Brady Remington Landed Me in Jail(49)

Kid's name was called next.

I didn't know what to feel, not with Kid. He went away and things were fine, but now he was back and everything seemed up in the air. I'd never really talked about my mom like that to anyone.

When Kid turned around with his allergy medication in hand, he stopped and stared at me. "So…"

I bolstered up my courage. "Does your dad go to Florida for business?"

"Oh yeah. All the time," Kid replied, distracted. He started scratching again.

I felt my stomach drop and then Brady appeared at the door. "Rayna? You got what you need?"

I couldn't look away from Kid, who seemed jumpy now. "Uh…yeah…"

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Was Frank Stephens my father? Was he the reason why my mother left town? Did he banish her? Did he go down there and make love to her? Did my grandmother know? And Brady…what would Brady say? He hated Frank Stephens. Would he hate me, too?

I rested my head against the school bus window and looked out on the way to school. I didn't want to think anymore. All bad, it was all bad.

As I walked into school, I saw another bad situation waiting by my locker dressed in tight blue jeans. I was surprised that Clarissa only wore a loose white tee shirt over it. With her hair pulled into two braids that hung on each side of her head, I knew she was still every boy's fantasy, much more than me as I was dressed in jean shorts, blue tank top, and my damp hair grazed my shoulders. I always felt so dowdy compared to Clarissa, but this time she was the one who looked self-conscious as I approached.

"Hey." She looked at me and hesitated.

"Hey." I didn't move to open my locker. This wouldn't take long anyway.

"So…" She took a deep breath. "Um…I feel really stupid about yesterday. I mean with the river and how I acted really, really stupid with your grandmother later. I shouldn't have done what I did. I apologize."

"For using me to get Kid to the river? Or for using me to try to use Kid to make Brady jealous? Or for how you still love Brady?"

"Okay. I got it. I did a lot of stupid things yesterday," Clarissa rushed out. She kept glancing up and down the hallway.

"Are you embarrassed to be seen with me now? You invited me to skip school with you yesterday."

"Because you're ripping into my ass!" She blew a deep breath out and shook her head. "I officially apologize for using you, for being jealous of you, and for being a crappy friend. I feel bad about it all. Trust me. I really felt bad at three in the morning when I was vomiting. Your grandma is a fierce lady."

She didn't know the half of it.

"If it's any consolation, she stayed in bed the rest of the day too. I don't think it was from the booze, but I know she didn't feel good." She'd stayed in bed when Brady dropped me off after the hospital and she hadn't emerged by the time I left for school this morning.

Clarissa pursed her lips and scanned the hallways again. "So are you staying here today? It's going to be boring."

I shrugged and opened my locker. Our classes weren't even being taught anymore so I didn't need any books, but I still felt bereft without one. "I guess. I feel weird skipping again. Look at what happened yesterday." I wanted her to go away. She reminded me of bad things.

"Yeah, but yesterday was an aberration. It won't happen again. We're not going tubing today—"

I couldn't hold it in anymore. "What do you want, Clarissa? I've learned that you usually have an agenda."

Score one for me.

Clarissa stood taller and then flashed a wolfish grin. "Look at you. You've grown fangs. Little bunny fangs, but fangs nonetheless. I'm sure they'll draw blood on someone. Maybe someone with dementia, but still."

I flushed. "You don't have to make fun of me."

"Sorry, sorry, sorry," Clarissa immediately apologized and actually looked it. "I went into automatic defense. I'm used to it when I deal with the other girls here. Sometimes I forget that you're not like everyone else. It's refreshing. It's why I really am sorry because I really do like you. I didn't think I would, not for years. Brady always talked about you even when he and I used to hook up, but I just thought you were some stupid novelty to him. Then you finally came around and I saw it. I saw why he likes you so much. You're…I don't know how to explain it. You're not like anyone else."

That was…I grabbed a book and hugged it to my chest. "Okay…well, I'm going to go."

"Where are you going? I'm in your first period and our teacher closed the class last week. We don't have class."

"I'll go to the library then." Libraries were safe, lots of corners to hide in.

Clarissa nodded with a knowing look in her eyes. "Listen, I'm heading out to the Corner Diner. Everyone should be hanging there most of the day so if you want, you could come any time. It don't matter. I'll probably be there all day wasting time."

She started to walk backwards, towards the parking lot.

"I'm still staying in school today."

"Okay. See you…sometime then…" Then she was gone with a small wave. And why did I feel like I should've gone with her? Clarissa had proved I couldn't trust her. She still had feelings for Brady. For that reason alone, I shouldn't be friends with her. Then why did I feel like I was missing out on something?