Chapter Twenty-One
I go to the kitchen hoping coffee will help and Raf is there, pouring a cup. I want to walk right back out, but I need the caffeine too much if I expect to get through the day. My mom steps in and smiles when she sees me.
“Raf agreed to take you to school today,” she says. “Can I make you some breakfast? Eggs, anyone?”
“I ate already. Thanks,” Raf says.
“Nothing for me. And I’ll take myself to school, thank you.”
“I’m not asking, I’m insisting,” Mom says.
I glare at her and she flinches but stands steady, her jaw clenching.
Raf leans back against the counter, grinning, his gaze ping-ponging back and forth.
I get a mug and fill it with coffee, pouring cream inside until it’s the perfect caramel shade.
“I’ll be ready to go in ten minutes,” Raf says.
I have to choke out the words, but I manage. “I’ll drink this, brush my teeth, and then I’ll be ready.”
“You’re not gonna do something with that?” He points to my face which is free of makeup and I fling all of that hatred toward him in my look. He doesn’t flinch at all. He laughs.
My mom lifts an eyebrow at him and he shuts up. I’d laugh if I weren’t so angry with both of them. I don’t know why my mom is trying to ruin my life, and I don’t know why Raf is either, but it’s nice to see her sort of defend me.
I’m grasping for straws here, anything to see Raf put in his place. I put a little bit of mascara and lipstick on, but it has nothing to do with Raf.
It doesn’t.
But he still smirks when he sees me like he’s sure that I put it on just to make him happy. I should’ve left my face clean just to spite him, but I’d feel naked if I went to school without any makeup and I’d rather feel better about myself than worry about what he’s assuming.
Ashton is waiting by my locker when I walk in and he holds his arms out wide when he sees me.
“I’ve missed you so much,” he says. “You should’ve let me come visit,” he whispers in my ear. “Everything okay at Raf’s? How long are you there?”
Raf slams his locker and I can feel his eyes on us, but I’m determined to pretend he doesn’t exist until he doesn’t faze me anymore.
“I’ve missed you too.” I get what I need and shut my locker. “I’m so ready to go home.” This I say loud enough that I know Raf hears me, and by the way he hits the lockers as he walks by, I know it’s worked.
I grin at Ashton and let out a long breath when Raf is gone.
“Fiery. I like it.” Ashton laughs. He stares after Raf. “Raf acted like he wanted to put me in the hospital. What’s been going on over there?”
“Ah…just Raf trying to be in control. Not gonna happen.” I feel my cheeks getting pink and try to subtly fan myself, but it doesn’t work.
“Gabi? What are you not saying?”
Luci walks up then and her smile is wide. “You totally missed Raf handing Heidi her ass yesterday at lunch. It was perfect.” She glances at Ashton and they laugh.
“What happened?”
“She tried to sit on his lap and he stood up and let her fall.” She checks to see if anyone is listening. “He’d told her to get up and she ignored him.” She shrugs and starts laughing again. “Her fault.”
If it were anyone but Heidi and her friends I’d think it was the meanest thing ever, especially if he did sleep with her the night before…but I file it away. Nothing about Raf makes any sense.
We go to class and I make sure I’m not missing any assignments. At lunch, there’s a commotion near the drinks when I walk in and I try to peer around the crowd. I get the salad, my appetite still a little weird since the craziness with my mom and my attack, and when I get closer to the drink station, a group of guys laugh around a phone. When one of them sees me, he nudges the guy next to him and they all turn to stare at me.
“What?” I look behind me to see who has their attention but it appears to be me. They shuffle until they’re out of my way.
I get a drink and feel like I’m being studied inside out. My hands shake when I walk past them and my insides are jittery when I hear them erupt into another long run of laughter. I keep walking and sit down at the first table, just so I don’t feel so conspicuous.
Luci finds me and sits down. “Weird table choice, but okay. Hey…what’s happening with those guys?”
“Are they looking over here right now?”
“No, but Raf just hit one.”
I turn around and see Raf holding a guy up by the neck before slamming him into the wall. Another guy is on the floor. The lunchroom erupts shortly after that with Ashton jumping in and hitting a guy that tries to hit Raf. Mr. Lauger and Mr. Soren get in the fray and stop the madness, dragging Raf and Ashton, along with two of the other guys, to the office.
“What the hell just happened?”
I text Ashton but he doesn’t answer me. They don’t come back during lunch and before I get to my next class, I’m still watching my phone every few seconds. Heidi and Amber walk by and they’re laughing at something on their phone. Heidi has her head down and nearly runs right into me. When I hold out my hand to stop her, she looks up at me, her expression pure evil.
“The lady of the hour,” she
