Sarah frowned. “That totally sucks. But she’s right. The school would bury her.”
Kate snorted in frustration. “Were there any witnesses?”
I pulled the jacket to my chin. “Not really. I mean, nobody who would want to get involved, I’m pretty sure. Besides, nothing happened other than him pushing too hard.”
Kate leaned forward. “What do you mean, nobody who’d want to get involved?”
“It’s a long story,” I said.
“I’ve got time,” Sarah responded.
“Me too,” Kate seconded. Even Serena had stopped even pretending to work and had fixed her full attention on me.
I pushed the jacket to the side and sat up. “Somebody stopped Luke before it went too far. But he’s not going to want to come forward. At least I don’t think so.”
“How do you know unless you ask?” Serena demanded.
Sarah’s eyes narrowed. “Who was it?”
My gaze drifted from Sarah, to Kate, and finally settled on Serena. “You’re going to think I’m crazy. I halfway think I am right now.”
“Try us,” Serena said.
“It’s just…so frigging nuts. I mean, even when I try to figure out how to make it sound halfway normal, it just doesn’t.”
“Who?” Sarah pressed. “Spiderman? Superman? Zorro?”
I had to laugh, breaking the tension. “That would sound more normal than what actually happened.”
“You have to tell us,” Kate insisted. “Come on, Lacey. Give.”
I let out an exasperated sigh. “Okay, don’t laugh. It was Jared.”
Their expressions said that if I’d told them a giant squid had dropped from Heaven and rescued me, I couldn’t have surprised them more. Sarah was the first to react.
“No way.”
Kate’s stare moved to the jacket. “Is that his?”
I nodded, pink flushing my cheeks.
“Oh. My. God…” Sarah whispered reverentially. “Oh. My. God.”
“He gave you his jacket!” Serena said.
I looked away. “Sort of. I mean, he left it for me. I guess? Things were a bit confusing. I tried to give it back, but…”
“How did you get home? Did he fly you here on a winged unicorn?” Kate asked, her tone skeptical.
“His limo.” I paused, seeing the disbelief in their eyes. “His driver’s name is Carl. He’s really sweet, although he looks pretty scary. Big man.”
Serena stared at me. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”
“I couldn’t make it up if I tried.” I hesitated. “I told you it would sound crazy. It still seems that way to me, too…”
Sarah and Kate exchanged a glance. “That’s why Luke’s car was still parked there,” Kate said. “He probably got busted. Maybe Jared’s people called the cops.”
“I would totally have slashed his tires,” Sarah said. “Assuming I couldn’t have cut anything else off.”
I let that go by. “Anyway, it’s over. And I really need some sleep.”
“Jared saved you only a couple of hours ago, and you can sleep?” Kate said in amazement, eyeing the jacket.
Sarah shook her head. “I hate you.”
“I didn’t ask for any of this,” I protested.
“Did he kiss you?” Sarah asked.
“No,” I blurted. “It wasn’t like that.”
“The dude gave you his jacket. So what was it like, exactly, if not like that?”
“I… It… Carl gave me the jacket; he just said it was for me. I didn’t even talk to Jared. He was arguing with Luke. Maybe…maybe even fighting.”
“He fought for you?” Sarah breathed reverently. “That is so romantic.”
“Sarah, come on. Not like a duel. He was coming out of the club. He heard some noise. He stopped Luke. That’s all it was,” I said, pacing my words and trying to make it sound like no big deal.
“And then he had his limo drive you a hundred miles,” Kate said.
“And gave you his jacket as a memento,” Serena added helpfully. “Yeah. Probably happens all the time.”
“We totally have to be your bridesmaids,” Sarah said. “I look awesome in pink or lavender, if you’re thinking colors.”
“Are you going to have your own reality show? Keeping Up with Lacey and Jared?” Kate continued.
“Guys…”
Kate held her hands up. “Lacey’s right. We shouldn’t be bagging on her.” The corner of her mouth twitched. “But, you know, if Jared wants to come over and take a shower or something, that would be fine. Just sayin’.”
“Maybe a bubble bath,” Sarah said. “Four’s company!”
“I am not going to talk about this anymore,” I said with a yawn. “Can I go back to sleep now?”
Sarah couldn’t help but yawn too. “I suppose I could use a nap myself. But you have to promise to tell us everything later.”
“Sure,” I said.
“Can I sleep with the jacket?” Kate asked in a small voice.
I turned over with it wrapped around me. “Not a chance.”
Chapter 6
By the end of the weekend, my exploits had become big news with the other students, and everywhere I went, I got curious stares. Sarah and the crew had obviously opened their big mouths, and now in addition to getting acclimated in a new environment, I had to contend with being the star of my own personal freak show. For someone as self-conscious as I was, that was like a rock in my shoe, and as much as I tried to ignore the attention, I couldn’t miss the whispers and glances.
I hoped that the campus grapevine was as efficient at spreading the truth about Luke as it was gossiping about Jared. Every time I thought about the attempted assault (and with some distance, I could see it for what it was) I saw red, and the knowledge that formally accusing him would get me kicked out of school didn’t improve my mood.
When Monday morning arrived, I was relieved to have something to do other than skulk around like some third-string celebrity. My first class of the day was Intro to Psychology – an elective class that was prep for the college version. I was one of sixty in the hall, and when the teacher, Simon Pence, walked to the podium and cleared his throat, you could hear a pin
