Page 175 of The Surprise Play

“She’s not… she’s…” I suck in a breath, trying to calm my raging emotions. “She’s not gonna care about the skirt. She’ll want to know that you’re okay.”

Satch shakes her head, covering her mouth with her hand.

She’s trembling from head to foot, and this is fucking killing me. “Baby.” I reach for her slowly, so she won’t flinch, and very gently rest my hands on her arms. “Did they hurt you?”

She sniffs and shakes her head, but I don’t believe her.

Rising a little higher, I check her neck and notice three red welts. Nail marks. They must have done that when they were tearing at her dress.

I brush my finger gently over them, and she leans away from me.

“I want to go.”

“Yeah.” I sigh, rubbing her arms. She’s shaking so much that she must be cold, but her skin is all red, and when I brush over her exposed shoulder, she’s hot to the touch.

She leans away from me, still grappling to keep her outfit in place. The shirt is totally torn down the front, exposing her bra. She must be so fucking humiliated right now.

I’m gonna end those bitches!

Jumping up, I pull off my leather jacket and drape it around her shoulders. She cinches it tight around herself, holding it together with fisted fingers.

I take a seat beside her and rub her back. “Why don’tyou hide out here for just a minute, and I’m gonna go and?—”

“No! I’m leaving now.” She stands up, her voice trembling as she shuffles for the door. “I’m going back to my dorm.”

“But I can take you. Let me just?—”

“I can’t do this.” She stops, turning to face me. Her expression is hollow, her haunted eyes making my chest hurt. “You tried to convince me that it’s possible for me to fit into your world, but you’re wrong.” Swiping a trembling finger under her nose, she sniffs and keeps going. “Throwing a party like this just proves it. I don’t fit. I neverfit!” She shouts the last word, and I blink at her sudden ferocity.

I’ve never seen her like this before.

Holding my hands up, I slowly stand and walk toward her. “You do fit. People are stoked to be here for you. They were cheering you on. They want to get to know you.”

“No, they don’t! They’re just being nice to me because of you. Because they care about you. But I’m nothing to these people.” She points toward the house.

“You’re wrong.” I reach for her, but she bats my hand away. It fucking hurts, but I get that she’s going through shit right now, so I raise my hands again and tell her gently, “Look, I get it, okay? There are some really bitchy girls in there, but they won’t be staying. I wish I’d known who they were because I would have told them to get the fuck out that first time. I shouldn’t have been trying to make you prove anything. I should have protected you better. I’m sorry.”

She doesn’t say anything, and I stand my ground,desperate to pull her against my chest and cocoon her within my arms.

Her chest rises and falls, her puffy red eyes glaring at the floor before she finally looks up at me.

“You get it?” she asks softly, then lets out a wispy scoff. “How can you possibly get it?” The words wobble and shake out of her as she flicks her hand at me. “Everybody loves you! You’re gorgeous and friendly and popular. You have no idea what it’s like to be me because you’ve never experienced open disgust or repulsion before. You don’t know what it’s like to do absolutely nothing wrong and get treated like an outcast.” She sucks in a ragged breath. “So stop standing there acting like you understand! Because youdon’t!” She screams the last word at me before another sob pops out, and then she’s running from the garage.

I’m frozen still by her wrath.

Or is it her agony?

The torment on her face. What she just screamed at me.

I can’t move for a second.

All I can do is stand here, my chest heaving as I try to process this shit.

Fuck. She’s right.

I don’t get it.

I’ve never been treated like that before.