Oh, no. Not thecheer-mafia. Had this been a set-up? They hated her for making thesquad. She knew it. She'd tried out for her mom, been surprised tomake the varsity team, and spent the past two years regretting itsilently. She didn't like the girls on the squad. She didn't likethe guys who followed them around.
Now, here shewas, looking into the face of the only boy at Hammond High Schoolshe truly admired, and they were all laughing at her. She wassuddenly ashamed of herself for putting on the stupid pink dressand being seen with a boy like John Lydon. She had even hintedgently to Jack— was he going to prom? But he'd shrugged and said hewas asked to come set up the light show. After doing that heplanned to go home. And then John asked, and she'd really wanted togo.
John thoughtshe was fat. Jack stood there, bleeding, sticking up for her. Roriwanted to die.
"If I'm so fatyou must be pathetic to want to 'get laid' that bad, John. You're apig. I'm calling my father and leaving. If you don't leave Jackalone I'm getting a chaperone from the gym."
They laughedsome more. She didn't care. It couldn't get any worse.
Lily Spense'snasal voice proved her wrong. "Why call daddy, Rori? Why not gohome with your boyfriend Flinch?"
Jack's faceburned red as he flung the broken eye-glasses he'd found on theground into the fountain. Shaking the hair out of his eyes in agesture that was achingly familiar, he turned before she could stophim, jogging toward the student parking lot. Rori called out to himbut he didn't stop or look back.
"I wish he wasmy boyfriend." She set her jaw, turning to face her squad-mates."He's the smartest guy in this school and he is always sweet toeveryone. You are all such bitches."
She knew theywere shocked, even if they were snickering. Rori never spoke up,never spoke out. She was shy, painfully so. But she'd realized—standing in a pink dress she hated at a prom that was the worstexperience of her life, listening to girls she couldn't stand laughat her, with the date she found repugnant— she was disgusted withherself. It was one thing to be shy, and another to becowardly.
"Oh go get yourboyfriend back, Rori." Lilith brayed and snorted.
"I wish Icould," she admitted to herself, tears dragging mascara down herface like dirty scars.
A ragged sobshook her from the memory. Rori glanced at the mirror above thebar, seeing the same black rivers on her face she'd seen all thoseyears ago.
"How about acup of coffee?" Rori glanced up. The bartender looked too young tobe drinking, much less serving. His name-tag read NORMAN.
"I think I needto be drunk tonight, Norman." She finished her glass of wine in asingle gulp. "How about something stiffer?"
"Won't make itbetter."
"It can't getworse."
Norman leanedover the bar and poured her the coffee she'd refused. He gave her awink, added a dash of Bailey's Irish Cream, and pushed it towardher. "On the house if you'll tell me your story."
So she did.
Chapter 8
John Lydon satat the Buzz Cafe, eyes fixed on Rori McLeary. She looked like hell.Dark glasses hid her hazel eyes. She hung on to the coffee cup infront of her with both hands, head bowed above it. The danish ather elbow lay untouched.
If Norman was areliable source, she was pretty hung over. The Jack Lynch insidehim ached; John Lydon wanted to put his arms around her. Histesticles twitched at the memory of his last attempt to touchRori.
Too soon.
She heaved asigh, slung her purse over her shoulder, tossed the danish in thetrash and headed for the door with her coffee. John looked up insurprise as she paused at his table on the way out.
"I owe you anapology." She sounded as if she wanted to spit something slimy outof her mouth. Obviously the apology was bitter on her tongue.
"No, Ror— it'sfine."
"What did youcall me?"
Dammit."Sorry." John Lydon shouldn't ever feel comfortable using thatshortened version of Victoria's already shortened name. Jack hadalways called her "Ror."
"Catch in mythroat. You look like you had a rough night."
"Well," shesaid, her tone clipped, "one of my oldest friends is in a coma. Thejerk from high school who bullied him for years is suddenly actinglike they're besties. And I'm hung over. So yeah, rough night isabout right."
"What happenedto 'I owe you an apology?'"
"I'm sorry forbecoming physically violent toward you. You're still an asshole.I'm not sorry for telling you so to your face."
"Ah." Johnsighed heavily. It's me, he thought, keeping his gaze steady on herdark glasses, wishing he could see her eyes. "If you'd like to seeJack I am staying with his mom. You could come with us to thehospital. You never know— maybe hearing the voice of an oldfriend?"
There was noway to miss the blatant suspicion on Rori's face. "You're stayingwith his mother?"
"Look, Rori,things change. I can't go into it. Some secrets aren't mine totell, and that's as far as I'll go. But let's just say that Jackand I came to be closer than you can begin to imagine, and leave itat that. Or... I'll also add that I am absolutely not the man youremember."
"Man? Iremember a spoiled, arrogant bully."
"You remembercorrectly." He kept his eyes on her, unwavering. See me."Look, right now only family is allowed in to see him, but they'llmake exceptions for his mother. I'm taking her to the hospital thisafternoon. Actually, I think she'd like to see you."
Rori finallypulled the dark glasses away, and his heart broke to see her hazeleyes rimmed with red.
"I don't knowwhat you're up to, Lydon. But I want to see Jack. He's the onlyreason I bothered to come back for this stupid reunion. What timeshould I be at the Lynch's?"
It took everyounce of control he had not to grin. "I'm headed that way now. Whydon't you come along?"
***
The street hadnot changed. Rori peered out the driver's side window of John'struck as they passed the house where she'd grown up. It
