Page 25 of Broken

“Congratulations.” I had no idea why I said it, but I walked out of that bathroom with my head held high. My legs shook, feeling like rubber the entire way back to class. Emma tried to get my attention a few times, but I was lost, gone in my thoughts so far that I was spiraling. Because how in the world were Tucker and I supposed to get through this? We’d just started. It was like we hadn’t even gotten a chance.

Tears filled my eyes, and I darted from class the second the bell rang. Which was stupid because my last class had LisaandTucker. Oh, God. I’d have to watch the two of them together this year. Watch as the guy I loved had a baby growing in another girl’s body. Watch as Tucker had to care about her. Or at least about the baby. What did that mean for us?

“Izzy?” Tucker asked, sinking to his seat, and I blinked, honestly half wondering when I’d gotten to class. It was such a blur. He pulled my seat up to his, and the tears started to fall again. I ducked my head. I couldn’t even look at him. “Izzy, tell me what’s wrong.” He ran his hand back through my hair, tucking a lock behind my ear. It felt good even as it ached, feeling his touch.

“Not now,” I whispered.

He grunted in frustration, but when I still refused to answer, he said, “After class, then.”

I looked up as Lisa came to the doorway, and her eyes locked on mine like she was daring me to tell. “After class,” I agreed.

Which was torture in and of itself, sitting in that room with the both of them, like a freaking taste of what this year was goingto be. How was I going to tell him? Shouldn’t Lisa tell him? Of course, now that I knew, I couldn’tnottell him. He’d be furious if I held it from him. I didn’twantto hold it from him. Just these forty-five minutes were eating me alive. Both for the secret and for knowing that the clock kept ticking that much faster to the moment I might lose him.

The second the bell rang I ran out of class.

“Izzy, will you wait?!” Tucker kept right on my heels.

I felt a buzz from my phone, knowing it was Annie.

“Not yet.”

“Yes, yet.” Tucker grabbed my hand, pulling me to a stop. He cupped my cheeks, wiping away the tears I didn’t remember leaking. “What’s wrong? Tell me, please.”

I shook my head, my lips trembling. “It’s so messed up, Tucker. We just got started.”

“Okay, you’re really scaring me now. What are you talking about?”

I bit my lip, pressing down so hard I was surprised there wasn’t blood, knowing I had to bite the bullet. “Lisa’s pregnant. It’s yours.”

Tucker froze.

It took a minute to get through the shock, but then I watched as all of the emotions played over his face.

“What?” he eventually strangled out.

“She’s pregnant, Tucker.” I choked back a sob. “She had a test.”

“That doesn’t mean it’s mine, Izzy,” he argued, denial clearly the name of the day.

“Not according to her.” I shook my head, everything in me welling up. Fear and desperation swirling inside me. For Tucker. Me.Us. I stepped back, and I watched the panic flicker through Tucker’s eyes, but I just couldn’t right then. It was too much.

I spun away, finding Annie and Jet walking up, my sister’s expression telling me she already knew something was wrong.

“Keys. Please,” I choked, holding out my hand to Jet. They appeared in a second, and Annie snatched them, grabbing my hand to pull me along to the parking lot.

“Get in. We can talk on the way home, or would you rather we just take a drive?”

“I have dance.”

“Izzy.”

“Ineed to dance, Annie.” There was enough force and desperation in my voice that she didn’t argue. We slid in, shoving our bags into the tiny back seat, and Annie revved the engine before heading out of town.

The world rushed by my window, my eyes fixed on the trees, fields, and brush that were still brown from the Texas summer heat, but I saw none of it, lost in my thoughts. The purr of the engine did its best to calm the turbulence whirling inside me, but we were already entering Summer Ridge before I was ready to speak.

Annie’s leg fidgeted, her fingers tapping the wheel in her best attempt at patience. I actually felt the hint of a smile when I noticed, loving her for trying for me.

Fireworkby Katy Perry was playing softly through the radio, and I laughed at the thought of what Jet would say to that on in his car. It was only internally, though. Nothing I was about to say was funny.

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