Page 82 of Broken

“What? No, Annie, it’s fine. Lisa’s just jealous. I know that.”

Yeah, but those words still left a mark, and I’m not letting it go.

“Go ahead, Izzy,” I directed, my tone leaving no room to argue.

I waited for Izzy to leave, and before I could move, Lisa glanced past Trisha’s shoulder with an evil smirk. My vision went red.

The crowd spread back as I stormed forward, and Trisha stepped aside with her own smirk when she saw the look on my face. Lisa flinched and pressed herself back into the wall as I cornered her in.

“What thehellis your problem?!” I growled. “Have you seriously not learned your lesson yet? You’re inconsequential. Not even anywhere near Tucker’s radar. He doesn’t give a damn about you. Now shut your ugly jealous mouth before I have to shut it for you.”

Her eyes widened with fear. “Like you’ddoanything.”

I leaned in, making sure the promise in my threat was clear as I whispered, “Try me.”

Lisa swallowed. “Get suspended for fighting and those top universities won’t care if you’re valedictorian.”

I shrugged. Like I cared. I wasn’t leaving Izzy. Or Jet. And who would put Tucker in his place if I was gone? “You’re missing my point, Lisa. I will doanythingto protect my sister and my friends. So, if you know what’s good for you, you’ll back off and leave Tucker and Izzy alone.”

“You can’t stop people from gossiping.”

“No, maybe not, but you know as well as I do that my group has more than enough pull here on the Ridge to make your life miserable. Now, back off and shut up or I’ll make sure you regret it.”

ISABEL

It was just Lisa. Don’t let her get to you. You know she’s just jealous, and she wouldn’t even know how Tucker feels about any of this.

I took a deep breath, centering myself. I didn’t feel like crying for once. That was a good thing. Lisa’s words had just really shaken me. There was no way she could know how Tucker felt about the baby.

But what if she does? What if she didn’t make it up? What if she heard it from someone else, someone whowouldknow? We don’t run in totally different circles. Could Tucker feel trapped in this relationship with me? Did I just assume he wants the baby as much as I do? Am Iforcinghim?

My pace slowed under the onslaught of new thoughts, the crowded halls around me fading.

I know he loves me. He told me thatbeforewe knew I was pregnant, but he hasn’t said much about the baby or even our futures since we found out.

What if he only agreed to keep her because he felt obligated? Tucker doesn’t back away from responsibility, but what if he really does want out? I don’t want to trap him, but I don’t know how I’d make it through all this without him…

I came to a stop, the weight of my thoughts crushing, and I clutched a fist to my chest, trying to remember how to focus and breathe.

“Why is it that, every time I find you alone, you seem upset?”

I shuddered as Zane’s voice crept over me, bringing me back, and my eyes widened when I realized we were basically alone in the nearly deserted hall.

“I’m not upset. I’ve just got a lot on my mind, and I’ve got to get to class,” I said quickly, taking a step, but I’d barely put my foot down when Zane slid in front of me, wearing the same charming smile he’d had the last time he’d cornered me.

It made me sick to my stomach. Out of all the times he’d thrown nauseating winks and smiles in my direction the last several months, why did he choose this moment to bug me? Right in the middle of my heart crippling realizations.

“Hang on. Don’t rush off.”

I considered turning around, just being late to class, but I knew he’d likely just follow. “What do you want, Zane?” I sighed in defeat. At least there were enough classrooms nearby for people to hear this time if something went wrong.

He frowned. “You always sound so frustrated. I just wanted to find out if you’ve thought about what I said the last time I caught you in the hall.”

I mentally rolled my eyes. “No, not really. I try not to bask over our conversations. What did you ask me that time again?”

The muscle in his jaw clenched as something hardened in his eyes. “Not funny, Izzy. You know I want you back. I can tell you’re not happy with Tucker. Not like you were with me.”

“You don’t know what you’re talking about, Zane.”Could he seriously not have heard yet? And doesn’t he know that it’s probably the other way around? That I’m the one who’s making Tucker unhappy?

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