I was pissed to say the least as I squealed out of the school parking lot.
I picked up my phone and dialed Drake. “Hey, you want to skip school and hang out today?” I asked.
“Sure, normal place?”
“Yep,” I answered.
“See you in ten.”
I disconnected without saying goodbye. I cranked the music to drown out the words taunting my head.
I got to Drake’s barn first and parked my car on the far side of the building where his parents were least likely to see it if they showed up for some reason. I was already inside waiting with a beer in my hand by the time he showed up.
“What’s going on?” Drake said, stepping into the building, eyeing the beer in my hand. He raised his eyebrows. “It must be big if you’re thinking about breaking your sobriety pact.”
“You were right about Kassandra,” I said, turning the can around in my hand, debating whether I should open it.
“Dude, seriously? Well shit, I really liked her,” Drake said, sitting on the second stool.
“Yeah, so did I.”
“So, what happened?” Drake asked, watching my inner battle with the beverage in my hand.
“One, her mom found out, and then all shit hit the fan when Kassandra found out I’m speaking at the hearing tomorrow,” I said.
He nodded his head. He wasn’t surprised by the news since we had discussed it in great detail when Kassandra was on vacation with her family.
“I guess the prosecutor had some thick folder on me with all my past bogus charges in it.”
“Are you shitting me?” he asked.
“Nope."
“Did you explain it all to Kass?”
“I did, but I was pissed that she believed the lies without checking with me first,” I said, chucking the beer in my hand as the anger in me flared up again. Drake and I watched as it exploded satisfyingly against the wall.
“Cool…” Drake started to say as a brunette-colored head peered in through the door.
“Is that anyway to greet a friend?” Carrie asked, dragging her beach chair in behind her.
“Dude, you called her?” I asked a sheepish looking Drake.
“I wasn’t sure what the issue was, and we normally do this stuff together,” Drake said, shrugging his shoulders.
“But she’s a chick,” I said.
“Wow, really? I forgot,” Carrie grumbled, sinking down in her chair.
“No offense. I just don’t know if a chick will get where I’m coming from on this,” I tried to explain.
“Because the male species is just so complicated,” she said dryly.
“No, because chicks normally stick together on this stuff,” I said.
“Well, now that you mention it. Wait, let me explain,” she said, holding up her hand to warn off my indignant protests. “I heard you say you’re surprised Kass didn’t come to you first to hear your explanation on the charges. Have you put yourself in her shoes? You come home to find out not only that your mom knows that you’ve secretly been seeing the son of the man that murdered your father, but that that same guy has a record.”
“Damn, girl, how long were you eavesdropping?” Drake asked admiringly.