Chapter 22
Jameson
As we make our way down the hall, we get the same reactions that me and Billy have grown used to—people move out of the way, their gazes linger, and whispers follow behind us.
But it’s different this time. They watch us with newfound interest, their attention focusing on Sam.
I reach out, sliding my hand along the small of her back, making it clear who she is to me.
I pull open the door to the office, following in behind Sam. The small brunette at the front desk is a student, and I vaguely recognize her as one of the girls who’s hung around Billy.
I lean against the counter of the desk, Sam pressed into my side. After clearing my throat, the brunette’s head jerks up and her eyes widen when she sees me. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t hear you come in,” she breathes. Her gaze moves from me to Sam and her brows pinch. “Can I help you with something?”
“Yeah—”
Her attention moves from me, and a blush colors her cheeks.
Billy comes up behind me. “Lilliana.” He nods.
She wets her lips. “Hi, Billy.”
“I need my schedule,” I cut in.
Her eyes stay locked on Billy’s, like she’s lost in them.
I tap on the counter. “You think you can get it for me?”
The sound brings her out of her haze, and she clears her throat. “Yeah, just give me a second.” She types in my name without me giving it to her.
“What lunches do I have?”
“Hmm?”
I wave my hand toward the computer. “On my schedule. What are my lunches.”
“Oh … um … looks like you have B and then C.” She blinks up at me. “Why?”
“Gonna need you to change the first one,” I tell her. “I need it to be A.”
“W-we …” She shakes her head. “We’re not supposed to do that. And anyway, I’d have to move around other classes to make it work.”
I look around the space. “Nobody’s here.”
“So?”
“So, nobody would know.”
“I don’t—”
“Come on, Liliana,” Billy says, his voice taking on that tone that always makes girls fold. “Can’t you just do it this once? Like a favor.” He takes a step closer and drops his voice. “I’d owe you big time.”
She looks up at him through her lashes. “You would?”
He nods.
She rolls her lips before peering over her shoulder. “Okay, fine.”
“Aw … you’re the best,” Billy tells her. “We really appreciate it.” He raises an eyebrow at me. “Right?”
“Yeah, thanks.”
She glances up at me and nods but doesn’t say anything.
A few minutes later, the sound of the printer cuts through the room and she hands me my new schedule. “This work?”
I look it over and grunt.
“That means yes,” Billy clarifies. “And thanks again,” he adds with a wink.
We turn to leave, but before we get to the door, the girl blurts out, “So, I’ll see you around then?”
Billy looks over his shoulder. “For sure.”
The door shuts behind us, and he stops, turning to me.
“What?” I ask.
“You’re welcome.”
“I would have gotten it changed either way.”
He laughs. “Yeah, but my way was so much easier.” He tilts his head to the side. “Well … I’m waiting.”
“Fine, thank you.” I blow out a breath. “You happy now?”
“So happy,” he says teasingly.
I snort. “You’re such a dumbass.”
“Let me see it,” Billy says, holding out his hand. I pass him my schedule and let him look it over. “We have first period together.”
I glance over at Sam. “What do you have first? We’ll walk you.”
She unfolds the paper in her hand. “English with Mrs. Brown. It’s room 402.”
“All right,” I say, grabbing hold of her hand and starting to lead us that way. Billy moves to the other side of her and follows.
It’s a short walk to the classroom, and I find myself lingering in the doorway, looking down at Sam.
I don’t want to leave her.
Billy breaks off from us, talking to this kid Jeremy who hangs around sometimes.
I lean in so only she can hear me. “Text me if you need anything or if anyone—”
“I will,” she cuts in.
I nod quickly as people move around us, filtering into the classroom. A girl rushes past, nearly running into Sam, and I snake an arm around her waist to steady her.
“Jamie,” she breathes.
“Yeah, baby?”
“I’ve gotta …” Her eyes drift toward the room behind us.
“Oh, yeah, right.”
She leans up, slipping a hand behind my neck, and brushes her lips over mine. “See ya.”
I watch her walk into the classroom and find her seat before turning and walking over to Billy.
“You good?” he asks.
“Yup, let’s go.”
The hallways are almost completely empty now, and everyone is already in their seats by the time we get to class.
The teacher’s back is to the room as he writes something on the board.
There aren’t two seats next to each other, so Billy takes one closer to the front and I drop into a seat at the back.
I glance around the room, trying to figure out what subject this is. I never actually looked at my schedule. I just followed Billy after he said we had the same class.
There are maps hanging on the walls and a globe sitting on the table at the front of the room, so I’m guessing it’s history or geography.
