My head is a mess as I sit in the back of the room observing Mrs. Aaron. She’s a great teacher, easily holding the attention of the freshman and sophomore class. It’s inspiring, really, and I should be taking more notes, but I’m struggling to hear anything she says.
Instead, it’s Tyler’s voice from last night that plays on a loop in my head. “I’m what’s good for you.”
After he’d said those words, he’d turned and left me reeling. I stared at his closed bedroom door for a good thirty minutes wishing I was brave enough to go tell him I’d broken up with Chris. I couldn’t do it, so instead I stayed put, tossing and turning all night long.
I slept like shit, dreaming about us together. Not in the past, but now. What he said wasn’t wrong. He was good for me. He helped me keep perspective when things were hard; he made me feel special in a way that had nothing to do with gifts or nice things. He showed me what it was like to be wholly and completely loved and accepted.
When I was with Tyler, really with him, I felt cherished and adored.
But when he took that away, I struggled to find my footing. It was like he was this missing piece I didn’t even know I needed. Eighteen-year-old Tyler broke my heart. I wouldn’t survive this twenty-two-year-old version. Even so, I can’t help but wonder if he’d still be good for me.
This morning he was already gone to the arena when I came out of my room, and he left a note that he had meetings this afternoon and wouldn’t be home until late. I guess that’s good. It gives me more time to think before I have to see him again.
The bell rings and I breathe a sigh of relief that this day is over. Tyler must have made good on his word to talk to his sister because this morning, she said she was going to give theater another shot.
I spend the two hours waiting for Everly reading in the gym. I sit on the bottom bleacher as far away from the stage as I can so if she spots me, she won’t feel like I’m there to keep an eye on her or something.
About fifteen minutes before five, my phone rings. I slip out into the hallway to answer.
“Hi.” I smile as Heather’s face fills the screen. She’s called and texted a few times since I started staying at Tyler’s, but it’s the first time I’ve had a minute to answer.
“She’s alive.” She looks away from the screen and repeats it. “You owe me five bucks.”
“Hey, Piper.” Steve moves into the frame.
“Betting on my death?” I ask him.
“Nah. I knew you were alive. I just didn’t think you’d answer.”
“I’m sorry. I’ve been busy.”
“If I had known you were going to disappear forever, I would have told my sister to find somewhere else to crash.” Heather sticks out her bottom lip. “I miss you. You know you can still come by the apartment and hang.”
“I miss you too. I was trying to give you time with your sister. How are you?”
“Beatrix is driving me crazy, but otherwise good.” Her grin widens and she tells me about all the things they’ve done this week.
The doors to the school slide open and my gaze snags on the four hulking figures walking through them. Tyler, Ash, Declan, and Jack are so out of place, and yet they walk in like they own the place.
“Heather, I’m sorry, I have to go,” I say, cutting her off. “I’ll call you right back.”
I hang up and walk toward them. Tyler sees me first and slows his gait.
“What are you guys doing here?” I ask.
“Yelling at some teenagers,” Declan says quietly.
“Nope. No.” Tyler shakes his head and holds out a hand to keep Declan from charging forward. “We are just here for Everly. Do not talk to anyone. You promised.”
Declan grumbles.
“Well, I didn’t promise shit,” Jack says, and goes into the gym.
Ash and Declan follow him. Tyler hangs back, shooting me a nervous glance. “Hope this doesn’t backfire.”
Their strides are confident as they move to the front, stage right. I’m not sure what they think showing up is going to do. Or I wasn’t until every eye in the gym turns to the group of guys in front of me. Even Mr. Hall stops and stares.
I step to Tyler, my shoulder brushing up against him and whisper, “Now what?”
His fingers lightly wrap around mine. He doesn’t face me, but his mouth curves up. “This was the whole plan, Pipes.”
If my body weren’t fighting to hold in the reaction of his touch and the old nickname, I might laugh.
“Maybe you should at least sit down. They aren’t finished and your sister looks horrified.”
“Gentlemen, this is a closed rehearsal. Can I help you?” Mr. Hall addresses them as he takes one tentative step their way.
“Sorry for the interruption,” Jack says in a charismatic voice that I’m confident lets him get away with all sorts of things. “We’re here for Everly Kent. We can wait if you’re not finished.”
