Page 75 of Jack

Chapter 38

Jack

When I got home from Ava’s, I felt lighter than I had in years. I hated the thought of her worrying about school tomorrow and I really hated all these assholes having her picture. I pulled out my phone.

Jack: How’re you coming along? Any answers yet?

Donovan: Dude, I just started a couple of hours ago. This shit takes time. I have to go through a lot of phones.

Jack: Okay, okay. Look, is there any way you can take that picture off the phones it’s been sent to? I mean, if you find the phone that sent the majority of texts out? Can you delete it off everyone’s phones?

Donovan: Yeah, I can do that. I might not get all the phones, but I can get the majority of them. As long as they didn’t save them to a computer or an external drive, which I doubt anyone would bother to do.

Jack: Do it.

Donovan: You got it. I should have all this shit done by tomorrow.

Jack: Thanks. I owe you.

Donovan: You’re goddamned right you do.

I chuckled, but he wasn’t kidding. I owed Donovan big time for this. I pulled up my text thread with Ava, staring at her name and feeling like a lovesick asshole.

Jack: Got a hold of Donovan. He’s going to try and delete all the pics off everyone’s phones.

Ava: OMGGGGG! Thank you!! I hope he can do it! I owe him a million thank yous!!

I frowned, feeling irrational spikes of jealousy nettle my skin as I read her words. I understood her appreciation for Donovan’s assistance—I just hated it.

Jack: Don’t worry, he knows I owe him.

Ava: Thank you so much, Jack, seriously! <3

That was more like it.

Jack: No problem, Ava. Get some sleep, I mean it. I’ll pick you up for school tomorrow.

Ava: Okay, good night! <3 <3<3

Jack: Night.

There was so much more I wanted to write to her. I wanted to tell her how grateful I was that she didn’t give up on me, that she wasn’t sickened about my relationship with my family, that she accepted my messed-up past, my poor communication skills. But I didn’t. I just sat there and stared at the little red hearts she’d sent me, feeling every one of them.

*****

The next day, Ava was subject to an array of whispered conversations and some overly interested, lust-filled leers, depending on the person. Fortunately, a well-placed glare and a clenched fist went a long way toward dissolving people’s interest.

Ava, Nikolai, Hannah, a newly arrived, totally exhausted looking Donovan and I all sat in the cafeteria to hear what Donovan had learned about the text. Donovan had an extra-large Dunkin Donuts coffee, but by the looks of him he’d need at least three more to fully wake up.

“Okay, what did you find out?” I demanded.

“So much for small talk,” Donovan joked.

Everyone gave a small laugh, but there was so much tension, we all simply stared at him expectantly.

“Okay, message received,” he joked again and pulled out a notebook. “The original text came from Addison’s phone.”

I heard Hannah and Ava gasp, but I simply clenched my fists as rage coursed through me. “Continue.”

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