Sidekick (26 page)

“Did that actually happen?” she whispers.

“I guess so.” The strange thing is I don’t even care. No one can treat her like that, even if she doesn’t want to be my girlfriend. I don’t know why I said that. It just came out.

“I can’t believe you hit Dallas.”

“I told you I would never let him call you that.” I pull her closer, hoping that she’ll let me hold her again. She doesn’t resist. “I think I finally get what you were saying. Sorry it took me so long to figure it out. I know you might not want to be with me anymore, but if you ever do I’d consider myself the luckiest guy in the world.”

Her eyes tear up and she smiles. “You’re mine now.”

“All yours.” I kiss her right there in front of Dallas’s house. Screw the people looking through the windows. Happy New Year’s to me. “Now, what were you saying about Garret?”

Her face cracks. “He got home early from Minnesota and came to anime night to find Keira.”

I have a feeling I know where this is going. “And?”

“He called her when he found out she wasn’t with us, and…” She leans into me, her pain becoming mine. “A guy answered, said he was Keira’s boyfriend and everything. Russ, you should have seen him. All I could think was that he needed you, because nothing we said seemed to help.”

I sigh. This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen. “I don’t know if he’ll talk to me, but I will sure as hell try.”

“I knew you would.” Her phone beeps. She pulls it out of her pocket, and her eyes go wide. “Shit.”

“What?”

She holds it out for me to see. It’s a text from Izzy:

Garr went to K’s. Said he had to see. Going to stop him.

Chapter Forty-One

Bad. Bad, bad, bad. Garret has no idea what kind of loser Keira has over there, and that guy just found out she was cheating on him, too. Whoever he is, he won’t be happy. I take Daphne’s phone and hit reply while she looks on.
Don’t. Could be dangerous.
I almost hit send, but she stops me. “Say I’m getting you. Tell her to wait for us.”

I type in the rest of the message and we huddle together, hoping for a fast reply. It comes.
Don’t you dare. He won’t come anyway.

Daphne rips the phone from my hand with a frustrated grunt.
He IS coming. With him right now.

EXCUSE ME????

Izzy’s rage, even in text, makes both of us cringe. “I can’t believe you just told her that,” I say.

“If you can admit to Dallas that I’m your girlfriend, then it’s only fair I tell Izzy,” she says as she types.
That’s right. We’ve been dating behind ur back & we’re coming to help.
“Maybe I was being a bit of a hypocrite, saying you were a fake. I’m not exactly myself all the time either.”

I hug her from behind. “You were right, though. No more hiding for either of us.”

“It’s a deal.”

Izzy doesn’t answer, at least not in the thirty seconds we give her before Daphne runs to her bike. I get on behind her, since the beer buzz is enough to make me worry about driving, and we head for Keira’s house, not knowing exactly what awaits us. The cool night air whips at my face, drying my eyes and clearing my mind. This time I will help Garret the way I should.

When we reach Keira’s street, there’s a crowd of people on her lawn and the music blares. Apparently, she was having her own New Year’s Eve party. When Daphne cuts the engine we hear the cheering: “Fight! Fight! Fight!”

Sure enough, Garret’s in the middle, facing a guy with several tattoos and enough muscle that I’d be worried about taking him.

Izzy’s outfit glitters at the crowd’s fringe. I’ve never been so happy about her strange clothing, because even on New Year’s her neon sequined outfit stands out. She and Colin are on a futile quest to push through the mass of people.

I put my hand on her shoulder. “Let me.”

Her eyes are wide when she turns. And furious. “Go away! This has nothing to do with you traitors.”

“Izzy.” Daphne’s voice is flat. “Get over it.”

“How could you betray me for him?” Izzy points at me like I’m scum. “You’re my best friend!”

“I’m still your best friend!” Daphne stands strong. “And if you really are mine you’ll let me do things that make me happy…”

I don’t hear the rest of their conversation because all of my focus in on this fight. Garret takes a punch right to the face, hard enough that he falls into the crowd. They push him back in, seeming to enjoy his pain. It’s eerily familiar to Dallas’s party. Garret doesn’t belong here with these punks any more than Daphne belonged in that house full of jocks and cheerleaders.

