Page 7 of Back to You
Chapter 3
Ilounged on my bed, absentmindedly playing a video game while Dane and Violet studied for finals. Their textbooks were sprawled out across the floor in a messy array of schoolwork. The softscritch-stritchof a pen over notebook paper was the loudest sound in the room for the longest time, until Violet sighed dramatically.
“What?” I looked at her.
She raked her long fingers through her caramel-blonde hair, then clapped her book shut. “I’m so freaking ready to be done with this crap,” she announced. “I’m ready to be done with school. I wanna be free, get a job and make some dough and buy a car. Man, Ireallywant my own car.”
Dane chuckled. “Hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you’re gonna be saving for awhile, sis.”
“Oh, shut up. A girl can dream.”
“Sure. Dreams are free. Cars, on the other hand, are expensive as shit.”
“Graduation needs to hurry up and get here.” She groaned. “The sooner I can leave that cesspool, the better.”
I could believe that. Violet had been bullied all her life. That was actually how I met the twins in the third grade, shortly after my family moved into town. I was the awkward new kid. I kept to myself, hanging out on the swingset until recess was over. I’d watch the kids run around and have fun on the playground, all the while wishing I was brave enough to make friends.
There were these two pig-nosed little brats who constantly dogged a little girl with pigtails. They called her names and pushed her around. I’d been busy drawing in the dirt with a stick, but the commotion caught my eye. I saw one of them grab her hair and yank. When she screamed, something inside of me snapped and before I could stop myself, I went barreling across the playground to come to her rescue.
I got in the boys’ faces and when the bigger one hit me, I hit him right back. I knocked that little bitch to the ground and punched him until he was bleeding. Of course, I got in trouble for it, but that didn’t matter. I stood up for Violet Fisher because it was right, and that was the day I earned myself two best friends.
“What about college?” I asked. “Haven’t you been applying?”
She wrinkled her nose. “I mean, yeah, and I got accepted to a few places, but I haven’t decided if I’m actually going. I don’t know if I’m ready to jump right back into education, you know?”
“Why not? You’re brilliant, Vi. Why wouldn’t you go?”
She chewed on her hair, a nervous habit that she’d never quite kicked from childhood. Making a face, she looked down at her hands and mumbled, “I want to be free of the bullying and the clique-y bullcrap. That’s all.”
“But it’s not like that in college, sis,” Dane insisted.
“He’s right. College is chill. Everyone has their own agenda, and besides, you’re not a little girl anymore. You’re a smart and sassy young woman with a good head on her shoulders, and I think you’d kick ass at whatever classes you took. Don’t throw that away, Vi.”
Instead of arguing her point, Violet’s face turned beet red. “I—um… I’ll be right back.” She scrambled to her feet and scurried out of the room like her hair was on fire. The door clapped shut behind her.Okay then.
Dane and I exchanged a look, and he snickered. “Nice going, Romeo.”
“What?”
“What do you mean, what? Isn’t it obvious? Sheadoresyou.” When I didn’t immediately answer, Dane studied me. “What? You mean you’ve seriously never noticed the way she gets the jitters around you? The blushing and the giggling, all that girly shit? Vi’s had a crush on you for years. You’re like a hero to her.”
Was that true? “I guess I never have.” Probably because I’d been too busy paying attention to her twin brother to see it. Damn. My good mood flagged. “I’m no hero,” I told him. “I’m just me. I think I’m gonna take a walk.”
“Want me to come with?” Dane offered, but I shook my head.
“Nah. I need some alone time.” I grabbed my sneakers and pulled them on, then went downstairs. The breeze was still pretty warm for early evening, so I didn’t bother with a hoodie. I tucked my hands into the pockets of my jeans and started walking, disappearing into my thoughts.
Did Violet seriously have a crush on me? How the hell had I not noticed? I’d only known the twins for what seemed like forever. We used to go everywhere together, at least until Mom got sick. After that…
I exhaled slowly.
Honestly, the past several months I’d been too caught up in making arrangements and fretting over medical bills, plus taking Mom to chemo every week up until the end. I’d been more than a little preoccupied, but I still felt like a jerk for not realizing it sooner.
The last thing Violet needed was a crush on me. I could never give her what a girl like her deserved. She needed someone dependable, a sweet guy with a heart of gold and a goofy sense of humor to keep up with her wit and charm. Even if I was straight, I wasn’t any of those things.
I stayed out until dark, just wandering. By the time I made it back, the Fishers were at the kitchen table, eating a late dinner. The house smelled good, but I wasn’t the least bit hungry.
“Sorry I’m late,” I said, toeing off my muddy shoes at the door.
