Page 79 of Losing the Rhythm

It was light, gentle, and all too fast. “Have a good rest.” He brushed his lips against my forehead before leaving me there.

I was no longer sleepy after feeling his kiss. It was like he had sent a shock of electricity through me.

No way was I going to fall back asleep.

Justin kissed me. Briefly, but it was a kiss that still managed to leave me reeling.

Chapter Twenty-four

I wasn’t sure what game they were playing. They had left me completely alone, but the moment I pulled up to the school, my phone was going off again with phone calls and text messages.

Sighing, I parked my car and went inside, already a little late to school. I had been too distracted from yesterday, and Justin’s kiss still left me speechless. I wasn’t even sure how to face him today.

While I was pushing through the doors, I was double-checking any messages from people I actually knew, saw none, and then turned off my phone. It took me a moment to realize that people were staring at me. A lot more than usual. I faltered in my steps, suddenly feeling the need to run.

“There you are,” Micah said, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and tucking me into his side. “I was looking for you all morning.”

“Well, here I am,” I said as I met the eyes of some of the students. They didn’t look away. I did though as Micah led me toward the cafeteria.

“What exactly is going on?”

“Other than everyone being assholes?” Micah asked.

“You can’t say that.”

“Say what? Asshole? Well, fuck that. Assholes.” He gave a pointed glare at a particular group of male students. They looked away from him. “Assholes. Assholes. Assholes. Shall I write a poem about it? I can if you want.”

“Micah.” This time I made sure to add a little bit of a bite to my words.

Micah’s grip on me tightened before he finally let his arm drop away. “Sorry.”

“Why are you on edge?”

“How can I not be? Some ass”—he paused when he saw my glare—“idiots have taken to writing in the boys’ bathrooms.”

“Okay. I doubt that’s new. They do the same in the girls’ bathrooms too.”

“Not the same.”

“What are they saying?” I was already regretting the question with the way Micah suddenly couldn’t meet my eyes. I softened my voice. “Just tell me already. Before I find out in a less nicer way. Now, while I’m prepared for it.”

Micah grimaced and glanced around. His anger was still there, but I noticed the signs too well to know he was also worried. No. Not just worried. Scared. Micah was scared for me.

His fear snaked into me, coiling tightly in the pit of my stomach.

“Your phone number, promising that you’ll give them a good time.”

My brain was a little slow to process those words. The phone calls and texts were most likely no longer as innocent as they had been. Bile tried to rise up, but I forced it to stay down.

I licked my lips, trying to push away the panic that was making my chest feel heavy. “So don’t answer my phone.”

“Don’t answer your phone. Don’t even look at it. Better yet, we should just use it in robotics class to attach to a rocket and watch it explode in the air.”

“I might need to change my phone number,” I mumbled.

“I think so.”

“Wow.” My voice dropped down and I looked at the floor. “Wow.”