“I need to let some people know that I found you and that you’re okay. A whole bunch of people were looking for you.”
“Oh, no. I didn’t–I didn’t mean for that to happen, for them to worry about me.”
He traced a tender hand down the side of my face, smoothing my hair down again, and drew me back to his chest. “I know, but despite your efforts to keep people at bay, you’ve failed horribly, and people care. I also don’t think you need to worry about people judging you about your mom.”
I started to shrug, but he stopped me, his hand resting on my shoulder.
He added, “I mean it. You have people, and some are louder than others. It’ll get blasted that the whole interview was a setup. Your mom’s truth doesn’t need to come out, but we’ll change the narrative. Let me do that for you.”
I’d had my dad in my corner, as much as he could be, as much as I would let him when I was a kid and when she had custody over me. Then I had a nurse from Fallen Crest and a cop. Now I had Cruz.
A softness came over me. “Yes. I’d really, really, really like that.”
“Good.” He leaned down, his lips finding mine. He was kissing me tenderly, delicately, gently.
“Gotta warn you also, we’ve had an audience the whole time.” He indicated the door.
Atwater and Barclay were there, both grinning and both waving.
Atwater said, “Heya, Mara. The tear-stricken look agrees with you. You can cry more around us, you know.”
I shook my head. “Shut up.” Atwater enveloped me in a big hug right away, lifting me off my feet.
Barclay was next, and he added, more quieter during our hug, “We got your back. Angela has your back. All your friends have your back. I’m sure your boy told you, but it’s going to be okay.”
He let me go, and Cruz stepped up, his arm going around my shoulders.
Maybe it would.
50
CRUZ
There was something interesting about a kid who threw a party for the rival hockey team, who stomped his team, at his fraternity and that the party was overflowing to the street. But that’s what Zeke Allen did. Once we let him know Mara was found, and okay, and being taken care of, he promptly said he was back to party hosting duties. We were given instructions and a timeframe when to show up, and well; we did. Most of the hockey team came with us, but that’d been after we took her to the hotel, got into our room, and she had a moment with her roommates.
I told Barclay and Atwater enough about her mom’s situation where they understood there was some serious “other” shit involved. They, in turn, took it upon themselves to start spreading the word that whatever that blogger wrote, she didn’t know shit about anything. Atwater knew a few of the bigger gossips from school, and he got on the phone asap with them. When we got to the party, I wasn’t surprised to see that some were studying Mara differently, more curious and less judgy.
It was working.
“She okay?” Zeke found me in the kitchen. I’d been watching Mara through the patio windows, to where she was sitting with some of her roommates. Tasmin and her whole group were also out there.
I gave him a nod. “She is.”
“Everything handled about the mom?”
I gave him a sharper look. “You’re aware?”
He nodded, folding his arms over his chest. “Came out earlier. Mara kept quiet about her mom almost our whole lives. I remember weird shit when we were in elementary school, but what kid remembers stuff from before fifth grade? You know? But yeah. It got out among our group back in January. The ones who care have let her know.”
I gave a slow nod. That said a lot right there. “Thank you.”
He laughed, shaking his head. “No way. I mean, you’re part of the reason she’s even letting us as close as we’ve gotten. She didn’t let us in last year. Though, I have to admit that I’ve changed a lot over the summer and fall. I don’t take my relationships for granted anymore. Daniels, she’s a good one. She’s sweet inside even when she wants the world to think she’s a bitch.”
“I’m aware.”
“Take care of her. You hear me?” He stood up, holding his hand out. All the other times I’d been around this kid, he’d been crazy or obnoxious or funny. This time, he was all serious.
I shook his hand back. “Keep being a good friend to her.”
He gave me a cocky smirk and saluted me with two fingers. “Planning on it. By the way, her and me, we never went there. There was a short time last year when she was a little messed up, but I didn’t go there. Felt like a sister.” He gazed at her, that cocky smirk getting even cockier. “I regret that somedays.”
I scowled. “I used to think you were okay. Not great, or good, but okay. Strange. A little odd, but okay. You want that shit to go away?”
He barked out a laugh, half hitting me in the chest. “I’m just joking.” He shrugged, winking before leaving. “Kinda.”
Yeah. Strange kid. Very strange.
Atwater headed over, breaking away from a couple girls. He held up his phone to me. “Angela’s all moved in.”
“Good.”
“Angela?”
Atwater cringed because just in the doorway, coming in was Wade. Miles and Darren were with him. “Where’s Angela moving?”
Atwater kept grimacing.
Miles was frowning, moving between us. A few Cain people were taking notice.
Wade asked, “You going to answer me?”
More Cain people came over, and there was movement outside. People were coming in from the back.
Zeke returned, his head angling around the corner until he saw something was happening, then he came the rest of the way. One of his fraternity brothers was next to him. They both pushed their way until they were just on the fringe.
“Atwater. What the fuck?” Wade’s voice went up a notch.
“Whoa, man.” Darren touched his chest.
Miles moved toward me, sipping his drink, but he gestured with his elbow to Wade. “Something up there?”
Wade was still giving Atwater a look, but at Miles’ question, all eyes came my way.
Zeke moved in, right beside me, and I glanced up, seeing Mara standing on a picnic table outside. She was leaning down to get a better look. At seeing me, at seeing Wade and his expression, her eyes got big, and she hopped down.
“Jesus, Kressup. You don’t think she’s got enough on her plate?”
“What?”
I lifted my chin toward the back, but I knew it was too late. Mara would be in here in two seconds. “You could’ve asked Atwater in private, not where there’s a scene.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Hey.” But Mara was here and settling in front of me.
Wade’s gaze went to her, then me, then Atwater. His eyebrows were pushed low. “What the fuck is going on?” He pointed at Atwater, then swung his hand to me. “He was talking to him about Angela. She’s moving in. Where’s she moving? Why’s everyone all concerned about this?” He asked the last part as he was noticing the crowd that had gathered.
Miles frowned at my direction, Mara’s, and Atwater’s before his gaze dropped to Atwater’s phone. “Angela hangs out with the hockey house. She said she was gone that Sunday, out of town. You two were at the beach. That’s where Carrington was arrested. Angela’s gone MIA, and you both have been tightlipped about what happened that day—” His eyes suddenly narrowed. “—about who he assaulted.”