Kiss and Break Up - Ella Fields Page 0,92

a sip before offering it to me. I declined. “Apparently, she’s been kicked out. Gone to live with her dad.”

Her dad lived half an hour away on the outskirts of the cove, and I turned to Daphne, unsure of what to even say.

“She didn’t tell us,” Daphne said, her forehead creasing.

Dash waved his fork around. “I daresay she’s had more pressing matters to address, like, oh, I dunno, moving out of the house she’s grown up in.”

Daphne thinned her eyes at Dash, who just kept eating.

He had a point, though, and so I tried not to feel butt hurt over it. “We need to call her.”

Daphne nodded. “Emergency scrap date.”

We finished eating in silence. Mainly because I was starving, but also because I didn’t know what to say with Dash right there, and the shock sitting heavy between me and Daphne.

When Lars came to the table, Daphne stilled, then immediately packed her things and said she’d see me in geography.

“Jesus,” Lars groaned, rubbing his chin. “She really hates me, huh?”

“You did get some other girl pregnant while you and her were starting to get serious,” Dash said.

Lars almost growled. “It was before we started hooking up.”

“Potato, potahto,” Dash sang.

I spoke before the fists Lars was clenching on the table could do any damage. “Keep trying.”

He blinked at me beneath dark lashes, his jaw relaxing. “Yeah? She say something to you?”

“I wouldn’t tell you if she had.” I packed up my lunch. “All I’m saying is that you should keep trying.” I got up, taking it to the trash before heading to the door as the bell rang.

“Freckles,” Dash said, exasperated. “Not even a goodbye? I bought you lunch.”

“You shouldn’t have expectations when you do nice things for others.” I stalked between the tables inside the cafeteria, keeping my eyes trained on the doors ahead.

His hand snuck around my waist as soon as the doors shut behind us, and he pulled me into a tiny alcove behind a row of lockers. “Dash, no.” I pushed at his chest as he pressed himself against me.

“Be mad, but just look at me while you’re doing it.” I scowled at him, and he chuckled, his thumb dancing over my cheek. “That’s it.” The humor faded from his expression, and his eyes took on a softer sheen. “Did you get my poem?”

A sound left me, half laughter, half breath. “Yes. Very romantic.”

He grinned, then licked his lips, and I knew what he was about to do, so I ducked beneath the arm above my head and raced down the hall.

His laughter shadowed me. “Never forget that I can run faster, Freckles.”

Peggy

I hadn’t been online since Dash left my room on Saturday. Partly because I knew he’d probably be online, and partly because I had no motivation to play.

But after school the next day, and another round of Dash cornering me at every turn, I needed to switch off. He was everywhere—at school, in the parking lot, texting my phone with pathetic but kind of funny gifs, and worst of all, in my head.

I couldn’t shake him. But at least online, I could ignore him. Maybe even just block him. Though that was likely to have him showing up at my house.

I shoved my homework aside, then shimmied on my stomach to my nightstand and nabbed the remote. While I waited for it to load, I checked my phone, hoping for a message from Willa. There’d been radio silence, and Daphne and I had wondered if maybe her parents had taken her phone.

I had to believe she’d get in touch or else I was going to find Jackson, who showed up at school today looking like he’d sunk to the bottom of a whiskey barrel and almost drowned.

The game loaded, and I went through the motions, deciding my weapons needed an upgrade. I picked the battle axe and some nunchucks. That’d do.

I lasted all of five minutes before someone shot me, and then a message popped up on screen. I knew he’d been online, but I’d just been happy he’d let me be. Until now.

F*ckoffandie666: Want me to kill them for you?

Don’t respond, don’t respond, don’t re—

PegSue12: I’m good, thanks.

F*ckoffandie666: Yeah, you are. ;)

Ugh. My phone rang, and I switched the game off to answer it.

“I can’t even. I know we can’t party, but I need out. Movies?”

I pondered it, unsure. “I’m grounded.”

Daphne groaned. “Just ask, maybe she’ll be fine with it.”

I told her I’d call her back. I could go for some popcorn and a