Chapter 21 #2
“Who gave you trouble? I know the bullying here has been ignored, so I’m not surprised if the boys stepped in. I want names,” she said firmly, reaching out to take Rory’s chin in her hand to inspect her face. Rory didn’t have much damage, but there was definitely a red mark on her cheek.
Rory looked at Caden for guidance, not used to someone defending her like this, and I sighed. “I started the fight. One of the girls was filming Rory. I smashed her phone, then one of the guys started shit with me, so I punched him.”
She spun around to face me with a frown. “Filming her doing what?”
“Kissing Ty. Half the girls in this school are flashing their tits on the internet, so I don’t understand why they think Rory’s—”
“Okay, enough,” Josie muttered, and I could see this conversation wasn’t over. She was going to continue this at home, wanting to know why the hell Rory was kissing a bunch of us. “Lukas can replace the phone, and a short suspension should teach them some manners.”
“With all due respect, Mrs. Holloway—” the headmaster began, but she whirled on him and cut him off.
“It’s Miss, I’m separated and my husband has now passed,” she said tightly. “You do nothing about the bullies here, so you can’t be surprised when students start defending themselves. The boys and Rory will return to school on Monday. Make sure the other kids involved receive the same punishment.”
And then the worst thing in the world happened.
My fucking mother arrived.
“What is the meaning of this?” Mom snapped, waving a finger in my direction. “Who was fighting my son? I want them expelled! We have a very important dinner this week, and look at him!”
I had zero idea what dinner she was referring to. Whatever it was, I wasn’t going anyway.
“Miss James, your son started the altercation,” the headmaster replied dryly, very used to Mom’s hysterics.
“His future wife shouldn’t have to see him like this!” she hissed, Rory’s eyes widening as she stared at me.
“Mom, enough. Whatever little plan you’ve concocted, I’m not going to play along with it,” I muttered, her eyes sliding to mine.
“You will do as you’re told, young man,” she spat, motioning to Jensen. “Your little rebellious fling with him is over. It’s time you grew up and became the man you were supposed to be.”
My ears started ringing and my heartbeat picked up speed as anxiety clawed at my insides.
“Rebellious fling?” Josie echoed, taking a step towards my mother. “You will not talk down to him like that. If he wants to be with Jensen, then let him. What are you so worried about? That people will talk? I didn’t know words could scare you so badly, Karen.”
“You stay out of this. He’s not your son.”
“He’s an adult and can make his own decisions. You coming down here to throw demands around and embarrass him are exactly the reasons why you have a wedge between you both. He’s a fantastic kid, so stop acting like there’s something wrong with him.”
My throat went tight the more they argued, and I wanted to throw up when Mom turned to Jensen.
“You stay the hell away from him! You’re destroying his chance of a good life! You can’t give him what he needs!”
“What’s that?” Jensen asked in a bored tone, sneering at her. “A home? A family? We’re already that for him. Who do you think he turns to when he needs someone? Me. Is that what pisses you off? That your son runs to me instead of you? Maybe if you treated him right, that wouldn’t happen.”
“He deserves a big wedding! A beautiful bride in a big white dress, and a large family so he can leave behind a legacy! You will bring nothing but shame to him!” she screeched, nausea swimming inside my stomach.
I hated it when it got like this, but it was always worse when there were witnesses.
At least when it was at home when we were alone, I could suffer without the embarrassment.
“Baby? Look at me.” Rory was in front of me, taking my face in her hands and forcing my eyes to hers. “Just breathe for me.”
“Don’t worry about him, he does that for attention sometimes,” Mom scoffed, but I could sense her interest shift when Rory kept touching my face and I let her.
She had no idea that it was Rory, and if I wasn’t freaking out already, it would’ve been amusing.
“I’ve got you,” Rory murmured, and I slid my arms around her to pull her close, her touch grounding me as some of the panic subsided.
The ringing in my ears faded slightly as her hand slipped up the back of my shirt to draw patterns on my bare skin, and I sagged slightly as I got my breathing under control.
I’d been so close to a full-on panic attack.
“Lukas? Aren’t you going to introduce me?” Mom asked, oblivious to the chaos in my head. All she saw was that I was interested in a girl, and if she went to school here, she assumed she was well-connected or rich.
“You’ve already met,” I managed to get out as Rory turned to glare at her, Mom’s eyes narrowing. “You remember Rory, right?”
“I wasn’t aware you two were friends again,” Mom said tensely, and I pushed it as I bent down to kiss Rory’s forehead, tucking her against my side.
