Whatever It Takes (Bad Reputation Duet #1)(60)

“She’s my girl.” He says it with sincerity and threat, like don’t mess with her. He takes a hand off the steering wheel and catches my gaze once. “Yeah?”

My arms heat, liking my girl more than I thought I would. Maybe because it’s from him. “Yeah,” I say, licking my lips. I realize they’re a little cracked. “Are you sure they’ll back off if I’m affiliated with you?”

“They’ll probably just come harass me instead,” he says with a dry smile. I don’t think he’s joking.

“Garrison—”

“I don’t give a shit about any of the people at Dalton anymore, and I can take a few stupid comments and empty threats.” He changes lanes and subjects. “I never asked where you’re from.”

“Maine,” I say without thinking about my cover. Willow Hale.

“And you left your parents to be here?” He frowns.

I pick at a frayed strand on my backpack. “Yeah.”

“How come?”

“I guess…” I start, trying to wrap my head around why I did this. Why I ultimately decided to plant roots here instead of return to Caribou. “I decided that I’d do whatever it takes to be the person I want to be and not what everyone else wants me to be, even if it means hurting some people I love along the way.”

He stares far off as he drives. “Yeah…” He lets out a short breath. “I think I’m doing that too.”

I relax more. “Willow bada boom thirty-three,” I tell him.

He tilts his head at me. “Your username?”

“Yeah.”

“I like it, Willow bada boom.” He says it in The Fifth Element voice. My chest swells.

It’s not every day you meet someone that understands the things you love, but somehow I’ve crossed paths with someone who really does.





18 BACK THEN – September


Philadelphia, Pennsylvania





GARRISON ABBEY

Age 17





“Ready?” I ask Willow.

“Ready.”

I open the door.

We step into the school, halls congested like most mornings. Instead of rushing to classrooms, friends huddle in groups by lockers or wander around, searching for a familiar face.

Willow walks in a diagonal line, almost inwards towards me. She avoids bumping into a few passing students.

“What’s your locker number?” I ask while she adjusts the strap of her backpack.

I almost set my hand on her shoulder, but instead I just let her hover close by. As soon as she unfurls her schedule, she hands the paper to me.

It’s a little damp, like her palms are sweating.

I’m not going to be a dick and mention it though.

I glance at the locker number with the code written out. “You’re over here, further down.”

She nods mechanically.

I understand the kind of nerves that just completely eviscerate you. Only I don’t feel them on the first day of school, or the second, or even the last. They hit me when I bike near my house. When I drive by. When I’m feet from the mailbox and then the front door.

When I step inside. Knowing my brothers are there.

They’re gone. They’re at college, I have to keep reminding myself.

Thank God.

“Sorry,” Willow apologizes in a whisper. I think towards me, but I realize that someone barely brushed against Willow’s arm on the way to a locker.

The girl shoots Willow a weird look, probably unsure of what she said.

We move along, out of her sight.

“So there are vending machines in the middle of each hall,” I tell her. “We can grab some waters before first period.” I’ll see her in second period, Calculus. Our first periods are different.

She’ll be okay.

She left Maine all by herself, didn’t she? Bravery exists somewhere inside of her. She just needs to remember that.

Two guys crash against my right shoulder with complete disregard. It knocks me into Willow. I catch onto her waist so we don’t both slam into the floor.

Shit.

She stiffens but holds onto me for support too. Once we’re stabilized, I take my hands off her and try to find the two assholes. I spin around.

“Really?” I snap, extending my arms at them, but as soon as they turn to face me, my arms drop immediately. One of the guys—he’s a friend-of-a-friend who I’ve fallen out with.

He flips me off. “Watch it, Abbey,” Pat Hayes snaps. Honestly, I expected worse than a shoulder-check and the middle finger.

“No thanks,” I rebut and then walk forward, away from them. Willow keeps my pace. I glance at her. You okay?

She seems a little shaken.

The universe is basically saying: Garrison Abbey, you’re the shittiest welcome committee. Take a backseat and let someone who’s actually well-liked show this sweet girl around.

I don’t want to hurt her.

Still, the thing I’ve always sucked at is leaving people when I should. I end up staying too long, too late. I’m not going to leave Willow alone, not now.

Maybe I should at least tell her I’m cursed.

I hear Pat huff angrily behind me, still enraged. He’s captain of our crew team, an adversary of Dalton’s lacrosse team. Our football team is shit, so all the country club sports are put on pedestals. Dalton’s track, swimming, tennis, crew, lacrosse and equestrian teams are all top in the state.