Chapter 9

“Hey, listen to this.” Annie held out one of her AirPods as we hung out under the oak in the courtyard the next morning. We’d both gotten here early after cross country, the two of us listening to music and chatting most days while people slowly trickled into the school.

I took one of my own out to slip hers in. “Solid beat.” I nodded, handing it back. “Who is that?”

“Broken by Seether. How are you doing, by the way?” she asked, keeping her headphone in her lap. She watched me, those green eyes of hers studying me, reminding me so much of Izzy at that moment.

“I’m good. Izzy believes Lisa, but I don’t.”

“You can’t just not believe it and make it not true. But I’m with you. Lisa’s sketchy. You need proof.”

I nodded, popping my own AirPod back in. It took about five more minutes before I spotted Lisa strutting down the sidewalk towards me.

“Here we go.” I pulled my headphones back out.

“No shame in her at all, is there?” Annie muttered, and I smirked.

“You in a better mood today?” Lisa stopped in front of me, flipping her long strawberry waves over her shoulder before placing her hands on her hips. There was a haughty look on her expression, like she’d already thought she’d won.

“I want a DNA test,” I deadpanned.

“What?” she faltered.

“I want a sonogram. Hell, I’ll even come to your next appointment if I have to. I need proof. Starting with this.” I reached into my backpack and pulled out a pregnancy test.

Lisa’s mouth opened and closed a few times before she recovered. “Already took one of those. Need to see it?” She reached for her purse. “Here.”

My stomach sickened to see the two pink lines she stuck in front of my face. I swatted it away. “Nuh-uh. You’re going to pee on this one.” I held up the one I’d sucked up and bought. “We can do it right now, or you can come to my place after school. Your choice.”

Lisa rolled her eyes. “Don’t be stupid, Tucker.”

“I’m not. Appointment and DNA test, and you pee on this stick, or you’ve got nothing from me. I pulled out of your fucking cunt, and who knows who else you slept with. You’re not dragging me down without proof.”

“You’re such an ass.”

“That you begged for. Twice.”

“Exactly. Twice. You never went back for seconds before me. So, color me shocked that you’re being such a dick when there might be consequences for it. Thought you might actually care.”

“About you? You thought wrong. I’m with Izzy, so a fake pregnancy isn’t going to change shit.”

“Argh, why are you being such a jerk?”

I shook the box. “Now or after school?”

“Since I don’t need to pee now, I guess after school.” She huffed, flicking her hair back before storming off.

I sat back, a ball in my stomach like lead. I dropped the pregnancy test back in my bag.

“Holy, hell, Tucker, that was awesome. A DNA test. And you’re gonna make her pee again. Love it.”

I looked at Annie, surprised to see Izzy and Jet standing beside her. I could tell from Jet’s face that he approved like Annie, but Izzy? One look at her expression and I knew she saw what I did. Lisa still wasn’t backing down.

“Oh, my God, did you hear?”

“About Tucker and Lisa? Pretty much almost everyone has now.”

“I can’t believe what an asshole he’s being.”

“I can’t believe she got knocked up.”

“Serves Tucker right with how much he was getting around.”

“I don’t know about that, but it’s gotta be just a matter of time until he and Izzy break up if it’s true.”

I spun around to glare at the idiot girls behind me and hissed, “Will you two shut up?”

Their eyes went wide, looking back and forth between me and Izzy as if they’d completely forgotten my sister was in this class.

“Sorry,”they mouthed, but I was too pissed to care.

Throwing them one last threatening glare, I turned back around to check on Izzy. She had her head propped against her hand on her desk as she doodled on her notebook. To most others, she’d look fine, but I saw the pain she was holding back. Felt it even. She was worried. I really couldn’t blame her, but hell, it had been amazing watching Tucker demolish Lisa this morning.

“You okay?”I mouthed, and Izzy nodded, both of us knowing she wasn’t. But at least I knew she’d make it through class.

Mr. Soliz stood up, a cue that the bell was about to ring, and I pulled out my Chromebook, ready to work. It was halfway through class that I realized the gossip hadn’t stopped, and the longer the morning went, the more the news about Lisa and Tucker was spreading like wildfire.

