Jaded (Jaded #1)(93)

“I am not weak!” Mena cried out with tears that rolled down her face. She hiccupped, “I just…Bryce was so mean. He—,” “—because he thinks something’s wrong with you!” I shut her up. “Is something wrong with you? Are you fixated on me?”

The guys held their breaths and it was just me and Mena.

Mena finally broke when she bit out, “I never knew you could be so vindictive.”

I rolled my eyes and stepped back, suddenly disgusted and tired of weakness.

Another group of students turned the corner at that moment and I recognized the Barton siblings, alongside Teddy and two other guys. One was Darrell—the kid that Bryce and I had threatened to keep him from ratting on Corrigan. Teddy sent me a tentative grin, but he glanced towards Tim and Grace, who were captivated with Mena in that moment.

I stepped further back. This was no longer about myself, but Mena.

“Hi, Mena,” Grace said softly with a kind expression.

Mena saw it, twisted it, and sent it back snarling, “Hi, Gracey.”

Grace caught the infliction of tone and knew it wasn’t in warmth. She still held her head high and said calmly, not afflicted, “I was wondering how you were. You haven’t returned my phone calls.”

“Are you serious?” Mena laughed, caught my gaze, and stopped short.

To tell the truth—I was mystified. I watched as Grace smiled, still, and commented, “My mom really liked meeting you. She was wondering if you’d come for dinner Sunday evening?”

“Are you…demented?” Mena asked harshly.

Grace still stood before her and replied, “No. We’re having spaghetti. I know, I know. It’s kinda a lame meal, but I like to stir the noodles. If you come, we could watch a movie afterwards.”

“And brush each other’s hair?” Mena taunted.

“No,” Grace said simply. “I know you think I’m a nerd.”

“Mena!” A shout sounded across the yards and Mena groaned.

Denton darted across the separating lawns, frowning fiercely and he stopped just short of the crowd. Denton’s gaze traveled to me, stopped short, and his jaw clenched one more time before he spat out, “We’re going, Mena. Now!”

“No.”

“Yes.” And Denton grasped her arm, but she wrenched it away and scurried towards Yerling.

“No! Go order Kari around. I’m tired of hearing your orders,” Mena said hotly.

“Mena. Now,” Denton clipped out.

“No!”

“I’m tired of this. If you don’t stop it, you’ll—”

“What?” The younger sister cut off her older overpowering brother, defiantly.

“What? You’ll do what? I’ll do what?”

“You’ll go back,” he said quietly as the fight left him. “I’ve done what I could, but you’re spiraling out of control again. You’re off your—”

“My psychotic meds?” Mena provided for him, angrily.

“Where will you go back?” I asked and pushed from the wall. A path cleared for me and Mena bit her lip as she glanced towards me. “Where were you—really?”

Denton sighed and murmured, “Mena.”

“No!” She said sharply.

“Mena. Please.”

She abruptly shrieked, “You didn’t want me to be friends with her because she was yours! You just didn’t want to share her.”

An ugly taste formed in my mouth as I heard her cries as she continued, “I just wanted to be her friend, but you couldn’t handle that. And, surprise surprise, when I’m not—you’re over here the first chance you got. And you were back here last night. I saw you. You showed up because you’re in love with her!”

Denton didn’t say anything, but he looked devastated as he heard his little sister’s illogical ramblings. It was almost as if his worst fear had come to life before his eyes, he’d fought so hard, and it had still happened.

“It wasn’t even like that, Mena,” I spoke up. “He just didn’t want you….to become like me.”

“I…,” Denton spoke up. “You’d been fascinated with her for so long, Mena, and I knew that you wanted to be like Sheldon, but…you can’t handle her life. She’s tough, she’s…”

I stepped closer and added, “Not who your brother wants you to become.”

Denton flashed a grateful look in my direction as he said further, “I just…wanted you to be you, Mena. You have a hard time doing that. With all the therapy and meds, I was just worried that you’d cling to someone’s world that wouldn’t be the most healthy for you.”

“I’m not sick, Denton.”

“Yes, you are!” He swallowed tightly, but said again, “You are sick and you have to go back to the group home.”

“Denton!” Mena cried out, horrified.

He’d spilled the secret. I saw the instant horror and regret that flashed in Denton, but it was already said. They were words he couldn’t take back.

Bryce rounded the corner that moment and quickly found me.

Denton shifted back a step.

And Chad instantly readied for a fight.

Mena didn’t see any of it. I could see that her brother’s voice still sounded in her head.