A tiny smile curls my lips and I shove the note back between the pages of The Great Gatsby, then put the book away in my backpack.
I believe him. I have to. There’s no way he could do everything that he did with me, and then get with Natalie immediately afterward. I just—I can’t even wrap my head around it.
It’s like my brain won’t let me.
I pass through the rest of the morning in a haze. Always searching for Maggie—she still hasn’t texted me back—or trying to tune out the rumors about Crew and Natalie. They’re rampant.
It’s all anyone can talk about.
By the time lunch rolls around, I’m an internal mess, trying to keep it together. Still no Maggie to be found. I’m supposed to meet Crew and I’m scared to hear what he has to say, but there’s no way I’m not meeting with him.
I have to see him. I need reassurance.
As I’m leaving my fifth period class, I spot Natalie in the hall, our gazes locking for the briefest moment, hers knowing. That devilish smile on her face, as if she’s aware she’s messed up my world and there’s no coming back from it.
And she really doesn’t care.
I look away from her first, hating that I gave in, but I don’t want to have a confrontation in the hall with her that everyone would witness. That’ll make everything even worse.
Gosh, I really, really don’t like her.
Heading outside, I tuck my coat around me, glancing over my shoulder to make sure no one’s paying attention to where I’m going. But it’s so cold, everyone is pretty much in the dining hall, where I wish I was too.
Or maybe not.
Honestly, I wish I could run away from this place and never look back. Preferably with Crew by my side.
I walk behind the building where I found Crew and his friends doing drugs, and that moment seems like such a long time ago. So much has happened in such a short amount of time, it’s overwhelming.
I come to a stop when I see Crew standing there, his back to me, his face tilted toward the sky. He turns, as if he can sense I’m behind him, and then as if I have no control, I’m running toward him, his arms going wide as I practically throw myself at him. He holds me close, his mouth at my forehead, his hard, hot body warming the chill I haven’t been able to shake since I woke up this morning to Maggie knocking on my door.
“Birdy, you’re shaking,” he murmurs against my temple, just before he kisses it.
I melt against him, closing my eyes, savoring how tight he’s holding me. “Everything is a mess.”
“I know. But we have options.” He slips his fingers beneath my chin, lifting my face up. “We either ignore it and wait for another scandal to replace this one or…”
I frown, hating that option. “Or what?”
A sigh leaves him. “Or I expose Figueroa publicly and tell everyone he was with Natalie last night."
Oh, that’s right. We haven’t even discussed that yet.
“You really saw him with Natalie last night?”
“After you went inside, I saw a car pull into the parking lot. I ducked behind a bush when I realized it was Figueroa’s and waited to see who would get out of his car. I thought it would be Maggie.”
“He was supposed to meet her last night,” I whisper. “He texted her, said something else came up. She told me this morning.”
“Yeah, because he was with Natalie.” Crew’s expression is thunderous. “I told Matthews what I saw. He’ll have to report it to the authorities. She’s a minor.”
“This will devastate Maggie. She’s in love with him.” I don’t tell him about her being pregnant.
“In the end, she’ll know it was the right thing to do. He’s a creep. He’s playing two girls this semester, and he’s been doing it for years.” He scowls. “He was going to try and get with you next. I know he was.”
A shiver moves through me at the thought. Would I have fallen for it? Before Crew came along and disrupted my world, I might’ve. I don’t know. We’ll never know. “He probably hates me now. I told him to stay out of my business at the end of class, after you left.”
Crew’s brows shoot up. “You did?”
I nod, feeling bad over what I said to him, even though he deserved it. I don’t mention he was warning me off Crew. “And I never talk back to a teacher.”
He smiles. “My little birdy is getting her wings.”
“Stop.” I roll my eyes.
“It’s true.” He slowly runs his fingers through my hair. “I hate the rumors that are out there right now. Natalie’s not stopping them. She told Matthews we were meeting up last night before we got caught.”