Page 61 of Save You

“Wren,” says Kesh warningly.

“No, Kesh.I’ve had enough of sparing James’s feelings.”Wren turns back to me.“All the stuff you said back in the summer was just talk.You’re skipping training because you’re on the fuckingevents committee, you walk out of parties to go and see your girlfriend, and now you’re coming over all prissy because I want to chat someone up.I get the feeling you don’t give a shit about us anymore.You don’t even listen when anyone tries to tell you anything.”

“That’sbullshit,” I reply.

He shakes his head.“You know what?You deal with your own shit.That’s all you’re fit for at the moment anyway.”

I look at him in confusion.“I have no idea what you’re on about.”

Wren walks away, takes two steps, then turns on his heel and jabs his finger at me.“That’s exactly what I mean,” he hisses.“I’ve been trying for ages to have a normal conversation with you, but you’re just not interested.”

“Leave it out, Wren.”

Deep down, I know he’s right.The last time we were out together, he hinted at something that I just blanked on because I was too busy thinking about Ruby.Now I’m starting to get a guilty conscience.

“Leave what out?I’m right and you know it.There’s no room in your head for anything but Ruby.She’s all there is left in your life,” he shouts.

“I…” My voice trails away.But anger flares in my chest.“There’s a lot going on right now, but that’s nothing to do with her.”I wish there was any other way of getting that through to him.

“You’ve only been like this since you met Ruby, so don’t go trying to protect her.It makes me sick.I don’t even know you anymore.”

“Hey, Wren, cool it,” says Kesh, but Wren pushes him out of the way and takes a furious step toward me.

“You act like Ruby can fix everything in your oh-so-shitty life.Like she’s some kind of a saint.But she’s not,” he hisses.

I stare at him with a frown.“I get that you’re angry.I’ve been a shit friend and I’m sorry—but leave Ruby out of it.You don’t know her.”

Wren shakes his head scornfully.“I know Ruby very well indeed.If you’d listened to me for more than two seconds any time in the last few weeks, I could have told youhowwell I know her.”

I open my mouth, but the words stick in my throat.

I know that tone of voice.And I know what it means.

Wren seems to clock that he’s said too much too.He grits his teeth so hard that his jawbone juts out.

“What are you saying?”

“This might not be the right place for this conversation,” suggests Alistair, but I shake my head.

“What did you mean just now?”I insist.

Wren hesitates, but my glare isn’t letting him off the hook.After a second or two, he clears his throat.“Ruby and I had a little something going on at a Back-to-School party once upon a time.”

My heart starts to pound; my throat is constricted.

“Well, there’s a surprise,” says Cyril, sounding almost pleased.“Ruby’s spent all this time keeping the fact that she got off with your best friend a secret.”

“Shut it, Cy,” I growl.

“Looks like she’s not the sweet girl next door after all,” he continues, unfazed.“So maybe now you’ll finally stop putting her on such a fucking pedestal.”

“Say another word, Cy, and I swear to God…”

“He’s right,” Wren interrupts.“If you mattered to her as much as she does to you, she’d have told you about it months ago.”

I spin around and grab him by his collar.He doesn’t struggle or fight back, just looks at me with his dark eyes.

“You know it’s true.Or else you wouldn’t be losing your shit like this.”