Pitched

Me: no

Him: girls at the table next to me are saying u r

Me: they would be wrong

Him: says you made some girl cry

Me: I’ve never made any girl cry. Batters yes girls no

Him: Trixie? No Tricia

Me: Tricia? Why would she be crying over me

Him: U gave another girl a ride home u never do that so ur dating the other girl

Thyre here

Me: who?

Him: Tricia and ur gf

Me: I don’t have

I stop typing. Tricia and my girlfriend? The girl I gave a ride home to? GG? I erase my text and send a last one.

Me: I’m omw don’t let them leave

Him: ??

I sprint to my car and gun the engine, nearly hitting Hayes on my way out. He shouts some obscenity at me, but I ignore it and motor forward. The mall’s not that far away, so not ten minutes later, I’m at the edge of the food court scanning for my brother. I spot him and a table of four girls not too far away from him. They’re sort of eyeing each other surreptitiously, but GG is nowhere to be found.

I turn back toward the stores, but her white-blond hair is nowhere to be seen. Frustrated, I shove my hands into my jeans pockets and make my way to my brother.

“Wow, you were serious.” He moves over to make room for me. “You know Otis and Dave.” The two teens nod their heads nervously in my direction.

“C-can I have your autograph?” Dave stutters.

Otis does one better and whips off his shoe. “Sign this.”

Tuck drops his head to the table. Embarrassed but not wanting this to turn into some huge, loud production, I grab Tuck’s ball point and scrawl my name across the side wall of two tennis shoes. When I return the pen, I notice that there’s no food in front of Tuck. I send him a questioning look, and he returns a silent, we’re poor response in return. Feeling guilty, I pull out my wallet and slide him a twenty. “Get some dinner.”

“Really?” He hesitates even though he really wants to take the money.

“Yeah, really. Nice hanging with you guys. I’ve got homework.” I slap my brother on the back. I really do need to trust him more.

As I’m getting out of the chair, Tricia’s voice rings out. “Is that you, Colt?”

Slowly I spin around. Coming out of the hallway leading to the bathrooms is Tricia and GG.

“It’s me.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in the mall before.”

“Never had any reason to come.” My eyes fall on GG, who is more interested in the tile than my face. “You two eat?”

“Yeah, just did.”

“Great. Time for dessert.” I hand a big-eyed Tuck another twenty. “Go get some ice cream.”

“Yessir.” He gives me a mock salute. I shove him in the shoulder.

“My brother, Tuck,” I say and then nod toward the two other boys. “His friends Otis and Dave.”

Tricia tilts her head. “I haven’t seen you three around.”

Tuck clears his throat. “We’re freshmen.”

“That would explain it. I’m Tricia and this is GG. GG’s new here. She lives with her grandparents over on Madison.”

“I know.” I can’t keep my eyes off GG.

Tricia sighs. “I guess you do.”

“What kind of ice cream do you want?”

“I really don’t think—” GG starts to say.

“Buy the cupcakes. There are six to a box, which means we can all have one and you can take the extra home to your mom,” Tricia instructs.

“Why our mom?”

“You got to be nice to Momma, because if she ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy,” Tricia declares.

That was true, but GG doesn’t like the saying. Her nose wrinkles in distaste. I make a mental note that GG is not a mom lover. I’m right there with you, babe.

“Sit,” I tell them.

Tricia drops into the seat next to Tuck’s empty chair while GG stands in front of me, still looking all kinds of uncertain. I take her by the elbow and pull her gently toward an empty chair at the end of the four-top. She feels fragile and delicate and breakable. I pull out the chair, and she slowly descends, almost as if she thinks I’m going to pull it out from under her. Fierce protectiveness surges inside of me. I don’t ever want her to be afraid. Suddenly, that seems like my whole life’s goal.

Chapter Twelve

Georgia

The table goes quiet, no one saying anything after the boys take off in pursuit of the cupcakes. Everything had been going great with our girls’ day. I was having so much fun. I’d even forgotten about Colt for a little while. Okay, it was only a few seconds, but still that’s progress.

I try not to fidget, feeling Colt’s eyes on me. What the heck is his deal? After he told me he didn’t want me going to any more parties I thought that kind of implied to stay away from him as well. Yet here he is buying me ice cream and sitting next to me. It doesn’t make sense.