Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 81248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 81248 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 406(@200wpm)___ 325(@250wpm)___ 271(@300wpm)
“Oh.” She frowns. “Were people mean to you?”
“Yes, actually, I was bullied a lot. The whole way through.”
“That sucks.”
“It did.”
Her gaze drops into her lap, and I’m worried the conversation is going to end there, when she says softly, “Sometimes people say mean things to me too.”
I turn so I’m completely facing her. “Really?”
“They call me …” She wrinkles her nose. “I don’t even want to say. And I know they’re only jealous, but when I go to sit with people at lunch and they turn their backs on me or walk away, it hurts.”
My heart aches for her because I know exactly what she means. “They’re isolating you?”
“It’s this one group of girls. They’re all really cool, and I want them to like me, but they’re just so mean.”
“I wanted my bullies to like me too. I didn’t feel like the geek everyone made me out to be, I just felt like me. But apparently, who I was wasn’t good enough for them.”
“Exactly. And the thing is, if they were nice and my friends, all my guy friends would want to hang out with them too. But they won’t now.”
“Your guy friends stand up for you?”
“Yeah, but … there are times they can’t. Like in PE. And I’m worried that when it comes time for high school, they’re not going to think it’s cool to hang out with a girl anymore.”
“It sounds like there’s a lot on your mind.”
“There is.”
“Maybe you could talk to your friends about it? I didn’t have anyone, and maybe if I did, it would have been easier. But you know what?”
Her eyes narrow. “Are you going to give me some old-person story of how much better things get?”
I throw my head back and laugh. “That was exactly what I was going to do.”
“It’s fine, I know.”
We’re silent for a moment. “Have you talked to West about it?”
“No … Well, once. But he’s always so stressed about, like, everything. And all he wants to do is fix things, and when he can’t, you should see how much he panics. I told him everything was fine to get him to calm down.”
Ouch. Poor West. “You know it’s because he cares.”
“Obviously. He’s my brother. But I get that you’re his boyfriend and you’re not allowed to say anything mean about him.”
“I don’t know.” I drum my fingers on the table. “His cooking is pretty terrible.”
She smiles. “I like it. Well, when it isn’t burned, that is.”
“I don’t want you to be offended by this, but do you think talking to a professional would help?”
She’s quick to shake her head. “No. Like, it sucks, some days more than others, but at the moment, I’m okay. It only bothers me when it’s happening, usually. Then I go skate it off.”
“Like your brother.”
“Like two of them.”
Ah, Asher. Exactly who I need to be reminded of right now. “Well, you don’t have to take me up on it, but if you ever want to talk to someone who understands, I’m here. I can’t promise not to tell West if there’s something I’m concerned about, but if you only need to get things off your chest, I’m here for you.”
“Thanks.” She absentmindedly taps her laptop to wake it up again. “You won’t tell him about today, will you? He really doesn’t need to worry.”
“I won’t.” She hasn’t told me much more than she told West anyway. I will be keeping an eye on her while I’m around though. No kid should have to deal with bullies. “One more thing.”
“Yeah?”
I nod to her computer. “Are any of them messaging you or any online stuff going on? Or is this limited to school.”
“Only school.”
“And if they do start to message you, can you promise to tell West? I know you don’t want to stress him out, but he’ll be more stressed if you don’t.”
“Yeah, I wouldn’t let them get away with that.”
If there’s one thing to be said about the Daltons, none of them are pushovers, that’s for sure.
“Sorry, I’m back,” Rhys says, joining us again. “Everything okay?”
“Fine. Just realizing that tutoring you might give me the reputation of being nice. Can’t have that on campus.” I wink at him so he knows I’m joking.
“When do we get to work there? I want to see what CU looks like.”
“Just trying to get transport arrangements organized with your brother.”
“I can catch the bus. I’m not a kid.”
I’m sure at his age I would have felt the same, and what does it say about me that I hard-core disagree with that statement? “You’ll need to talk to West about that. But either way, hopefully we can work it out soon.”
There’s a scoff behind me. “We can only hope.”
I jump and turn toward where Asher and his boyfriend are leaning in the doorway.
“What are you doing here?” Asher barks.