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“One and only chance,” I tell him as he glances at his fallen friend. “Leave now or end up just like him.”
It takes him no less than two seconds to decide. He turns a
nd runs like the pussy he is.
When I turn around and face the girl, my whole world stops. Things move in slow motion as I stare into her light-brown eyes that grab me and don’t let go. She has the face of a goddess. I want to get down on my knees and worship between her thighs. How the fuck is she doing this to me?
“Are you all right?” I ask her. Her friend is shaking behind me, but he’ll be fine. I keep my eyes on her.
She turns to look back at her fallen attacker, but I gently turn her head away and pull her eyes back to me.
“Don’t look at him,” I tell her. “You don’t need to remember a piece of shit like him.”
“You—you saved me,” she stammers, her voice soft.
“What’s your name?” I ask her. I have to know.
“Merrell,” she replies.
“Merrell.” I nod back. Her name calms me, sinks into my chest like an antidote to my rage. “Merrell, I’m Jackson.”
She forces a smile, and I almost lose my shit. Never in my life have I been so smitten. Yeah, that’s what you call a first-round-knockout.
2
Merrell
“No, I wasn’t drinking, Mom,” I say for the fifth time this morning as I finish my Lucky Charms.
“Then why do you look hungover?” she asks. “You’re only eighteen, honey. You shouldn’t be drinking yet—”
“I wasn’t!” I snap as I get up and take my bowl to the sink. That was a little much, but she doesn’t snap back at me. I haven’t told her about last night—how I went to a movie in the city, how two men tried to mug me and a mysterious stranger showed up and saved me like a hero out of a movie. No, my mom is over-protective as it is. If I tell her that, I’ll never be allowed to leave the house again.
“Are you sick then?” she asks me. I have to make something up.
“I—I didn’t eat anything yesterday,” I reply. “I just have been feeling weak.”
A concerned look comes over my mom’s face and I already know I messed up. Here comes a conversation I don’t want to have.
“Honey, it’s okay that you’re not…as thin as the other girls…”
“Mom!” I blurt out, rushing from the kitchen.
“I—I just don’t want you to become anorexic, sweetie!”
“Mom,” I say, stopping and turning to her. Yelling isn’t going to make this better; she’s just worried about me, and this whole conversation is my fault. “I’m not anorexic. I wasn’t not eating because I’m worried about my weight; I just got caught up with things and forgot. I’ll make up for it today, okay?”
Mom hesitates, but eventually smiles.
“Okay, sweetie.”
I smile back as she gives me a kiss on the forehead, then make my way back upstairs to my room and close the door.
It’s my first summer as a free woman. I’m legally an adult and never have to go back to Newton High again. I’ve had more than enough of my share of spoiled rich kids and thought heading into Boston last night would be a great way of celebrating and seeing the “real world.” I guess I was wrong.
I thought I was going to die last night when those two men came at me. Sure, Ryan was with me, but Ryan is just about as tough as I am—maybe even less so. Honestly, I was surprised he didn’t faint. When it comes to music, movie recommendations, going shopping, or being up on the latest gossip, Ryan is the best. But when it comes to fighting? Yeah, not so much.
But then he showed up…
