The Anatomy of a Broken Heart //Completed//

27. Santana

It was definitely weird. I was already used to having everyone look at me the way they did, but with Caleb, their glances were loaded with something different. It wasn't disgust tonight, but rather disbelief. I could have laughed at all of them. I would have, if I didn't have coal burning in my mouth. All it took was seeing that picture again, the one of Jasper so detached, to make my heart plummet and bury itself in the ground, afraid to come back up. But I tried to shake it off. To ignore its cowardice. I didn't want any of them to see me so vulnerable.

Poor Caleb. I actually felt sorry for him. He looked so lost among the rest of us. I'd never thought anything of him before, but I was sure he wasn't very comfortable out of the circle of preps he surrounded himself with. His usual swagger seemed to be missing tonight as I felt his clammy hand in mine. We made our way out of the living room and through the back porch where the guys were lighting a bonfire.

"Burn something," Caleb said under his breath.

Pari and JD had just gotten there and when they saw me step outside with him, they didn't even blink. The others must have warned them. I kept our hands interlocked, grateful for the warmth, and even dared to scooch closer to him both for the show and for the body heat. He didn't jump back in repulsion or shove me into the fire so I figured that wasn't off limits in his rules. Secretly, I thought he was grateful for the warmth too.

"So, Caleb," Pari piped up, drawing out his name. "Santana's a grave, but maybe you'll tell us how you two happened to...happen." I shot her a dirty look but didn't say anything. This was part of the show.

It was as if a gear had shifted inside him. Caleb grew an inch taller and the winning smile on his face came easy before he cleared his throat to speak. "Ah, it was only a matter of time really. She just couldn't resist my charm and award winning wit. Or was it my boyish good looks?"

Barf. Was he okay? I threw him a murderous glare before turning back to the others' bemused expressions.

"Right because we all know Santana and you have been friends for so long that it was impossible for you not to get together."

"What the hell, Pari? Why the cross-exam?" I said through clenched teeth. What did she care who I bothered with? She never said a word to Jasper.

"Well, she didn't need too much convincing. I'm surprisingly easy to love." Caleb looked down at me, his smile a little more lopsided, as if holding in a laugh, or a secret, and winked at me. I rolled my eyes and bit my lip to keep from laughing. He was an idiot.

Pari only scoffed but shut up. It was JD who spoke up next. "Well it's good that you're here, bro. Maybe you can ask your dad something for me."

"What's that?" Caleb's smile slipped off, to be replaced by a frown.

"You can ask him why the hell he wants to cut the town in half." JD looked nonchalant but beneath the calm exterior, I knew he was ready to blow. He'd been complaining about this for a while now, and I finally understood Pari's annoyance at Caleb.

"What are you talking about? Divide the town?" Caleb looked down at me for answers.

"Apparently, Dr. R is backing some campaign that some of the parents want to force us out and into the next town's district. If they pull that stunt off, Pari and JD here, who are juniors will be forced to change schools and they'll lose their ranking. They're top of their class." I shrugged. It was messed up and unfair but what could Caleb possibly do? What would he even care?

"That's bull. My dad doesn't bother with things like that. He's a doctor, he's got his patients to worry about."

"Oh yeah? Tell me then, why he bothered to donate like fifteen grand to that elitist prick Hardgrove?" JD was walking towards us now, fists at his side. Hoppy Hardgrove was the school board's president, and apparently the mind behind the plan. Three of his kids went to school with us and I knew for a fact that Caleb was friends with two of them. Twins.

"I honestly have no idea." Caleb looked from JD to me, his brows drawn together in concern. His eyes locked with mine and his head shook from side to side. I believed him though.

"Hey come on JD, Caleb doesn't know, okay? We're at a party not one of your protests, dude. Let's just try to have some fun."

Luckily, he didn't jump down Caleb's throat and backed off. He wasn't violent, just passionate and intolerably smart, and sometimes all that got away from him. He didn't stick around too long, but the others did. I could taste the tension in the air mixing with the smoke of the fire. It was suffocating. Pulling out my cell, I checked the time. It was already past ten, and I needed to meet mom at eleven. I'd thought Elliot would be here tonight, but he wasn't outside. He liked coming over to see Pari, who I suspected he had a huge crush on despite her blatant disinterest, but he hadn't come out yet.

"I'll be back, okay?" I said to Caleb who looked at me with wide eyes. Turning to the rest, I gave them a glare that said, "Play nice," and went inside. I couldn't see Elliot or any of his friends anywhere. I found Marlow laying on one of the beanbag chairs staring unblinkingly at the movie playing on the wall. Her skirt was bunched up high and I could see her green panties through her fishnets. It must be a bad night.

"Hey weirdo, what's wrong?" I jumped onto the bag making her bounce a little.

Her blonde head shook back and forth. "Nothing weirdo," she giggled. She was already drunk. Jonah came out of the kitchen from my left with a couple of red cups. He handed one to Marlow who threw the whole thing back then chucked the cup to the floor. Her thin arms wrapped around me tightly and she laughed in my ear. On her breath I could smell the fruity drink Jonah had just brought her. "I wanna go have some fun! Jonah, did he answer?" Her huge eyes looked at Jonah who nodded as he sipped his drink. "Great! Then let's go. Santana wanna come with us?"

"Where are you going?"

"Marlow is in desperate need of something a little heavier than this tonight so we're meeting one of King's guys down by the warehouses," Jonah said, making a face.

"I figured if my step mom could have some fun with me tonight, I deserve some fun tonight," she shrugged and pushed herself up off the chair. That would explain the dead look in her eyes, I thought. Sure enough I could see the rip in her tights and the scratch marks on her inner thigh, as she got up. I didn't say anything though. She hated to talk about it, so instead I followed them to Jonah's car.

I threw a look towards the back where Caleb was still standing by the fire, talking to some guy I didn't know. He looked more relaxed as he turned and caught my eye.

I'll be right back, I mouthed and motioned for him to stay. He looked like he was going to come back inside, Marlow blocked my view with her embrace and pushed me out back into the cold. I checked my phone again. Ten thirty.

I'd have to meet mom right after we met up with King's guys. Hopefully, Caleb wouldn't get murdered by JD or Pari.