I force my way through the crowd, angry and sad and determined all at once. But not at this guy. He’s just like anyone else who’s fallen for Keira’s crap. Before he takes another swipe at Garr, I grab his arm. The crowd goes quiet, save a few people booing. Garret stares at me in horror, like I’m Death come to collect.

“That’s enough,” I say.

“Back off.” Tattoo Guy tries to shove me off, but I stand my ground. His breath reeks of alcohol and smoke, which is when I realize just how careful I need to be. I have no clue what he could be on.

“Fine.” I let him go and pull out my cell. “But if you hit him again I’ll call the cops.”

The crowd scatters fast. Nothing like the word “cop” to clear out a party. Only Tattoo Guy remains, his eyes trained on Garr. “Stay away from my girl, or next time I’ll bring a bat.”

Garret stares at the ground, holding his nose to stop it from bleeding. I’ve never seen my friend so broken and hurt. And not just physically.

“Brig?” Keira’s voice comes from the porch, groggy and oblivious. She wears only a guy’s baggy T-shirt, one I assume is his. “What’s—” She freezes when she sees us. “Oh.”

“Have you been cheating on me?” Brig barks.

“Uh…” She says nothing else. There’s nothing else to say. Her lies won’t work now.

Brig cusses her out, and none of us try to stop him. It’s about time for her to deal with all the shit she’s done.

I take a step toward Garret, whose eye looks pretty swollen. “Do you need me to drive you home?”

“No.” He heads for his car, and I follow.

“C’mon, man, you could have a concussion or something. And it’s foggy.”

He lets out a cold laugh. “What are you? My mom?”

“I’m just trying to look out for you, like I always have.” He stops at his truck, doesn’t turn to face me, doesn’t say anything. I keep going. “I’m sorry for everything, okay? I tried to do the right thing, but I still messed it up.”

“I gotta go,” is all he says.

“Okay…” I don’t know what more to say. If he didn’t accept my apology, then maybe our friendship really is over.

He unlocks the door and gives me an angry glance before he drives off. I sit on the curb, Brig’s lovely tirade a perfect compliment to the pounding music. Daphne sits next to me and puts her hand on my knee. “What did he say?”

“Nothing.” I sigh. “I don’t know what I was doing, coming here to save his ass. I bet he thinks I made him look stupid, like he couldn’t handle it himself. He probably hates me more now.”

“Well,” Daphne says, “you are the nark who said he’d call the police.”

“Gee, thanks.”

She leans her head on my shoulder. “No prob.”

Brig storms right by us, shoving me as he goes. He gets into a beat-up van, and before he’s even got the keys in the ignition Izzy takes his place in front of Keira.

“How could you? I trusted you! I defended you, and you were guilty the whole time.”

Keira rolls her eyes. “Can we do this later? I’m tired.”

Izzy’s jaw drops. “You’re
tired
? Well, I suppose breaking hearts and families and friendships must be exhausting!”

For the smallest moment, Keira looks hurt, but then she goes cold. “Screw you, Izzy.”

“C’mon, guys, let’s put this bitch behind us.” Izzy heads for Colin’s car.

Daphne and I look at each other, surprised that we seem to be included in that statement. I follow, mostly because I am happy to put Keira and her games far, far behind me.

It takes me and Daphne longer to get back to the house because I have to get Puke from Dallas’s place. After all that happened, I’m surprised my car’s not covered in beer cans and permanent marker. Maybe my telling the truth wasn’t as big a deal to them as I was afraid it would be. Or maybe Dallas has already usurped my throne.

Funny, either way I don’t care.

When I get home, Colin is nowhere in sight and Daphne and Izzy are already going at it. For once, Izzy isn’t the one commanding the conversation.

“I’m tired of you assuming I want all the same things you do!” Daphne paces the room. “I don’t like Japanese pop. Did you even know that?”

Izzy’s eyes are wide but not angry. She shakes her head.

“Well, I don’t. And I don’t like feeling as if you’ll kick me to the curb just because I like your brother, or because I think you’re wrong, or because I think Taylor Swift is the most amazing singer in the world.”

Izzy cringes. “Taylor Swift? Are you kidding?”

“See?” Daphne lets out a frustrated grunt. “I can feel you looking down on me right now.”

“I’m not!”

They don’t acknowledge me as I head for the kitchen, their fighting growing louder and louder. I feel the need to cook. I’m starving, for one, but there’s also this energy I can’t quite put in words.

