Thank God.

   I thank Dr. Matthews, and we get into Logan’s car. I then realize how long I’ve been gone. I need to pick up Julie from her friend’s house, which is on the other side of town from where I left Mandy’s van. Logan offers to go with me to pick Julie up then drive me back to collect the car.

   “Thanks so much for this. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate it. I would normally have Megan in times like this. It’s just . . .” I trail off.

   “Have you spoken to her yet?”

   “Nope, not a single word.”

   It turns out that Logan’s house is around the corner from Julie’s friend’s, so after we pick her up, he wants to stop by to pick up his gear. He has plans to meet Jake at the cages soon.

   “Hey, Julie,” Logan says, looking at her in the rearview mirror of his Mercedes convertible. The top is down. “Knock, knock?”

   Julie giggles. “Who’s there?”

   “Wooden.”

   “Wooden who?”

   “Wooden you like to know.”

   Julie cracks up. It’s one of those jokes that’s so dumb, it’s hilarious—like “Why did the kid fall off the swing? Because he has no arms!”

   We’re all laughing like idiots when we pull into Logan’s driveway. A familiar truck is already there. I look at Logan, wide-eyed. He holds his hands up in surrender. “I didn’t say a word—I swear it.”

   We look at the truck and see Jake step out.

   His fists are balled at his side.

   Jaw tense.

   Eyes filled with rage.

   He’s pissed.

   Beyond pissed.

   “You girls stay here, okay?” Logan says before hopping out of the car.

               JAKE

         I’m sitting in my truck, about to text Kayla to meet me at the cages because I miss the shit out of her, when I hear a car pull up and people laughing. I turn and see Logan, Kayla, and Julie.

   What in the actual fuck.

   I hop out of the truck, and it takes everything I have to not run up to this asshole and punch him. I couldn’t give a shit about my hand. It’s the last fucking thing I care about.

   Logan approaches me, hands up. “Whatever you’re thinking right now, quit. It’s not what you think—not even close.”

   “Then start talking, asshole.” I shove him so hard on the chest, he falls back a few steps. I hear Julie squeal in the car, but I don’t give a shit. “Explain to me why the fuck you’re playing family with my girl and my sister?”

   “I can’t,” he says, shaking his head and looking down.

   “What the fuck do you mean you can’t?”

   I’m in his face now so he’ll look me in the eye when he tells me he’s been screwing the girl I’m in love with.

   In love with. Shit.

   “I can’t, dude—it’s not for me to say.”

   “What the fuck does that even mean?” I push him again, harder this time.

   “Quit pushing me, asshole! I’m two seconds away from pushing the fuck back.”

   Rage consumes me. I’m so fucking pissed, I don’t even know what to think. How the fuck can they do this to me—and around Julie?

   “Julie, wait!” I hear Kayla yell. Julie jumps out of the car and runs into the street. She doesn’t look before crossing, and a car has to brake at the last minute to avoid hitting her straight-on. She screams, and Kayla runs over to her and picks her up in her arms.

   “Get in the fucking truck, now!” I yell at them.

   Julie sobs harder. Kayla carries her over to the truck. “Quit yelling at her! She’s scared!” Kayla shouts back.

   “I don’t give a shit! Just get her in the goddamn truck!” I scream at them.

   “No!” Julie shrieks. “I don’t want to go anywhere with you! You’re an asshole!”

   She’s never spoken to me like this before, but I’ve never acted this way in front of her. In fact, I’ve never acted this way at all. I breathe in and out a few times, eyes closed, trying to calm down. When I open them, I see Kayla crying, holding Julie in her arms, and whispering soothing words in her ear.

   “I—I’m sorry, JuJu,” I stammer. “Just please get in the truck.”

   “We get it, we’re going,” Kayla says. She looks at Logan for a second and tries to convey a message with her eyes.

   What the fuck.

   I’m done with this shit.

TWENTY-SIX

JAKE

   Julie cries the whole way home. It’s the only sound in the truck the entire ride.

   When we get home, Kayla carries Julie into the house and up to her room. I go to my room and slam the door. The frames hanging in the hallway fall and hit the floor. I hear Mom at the bottom of the stairs cry out, “What the hell?”

   A few minutes pass before my bedroom door opens. Something flies in the air and hits me square in the head. I pick it up. It’s Kayla’s phone. I look up at her.

   “You better call your best friend and apologize for being such an asshole. Then you better go see Julie and start making it up to her big-time, because that little girl is a mess, and you’re the asshole who did that to her.” She’s fuming. I’ve never seen her this angry—not even when she caught James and Megan together. Fuck.

   She turns to leave. I jump off my bed and run to her, grabbing her arm to force her to look at me.

   “What?” she growls.

   “What the fuck is going on?”

   “What the fuck do you think is going on, Jake?”

   “You tell me! You were the one playing happy-little-family with my sister and Logan. Did you have a good old laugh together? What were you two doing? Talking about how stupid I am—how stupid Jake has no idea what you guys are up to?”

   “That’s what you think—that we’re fucking behind your back?”

   “That’s what it looks like to me!”

   “He’s your best friend, Jake! There’s no way—”

   “So fucking what? Megan was your best friend!”

   Her expression falls instantly. Tears immediately pool in her eyes, but she’s quick to wipe them away. “Call Logan,” she says, before turning and slamming the door behind her.

           MIKAYLA