Page 58 of Jacob Michaels is Dead

“I’ll never face him,” I added quietly, once the tinkling of broken glass tapered off. “If I can avoid it.”

Oma just stared up at me in shock.

Then I stomped the rest of the way up the stairs. Once I’d made my way to my bedroom, I made sure to slam the door as hard as I could. The whole house shook.

“Stay down,” Lucas whispered as we huddled behind the bleachers.

“Okay.”

We had almost been seen. I managed to peek over my shoulder as I crouched there in the dirt under the bleachers in the football stadium. Jason and the other football players were walking through the bleachers, searching. I knew who they were searching for, but I wasn’t sure why.

“Why are they looking for you?”

Lucas looked over at me, his eyes locking onto mine.

“They still want me to join them.”

My eyes grew wide.

“But you’re not—”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Why would Jason-fucking-Morris think you’d want anything to do with them, Lucas?” I whispered. “They’re assholes.”

Lucas chewed at his lip.

“You’re obviously so not.”

He gave a nervous smile.

“You’re not—you’re not going to join them, are you?”

“I’d rather die.”

“I don’t want that either.” I teased.

“They’re going to make my life—our lives—really hard, Rob.” Lucas sighed. “I’m so sorry I got you into this.”

“We both cause trouble for each other.” I gave him a crooked smile.

Lucas returned the look.

“Trouble won’t stop us, though.” He stared into my eyes. “Right?”

“If it does—it’ll only be temporary.”

I held out my pinkie.

It was a juvenile gesture.

Lucas stared down at my pinkie with a wicked smile. Then he pulled me into him and smothered my mouth with his. When he pulled back, he was still smiling.

“That’s how I make promises.”

“I like your method.”

“LUCAS!”