A Million Kisses in Your Lifetime (Lancaster Prep )(56)

I fall into my seat, glancing over at Crew to see he’s already watching me.

“What the hell did he want?” His simmering gaze shifts to Figueroa.

“He asked if I was okay.” I shrug, trying to play it off, but Crew won’t let me.

“Trying to make a move on you?”

“Never.”

He clenches his jaw. “I’ll kick his ass if he says something inappropriate to you, Wren. I mean it.”

My entire body erupts in goosebumps at the ferocity in his voice. How protective he is, how he said my actual name. “I blew him off.”

“He can pick up on girls who are going through shit,” Crew continues.

“I know. I figured that out.”

Crew’s gaze finds mine, the anger slowly dissipating. “You’ve got this handled, don’t you?”

I nod. “I do. I’m going to be okay. But thank you for watching out for me.”

“Anytime,” he murmurs, just as Figueroa starts lecturing again.

I turn and face the front of the classroom, thrilled that Crew actually trusts that I can take care of myself.

Something no one ever gives me credit for.

The rest of the day passes just as the last two did, though I decide to switch it up at lunch. I go in search of Maggie, who I find sitting with Lara and Brooke. They all stare up at me as I stop at their table, murmuring uninterested greetings before they return their attention to their phones.

“Can I sit here?” I ask no one in particular, pulling out a chair and settling in right next to Maggie. “How are you?”

She shrugs, staring down at her uneaten sandwich. “Okay.”

“Hey.” I reach out and settle my hand on top of hers, which startles her. She turns her head, frowning at me. “I wanted to apologize to you.”

“For what?”

“Judging you. Lecturing you. Whatever other dumb—crap I’ve done to you over the last three years or so,” I admit. “I don’t have any right to look down upon you like I have. I just—I got a little too high and mighty with my morals, and I shouldn’t have. I hope you can forgive me.”

Maggie stares, no doubt shocked by my apology. While I think I say sorry for way too many things, this one is warranted. I need to apologize to a few more people, even Lara and Brooke, but I’m taking this one step at a time.

“I accept your apology,” she finally says, her voice soft.

“Can we still be friends?” I ask hopefully.

She nods, and I pull her in for a hug, squeezing her tight. “If you need someone to talk to, I’m here. I’ll listen to you. And I won’t pass judgment either. I promise.”

Maggie clings to me, her cheek pressed to mine. “Thank you, Wren.”

“What’s up with the hugfest?” Brooke asks, interrupting us. “You hoping some of her purity rubs off on you, Mags?”

I glare at Brooke, hating how easily she tossed that insult at her supposed friend. “As if you have any room to talk,” I say.

“Oh, my bad. Sorry, didn’t mean to insult Miss Perfect.”

“Shut up, Brooke,” Maggie says wearily. “You’re so exhausting sometimes.”

Lara giggles. Brooke glares, just before she pushes away from the table and takes off. Lara soon follows, running after her.

“Why do I hang out with those two again?” Maggie asks me, just before she starts to laugh.

“I don’t know. I hang around them too sometimes, but they’re sort of awful.”

“They’re actually terrible.” Maggie shakes her head and sighs, pushing her tray away from her. “I can’t eat.”

“Why not?”

“So much going on.” Her smile is rueful. “I’d tell you all about it, but we’d need at least five hours.”

“I’ve got nothing but time,” I tell her, reaching out to pat her hand. “Are you and Franklin still broken up?”

“Yeah. He found out about Fig.” And with that one sentence she confirms my suspicions. “He wasn’t too happy about it. He even wanted to tell Headmaster Matthews about it.”

Oh wow. “Did he?”

Maggie shakes her head. “I convinced him not to, at least for now. I don’t know how much longer I can put him off.”

“Why don’t you let him tell? Then at least you have nothing to do with it.”

“Because I’m in love with him, Wren,” she admits.

“Franklin?”

“No. With Fig.” She sighs. “And there’s more.”

God, what more could there be?

“You’ll freak out though,” Maggie continues.

“Just tell me,” I say, needing to know.

Her gaze meets mine, and I can see a myriad of emotions swirling in her eyes. Fear and worry and just the tiniest bit of happiness too. “I’m pregnant,” she whispers.

My mouth falls open as I struggle to respond.

“With Fig’s baby.”





TWENTY-TWO





WREN





By the time I’m walking into psychology class, I’m an emotional wreck. Crew must sense it from the look on his face as he watches me head for the desk next to his. I don’t even bother sitting in the front anymore. What’s the point?