Page 71 of Jaked

"Sorry," Jake said. "My mistake." He turned to Rango. "What Imeantto say was thatIthink you should fuck off."

I glared up at Jake. "That'snotwhat I meant."

Rango still hadn't moved. I snuck a quick glance in his direction. That vein in his forehead was pulsing in a way I knew all too well.

But when he spoke, his voice was a lot calmer than I'd have ever anticipated. "I don't know what you've heard," he told Jake, "but I don'twantyour girl." His gaze shifted to me. "I've moved on, Jenna. Get over it."

Next to him, Bianca gave a half-laugh, half-snort. "Jenna."

"Oh shut up," I said.

I returned my gaze to Rango. Had hereallymoved on to someone new? If I was lucky, he was telling the truth. But that didn't make anything less humiliating when he added, "And stop calling me, alright? My girlfriend doesn't like it." 

"Me?" I said. "Call you?" I'd literally changed my phone number to get rid of this guy. I'd had to move out of my apartment. I'd had to replace most of my stuff. Correction – I stillhadto replace my stuff, someday, when I wasn't broke and semi-homeless.

Jake, which his free hand, reached up to stroke his chin. He looked at Rango. "You know what you need?" Jake said.

Rango's answer was a clipped, "What?"

Jake pointed to Rango's shirt. "A new tailor."

Rango's shirts were hand-made, a distinction he was overly proud of. Rango looked down. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing," Jake said, "I just figured you'd want to know."

Rango gave Jake the squinty-eye. "Are you messing with me?"

"I don't know," Jake said. "Am I?"

Rango looked around. After a long moment, he gave a shaky smile. "I know who you are." He forced out a laugh. "Alright, you got me. Where's the camera?"

"I dunno," Jake said. "Have you checked your mom's room?"

Rango's smile faded. "What the fuck's your problem?"

"No problem here," Jake said, before adding under his breath, "Dipshit."

Rango's gaze narrowed to slits. "What'd you just call me?"

Jake's brow wrinkled. "What'd it sound like?"

"Itsoundedlike you called me a dipshit."

"Did it?" Jake said. "No kidding?"

Rango gave another shaky laugh. "Yeah."

Jake nodded. "Good hearing."

I grabbed Jake's elbow. "You know what?" I said. "I think there's some painting or something we wanted to see." I gave the elbow a tug. "Right?"

He grinned over at me. "But we're not done talking to Ringo."

Rango's vein gave a special little jump. "It's Rango," he said.

Jake looked at him. "Dingo?"

"No," Rango said through clenched teeth. "Rango."