Every Bright and Broken Thing

Chapter Forty-One - Liam

The Harley comes to a stop in the school parking lot. I park and slip from the seat onto the asphalt. The light of the early autumn sun burns my eyes and sends a jolt of pain down the middle of my head, but I brave it and head for the building.

Doing my best to ignore the prying eyes of my classmates, I make my way to my locker to retrieve my books for first period. I close the locker door and lean my head against the cool steel.

Theo comes up beside me and leans against the locker. "So, you disappeared again."

I rotate my head to look at him, then turn away.

He sniffs. "Dude, are you buzzed?"

"No. Just tired. I didn't sleep last night."

He frowns. "I came over here to tell you that I got us another gig. But if you're not up for it, I can cancel."

"No, no. I'm fine."

"Mm-hmm."

I need to work on being more convincing.

"Where's the gig?" I pull a water bottle from my backpack and drink half of it in one go.

"Oscar's place. His parents are away so he's throwing another huge rager."

"Who's Oscar?"

"Some nerd on the debate team, but his parents are loaded. Hey, did you hear?"

"Hear what?"

"Someone decked Darren. Got him real good. He's been telling everyone he saw some lady getting mugged and fought off her attacker. I'm not buyin' it, though."

"How come?"

"Darren's a pretty boy. He doesn't have the stones for it. Plus, he'd be too worried about damaging his money-maker." Theo laughs.

With a smirk, "When's the party?"

"Tomorrow night. Same time as the last one."

"Sounds good," I say.

Stacy: We need to talk. I've tried calling you, but you won't answer.

After Darren's stunt with the posters all over school, Stacy started calling and texting again. But it's my turn to avoid her. It used to be that all I felt for her was love. Now all I feel is anger.

I shove my phone back in my pocket just as my phone dings. Another message.

"Was that Stacy?" Theo asks as he drives the four of us to Darren's for the party.

I nod.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Are you gonna text her back?"

"No," I say.

Jace chimes in. "Dude, why not? Stacy's a catch. You'd better jump on that before someone else decides to give her a go."

I turn around and glare at him. His mouth snaps shut.

"Jace is right, you know," Will says, leaning over the console between the two front seats.

I sigh. "She's avoided me for weeks. What am I supposed to say?"

"Well, for starters, you could find out why she's been avoiding you," Will says, rolling his eyes. Jace just sits back in his seat, arms crossed and staring out the window.