Garret. I want so badly to talk to Garret. I want to tell him we’ll go lifting tomorrow and that everything will be okay. Why can’t it just be okay already?

The pancake batter comes together in no time, and I throw a few pieces of bacon on the flat grill. As I flip the first pancake over, Daphne storms in. “I can’t stay here tonight. It’s like she’s deaf.”

I hold out my hand for her, and she melts into my side. “I think she’s hearing more than you realize.”

She sighs. “Let’s see a movie tomorrow.”

“Definitely.” Maybe Izzy is having a fit, but it’s worth it. I get to go somewhere with my girlfriend other than Parker’s. I give her a quick kiss. “Sleep well.”

“I will.” She pulls me in for another kiss, and the acrid scent of burning pancake is the only thing that can pull me away from her.

“You made me burn food!”

She laughs. Before I can kiss her again, Izzy appears. I might be seeing things, but it looks like she’s been crying.

“See you tomorrow.” Daphne stops when she gets to Izzy. “We’re going to see a movie. You can come if you can stand us.”

Izzy’s shoulders slump. Daphne doesn’t wait for an answer.

I toss the burnt pancake and start on another, very aware that my sister is still there. She might be silent, but it feels like the words are building up in her. Eventually they’ll spill out, and I’m not sure I want to know what they are.

“You hungry?” I ask as I put the bacon on some paper towels.

She nods.

I make sure to block the grill from her view as I carefully add two pointy ears to a pancake. She may not be a little kid, but I know she’ll still love it. That’s what I like most about food—it’s like love on a plate.

I flip her pancake off the grill. With chocolate sauce, I add a nose, eyes, and whiskers. Then I make my Hello Kitty’s bow out of red strawberry jam. I slide it to her. “Here you go, sis.”

Izzy’s face scrunches into her must-not-cry look, and she cradles the plate in her arms. “You were right.”

“What?” I couldn’t have heard that. Izzy does not admit defeat.

“You told me how Daphne felt, and I didn’t believe you.” She swirls the strawberry jam with her fork. “But she feels exactly like you said she did. I can’t believe you know more about my best friend than I do.”

I pour more batter on the grill. “I guess we told each other all the things we couldn’t tell anyone else.”

“She should have been able to tell me.” Izzy sniffles. “I had no idea I made her feel that way.”

I stand across from her, digging into my pancakes. They aren’t anything special, but this late at night they are the perfect fluffy meal. “You know, someone once told me that it’s not about the mistakes you make, but how you act after that makes the difference.”

She swallows a bite, thinking. “Who said that?”

“Daphne.”

She snorts. “Of course. I guess neither of us deserves her.”

“Maybe not, but I’m gonna keep trying.”

Izzy nods. “Me, too.”

We eat in silence, but I have a feeling things between Izzy and me  are better. It takes me off guard how comforting that is. I missed her, maybe as much as I miss Garret. I need her in my life; I care about her. More than ever, I just want to be around the people I truly care about. The people who care about me.

Which means I’m not giving up on Garret yet.

Chapter Forty-Two

New Year’s Day. A fresh start. That’s all I can think as I tie my shoes. I have no idea if he’ll talk to me or if he’ll even answer the door, but I have to try. Because Garret is my best friend, and nothing will change that.

“Where are you going?” Izzy calls from the top of the stairs. I turn, surprised to find her dressed so early in the morning.

“To Garret’s.” I grab my coat from the closet. “Figured I’d give it one more shot.”

She hops down the stairs. “I’m going to Daphne’s. To apologize.”

“Catch her when she faints.”

She punches me. “Shut up.”

I smile. Her fake pout is so familiar, so right. Her doe eyes narrow, and I know she’s wondering what I’m thinking. “I missed this.”

She rolls her eyes and grabs the car keys from the hook.

I follow her out, the cool morning air nipping at my arms. Normally I wouldn’t head over to Garret’s so early, but I figure it’s my best chance to get in the door. Tucker gets up at the crack of dawn, and he’ll let me in. He probably doesn’t even know anything is wrong.

Knock three times.

Wait.

Like always.

Tucker’s feet pound the wood floor as he comes racing, and soon his face is smashed against the skinny window that borders the door. His smile is so much like Garret’s it hurts.