“About what?”

“There’s always something or someone that can help.” He dropped my keys in my hand and closed the car door. Jogging back to his Jeep, he drove away.

No, Brody, you’re wrong. This is one time where there isn’t anyone who can help. The damage is done. Only bad things would come from telling anyone. Some secrets should stay buried, no matter how much it hurts.

Friday. I stood in front of my closet, looking through my clothes. I was supposed to dress normal. Jenna texted me early that morning and told me I’d worn my limit of sarcastic T-shirts for the week. She said I was absolutely dressing in something that didn’t have words on it to make up for wearing the awful shoes I wore all week. I told her I’d see what mood I was in. Her next comment wasn’t very pretty and sounded a lot like she was PMSing, which was a dangerous time of the month for those of us close to Jenna. So I decided to try to find something she would consider normal and stay on her good side.

I finally chose a forest green moleskin shirt and jeans. I wore my brown, distressed leather, calf-high boots that matched my messenger bag. If that wasn’t normal enough for Jenna, she’d have to come over and pick out my clothes for me every morning.

I showered and blew my hair dry, scrunching it so it hung in waves. Put on a little makeup—I never wore too much—and called it good. When I got to school, I swiped some lip gloss on my lips and made my way to my locker.

“Jeez, it’s about freakin’ time,” Jenna said, rolling her eyes. “Finally, you look like a normal person. Nice choice, by the way. Love the boots.”

“Thanks.” I grabbed my books from my locker. “I figured if you didn’t like this, you were going to have to start dressing me yourself.”

“Well, if you insist on wearing those damn T-shirts and ugly ass shoes all the time, I just might,” she snapped.

Yeah, definitely sounds like PMS. Note to self—buy Jenna chocolate at lunch.

“See you in history.” I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing and walked toward biology.

Brody’s chair was empty when I got there. I felt a pang of disappointment. The first bell rang, and he still wasn’t in class. He was always there by the first bell. I wondered if he’d be at school and realized how lonely my day would be without him sitting next to me, trading teasing insults.

I heard him before I saw him. “I mean it, Victor. Things will get ugly,” Jaden shouted.

“Your empty threats really scare me, Jaden. Really. I’m trembling like a little girl,” Brody shouted back before he walked into the classroom and slammed his books on the table.

“I need to talk to you.” Jaden looked at me. When I didn’t get up, he grabbed my arm and yanked me from my chair. “Now.”

Brody was around the table so fast I wasn’t sure what was happening. He shouldered Jaden. “Don’t yank her around like that.”

“Stay out of this, Brody,” Jaden said through clenched teeth. A vein in his forehead bulged and pulsed in time to his heartbeat as he pulled me out of the classroom.

“I want you to stay away from him. Someone saw you two together yesterday. I don’t know what you’re up to, but I won’t have my girl running around with that piece of scum behind my back. Stay away from him… or there’ll be trouble.” Jaden smirked, rubbing his chin with the side of his hand. “You don’t want me to start talking, do you, Wills? Because I’m starting to feel kinda… chatty—like I have a lot to say. And I think there are some people who’d be really interested to hear it.”

Jaden shoved me back into the classroom. I stumbled backward. Two hands caught me before I fell. I looked up to see Brody holding me. His face hard.

“Let go of her,” Jaden ordered.

“If you can’t treat her right, she’ll eventually come to her senses and find someone who will. Your days are numbered, Jaden.” Brody said, his voice measured.

“Willow isn’t going anywhere until I say she is. Period. I have the power in this relationship, and she knows it. She’s mine.” Jaden walked away, slamming his fist against a locker.

Brody rubbed his hands gently up and down my arms. Turning me around, he stared in my eyes. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah.” My voice cracked, and I closed my eyes for a handful of seconds to calm myself.

“Why do you stay with him?”

I shrugged a shoulder and tried to smile. “It’s easier than trying to leave him.”

Everyone stared as we made our way back to our table in class. My eyes darted to Tim. He looked at me with an expression of concern. I smiled and mouthed that I was okay. He didn’t smile back. He wasn’t a member of the Jaden fan club any more than Brody or Jenna was.

I sat with Jaden and the same bunch of football players and their cheerleader girlfriends at lunch. I tried to start conversations with them, but as usual, it was a no go. I felt more and more like an outsider in Jaden’s world, and he did nothing to change the fact. Either he didn’t notice, or he didn’t care. I leaned to the latter. Jaden was all about himself. He wouldn’t sympathize with my discomfort.

“You’re drinking a diet shake today?” the same cheerleader who had a fit about my salad dressing asked.

“Yes,” I said, holding up the can.

“That’s much better than all that icky dressing you had on your salad,” she said, scrunching up her nose, making her face look like one of those wrinkly dogs.

“I figured this might save me some time on the treadmill,” I mumbled.

Not that I’d ever be on a treadmill.

“Good thinking.” She nodded, her blonde curls bouncing around her perfect face.  Turning to the girl next to her, they started an in depth conversation about the newest cheer they were learning. I sighed.

“Jaden, I’m going to go say hi to Jenna,” I said, laying my hand on his shoulder to get his attention.

“Yeah, whatever.” He waved me away with a flick of his hand. “Oh, Willow?”

“What?” I looked at him over my shoulder.

“Tonight’s an away game. I expect you to be home if you aren’t at the game.”

I sighed. “I know the rules, Jaden.” He narrowed his eyes before turning his back to me.

I plopped down in a chair at the table where Jenna and Tim were sitting and dropped my head down on the tabletop, covering it with my arms.

“That good, huh?” Jenna asked.

“Just peachy,” I said, my words muffled.

“Drop his ass,” Jenna whispered.

“You know it’s not that easy, Jenna. I’ve tried. More than once.”

“Hey.” I jumped when I heard his voice. He hadn’t been at the table when I sat down. Brody eased into a chair next to me, and I groaned. If Jaden saw him, there’d be hell to pay.

“Hey, Ace,” I said, not looking up.

“How ya doin’?”

“That seems to be the question of the day. I’m fine. Just great. Everything’s great. Just great.”

“That’s a lot of greats. Who are you trying to convince—me or yourself?” Brody asked quietly.

I turned my head, moved one arm so I could look at him, and blew a strand of hair out of my eyes. “Who knows?”

He gave me a small smile and ran a finger down the back of my hand, sending goose bumps up my arm and straight to my heart, which starting racing. Damn it to Hades and back. I hated my reaction to Brody. I wasn’t supposed to feel anything for anyone. Jaden was easy. He didn’t ask questions. He didn’t pay attention. As long as I kept him happy, he’d keep his mouth shut. Win/win. Brody… well, he was a different story altogether.

“What are you doing tonight? Are you going to the football game?” Jenna asked, twirling her cup on the table.

“Nope. It’s an away game,” I said.