“Thanks, baby. I’m okay.”
Mom’s nostrils flared like a bull’s, fury in her eyes. “I forbid this. Tell me you’re not sleeping with her.”
“Mom—”
“Oh my God, you’ve been sleeping with her!
” she exploded, and I didn’t miss the way the headmaster started ushering the other students out.
“I’m taking you to the doctor’s office right now.
You need to get tested. Did you use protection?
Jesus, Lukas! Can’t you see this filthy little bitch is just trying to sink her claws into you for the money?
She’s been fucking her way around Hawthorne Heights for years, who knows what you’ve caught. ”
“Lovely to see you as always, Karen,” Rory deadpanned, but Josie got in Mom’s face and jabbed a finger against her chest.
“You will respect her.”
“What if it was your son she was sinking her claws into?” Mom demanded, and I was starting to think Josie was going to punch her.
“I would be thrilled to have a daughter-in-law like Rory. Shame on you. What kind of grown woman tears down an eighteen-year-old girl like that?”
“I will not have that rotten girl near Lukas! You don’t know her like I do!”
“How the fuck do you know her?” I scoffed, breaking up their argument. “You only know her as that pre-teen girl whose father was a piece of shit. She’d show up at home with bruises, hadn’t eaten for days, and you think she’s the problem here?”
“She always was trouble. She’d dress you up in her princess dresses, give you drugs, and—”
“I was a kid playing dress up, for starters, but for your information, that weed you found was some I’d stolen from you,” I said dryly, embarrassment washing over her. “Rory’s never asked for a cent from me.”
“Just you wait. She’s going to get knocked up and trap you,” she said with disgust, glaring at Rory, who grimaced.
“You think I’d want to give you grand babies? I’d get an abortion before letting that happen. No offense,” she said quickly as she looked up at me.
“You think I want to carry on my family name? It’s an embarrassment,” I muttered, starting Mom on another rant about disrespect and how I needed to marry the nice girl she’d picked for me.
When she started threatening to tear Rory apart publicly, Josie stepped in again.
“You kids can go home. You don’t need to hear this,” she said calmly.
“Lukas is coming home with me!” Mom shouted, but Josie stepped into her path to block her.
“No, he’s not. You and I need to have a discussion about slander and defamation. You think I’m going to let you destroy Rory’s reputation? I’ll destroy everything you hold dear to you if you even try. Do not fuck with my family, Karen.”
Rory was frozen as she watched the exchange, but Caden took her hand and dragged her from the room as we made our escape.
Jensen fell into step beside me, letting Caden and Tyler walk ahead with Rory.
“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, hating that he’d had to deal with her bullshit.
“Don’t. It’s not your fault she’s crazy,” he said lightly, dropping an arm around my shoulders. I automatically tensed, but he just tightened his hold, speaking quietly. “I’ve got you, remember? No matter what, you’re my best friend.”
I relaxed into him a little, seeking his comfort like I always did.
We’d crashed in the same bed together all week, offering silent comfort just by keeping each other company, but part of me craved more. It was the same feeling I got when I kissed Rory.
“Meet me at Caden’s. Don’t go home,” Jensen said firmly, waiting for me to nod before letting me go as we reached our cars. I kept walking to Rory, and she winced when she looked at me.
“I see she hasn’t changed much.”
“I’m so sorry you had to hear that,” I started, but she shook her head.
“Her words don’t mean shit to me, Luke. You know my feelings for you aren’t a way to trap you, so that’s all I care about,” she smiled, giving me a kiss. “You’re coming to the house, right?”
“I’ll follow you,” I promised, giving her a wink to reassure her.
Mom would be tied up with Josie for hours now, so I could chill out until they parted ways. Then my phone was likely to start blowing up again.
I sighed, climbing into my car and waiting for the others to start pulling out before I did, noticing Jensen waited for me to leave first. He thought I was going to make a break for it and wanted to keep his eyes on me.
Why did that make me smile?
We’d needed this. I felt like I’d barely seen the guys, other than Jensen, over the past week. Sure, we hung out at school, but things had felt off lately, and we hadn’t just had a night to lay around the house drinking beer.
Rory was straddling Tyler on the couch, eating his damn face and not watching the movie in the slightest, while Jensen and Caden were having a deep conversation about fuck knows what on one of the other couches.
Tyler noticed me watching them and motioned for me to join them, so I climbed from the recliner and dropped down beside them.