Peter scowled. “We stick to our own.”

He didn’t look happy about it.

“I told you guys to screw off.”

Emily shrugged as the class started. “Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve heard it from someone in the group.”

“What about Miranda?”

Peter clenched his jaw and turned away. Emily gave me an eye roll. “Still in. She knows too much. What do you do?”

And like that, I was in. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but it seemed like a done deal. The rest of the school seemed to already know. When I left for my next class, the crowd parted for me. I was alone this time.

Cassandra and Mark sat with me in my next class, and the day followed like that. I was about to head into the cafeteria with Becky when I stopped in my tracks. Lydia and Jessica stood there. They looked like they were headed the opposite way. Jessica froze and the blood drained from her face. Lydia gave me a look that was half a scowl and half a smile. It twisted her features and then Becky tugged on my arm to go around. As we passed each other, I glanced back. Lydia and Jessica both watched us but turned back quickly and hurried away.

That seemed to be the official end of my friendship with those two. They acted like they never knew me for the rest of the day. After my last class, they parted with the crowd, and I was another member of the Elite to them.

In some ways, it was sad to me, but I was relieved at the same time. They loved to gossip about the Elite before, and I wondered if they would gossip about me now. I didn’t care either way, but it felt odd to me.

When I headed to my car, Adam fell in step with me.

“What does it mean now?”

He tilted his head towards me. “What do you mean?”

“Now that I’m a part of the group, what does it mean? Do we hang out and braid each other’s hair?”

He gave me a crooked grin and slid his hands in his front pockets. He shrugged. “I’m not sure about the braiding, but it’s what you’ve already seen. We can sit together or not. We can have meals together, hang out at parties together, whatever. You don’t have to even say hi to us, if you don’t want. That’s your choice. I’m sure we’ll have dinners together every now and then. I know Emily and Mark would love if you’d come to some of those.”

“Peter said you stick to your own?”

A dimple flashed in his cheek. “That’s because Peter has no other friends. He’s not good with the social skills, if you haven’t noticed.” Then he took a deep breath. “So you and Mason, huh? It’s official?” His smile seemed shaky.

I nodded. “Going on three months now.”

“That’s not weird with the folks?”

I shrugged. “They don’t like it, but…”

“He told ‘em to go to hell?”

“More like ‘fuck off.’”

He flashed a grin. “That sounds like Kade alright.” Then he grew serious. “But he’s good to you?”

“He’s good to me.”

Adam nodded and let out a small breath. His shoulders loosened, and he seemed more at ease. “That’s good. I know I haven’t been the greatest friend to you, but as long as he’s good to you. That’s good to hear.”

“And you and Becky?”

His shoulders stiffened again. “What about me and Becky?”

I’d had enough with the small talk. “Can you stop playing with her emotions? Date her or cut her loose. You’re not doing her any favors.”

He looked about to argue with me.

I snapped out, “And you know it.”

He let loose a big sigh and his shoulders slumped forward. “I know, I know. But I care for her.”

“Stop toying with her and stop trying to f**k with my friendship with her.” I waited a beat and held his gaze steady. “Or you and I are going to have a problem. She’s my friend, my only friend.”

“What about me? And the Elite?” He narrowed his eyes.

I never blinked. “She’s my only friend. Don’t mess with that, Adam.”

He gave me a small frown. “Okay. Noted.”

And as I headed to my car and headed towards Garrett’s house, I wondered if it really was noted. My gut told me otherwise and my hands clenched on the steering wheel. Adam wasn’t known for being honest and genuine. I used to think he was, but that image had been shattered awhile ago. Then as I got to the house and let myself in, reggae music blasted through the air, mixing with the aroma of roasted chicken and the sounds of something boiling on the stove.

Garrett stood in the kitchen with a brightly colored apron on over khaki dress pants and a red polo. He looked ready to go golfing, sans the apron. He flashed me a smile and waved a steel spatula in one hand with a drink in his other.

“Hey! It’s my child. How was school?”

I slowly took my book bag off from my shoulder and let it slip from my two fingers. It dropped with a thud to the ground as my eyebrows rose. “I’m popular now.”

He took a long sip from his straw that was adorned with a parasol umbrella and bobbed his head in rhythm with the music. “Never doubted it. How’d it happen?” He turned and flipped the chicken over on the grill.

“I told them to f**k off.” I flushed as I realized it was becoming my favorite phrase.

He chuckled and slid the chicken onto a plate. “That sounds like my kid. Way to go. Did you find the bucket of condoms I left for you?”

I flushed again and averted my eyes. That’s when I saw the table was set with four placemats. “Are we expecting company?”

He shook his head, but let his question slide. “I invited Mason and Logan. They’ll be here in an hour. I guess they’re going to shoot hoops tonight at the gym. They even invited me.” He wiggled his eyebrows at me. “What do you think? You think this old man could keep up with those young kids?”

I flashed back to when I first met my biological father. He asked if I was training for a marathon. There was no other reason for running that long. I chuckled now. “I think you’ll hold your own.”

He winked and swished around to refill his drink. “Go on.” He jerked his head towards the door. “I know you want to run. Be back in an hour or we’ll start without you.”

Relief flooded me and I took the stairs two at a time. It wasn’t long before I had my warm running clothes on and bypassed the kitchen on the way out. Once I was outside, I hit the pavement hard. Soon my blood flow warmed my limbs and I was sprinting by the end of the block. He said an hour. I was going to make it worthwhile.