Every class I had past that, it was all I heard, but if I thought that was bad, it was rampant in the halls. Tucker was pissed while Jet and I were busy trying to shut it down. Izzy just looked sick.

I passed her on her way to dance class, giving her an encouraging squeeze, and headed off to my last class before lunch. We were starting group projects, and halfway through–with the Lisa bullshit being the only thing anyone wanted to talk about–I was ready to scream.

Feeling a couple of buzzes in my cropped sweater pocket, I slipped my phone out to peek at the screen.

Izzy: I’m out. I just can’t anymore. Meet up in the football stands for lunch?

Tucker: Yes. Please.

Jet: Sounds good.

Me: I’m game.

Jet: Text what y’all want, and I’ll pick up food.

Izzy: Bless you.

Quickly texting for him to grab me a burger, I Cash App’d Jet a few dollars, even though I knew he’d likely just send it back, and slipped my phone back into my pocket just as the teacher turned down my aisle. Giving my best innocent face, I continued with my notes, my stomach now grumbling for food.

As soon as the bell rang, I darted out of class, deciding at the last minute to stop by the bathrooms if we were heading way out to the stands for lunch. I’d just flushed and was about to unlatch the stall when the door pushed open, and I heard several sets of footsteps come in.

“Is it clear?” I heard Lisa’s voice. Like a cat, I quickly stepped up onto the toilet so they wouldn’t see my feet and then pulled out my phone, scrolling the camera to video. Something in my gut screaming shit was up. I could just feel it. My BS radar had been going nuts when she’d tried to talk to Tucker this morning.

I heard some movement, watching the shadow of their feet as they passed by each of the stalls, and then Larissa declared, “Clear.”

“Phoenix, lock the door.”

The lock clicked, and then Larissa gushed, “Oh, my God. What are you going to do? I can’t believe Tucker’s making you take a pregnancy test.”

“I know, but it’s fine. I still have some of my cousin’s pee that she gave me for that drug test for work. I’ll run home and slip it in my bag before going over to Tucker’s.”

“Okay, that solves that, but what are you going to do about a freaking doctor’s appointment? Or a DNA test? Boy definitely wants to cover all of his bases, right?” Phoenix chimed in.

“One thing at a time,” Lisa replied. “The main mission here is to convince him I’m pregnant so he and Izzy break up. I can get a sonogram pic from my cousin and then fake a miscarriage later or something. I mean, do you remember the look on Izzy’s face when she heard us? I’m so glad y’all saw her coming in here. It was the perfect opportunity.”

“Better than telling Tucker?”

“Tons.” I watched Lisa flip a hand through the crack in the stall door. “Izzy deserved to hear it firsthand. Way more believable for Tucker with it coming from her if she believes it. Right?”

“Except he doesn’t.”

“But he will.”

Hopping down, I flicked open the latch and stepped out. “Oh, but he won’t.” I waved my phone, loving the shock on their faces.

Lisa’s face turned feral. “Grab her.”

Oh, fuck she did not. I slid my phone into my pocket, cracking my knuckles. But if she insisted…

Larissa and Phoenix stepped back.

I stepped forward, closing in on Lisa until her back arched over the sink. Her head pressed against the mirror behind her.

“Go for it, bitch. You’ve done enough damage, so if you really wanna throw down, try me.” I slammed my hand against the mirror by her head, and she flinched. I smirked. “Thought so. All talk.”

She screeched, lunging for me when I headed for the door, but Phoenix grabbed her arm, yanking her back. I smirked, ready to pull the door open, when Lisa twisted away from her friend’s grip and lunged. My eyes widened, and I ducked, moving aside so that Lisa’s body slammed into the door. She screeched in frustration, and before I could react, Larissa was on me, and I heard my phone clatter to the floor. Oh, fuck no, she did not. My eyes flashed, and I spun, my hip knocking her into the side of the stalls so hard that her head smacked against them. She crouched down with a cry, grabbing her head, and I swooped down for my phone, managing to grab it just as Phoenix’s fingers brushed over the screen. Lisa howled again, her body lunging for mine. I threw an arm out as I jumped up, shoving her back into Phoenix, and they stumbled, falling back against the wall.

