“Liam, come on.” I don’t want them to get into a fight, though I think it’s too late for that. But these guys are friends. I don’t want to come in between them. I jump to my feet and reach for my backpack. “Let’s go outside and talk.”
The last thing I want to do is continue this conversation with Liam, but I also don’t want things to get worse between him and Beck.
They completely ignore me, though. Too busy having a staring match to listen to what I have to say.
“Yeah, well, at least I’m not a mediocre player who spends the majority of his game time standing on the sidelines,” Beck tosses back at him like a bomb.
Uh oh.
I back up just in time.
Liam lunges for him, his arm swinging out and only grazing Beck’s chin when he jerks back at the last second. It’s Beck who makes contact first, his fist colliding with Liam’s eye.
“Fuck!” Liam roars.
That gets everyone’s attention.
I’m shrieking, begging them to stop. The librarian is behind her desk and on the phone, calling administration, I’m sure. The librarian assistant is running toward us, demanding that they break apart. One of the guys from the football team joins in the fray, getting in the middle of them and pushing Liam away from Beck, who’s rubbing at the side of his mouth, his chest heaving.
I stare at him in shock. I can’t believe they were fighting.
Over me.
Beck cradles the side of his face, his knuckles red and raw from hitting Liam. His eyes are wild and when they meet mine, he flashes me a closed-mouth smile.
Oh shit. That was kind of…
Hot.
I go to Beck, my hand curving around the spot where Liam hit him, making him wince.
“Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. Are you all right? You didn’t get hurt, did you?” Beck runs his hands over my shoulders, down my arms, shocking me.
He just got into a fight, and he’s making sure I’m all right?
Mrs. Adney chooses that moment to bustle into the library, and everything immediately calms. Adney has been the vice principal at our high school for years. No one messes with her. She’s a freaking institution at this place.
“What in the world is going on here?” she asks, when she comes to a stop at our table. Her gaze finds mine. “Addison Douglas, please don’t tell me you’re in the middle of this?”
I am one hundred percent in the middle of this. The only reason they’re arguing is because of me. I’m about to open my mouth and tell her exactly that when Beck speaks over me.
“She’s not, Miz Adney. This is just between Liam and me.”
Oh God. He just totally protected me. I can’t even look at him right now, not with the way Mrs. Adney is watching me, her shrewd gaze telling me she’s on to us.
“Boys, in my office. Now,” she demands, taking a couple of steps closer to me. “I’ll want to talk to you as well, Addison.”
I swallow hard, fighting the nerves swarming inside me. I’ve never been in trouble before, like ever. This is a total first.
“Let’s go,” Adney commands before she heads toward the doors. Liam and Beck fall into step behind her, keeping their distance, and I grab my backpack, ducking my head as I walk through the library. Everyone’s eyes on us as we exit.
The gossip is going to be absolutely rampant. It’ll be all over school by the final bell, just watch.
I trudge up the hill toward the administration building, grateful when Beck stops to walk beside me.
“You sure you’re okay?” he asks, his voice low.
“I should be asking you that,” I murmur. “How’s your jaw?”
“His fist barely made a connection, but it still kind of hurts.” He touches the side of his face, wincing. “I’m going down.”
“What do you mean?”
“We’re both going to get suspended. They don’t tolerate fighting on campus,” Beck says, worry filling his eyes. “My dad is gonna kill me.”
My heart aches for him. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s not your fault. He shouldn’t talk to you like that.” He sends me a quick glance, his brows drawn together. “He’s rude as fuck, Addie. Tell him to leave you alone, or I’ll tell him for you.”
Beck doesn’t say this quietly and, of course, Liam turns, fury in his features. “Fuck off, Callahan. You’re asking for it.”
“No, you’re asking for it, Mr. Thatcher, by threatening another student in my presence.” Mrs. Adney stops and turns to face us all, standing above us since we’re on a hill. “Beck, do not speak to Addison. You’re only making things worse. Addison, come up here and walk with me.”
I do as she says, sending an apologetic look in Beck’s direction as I walk past him.
I don’t even look at Liam. I’m too mad at him.
Way too mad.
We walk the rest of the way to Adney’s office in complete silence, her walkie-talkie crackling with activity every few seconds, I swear. It’s hot outside, the sun bearing down on us, and I can feel the sweat start to form on my hairline.
Just another fun Monday afternoon in high school.
Adney ushers Liam and Beck into her office and makes me wait outside in the chairs next to the front desk, where the school secretary, Kelli, sits. She smiles at me, her eyes full of worry.
“Everything okay, hon?”
“I’m fine,” I say with a nod, grabbing my phone from my backpack, not surprised to see I have text messages.
From Tori:
Uh, I just heard there was a fight in the library between Liam and Beck????!!!!! I need deets!!!!
From Emma:
Did I just see you head up to the office with Adney and the boys?
From Reagan, another girl on my volleyball team:
Girl, what happened? You got caught up in the middle of a fight in the library?
I don’t bother answering any of them. My fingers are too shaky to type anything out anyway.
Shoving my phone back into my backpack, I slump in my seat, my mind filled with all of the things Adney could say to my mother when she calls her.
Will she call her? Will I get in trouble? I didn’t instigate this fight, but I am squarely in the middle of it, just as Adney suspects. Mom is upset with me already for staying out five freaking minutes late with Beck. The guilt I feel over hooking up with him when I know that’s her biggest fear doesn’t help.
When she finds out Beck fought another boy over me, she’s really going to lose it.
They’re in there for so long. I’m freaking out by the time the boys finally exit Adney’s office, Beck hanging his head, and Liam’s head held high so everyone can look at the black eye forming, I assume.
It’s going to be a nasty one too.
Beck stops at the counter of Kelli’s desk, glancing over his shoulder to offer me a quick smile. Liam walks straight past him and heads for the exit. He pauses next to me to say, “Hope you’re happy with your choice.”
Then he’s gone, pushing through the double doors so hard, they slam back into place, rattling the window.
“Addison, you can come in now,” Mrs. Adney says from behind me.
I turn to face her and slowly approach her office doorway. She’s already seated behind the desk, and I walk inside, looking around at the various Badger memorabilia lining the walls. The photos and the artwork span at least twenty years.