Nice.

How could I blame Jase for pointing out the truth?

“Iʼm not mad at him,” I said, getting a tissue for my nose. “Itʼs okay. No big.” I hadnʼt seen Charlie move from the doorway, so I was startled when I felt his arms pulling me into an embrace. I instantly regretted not being one of those tiny little girls who can snuggle into a guyʼs chest when they need to be comforted. Instead, I had to make do with leaning my forehead against his.

Actually, that was pretty awesome too.

“If you want my personal opinion, Jase is wrong.” Charlieʼs breath smelled like cinnamon.

“Iʼll bet you batted those long lashes, gave a rare Scout giggle, and the boy turned to mush.” Yet another ridiculous tear made the short trek from the corner of my eye to my chin.

Charlie pulled back and wiped it from my cheek. It was a very tender and sweet thing to do, which was why I was completely unprepared for what he said next.

“That means itʼs even more important for you to stay away from him. He canʼt be trusted.

Itʼs not a question of if but when he hurts you. We just want to keep you safe. So, please, donʼt encourage him. Okay?”

I stepped back, moving to the other end of the tiny room. “Iʼm not some mindless ditz that tries to hook up with every cute guy that notices she exists —”

“Scout…”

“And I donʼt take orders from you or Jase —”

“Weʼre not —”

“And I donʼt like being the only one in the dark here. Tell me whatʼs going on, Charlie.

He scratched the back of his neck. “I donʼt know what youʼre talking about.”

“Yes, you do. Whatʼs up between you guys and the Coles? I feel like weʼve suddenly stepped into the middle of The Outsiders.”

“Itʼs complicated.”

I crossed my arms and cocked my head to assume what Jase and Charlie had always called my teacher stance. “Well, Charles, I believe history has proven that of the three of us, Iʼm the smart one. So, why donʼt you go ahead and tell me what is going on. Maybe I can uncomplicate it for you.”

I mentally prepared myself for a fight. After the day I had, I was hungry for it. I wanted to scream and yell and let out all of my pent up frustrations, so I was more than a little disappointed when Charlie didnʼt take the bait.

“Sorry, kiddo.” He really did look sorry. Of course, calling me “kiddo” didnʼt exactly endear me to his cause. “This isnʼt the sort of problem that can be figured out with those complex equations or thick books you like so much.”

“Donʼt be so sure. The answers to all of lifeʼs problems are out there. Itʼs just a question of finding the right book.” My desire to have a throw down was slowly subsiding, but that didnʼt mean I was ready to give up. “Lucky for you, Iʼve read lots of books. So, if youʼll just explain the ʻsitch...”

“The ʻsitch? Did you watch that Kim Possible movie again? You know it only makes you sad that you donʼt have a hairless mole-rat of your very own.”

“One, Iʼve been watching Buffy, not Kim Possible. And two, it is so not fair that Dad wonʼt let me get a Rufus when he lets Angel keep that stupid turtle.” Charlie came across the room to gather me once again into his arms. He was being uncharacteristically touchy-feely. It was kinda nice.

“God, Iʼm going to miss you,” he said, giving me a peck on the forehead. For the record, my forehead was very happy. The rest of me, however, was realizing this was goodbye.

Yes, he would be home on the holidays and maybe the summers. We would still text, email, and talk on the phone, but I knew things would never be the same. After seventeen years of growing up together, this was the first giant step towards growing apart.

“Iʼm going to miss you, too.” I was also going to completely dehydrate if I didnʼt stop crying.

Fifteen minutes later, I heard Jase and Charlie pulling out of the driveway as they headed off to a farewell game of pool at Randyʼs. I sank onto the bed, left alone with my thoughts and Guido.

Chapter 4

Thereʼs an old adage about everything looking better in the morning light. Iʼm guessing that whoever thought of that had never been punched in the face.

Jase woke up the next day with two black eyes and a huge, bulbous nose. Mom, a registered nurse who surprisingly bought the rogue football story, thought he should go in for X-rays. Jase brushed it off by telling her, in a somewhat nasally voice, that a crooked nose would help him to look tough.

I countered that no one ever described Owen Wilson as tough.

When we got to school everyone was talking about the “major throw down” that had gone on the day before. There were at least a dozen different rumors going around as to the cause.

It was about a girl. Basketball. Money. Drugs. Gay love. Pirates versus ninjas. (Okay, so the whole pirates versus ninjas one came from me, but how was I supposed to respond to all the people who kept asking me what happened?)

The most prevalent theory, however, had to be that Alex Cole had been misguided enough to flirt with Scout Donovan. Some versions even had me delivering the first punch after a confession of undying affection. I overheard Ashley Johnson shooting down that theory in AP

English.

“Oh come on,” she said when one of her plastic friends mentioned it. “Have you seen Alex Cole? Heʼs hot. Like Johnny Depp hot. The fact that he would even speak to Scout is mind boggling. He was just being kind to her because heʼs, like, a super-sweet guy. Itʼs probably some sort of Freak Outreach program or something, yʼknow?”

“I guess itʼs some type of Whore Outreach program that makes him talk to you.” It was the first time I had spoken to her in over a year. I knew I should feel bad about calling her a whore, it wasnʼt very Christianly of me, but at that moment I really didnʼt care. The last thing Ashley made me feel was godly.

All of the interchangeable girls sitting around Ashley looked aghast, but the witch just narrowed her beady eyes. “Are you actually climbing down off that high horse to speak to us, Scout? If so, maybe you could enlighten us all as to why your brute of a brother was picking on the sizzlinʼ new guy.”

Sizzlinʼ new guy? Who talked like that?

#

“What? You didnʼt know? It was all about you.” All of the bitterness I had been carrying around since last summer weighed heavily in my words. “Alex said he heard that you were a backstabbing skank that would screw her best friendʼs boyfriend. Jase was just trying to defend your honor. He really is quite fond of you.”