The Milkshake Project

All The Way

"Ellie, did you give Jack the royal shaft yesterday?" Dusty asked as we sat at lunch the next day.

"I wouldn't say it was the royal shaft," I said, "but yeah."

"What?" Bonnie asked, "What happened? I thought you two were peachy keen."

"No, and I don't think we ever really were. I just told him I wasn't interested in a few more, not-so-simple words. Why?"

"He didn't show up for the team meeting last night, and when me and the guys met up with him this morning, he didn't look like he was all there," Dusty shook his head, "He seems kinda frosted."

"This is because of Rider," Bonnie said, "I know you think I'm just rapping on him, but rumors don't come off of nothing. I don't know what he tells you when you're with him, but I've seen him do these things."

She shifted forward in her chair.

"And you know what else?" she said, "That fight that happened yesterday? He was in it."

"I know," I said.

"He nearly killed three guys right in front of everyone. God knows what for!"

"For me."

"What?"

"That fight that happened yesterday? Rider was defending me."

"I-I don't understand-"

"Two of those guys were the closet cases that dumped that stuff on me Monday. They were hassling me outside the school, and Rider came to defend me. That's when Jack showed up. Jack started that fight, Bonnie, not Rider," I said, "And let me tell you something. Rider has a three-inch long cut in his chest because one of those clowns had a knife. So, if anybody was nearly killed yesterday it was Rider."

Bonnie had fallen silent as I went through my speech. She cast her eyes down and shifted in her seat.

"I...uh. I didn't know that," Bonnie said quietly.

"Yeah, well..." I shrugged.

The bell rang, and we all got up from the table. Bonnie didn't look at me as we parted ways to our fourth periods. I could tell by the way she grasped her books to her chest that she felt bad, and I did too. Yet, even as guilt and regret crashed down on me, a small part of me felt almost relieved.

"Ellie! Wait up!"

I stopped and turned to see Dusty jogging to me.

"You don't need to say anything, Dusty," I said as he caught up, "I didn't mean to say that the way I did, and-"

"Oh, no. It's not about that," he said.

He looked around before pulling me closer to the wall.

"Jack knows about you and Rider," Dusty said, "About you two going to the Jubilee together."

"Good for him," I said, "Maybe he'll have the jets to buzz off. There are plenty of girls out there that would be dying to be with him."

"That's not the gist of it. He doesn't take these things lightly."

"What are you saying, that Jack's going to do something to me?"

"No, no. I'm just saying he isn't used to getting clutched. I would just stay out of his horizon for a while, at least until he cools off."

"Where were these rumors when he was inviting me to his party?" I mumbled to myself, "Yeah, that's not going to be a problem."

"Okay, I just wanted to let you know," Dusty said, backing away, "And don't sweat it about Bonnie. She just needs to cool down too."