MAGGIE

This was something I had to face sooner or later. I couldn’t avoid West. That wasn’t possible or fair. Not going to my locker for the first three periods had been tough. It was time I faced reality. Although, he wouldn’t actually be there this time because of his schedule, so I wasn’t really facing anything yet.

Moving through the crowd, I could feel people watching me. It had been that way all morning. Several girls had called me a bitch and a whore. The general consensus was that I was a horrible person for breaking up with West just after he lost his father. Part of me agreed with them.

When I finally reached my locker, I opened it quickly only to have it slammed closed by a hand with long red fingernails. The metal door just barely missed my hand as I jerked it back. “You are low-life scum,” a female voice hissed in my ear. I knew that voice. I had expected her to confront me at some point today. I just hadn’t expected her to do it like this.

I turned to face Raleigh. She was glaring at me with something close to triumph.

“You’re a coldhearted bitch,” she said loud enough for everyone around us to hear. People got quiet, and I knew we had an audience. That was just going to make her worse.

I didn’t respond to her. She was angry because she cared about West. She wanted to be furious with me and to have a right to be. This was her chance.

“Nothing to say? What? You’re gonna be silent again?” she asked, then shoved me in the chest until I fell back against the locker behind me.

She pointed her finger in my face, and I wondered if she planned on clawing me with it next. “You weren’t good enough for him. You’re a freak. Just. A. Freak.”

Right before her pointy nail touched my face, she was jerked back.

“Why don’t you go take your crazy bitch demonstration somewhere else?” Nash said, moving her away from me and putting himself between us. “I think Maggie has seen enough to know that you are indeed fucked-up.”

“You’re taking up for her? You’re his friend!” Raleigh yelled.

“I’m one of his best friends. And even if Maggie wasn’t one of my friends too, I’d be doing this for him. Because West would lose his shit if he’d seen this. Attacking her ain’t getting him back, Ray.”

“She used him!” Raleigh’s voice carried down the hallway now that everyone had gone silent to watch.

“No, Raleigh. She saved him. When no one else could. Now take yourself far away from her before this bat-crazy episode you just had gets back to him. Because he’ll come for Maggie first to check on her. Then he’s coming for you.”

“You’re wrong. He’ll need me,” she said, sounding convinced.

I hated that the idea of West with her or any girl made my stomach twist in knots. I had been the one to end what we had. He would move on. And when he did, I would have to deal with it.

Nash shook his head, then turned back around to face me. The concern in his eyes almost made me cry. I hated drawing attention to myself, but today it seemed like just breathing brought attention I didn’t want.

“You good? Bitch is loony as hell,” Nash said with a roll of his eyes.

I managed a nod. I wasn’t good. But that wasn’t Raleigh’s fault.

“You look pale,” he said, frowning.

“I don’t like attention,” I whispered, afraid people were still listening to us.

He sighed. “Well, babe, you are going to have to deal with it for a while. I’ve heard what they’re all saying. That’s why I came to find you. See if you were okay.”

“Thanks,” I said through the lump in my throat.

“Get your things. I’m walking you to your next class. I’ll have Brady know you need an escort after this one. Between us, we should be able to keep you covered for a while. At least until they find something else to focus on.”

I wanted to tell him that I didn’t need that. That I could take care of myself. But I couldn’t. Because if he hadn’t shown up, Raleigh would still be in my face, yelling at me while everyone watched.

“Okay,” I replied, and turned back to my locker.

“He’s going to be furious when he finds out about this. When he comes to find you, know his anger isn’t at you. It’s because he thinks he’s caused this to happen to you. He wants to protect you. He’s not going to take this well.”

A tear escaped, and I reached up and wiped it away quickly. If only his need to protect me was something more. Something deeper. Not simply his need to have me beside him so he could cope with things. I wanted to be more to him than someone to lean on.

“Ready,” I said as I tucked my books close and fell into step beside Nash.

He didn’t ask me questions or mention West. We walked in silence to my next class. Once we were there, I thanked him and went inside. Eyes locked on me, so I dropped my gaze to the books in my arms and found a desk in the back. If I were going to make it through class, I needed to be where as few people as possible could look at me.

I Want to Belong to You

CHAPTER 46

WEST

Nash walked into class just as the late bell rang. His eyes scanned the room until they found me. His frown deepened as he made his way back to where I was sitting. There wasn’t an empty seat beside me, but he stopped by a guy with curly hair and glasses and convinced him to move over before taking his seat.

I glanced at him, and he turned his attention to me. “There was a . . . problem at the lockers . . . but I handled it, and she’s fine,” Nash whispered.