11. The Ex
eleven
The Ex
J asmine is waiting by my locker when I go to school on Monday. She raises her eyebrows when she sees me. “Are you trying out a new make-up palette?”
“Wisdom teeth.” I pull my books out and hold them high enough on my chest so they cover my chin.
“Oh yeah, I forgot,” Jasmine trails me to our first class, Chemistry. “So how did the weekend go with Soulja Boy and your car?”
I face her so my bruises are fully visible. “How do you think it went?”
“Oh. He didn’t see you looking like this did he?”
I turn around and head toward my class. She doesn’t deserve an answer to that question.
“You know make-up can do wonders to cover bruises,” Jasmine walks fast to keep up with me.
“I am wearing make-up,” I thought the bruises at least looked a little better after the inch thick layer of cover-up I put on my chin. I never wear this much make-up. I’ll probably break out in a huge crop of zits, just in time for Jacob to come work on my car on Thursday.
Jasmine keeps following me. “Your mom wouldn’t let you stay home until the bruises were gone?”
I sigh hard, “I have a test today in government. I couldn’t skip class.”
“I would have,” Jasmine says. I wonder if she realizes how much she’s not helping.
“Hey ladies.”
I lift my eyes from the floor, just for a second, long enough to see the one person that could make this day worse.
“What happened to your face?” Brad leans against the wall, blocking the door to the chemistry lab. “Some guy rough you up?”
“Move it or I’ll rough you up,” Jasmine says.
“But I like it rough. Don’t I Jess?” He brushes the back of his hand over my cheek. I pull away, my skin crawling from his touch. I can’t believe I used to think he was hot.
“She showed you rough, didn’t she?” Jaz says. She reaches toward his face. There’s still a faint pink line across his cheek. Did I do that?
He grabs her hand and pushes her back so she falls against me. “Listen you little—”
“Is there a problem here?” My chemistry teacher steps towards us.
“Just escorting these ladies to class,” Brad leans against the door to open it, and makes a grand gesture of ushering us into the classroom. I catch the glint in his eye as I walk past him, the one that says he hasn't forgotten what I did to him.
I’m sitting in my new favorite spot—on the fence, watching Jacob tinker with my car.
I’m trying to find a balance between being with Jacob all the time when he’s over, which is what I want, and trying not to come off as an annoying little girl, hanging around him while he works.
The conversation has fizzled out and I'm trying to think of something to say, when a familiar silver pick-up turns off the road.
What is he doing here?
Jacob looks up and watches Brad's obnoxiously large truck as it comes down our long dirt driveway.
“Who’s that?” he asks
“Brad.” I wonder if it’s too late to run into the house and hide or what Jacob would think if I did.
“Brad?” Jacob says his name like he’s heard it before.
“Kind of an old boyfriend,” I answer. Jacob raises his eyebrows. “Kind of a long story.”
“What do you think he wants?”
I jump down from the fence. “Maybe he thinks I still have some of his stuff.”
“Do you?”
I clench my teeth. “Nothing I haven’t burned.”
A grin plays around the corners of Jacob’s mouth.
I think he’s trying to decide if I’m telling the truth about burning Brad’s things.
It was just one sweatshirt. The one Brad draped over my shoulders when I told him I was cold one morning after we went running.
I took a bit of sadistic pleasure in watching flames destroy that piece of our history.
“I’d better go see what he wants.” I start towards Brad’s truck. I don’t want him to come close enough for Jacob to hear us talking.
“What if he says he’s sorry, and he wants you to take him back?”
That makes me stop. I’m not sure if he’s teasing me or why he wants to know. “Not a chance.” I say over my shoulder.
“Good girl,” Jacob says.
Brad has that grin on his face. That, ‘I can charm anyone with this face,’ grin. I used to think it was adorable; now it rubs against my nerves like sandpaper. “Hey, Jess.”
I skip the pleasantries. I want him gone as soon as possible. “What are you doing here, Brad?”
“I came to see you. I was hoping we could go somewhere alone and talk. Maybe go for a run.” He reaches for my shoulder, but I take a step back.
“I don’t have anything to say to you.”
He tries to look hurt. “Don’t be like that. I’ve missed you.”
“Really? I wouldn’t have guessed that. You have your face stuck to Lexie’s all the time.”
He leans against his pickup, crosses his arms, and grins. “Lexie’s not like you.”
“Wow.” I say dramatically. “That may be the nicest thing you’ve ever said to me.”
He moves toward me like he’s gained ground. “C’mon, Jess, just a short run. For a friend?”
Friend isn’t a word that has ever been used in our relationship. Our breakup wasn’t the “I hope we can still be friends” type.
He leans in like he has some great secret. “We had something good. We could have it again.”
He expects me to forget everything he did. Throw my arms around him, kiss him, and go back to being a happy couple. He’s more delusional than I thought.
I glance over my shoulder, but I can’t tell if Jacob is watching us or worse, listening. “I think you should leave.”
“I know you’ve missed me too.” He slips his fingers through my hair, the way he used to, the way I used to think was so sweet. Now it makes my skin crawl.
I jerk away. “What’s wrong? Did Lexie finally get smart and dump you?”
“No,” he says slowly, “Lexie’s still around, but she's not who I thought she was.
I think I made a mistake." He hesitates, and I try to judge the sincerity level in his voice–somewhere between the apologetic hiss of the snake that just bit you and tears from the crocodile that took your arm off.
