Page 102 of Enemies to Prom Dates
It wasn’ta private room where Wick was staying so I didn’t bother to knock on the door. Gi was right behind me. We were told he was in the second bed in the room and had recently been given pain medication so he might not be totally clear headed. I thought this could be a good thing.
We kept our eyes down as we walked past his roommate, an older man apparently recovering from a surgery and turned to the corner to find Wick in bed, half reclining looking up at the TV.
“Beth,” he said, spotting me first. “Gi!”
He tried to sit up a little higher but winced and I held up my hands to tell him he didn’t have to move. “We thought we would come say hi. Gigi, in particular, wanted to know how you were.”
“Your brother hit me with his car,” he said to her, although with more sarcasm than accusation. “How do you think I am?”
Gi walked over to the side of the bed and sat on it, slowly and carefully so as not to jostle him.
“Wick, I know you’re probably not going to believe me, but he didn’t do it. Someone took his car while he was at The Woods party.”
“Sure. Okay.”
That seemed like an odd response. I wasn’t sure if it was outright dismissal, or he actually believed Gi.
“Did you see anything?” I asked. “Maybe you were looking in the rearview mirror as the car got closer?”
Wick shook his head. “I didn’t see anything. All I felt was a bang and then my car leaving the road. Next thing I saw were sirens headed toward me.”
“Wick, you know Fitz,” Gi said, taking his hand. “You know he is totally the type of guy who would hit you in the face for giving me pills. Even though it was my idea to take them. But I think you also know he’s not the type of guy to decide to hit someone with his car.”
Wick averted his eyes. Like he couldn’t look at her.
“Gi, I swear to God, I didn’t give you that pill for any reason other than to have some fun with you. I wasn’t…trying to take advantage or anything like that.”
She smiled. “I know. You’re a big talker, Wick. But having gotten to know you, I realize that’s all it is. Talk. You were real with me and that guy wouldn’t try to rufie me to get in my pants.”
“I mean, I did want to get in your pants,” he confessed. “But I was kind of hoping you wanted that, too.”
I really shouldn’t be hearing this, I thought.
Gigi smiled at him and lifted a shoulder. “Maybe when you’re out of here we can try again.”
“No,” he said quickly. “I don’t want you anywhere near me.”
“Why?” I asked. “Surely, Gi has nothing to fear from her own brother.”
He didn’t look at me or Gi. So I moved closer to the bed.
“Wick, what are you afraid of? Or should I say, who are you afraid of? Was it really you? Were you behind the Freshman Bait List?”
“No,” he admitted. “I took some of the bets, but it wasn’t my idea. Look my pain meds are kicking in and I’m really tired. I think you guys should go.”
“You know who it is, though, don’t you. You know who is behind the list and maybe you were thinking of telling someone?” I suggested. “Hitting your car wasn’t just about setting Fitz up, was it? Someone was trying to send you a message, too.”
He looked at me and I could see the truth of it in his face.
“Who? Who is behind the list? Who hit you and framed Fitz for it?” I pressed.
“Wick,” Gi said softly. “We can help you. My mom—”
Wick snorted. “I’m pretty sure your mom was the one who started all of it.”
“What does that mean?” Gi said, instantly defensive of her mom.
“Nothing. It didn’t mean anything. Look, I’m not talking. But you can tell Fitz, if he needs to me to, I can say it was an accident or whatever. Tell the police not to press charges. Now you should really go.”