Mr. Hall is quiet as he stares at Jack like he’s trying to figure out how to respond. Finally, he nods and turns to the kids on the stage. “We’ll stop here for the day. Good job, everyone.”
Instead of rushing off like they did last time, the kids are slow, moving while keeping their gazes locked on Jack, Declan, Ash, and Tyler.
The only one that does hurry, is Everly. Her face is red as she grabs her backpack and jogs down the stairs.
“Hey, Little Sharpie.” Ash throws an arm over her shoulder.
“I am so embarrassed,” she says in a hushed tone. She tries to run away, but Ash keeps her by his side.
“We wanted to see our favorite high schooler.”
“I tried to come alone,” Tyler tells her.
Everly glares but the corners of her mouth lift a fraction.
A few of the bravest kids come up to the guys.
“Will you sign my backpack?” one asks and holds out a pen to Jack.
Jack takes it and spins it between his fingers. “Are you a friend of Everly’s?”
The kid shoots a nervous glance at her. “Uh, I don’t think we’ve met yet.”
“Allow me to help.” Jack grips his backpack and tugs him around so he’s facing her. “This is Everly.”
“Hey, I’m Jacob.” The tips of his ears go crimson.
Everly waves but doesn’t speak.
“You know the Wildcats?” Jacob asks.
“That one is my brother.” She tilts her head toward Tyler.
A little prick of admiration hits me at the look of adoration Jacob gives Tyler.
“What grade are you, Jake?” Jack asks him, still holding on to his bag.
“Senior.”
“So is our girl.” Jack signs the backpack and then sticks the pen behind his ear.
“Our girl?” Everly asks through gritted teeth.
“Do you play sports or is this your only gig?” Jack asks him, ignoring Everly.
“I’m on the baseball team and the golf team.”
“So, you know lots of people then.”
Jacob looks around. “I guess so.”
“Perfect.” Jack finally lets go of the poor kid’s backpack and gives him a squeeze on the shoulder that I’d bet is a little too hard to be welcoming. “You can pass on a message for me. You mess with her, and I’ll be back. You don’t want me to come back, Jake.”
Ash steps in before Jack can continue. “What my buddy is trying to say is that we’d love it if you could introduce Everly around and make sure she’s finding her way. It’d mean a lot to us.”
“I hate all of you,” Everly hisses. “Ignore them, Jacob.”
Fat chance of that. He looks like he’s going to shit himself. I might too with the daggers Declan and Jack are driving into him.
“Yeah. I can do that.” He clears his throat and looks back to his friends who have taken several steps away. “We all can, right, guys?”
“Yeah.” They all agree at once. A few others brave the guys, shoving things at them to sign, which they do.
“I’m going to wait in the car. Thanks for humiliating me.” Everly takes off.
Tyler stares after her, cursing under his breath.
“What did you expect?” I ask.
“I knew she was going to be pissed,” he admits. “But I had to do something.”
I put a step of distance between us. “I’m going to check on her. Are you done for the day?”
“No. We have to go back to the arena.”
“Okay. Well, I’ll see you at home later, then?”
“Yeah.” He comes to me. His fingers find mine again, brushing against them for just a second. “Let me walk you out.”
The guys extract themselves from the group and we all head to the parking lot. They’re a spectacle out here, too, except now it’s moms and dads picking up their kids ogling the Wildcat players.
As soon as I hit the unlock button, Everly slides into my passenger seat.
“I hope you have a good apology planned.” I look at the guys.
Tyler opens my door and peers inside. “Sorry, Ev.”
She has her earbuds in and refuses to look at him. Ash goes around to her door and lets himself in. “We’re all really sorry, Little Sharpie.”
“Speak for yourself,” Jack says.
Declan grabs something from his vehicle and comes back, handing it to her through the open door on Ash’s side. She side-eyes the can of Red Bull but finally takes it.
“I’m still horrified,” she says.
“All right, boys.” I step to my car. “Unless you want me to start pimping you out to the single moms staring out their windows, I’d suggest you scamper off now.”
Ash scans the parking lot. “Doesn’t sound so bad.”
