Page 37 of Commit
“Fuck no. He’d kick me out in a heartbeat, and then where would it leave us?”
“Well, no matter what, I’ll stick with you. But he might surprise you.”
“No. He’d condemn me just like everyone else. I don’t want him to know, and you can’t tell him, Starling.”
“You know I won’t. I might not agree with you about hiding, but it’s your decision to make, not mine. As long as there’s space in your closet for me, you can stay there as long as you need to.”
He parks the car at the back of the school parking lot and turns off the engine before turning to me and cupping my face. “You’ve been the best three years of my life.”
Tears prick my eyes as he places a chaste kiss on my lips.
A thump on the windshield has me jumping. We turn and see Hayden, Abbot’s friend and fellow football player.
“There are children here,” he bellows, making Abbot flip him off.
“Come on, you know what he’s like,” Abbot sighs.
“Boys really are overrated,” I mumble as I unbuckle my seat belt and grab my bag off the floor before climbing out.
I close the door and wait for Abbot. He wraps his arm around my waist and slides his hand into the back pocket of my jeans, talking to Hayden beside him. I ignore the looks we get. People are always trying to figure out our relationship, like it’s any of their fucking business. They assume we’re fucking, but besides that, we don’t do anything as a couple.
That being said, Abbot isn’t shy about reminding everyone I’m off-limits.
“So when are you going to trade this loser in for a new model?” Hayden says to me as he turns to face us, walking backward toward the school. When he trips and falls on his ass, I grin at him before bending down and offering him a hand.
Abbot yanks me back before he can reach for it, making Hayden laugh.
“Sorry, Hayden. I like my men to be able to walk and talk at the same time.”
Abbot snorts as we reach the doors, leaning forward to hold one open for me. He dips his head and kisses me lightly. “See you at lunch?”
I scrunch up my nose. “Probably not. I need to go to the library.”
“Of course you do. Alright, I’ll meet you at the car after school then. Text me if you need me.”
I smile at him and watch as he walks away, Hayden blowing me a kiss before Abbot smacks the back of his head.
“Slut,” someone coughs behind me.
I don’t bother to turn around. I don’t need to. I’d recognize Claire’s voice anywhere. I keep walking, heading to my first class, wishing she’d stayed out longer.
“We all know he only keeps you around because you’re an easy lay.”
I keep going, biting my lip, knowing it’s better to keep quiet than to engage. But lack of sleep and having to deal with Hudson on top of everything else has made me want to grab her hair and smash her face into the lockers.
“Did you hear, girls? She’s gone through all the guys here, so now she’s working the street corners.”
Fuck it.
I spin around and plaster on a fake-as-fuck smile. “You’re absolutely right, Claire I’m just a big old slut bag. But you’re still jealous because I have Abbot, and you don’t.”
“Abbot and everyone else,” she snarls back as I roll my eyes and turn back around.
“Tell your dad he left his wedding ring inside me again,” I call out, not giving a single fuck who hears me.
People are going to believe what they want anyway. I’m eighteen now. As soon as I can, I’m out of here, which is why I’m heading to the library at lunch. I have a couple more scholarships to apply for.
The sooner I’m gone from this place, the better.