my icy gaze at him, my top lip lifted in a sneer. “My, my. What a man you are. Because clearly, your buddy must need help against words.” I smiled, but it didn’t match what I was feeling. I was pissed. I was seeing red, and right at that moment, I saw a target for the asshole who hurt another girl. No. I saw two targets now. “Your friend must be really dumb.” I swung my gaze to Asshole One. “Are you dumb? Your friend thinks you are.”
Both bristled, puffing up their chests before sharing a confused look.
“See.” I pointed between them. “Look at that. You’re not even sure what happened here. A girl started your way, but you guys must only be used to being hit on, right?”