Page 62 of Only Temporary

“One week. If it happens again, he’ll be expelled.”

“It won’t happen again,” I promise, even though it’s not something I really can promise. “I’ll talk to him.”

“Okay. If your sister needs anything, please let me know.”

“I will. Thank you.” I shake his hand and then walk out to Tatum and Cason. Tatum is looking behind me at hisblast from the past, but they don’t say anything. I collect Cason, and we all walk out to the parking lot.

I keep quiet until we reach my car. “What the hell were you thinking?”

“If you would have heard what he was saying, you’d be in jail, Kellan,” he says firmly, not looking away from me. “It was vile.”

I believe him. I can see it on his face, and I don’t want to know because he’s right. Just knowing what he said, I’d probably go back into that school and rip his head off. “You can’t get into fights though. You just can’t. You do realize we have to tell Phillip.”

“Why?” he asks, his attitude coming out in full force. “They didn’t call Phillip.”

“I was with him when I saw the voicemail. He knows.”

Tatum looks freaked the fuck out, his eyes going wide. “You were with the social worker?”

I forgot Tatum knows about my relationship with Phillip and thinks I just admitted to it with Cason. I try to convey to him that he needs to shut up. “He was at the school when I went to get Kieran.”

I can see the relief on Tatum’s face, and I can tell that keeping this secret is actually proving not so easy for my best friend. I hate that he’s been dragged into this. “Oh. Is Kieran okay?”

“What’s wrong with Kieran?” Cason looks at me, his worry clear.

“Some shithead is bullying him at school.”

“What the fuck?” Cason snaps.

“He’s fine. He’s with Phillip at the house, and I need to get back there to talk to him, but you and I are not done discussing this either.”

“Fine,” he says, climbing into my car and crossing his arms over his chest with a pissy attitude.

I sigh and turn to Tatum, who says, “I gotta get back to the shop. You going to be okay?” He’s watching me carefully—the way he does when he’s waiting for me to relapse.

Drinking and drugs are the last things on my mind right now, but I do feel like I’m about to snap in other ways. “I’m fine. Just, you know, my whole world going to shit in one hour.”

He puts a firm hand on my shoulder. “It’s going to be okay. Phillip is home, right?”

I like the sound of that—calling my home Phillip’s, even though it’s not, and after today, he might run away screaming. I mean, I want to. “He is.”

“Okay, let him help.” His eyes are giving a no-nonsense vibe, and I nod my head, not arguing. I owe Tatum so much.

“I will.” I grab my keys out of my pocket and start to walk to the driver’s side but stop and turn to look at Tatum. “Hey. What was that about with the principal?”

His face goes solemn now, gritting his teeth. “That was a lifetime ago. The first person I ever truly let down.”

That’s cryptic...

But that’s all he says before he waves and gets into his own car to head to the shop, and I have to go deal with a whole lot of other shit or I’d probably press him on it more.

Whatever that was—I wouldn’t say it’s totally over, like he’s implied.

TWENTY-EIGHT

I’m worried. Beyond worried. About my boyfriend—who I love and who’s apparently in love with me. Because this day was a lot. It’s so much for one person. But when he comes through the door with Cason, he looks... okay.

I mean, drained and tired and weary—but not like he’s totally spinning out, and that gives me some hope.

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