The teacher turns and moves his eyes across the room. “Welcome to World History,” he says. “I’m Mr. Collins. When I call your name, please come to the front of the room to collect your textbook and class syllabus.”
He moves down the list, and as I’m grabbing my book, I feel my phone vibrate in my back pocket. I tense, worried that something happened with Sam.
Sliding back into my seat, I pull my phone out under the desk. Relief washes over me when I see the message isn’t from her, but my stomach sinks when I read the text.
Dad: Call me.
Fuck.
I glance up and find Mr. Collins still moving down his list, sorting through the books in front of him, when my phone buzzes again.
Dad: Now.
I stand and head for the door. Billy catches my eye, but I subtly shake my head.
Keeping my head down, I make it a few more steps before I hear, “Young man.”
I don’t stop.
He snaps his fingers and asks, “What’s his name?”
Nobody answers him.
I take another step as he calls out, his voice closer this time, “Excuse me, young man. Where do you think you’re going?”
I turn slowly. “Just going to the bathroom.”
He points to a table pushed up against the wall. “You need to sign out first.”
My phone buzzes again.
I don’t have time for this bullshit.
“I’ve really gotta go,” I tell him.
He watches me for a drawn-out second. “Fine, go, but sign in when you get back.”
I nod before stepping out into the hall.
Not wanting to get caught with my phone out and skipping class, I start for the bathroom. It usually doesn’t go well when I get detention. I can’t work if I’m stuck at school.
There’s a scrawny kid washing his hands when I step in. “Out,” I bark.
He jumps and stares back at me, wide-eyed. “W-what?”
I sweep my hand toward the door. “Get out. Now.”
“Yeah, okay, sure,” he mumbles, rushing past me.
The door swings shut as I turn off the water he left running and pull my phone from my back pocket.
Dad: Jameson.
I quickly hit his contact and press the phone against my ear. It only rings once before he picks up.
“What part of now don’t you understand, boy?”
“Had to get out of class,” I answer. “What’s going on?”
“I have a job tonight I want you on.”
I let out a breath, realizing he just didn’t want to send the details over text.
He runs through the plan, telling me who’s involved and where we’ll meet. Apparently, there’s some safe in the back of a pawn shop that one of our guys knows about. It’s supposed to be full of cash and some old shit that’s worth a lot.
“Need you ready at seven,” he says. Before I can respond, he tells me, “Hold on,” and shouts something at someone I can’t make out. “We’re gonna be gone for the day, but I’ll have Johnny come by and grab you from the garage,” he tells me.
“Got it.”
“I’ve gotta go.” He sighs. “I swear these idiots can’t do shit without me having to spell it out for them.” He shouts something else then mutters, “See you tonight.”
He hangs up, and my shoulders drop. That wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be.
Shoving my phone into my pocket, I push through the bathroom door and head back to class.
When I slip inside, Mr. Collins is droning on about the syllabus, but when he sees me, he motions to the sign-out sheet. I crouch over it and scribble down my name before making my way back to my seat.
Billy catches my eye on the way there, and I give him a nod, letting him know I’m fine.
The rest of the class passes by slowly, and I try to make myself listen to the teacher, but my thoughts are all over the place. Instead, I watch the clock tick by until, finally, the bell rings.
Billy intercepts me at the door. “What was that about?”
“Nothing,” I tell him.
He catches my arm. “Come on; don’t bullshit me.”
I lower my eyes to his hand, and he drops it, taking a step back.
“Just details for a job tonight.”
His expression turns hard. “Oh.”
“It’s fine,” I reassure him. “Should be easy.”
“Uh-huh,” he says skeptically.
“We should get to class,” I mutter, wanting to change the subject.
“What have you got next?”
“Uh …” I uncrumple my schedule. “Communication and Public Speaking.”
He snickers.
“What?”
“Nothing, just think you’ll learn a lot in that one.”
I roll my eyes.
“You know, like how to communicate in ways other than just grunts and one syllable words.”
When I only stare back at him, he laughs and says, “See you at lunch.”
I’m slumped back at my desk, listening to everyone talk around me as I wait for class to start.
There’s a kid sitting next to me, laughing loudly. The guy in front of him is turned around in his seat with a grin on his face.
The one who’s laughing carries on, “Coach is gonna lose it after that stunt this morning, but it might be worth it. Did you see …?” He trails off as he looks toward the door. “Jesus Christ, man. She’s in this class?”
The guy in front of him turns, and I follow his gaze, my eyes landing on Sam as he says, “This year just got a whole lot better.”
She doesn’t notice me yet, but when she scans the room, looking for a seat, her attention catches on me. Her whole face lights up, and it just about kills me.
She starts down the row, her hips swaying in that way they always do.