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“Yeah, lunch sounds good.”

He presses his lips against my head, and I can’t help but smile. Maybe this won’t be so bad after all. Yeah, I don’t believe that for a second, but sometimes the lies we tell ourselves help us function when everything around us is falling apart.

“Thank you. Now let’s get you to school so I can get some work done before lunch.”

I nod, grabbing my bag and slipping it over my shoulder. “I’m ready.”

He drives me to school, and we make small talk about the weather. Dare I say it, it all feels so normal. Normal is what I wanted, right? So why does it feel so strange?

The closer we get to school, the worse it gets. Maybe it has more to do with today being my first day back since getting married. And my first day without Abbot. I hide my unease, though I know he sees me tense when we pull into the parking lot.

“If you have any issues, you call me.”

“You can’t fight my battles for me here, Hudson.”

“Fucking watch me.” He kisses me quickly before winking.

I shake my head as I get out of the car and steel my spine. “Showtime,” I mumble to myself.

I don’t look back, even though I know Hudson’s still there, watching me walk in.

Thankfully, I make it through the doors without incident. I head to my locker and open it. Hundreds of condoms fall out all over the floor. The students around me look and laugh, but I just stare at them and shrug. I guess I won’t be using my locker today.

I bend down and pick up a condom off the floor just as Claire and her crew strut toward me like the mean girls in every high school cliché movie.

“Tsk, tsk, bringing your work to school now, Slutling?”

I roll my eyes. “Slutling? That’s the best you’ve got? I mean, it seems I really overestimated your intelligence. Don’t worry, though. I won’t make that mistake again. Wait, do you need me to say all that again, but slower?”

A few snickers sound, but Claire looks like she wants to rip my throat out. It’s funny how, a year ago, I would have shuffled away and hidden. But now, after dealing with Hudson, I realize Claire is nothing but a weak bitch.

I slap the condom against her chest. “Thanks, but keep them for your boyfriend. They’re way too small for mine.” With that, I walk around her and head to my first class, so over high school.

The rest of my morning is uneventful, thankfully. But as lunchtime approaches, my stomach knots with nerves. When the bell rings, I pack my bag and head to the main doors.

“Yo, Starling. Wait up.”

I turn at the sound of Hayden’s voice and stop.

“You know where Abbot is?”

I shake my head. “Sorry. We had a fight, and I haven’t seen him since.”

He rubs his forehead in frustration. “Coach is pissed. We have a game tomorrow, and we need him.”

“I’ll try calling him again, but he hasn’t been answering. I don’t know how much help I’ll be.”

“Alright, thanks, Starling.” He jogs away, and I turn and head out.

Hudson pulls up in front of the school just as I step outside. When he stops the car, I open the door and climb in.

“Hi.”

“Hey, how was school?”

I look at him and laugh. “How is it not weird for you to say that?”

“Oh, it’s weird; I just don’t give a fuck.”