"That's one of the things I wanted to talk about. We could go for a drive. I’ll get your favorite milkshake.”
“I don’t know. I wouldn’t want to tarnish your reputation.” My voice drips sarcasm. “There are some pretty bad things being said about me at school.”
“I know you.” He moves forward like he’s going to touch me again and then stops. “I would never believe those things. I’ve stood up for you, lots of times.”
“Yeah, right.” I glance back at Jacob. “Listen Brad, even if I thought I could believe anything that came out of your mouth, it wouldn’t change what you did.” I turn around to walk away.
“What exactly did I do?” The tone in his voice is part challenge, part fear.
I whirl around to face him. “How about spiking my drink?”
“You can’t prove that.” Any hint of sincerity melts away.
I cross my arms tight against my chest to keep from slapping him. “I don’t need to prove anything. I know what you did. Hasn’t anyone ever told you, the score doesn’t count if you cheat?”
Now his grin is more of a sneer. “Can’t we just forget all of that? I could make things good for you again, or I could make your life a living hell.”
“You already did that. That’s why I broke up with you.” I turn to walk away.
He grabs my arm and spins me around to face him. “You’re not listening to me. I didn’t do anything wrong. You can’t go around telling people lies about me.”
“Brad, let go of me. That hurts.” I struggle against his grasp. The look in his eyes and his grip on my arm scares me.
He pulls me closer, leans his lips against my ear, and whispers, “I’m not done with you yet.”
“Take your hands off her.” Jacob is standing less than two feet behind me.
I look down at the ground, my face hot with humiliation.
Brad doesn’t let go. “I don’t think this is any of your business.”
Jacob moves next to me. “I said, let her go.” His voice is calm and deadly at the same time.
Brad pushes me aside and turns his full attention to Jacob. He’s taller than Jacob, with the build of a football player, but Jacob doesn’t look like that phases him. Neither moves. They stand a couple of feet apart, sizing each other up.
The tension gets to me. “It’s not worth it, Jake.” I put my hand on Jacob's arm.
“That’s right, Jake,” Brad parrots. “She’s not worth it. Trust me.”
Jacob takes a step towards Brad.
Brad stands his ground. “I’m not afraid of you, soldier boy.”
I’m still holding onto Jacob. The muscles in his arm stand out like ropes twisted from iron.
“You need to go, Brad.” I pull on Jacob’s arm, trying to get him to walk back to my car with me.
Brad rakes his eyes over my entire body and then smirks. “I guarantee she’s not worth it.”
Something snaps when he says that. I lunge for Brad. Jacob grabs me around the waist and pulls me back, still struggling. I want to get my hands on Brad’s thick neck. I don’t care if he outweighs me by eighty pounds. I’m going to kill him.
Jacob moves me behind him and gets right in Brad’s face. “You need to watch your mouth, kid.”
This time Brad takes a step back.
“And you need to leave. Now.” Jacob’s voice is commanding, but calm. I wish he wouldn’t sound so calm. I changed my mind. I want Jacob to lay Brad out flat.
Brad takes a couple of steps back and turns his attention to me. “You just made a huge mistake, Jess. You will regret this. I promise.”
“You’ll stay away from her if you know what’s good for you.” Jacob’s lips are tight, both hands balled into fists.
“Like I said, I’m not afraid of you, soldier boy.” Brad answers, but he heads for his truck. “See you at school, babe.”
As soon as Brad is in his truck, I run for the barn. I can’t let Jacob see me cry.
I jerk the barn door open, go inside, and lean against the wall.
Jacob follows me, but stops in the doorway. “Jess, are you okay?”
I can’t look at him. “I’m fine.”
He walks over and stands beside me. “Did I make things worse?”
“No. I just...” I bite the inside of my mouth to keep the tears from coming.
“It’s not true. Nothing he says is true.” I wonder if it even matters to Jacob.
“I know. It’s okay.” He moves closer, almost like he's going to put his arm around me, but he stops short.
“Why are guys such jerks?”
“We’re not all like that. At least not all the time.” He steps back, leaning against one of the pillars.
“That one is.” I can't meet his eyes. If I do, I’ll start crying.
“Yeah, I kind of got that impression. You want me to go after him, kick his butt for you?”
That makes me smile. “I don’t want you to get in trouble.”
“I could do something to his car, make it look like an accident.”
I turn to face him–a little horrified, a little hopeful. Of course he's kidding. Still, I can’t help but imagine Brad begging Jacob for mercy.
“I could show you some things. Then you could kick his butt. I don’t think he’d be so quick to tell if he got beat up by a girl.”
“That might be fun.” The knot in my stomach loosens. I lean up against the pillar next to him.
“You were ready to take him on.” Jacob nudges me with his shoulder. “Good thing I held you back. He’d better watch out.”
I stare at him, incredulous. He’s talking to me like I’m a little kid. Jacob still won’t take me seriously. My ex-boyfriend came to my house and threatened me. I was scared out of my mind and Jacob is joking around?
His face softens. “Let me know if he comes by again, okay?”
“Yeah, thanks.” I step away. His comment totally killed the mood.
“I guess I’d better get back to your car,” he reaches for the door, then hesitates before he opens it. “Seriously Jess, if he gives you any problems...”
“Don’t worry,” I cross my arms and lean against the pillar in imitation of him. “I can take care of myself.”