“In the car. We gotta get back,” Jack says over his shoulder as he heads to his Lambo.
Tyler is the slowest to leave, watching his sister as he takes one step back.
“She’ll be okay,” I say quietly. “We’ll talk shit about you on the way home and it’ll be as good as forgotten by the time we get there.”
One side of his mouth quirks up. “See you later.”
They tear out of the parking lot, and Everly lets out a long breath. “Secret is out now.”
“They mean well,” I say as I start the car. “Wait. Nobody knew Tyler is your brother?”
“Different last names and it isn’t like he’s posting about me on social media.” She shrugs, then holds up her phone to show me a string of notifications. I lean closer to see she has several new follow requests, including one from Jacob.
“Well, they know now,” I say.
Later after Tyler and Ash get home, I walk over to Leo and Scarlett’s house across the street. She kicks Leo out so we can chat.
“Back in an hour,” he says, dropping a kiss on her lips.
They’re so cute together. The way he looks at her makes my stomach dip.
Scarlett pours me a glass of wine, and we sit in the living room where I tell her about the guys showing up at the school this afternoon.
“Leo opted to come home during their break so we could have sex, but maybe I should have sent him with the guys because that is kind of sexy how they all showed up for her.”
“It was. I mean she was absolutely mortified, but everyone else was swooning. You should have seen the moms in the parking lot. I have a feeling Everly is about to get a lot of attention at school.”
“That could be good or bad,” Scarlett says. “I’m glad she has you there.”
“Same, but she’s tough as nails. I really admire that about her.”
“You’re pretty tough too.” She bumps my knee.
I nod and take a sip.
“How’s it been?” She makes a face like she can’t imagine. I couldn’t have either.
“Surprisingly not as bad as I thought it would be. He’s hardly home and even when he is, there are usually other people around. Except…”
“What?” Her grin lights up her face. “Did something happen?”
“No. Of course not. But I broke up with Chris.” I quickly add, “Tyler doesn’t know so please don’t tell Leo.”
“Why not?”
“Because if I tell him and he makes a move, I’m not sure I have enough willpower to say no.”
Scarlett gives me a wide innocent look. “Why would you want to?”
“Broke my heart. Ruined all other men for me.”
She laughs softly. “I know what that is like.”
I barely see Tyler the rest of the week. Thursday night the guys have a home game. Everly and I decide to watch it at the house instead of the arena because she has a quiz in English class she needs to study for. After we have dinner, Everly lingers in the kitchen.
“Everything okay?” I ask. It isn’t like her to hang around. She usually goes straight to her room once she’s cleared her plate and put it in the dishwasher.
“Yeah.” She cradles her phone. “I got invited to a thing tomorrow night.”
“What kind of thing?”
“My friend Grace is having a few friends over for her birthday. It’s at her house, pizza, ice cream, that sort of thing.”
“That sounds fun.”
“You think?”
“Have you ever stayed over at a friend’s house before?”
“Yeah, of course.” She bobs her head from side to side. “No, not really. Not like this. My friends and I back home would get together and get wasted or high and sometimes we’d crash, but I’ve never had normal friends before. Those girls weren’t even really my friends. I wasn’t into drugs or even alcohol, but they were the only ones that didn’t look at me like I was a weirdo for all the trouble I got into.”
“Do you want to go?”
She hops up onto the counter. “Maybe. You look like you used to get invited to stuff like this all the time. Is it any fun?”
“I’m trying not to see that as an insult,” I say with a small chuckle. “Depends on the people going. It’s either a ton of fun or really catty. Grace doesn’t strike me as catty though. She’s in my fifth hour class.”
“Nah, she’s not like that. I don’t know her friends that well though.”
“How’d you meet her?”
“She’s in stage crew.”
“Ah.” I nod. “Was she swooning over your brother’s teammates?”
“No. She came up to me the next day and told me she would have been horrified if her dad had done something like that. He was a pro baseball player, or maybe football. I don’t know.”
“I think you should go. I’ll tell you what. Take your phone with you. If it sucks, text me and I’ll come save you.”
“Thank you.” She jumps down and hugs me.
She’s halfway up the stairs before I get over my shock that she hugged me and I call out, “You’re welcome.”