“Fucking bitch!” Lisa yelled as I reached for the door.

I just flipped her off over my shoulder and left, my heart pounding against my ribs from the adrenaline rush. Because that’s exactly what it was. A rush. Excitement at the narrow escape and my news now rushing through my veins.

As soon as I was outside, I literally sprinted over to the football stands, making it there just as Jet was passing out the food. Dropping my backpack to the metal floor, I straddled a seat, a wide, cheshire grin splitting my face.

“Guess what?”

“Ugh, you’re way too happy,” Tucker grumbled.

“Oh, but I’m not. Lisa’s fucking lying, and I have proof.”

All of their heads popped up, and I pulled out my phone, hitting play.

When the video was done, I thought Tucker was going to pass out from relief, and Izzy looked like she was going to cry. He grabbed her by the cheeks and pulled her in for a kiss.

“Thank God.” Jet sighed as we gave them their moment. “I had a feeling she was lying, but…”

“I know,” I agreed when he trailed off.

Izzy was wiping away tears when she and Tucker finally broke apart, and she leaned over to wrap me in a tight hug. “Have I told you how much I love you, sis? I mean, how lucky was it that you overheard that?”

“I know.”

“I can’t believe she wanted to fight you over it,” Jet commented, giving me a concerned look, but I just popped a shoulder.

“It was fine. She’s all talk. And I can take her, anyway. Now, can we please talk about something else?” I looked around at our group, relieved the drama was done. We’d still have to deal with the rumors, but… Oh. I pulled out my phone, posting the video on my socials and tagging friends before sending out texts.

“You done?” Jet asked with a grin after several minutes. “Because I actually do have news.”

My head popped up.

He looked around us, his eyes landing back on me. “I talked to Coach after practice yesterday. He said he’s talked a couple of scouts into coming to the next home game.”

“What?! Oh, my God! Why didn’t you start with that?!” I threw my arms around him and then whacked him in the arm. “Why didn’t you tell me last night?”

He mock-rubbed where I hit him. “We kind of had other drama last night. Remember?”

“That game’s homecoming, right?” Izzy asked, steering us back.

Jet nodded. “Think so.”

“Well, either way, that’s awesome, man.” Tucker clapped Jet on the back, and Izzy hopped up, coming around to the lower bench to wrap Jet in a hug.

“We’re so proud of you.”

He laughed. “Well, I don’t have it yet.”

“You will, though. I know it.” I crossed my fingers.

“Hey, we should do something that night. To celebrate. Even if Jet doesn’t find out right away, it’s still exciting,” Izzy said as she came back around to her seat.

“You mean like a party?” I perked up. “It’s homecoming. There’s bound to be some. Corey will, for sure.”

Izzy’s face scrunched. “Honestly, after the last few, I’m kind of over the party thing.”

“Same,” Tucker scowled, and I deflated.

“Then what?”

“We could do a campout again,” Jet suggested. “The way y’all meant for mine to go. But with just us.”

I watched Izzy visibly sag in relief. “Sounds perfect. I love it.”

Heading back over to the school after scarfing down our lunch, my video had already started making its way through the masses, and all the smack that had been on Tucker before was now turned around on Lisa. She glared at me, and I just waved, triumphantly grinning as she threw open the door to head to class.

“Man.” David walked up, giving Tucker a fist bump. “Close call there.”

“Definitely dodged that bullet.” Liam came up next, one of the team’s running backs.

“No kidding.” Tucker grinned. “Catch y’all in athletics.” He turned to Izzy as Jet hooked his arm around me, sweeping me up against him.

“You are amazing. You know that, right?”

“You could say it again.” I grinned.

“Amazing.” He leaned in for a kiss, gently nipping my lips before pulling away. I nudged Tucker’s arm to break him from Izzy, and she and I watched as our guys took off down the sidewalk, my eyes never straying from the strong plane of Jet’s back and his ass.

Izzy finally laughed, hooking her arm with mine as we headed to class. “Do you have any idea how relieved I am?”

“Tons, I’m sure.”

“Definitely. I feel like I’m walking on air. Now, let’s talk homecoming outfits.”

I groaned.