The all-consuming bear hug Justin gave me when I answered the door a little while later felt good. Right. It had been way too long since we’d seen one another.
“Make her rest,” my mom said on her way out the door, after receiving her own hug. Justin frowned at the directive but simply nodded. “There’s lasagna in the fridge. I expect it to be gone when I get back home.”
“You got it, Ms. R.” His eyes brightened at the idea of food.
The door shut behind her and her truck sputtered to a start on the third crank. Justin studied me from the doorway. “What was that all about?”
“Thanks for coming over,” I said, heading back to the couch. I definitely felt a little woozy and my head hurt. “I had a little episode and Mom didn’t want to leave me alone.”
He sprang to life, following me to the couch and offering me his arm to ease down. “What kind of episode?”
I took a deep breath. “I had a pretty bad panic attack. I was at the library and just felt overwhelmed. I passed out—hit my head.”
His eyes widen and the line that appeared between his eyes when he was worried shows up. “Holy shit. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It was just the accumulation of some stuff. A big project, new friends, constant online bullying…”
He sat on the couch and dragged my legs over his. “I’ve seen the photos. I’m so sorry I got you into all this. I thought they would stop but…Heaven, who are all those guys?”
I pulled out my phone and opened the app. With my index finger I flipped through each one. “You—fake. Eric—fake, which you already knew because oh my god you never told me he was gay!”
“Sorry. Not my place.”
I huffed, knowing he was right. “Garrett fake. Ben fake.” My finger hovered over the next one. Hayden and I in the garden. I could still smell him; the sexy mixture of cologne and rain. I recalled the way his lips felt on my forehead.
“And this guy?” he asked, narrowing his eyes. “That’s Hayden Perkins, right? I played football against him. Big soccer star now?”
“Yeah, that’s Hayden.”
“You caught the attention of one of the Allendale Four. Impressive.” He peers at the photo. “Although in that outfit…damn, you look hot.”
I blushed at the compliment, even if it did come from Justin, and flipped through the others, my finger moving fast. I didn’t add any commentary. “You’ve kept up this charade for a long time. No wonder you’re exhausted. I never should have gotten you into this. It wasn’t worth it.”
I shifted uncomfortably. Justin’s request started all of this. Some of it was bad, but other parts? It changed me into a different—better—per
son. I wanted him to know that.
“Not all of those were fake,” I confessed.
His eyebrows shot up. “No?”
“No. I’ve met some really amazing guys. They mean a lot to me. That never would have happened if we didn’t fake having sex that night.”
His jaw ticked and his shoulders visibly tightened. “You’re saying they like you because of what they think happened to us?”
I shook my head. “No. No, absolutely not. There are some guys that did act that way and I’ve learned a lot about everyone at school. But not everyone is awful. These guys, they defended me. They’ve protected me from the slimeballs at school. The disgusting perverts like Spencer and Mark. They’re my…friends.”
“Are you sure? Because if they’re using you—or messing with you in any way, Heaven, I will tear them apart limb by limb.”
I touched his shoulder. “They’re not. I promise.”
He exhaled, calming a little. “Any idea who’s taking the photos?”
“No. It’s creepy as hell, too. They seem to be everywhere.” I’d been hesitant to use the word. “It’s like they’re stalking me.”
“Have you told your mom?”
“What? No. I can’t get her involved in this.”