Temporarily Mine

29

HERO

"H. I need to talk to you."

I shake my head, stuffing my phone in my pocket. "Don't, my man. I don't want to hear it."

"You need to."

With a sigh, I turn to him. "I get it, you don't like how this happened, but we're good. Things have changed." I don't say it out loud, Thompson is by us, and nobody else needs to know we started off as a lie.

"I know things have changed, that's why you need to hear me out."

I shake my head and turn around, ready to walk and find the girls.

"Sophomore year, two times."

Tension wraps around my shoulder blades, locking me in place as I replay Felix's rushed words.

It takes several seconds, but slowly, I look behind me, my body shifting until I'm fully facing my best friend.

"What?"

Thompson falls a few feet back, rubbing at the nape of his neck, and my eyes dart back to Felix.

He hangs his head, taking in a deep breath before he stands tall to meet my glare. "I've been trying to tell you."

My pulse hums in my ears, my steps like heavy lead as I force a foot forward. "You think this shit's funny?"

"Trust me, H. I know it's fucked up."

I shake my head, denying what he's saying. "What are you tryin' to do? Why you fuckin' with me?"

He holds my gaze, my best fucking friend. The only person who knows the truth about everything in my life. My dad, my mom, Andrew. Josephine.

Josephine.

I lunge at his ass.

JOSEPHINE

"Get over to the truck, now, but don't run or security will follow you."

I look over my shoulder, my smile fading when I recognize the seriousness of Thompson's face.

He glares. "Take your friends with you."

I glance to Cassie nodding my chin and walk as calmly as I can toward our area, the girls a few feet behind.

It's dark, but I manage to see between the trucks as I grow closer, and I gasp.

Hero and Felix are fighting, their bodies slamming into the bumper of Felix's truck and rolling off onto the small patch of grass in front of it.

Or more, Hero is fighting while Felix more or less allows him to toss him around.

"Oh my god! Hero, stop!" Kathrine  hisses, her wide eyes flying to mine as she rushes forward. "Josephine, what the hell?!" She glances back.

Oh my god... shit.

This isn't happening, not tonight.

Not after we finally got to spend some alone time together as a real couple, away from all the fake.

Away from everyone.

Thompson is suddenly grabbing Kathrine  by the sweater and tugging her back. "Nu-hu. You're not gettin' hurt, girl."

"Then stop them!" She starts to cry.

Thompson glances past her, wincing when Hero lifts Felix from the ground, punching him square in the jaw, not the slightest attempt to block it.

Thompson looks to Kathrine . "He's got it comin' and he knows it. Leave them. I'll step in if it gets nasty."

Hero nails him in the gut and Felix groans, stumbling around and slamming into the side mirror a foot from where Thompson stands.