CHAPTER ELEVEN #2
I gave a self-deprecating laugh. “Which ones?”
“Fair enough. Let’s see. I didn’t believe the ones about you two whisking away and getting married in secret on the South African coast over the summer.”
I groaned.
“Nor,” he continued, watching me with a twinkle in his eye, “did I buy the fact that you’d had his baby out of wedlock.”
“For real?” I blurted before apologizing to Mrs. Handy and lowering my voice once more. “Really? Someone came up with that?”
“You’d be surprised, not that I believed it for a second,” he reassured me with an amused tilt of his lips.
“Right? How would I have hidden a pregnancy? I was only gone for four months.”
“And you just don’t seem like that kind of girl.” He tilted his head, adopting a serious mien. “But I know you weren’t here at the beginning of school, and Ben was, so I have to ask, were you two actually together?”
I licked my lips. “Not… Not during his accident, if that’s what you mean. I wasn’t in the truck with him like everyone thinks, but yes, he’s—he was my boyfriend.”
“That’s rough,” he said at length.
A watery laugh escaped, and I wiped my eyes. “Yeah, rough.”
He hopped up and grabbed me a tissue.
“Thank you.”
“Of course.”
We sat in silence, him either deep in thought or allowing me time to compose myself.
“So, you and Ben Pierce.”
“Yeah, me and Ben.”
“How did that happen? I mean, I didn’t even think you two knew each other.”
My head tilted at the familiarity in his tone, and the niggling of a forgotten memory stole through my thoughts.
Had Manuel’s family moved from the district and returned recently?
It was either that or we’d somehow managed to avoid sharing any classes together for a few years. It was possible but rare.
“We didn’t, not really. I knew of him, of course, but we met at an off-road park over the summer. My family set up camp near the north side. The guys were nowhere near us, but we stumbled across each other.”
“The guys?”
“Ralph, Hunter, and Kolton,” I listed.
“Ah, so that explains the guard dogs.”
“They are not guard dogs. They just… They know stuff about me, and that makes them protective.”
“Why?” Manuel frowned. “Why would you need protection?”
Why indeed?
I laughed his question off. “Nah, you’re right. They are just overprotective, but yeah, we met, I made a fool of myself, and the rest is history.”
“You what?”
“Oh, yeah, I was nervous on the trails, and I messed up and wrecked in front of them.”
His eyes rounded. “Shit, really? Is that how you got put into a coma?”
“No, I… That was a separate incident, and I’d prefer not to talk about it.” My voice trailed off into an indistinct murmur.
Manuel accepted my request with ease. “Still, that’s why they are protective of you. Guys don’t see girls as stupid when they get hurt in front of them. It brings out their caveman instincts. You probably hooked them all in one go,” he teased, bumping his shoulder into mine.
When had we leaned so close to each other?
I cleared my throat. “Maybe.”
He heard the noncommittal tone, but he didn’t call me out on it.
The clock showed we had about five more minutes before the bell for second period would ring.
“For what it’s worth, I’m sorry for everything you went through. It sounds like you’ve had a rough few months.”
“Thank you.” It came out more heartfelt than intended.
Distance.
I needed distance.
I leaned away and pulled my feet up, hugging my legs to my chest.
“Well,” Manuel began, “if you ever need someone to talk to, I’m a half decent listener.
Here, let me see your phone.” He shook his head and created a new message, texted himself, and saved the contact information.
“He really is trying to give Watkins an aneurysm. Not that it’s difficult, but Kole—Kolton? ”
A smile danced on my lips. “Kole. I called him Kolton because it bothered him at first. We didn’t always get along. There was a lot of friction in the beginning. He thought I was stealing his best friend away.”
Hey, look, he’d been right.
I took a slow breath.
Bury it for now.
Manuel frowned. “Wait, you aren’t just grieving Ben. You feel guilty.”
Seriously? Did the universe decide to throw every overly perceptive person in the area at me just to watch me sweat while I tried to juggle my secrets?
“Willa, listen, you can’t internalize the blame about that.
It was an accident. Ben wrecked his truck.
It was all over social media. Even if he was on his way to see you, it wasn’t your fault.
” He seemed adamant, shifting to the chair’s edge and barely breathing, as if he could make me believe his words through sheer force of will.
It was my turn to cock my head. “You sound like you’re speaking from experience.”
“Yeah.” He laughed, but it held no joy. “You’re perceptive.” Pot, kettle. “My dad and my cousin. Years ago.”
“I’m sorry too.”
“Thanks.”
The déjà vu hit both of us simultaneously, and we shared a weighted smile.
“Seriously, though, you can’t do that to yourself, okay?” Manuel pleaded. “I know you won’t believe me, not for a long time. It might take years. I’ll just have to keep reminding you.” He tapped the phone and handed it back to me.
I glanced down at it.
MANUEL: Let me walk you to second period?
Oh, that was smooth. I laughed. “Sure, I would like that.”
I shoved down the confusing feelings of guilt the best I could as we threaded through the hallways.
Yeah, years sounded about right.