Page 120 of Wherever You Are

“Relax,” Loren snaps. “We’re not going to force you to do something you don’t want, but I would like to knowwhyyou’re here.”

Ryke crouches to sweep the glass into a dustpan, his expression darkening. “If he’s here to get laid—”

“What?” I wince. “No.” I recoil at Lo’s glare. “Not that I don’t like Willow.”Jesus.This is all going wrong.

Ryke joins in on glaring at me.Great. I have both of them wanting to rip out my jugular. But what am I supposed to say? I like Willow. If I could ask her out today, I would. But I’m too late.

I look to Connor as I admit, “Some starship trooper nerd asked her to prom, okay?”

And anyway, Connor told me this would beexponentially worseif I was dating Willow, so this starship trooper nerd should be a notch in the “you didn’t fuck everything up” list. Except, I’d really just like to kick the starship trooper off the list entirely. He can go be in someone else’s atmosphere and askthemto prom.

“Declan,” Lo says the name that I’d like to never hear again. “You know who he is. Lily told me that he stops by Superheroes & Scones at least four times a week.”

“To try to talk to Willow,” I complain. “And what the fuck kind of name is Declan?”

“What the fuck kind of name is Garrison?” Lo retorts.

I roll my eyes and sigh. “Whatever.”

Connor cuts in, “As amusing as all of this is, we’re still no closer to answers, and I’d like them sometime in the next five minutes.”

Ryke dumps the glass into a trash bag and then disappears into the bathroom. Lo kneels beside the bed and gestures for the tweezers.

I hesitate and then surrender them.

“Is there anything we can use to sew up the cut in there?” Lo nods to the first-aid kit.

That means we’re not going to the hospital.Thank you. My shoulders drop and muscles ease.

“We can find an alternative if that’s what he really wants,” Connor says.

I nod. “That’s what I want.”

Ryke returns and hands me a cup of water. Connor passes me a packet of Advil. I’m unbothered by the physical pain, but something pushes through me at their kindness.

I don’t deserve it. Not a single bit. Yet, here they are.

And it just barrels into me, the weight of the moment. I look between them, overwhelmed, and on the verge of tears.Don’t fucking cry, man. I suck it down by asking a stupid question. “I thought you two hated each other?” I gesture from Ryke to Connor. Tabloids say they’re at odds all the time.

Ryke answers, “We’re good friends.”

I stare at the carpet. Lost for words.

“What is it?” Connor asks.

I shake my head and tear open the Advil packet. “I was just thinking…I don’t even know where I find the kind of friendship that you three have. My friends are dicks.” I let out a short, pained laugh that scratches my throat. “I’m one too…”

A heavy beat pounds before someone speaks.

“We’re all assholes,” Lo tells me. “But one day, you’ll meet an asshole that pushes you to be a better person. Those are the ones that stick with you.”

I rub at my eyes once.Don’t fucking cry.And then I toss back the pills with a swig of water.

“We’re encroaching on my five-minute time limit,” Connor tells me.

I don’t even make a joke about him having time limits. Swallowing hard, I explain everything. Not even leaving out the part where I broke into Superheroes & Scones and slept in the breakroom for the past month. Failure is easy to admit

When I explain how I flunked out of Faust, my anger starts to boil. Eating me. I pull my hood over my head. “And you know, it’s my parent’s fault.” My eyes burn as I look to Connor. He went to Faust. He must know how rigorous and fucking difficult it is. “Why’d they have to send me to a new school in the middle of the year? I know…I know I fucked up, but if I even want a high school diploma, I have to beheld back.Do you even know what that feels like?” I’m an idiot for even asking.