“No,” I shook my head. “You gave up. That’s what you did and then you started hanging out with this crowd. You make it sound like we’re the crowned throne that reigns over the entire student body. It’s not like that at all.”

“Really?”

One of Yerling’s buddies grew disgusted and snarled, “We didn’t come to hash out girlfriend issues. We came to mess up your house, Jeneve.”

He wanted fear, but he got a laugh instead.

“Seems to be the theme,” I said easily. “I already trashed it. Bryce and Corrigan had a go today. You’re welcome to it.”

He flashed confusion and Chad chuckled, an ugly sound. He moved forward and remarked, “This is what she does. She plays with your mind, laughs in your face, and then she taunts you with her body.”

I arched an eyebrow, “Really? Did I tease you? Is that why you turned psycho too?”

“Seems to be the theme,” Mena mocked me, twisting my words.

“For all your show—you’re nothing, but a tease, Sheldon. Everyone hates a tease,” Chad spoke again.

He stepped forward again and I cooed, “Oh—you’re getting more confident.

Now the real Chad is coming back, makes me wonder where you went?”

“You want to know? You really want to know?” He baited me, ruthlessly, but I didn’t care.

I followed the crumbs and took the hook, “Yeah, Chad, I want to know. It’s why I asked.”

“Your boys made it pretty clear that if I ever talked to you again, I’d end up in a body cast instead of a grave.”

That sounded like them.

I shrugged, “We’ll find out, won’t we?”

He barked out a laugh and shook his head in amazement, “I can’t believe you.

You’re outnumbered fifteen to one and you’re still flinging insults in our faces. When do you get real?”

“Are you serious? Do you think you’re my big problem?” I threw back, actually enjoying this. “You’re nothing. You’re just a guy trying to be bigger than who you are. If you were really who you say you are—you wouldn’t be crashing a high school party.” I stepped back and delivered, cruelly, “How sad is that?”

Mena finally reared her head and spat out, “I think you’re the sad one, Sheldon!”

“Finally!” I exclaimed with a wide smile. “I’d like to meet the real Mena, not the façade that you’ve shown me this whole time.” I added, “I am not friends with weak people. If you want to be my friend, you have to prove you’ve got some spine behind you. That’s who I am, Mena. I respect nothing less.”

“I am not weak!” Mena cried out with tears that rolled down her face. She hiccupped, “I just…Bryce was so mean. He—,” “—because he thinks something’s wrong with you!” I shut her up. “Is something wrong with you? Are you fixated on me?”

The guys held their breaths and it was just me and Mena.

Mena finally broke when she bit out, “I never knew you could be so vindictive.”

I rolled my eyes and stepped back, suddenly disgusted and tired of weakness.

Another group of students turned the corner at that moment and I recognized the Barton siblings, alongside Teddy and two other guys. One was Darrell—the kid that Bryce and I had threatened to keep him from ratting on Corrigan. Teddy sent me a tentative grin, but he glanced towards Tim and Grace, who were captivated with Mena in that moment.

I stepped further back. This was no longer about myself, but Mena.

“Hi, Mena,” Grace said softly with a kind expression.

Mena saw it, twisted it, and sent it back snarling, “Hi, Gracey.”

Grace caught the infliction of tone and knew it wasn’t in warmth. She still held her head high and said calmly, not afflicted, “I was wondering how you were. You haven’t returned my phone calls.”

“Are you serious?” Mena laughed, caught my gaze, and stopped short.

To tell the truth—I was mystified. I watched as Grace smiled, still, and commented, “My mom really liked meeting you. She was wondering if you’d come for dinner Sunday evening?”

“Are you…demented?” Mena asked harshly.

Grace still stood before her and replied, “No. We’re having spaghetti. I know, I know. It’s kinda a lame meal, but I like to stir the noodles. If you come, we could watch a movie afterwards.”

“And brush each other’s hair?” Mena taunted.

“No,” Grace said simply. “I know you think I’m a nerd.”

“Mena!” A shout sounded across the yards and Mena groaned.

Denton darted across the separating lawns, frowning fiercely and he stopped just short of the crowd. Denton’s gaze traveled to me, stopped short, and his jaw clenched one more time before he spat out, “We’re going, Mena. Now!”

“No.”

“Yes.” And Denton grasped her arm, but she wrenched it away and scurried towards Yerling.

“No! Go order Kari around. I’m tired of hearing your orders,” Mena said hotly.

“Mena. Now,” Denton clipped out.

“No!”

“I’m tired of this. If you don’t stop it, you’ll—”

“What?” The younger sister cut off her older overpowering brother, defiantly.

“What? You’ll do what? I’ll do what?”

“You’ll go back,” he said quietly as the fight left him. “I’ve done what I could, but you’re spiraling out of control again. You’re off your—”

“My psychotic meds?” Mena provided for him, angrily.

“Where will you go back?” I asked and pushed from the wall. A path cleared for me and Mena bit her lip as she glanced towards me. “Where were you—really?”

Denton sighed and murmured, “Mena.”

“No!” She said sharply.

“Mena. Please.”

She abruptly shrieked, “You didn’t want me to be friends with her because she was yours! You just didn’t want to share her.”

An ugly taste formed in my mouth as I heard her cries as she continued, “I just wanted to be her friend, but you couldn’t handle that. And, surprise surprise, when I’m not—you’re over here the first chance you got. And you were back here last night. I saw you. You showed up because you’re in love with her!”