“You can run on ahead,” she said, wanting any excuse to just fall back and stare up at the beautiful blue sky.
“Nah, I’m good.”
“You’re going to torture me.” She grabbed her side, slowing down as it got too much.
“Come on, Fields and Decker, get moving.” The teacher blew his whistle.
Picking up her pace, she kept running, wishing someone would come and take her away now. She’d gladly have a broken leg than have to keep running.
“I enjoyed last night.”
Trey had called around to her house when her folks arrived home. He introduced himself as her friend. Her parents adored him, and Scarlett was starting to really like him. He was fun and didn’t bully her.
“Me, too.” She glanced over at him to see him smiling back at her.
“I was wondering if you’d like to come around to mine to study tonight? My mom will be home so you don’t have to worry about me taking advantage of you.”
Scarlett giggled. “Don’t worry, I wouldn’t worry about that.”
“Come on, Decker, move it,” Marshall said, giving Trey a nudge as he started to pass.
She froze as she watched Trey throw Marshall off him then charge on ahead. Scarlett kept running, watching as Marshall and Trey were competing for first place.
When the teacher blew the whistle, Scarlett started walking heading toward the group. The whole day of school had been exhausting, and finishing on gym didn’t help. Her legs were like Jell-O.
Trey punched Marshall in the arm before he ran back up to her.
“Sorry about that. It’s inbuilt to accept a challenge.”
“No problem.” She rubbed her palms down the shorts she wore. The shirt she wore was three times too big, but she was starting to wish she’d gone for a different shirt as it kept slipping off her shoulder. “You’re, erm, you’re friends?”
Trey nodded.
It was good he was making friends. They started walking toward the gym.
“Here is the man,” Marshall said, grabbing Trey around the head, and rubbing his hair.
Scarlett kept walking.
“Get off me. Can’t you see I’m talking here?”
She tapped her thighs as they entered the gym. At the start of gym class they’d been split into two groups. Once they entered the room, Cheryl squealed bouncing over toward them. Scarlett kept moving, going toward the bleachers to take a seat. She was sweaty, and when she got home she was going to take a long shower.
“What’s happening?” Trey asked.
“Dodgeball,” Cheryl said.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw Cheryl run her hands up Marshall’s chest. The teacher shouted Cheryl’s name as the game started up. Mr. Bridges took a seat on the bleachers with his group of students.
Trey sat beside her, and she couldn’t help but feel Marshall sit directly behind her. Something touched her back, and she jerked around to see what it was only to find nothing there but Marshall’s hands.
“What’s up?” Trey asked.
“Nothing.” She was losing her mind. There was no way Marshall would try to touch her. Glancing back to the game, she watched as the teams started throwing balls to either side of the room. Some of the balls hitting flesh made her wince.
“Right, team, you’re up,” Mr. Bridges said. “Our team against yours.”
Trey grabbed her hand, leading her onto their space of the court. She didn’t like this. Grabbing a ball from the floor, Scarlett blew out a breath as she faced the other team. She hated dodgeball.
“Are you okay?” Trey asked.
“Yeah, I’m good.”
It wouldn’t be long before she was out anyway.
The whistle blew, and she was shocked as Marshall moved a little in front of her. She dodged balls that were firing her way, throwing the ball across the room. She picked up one of the balls off the floor and handed it to Marshall.
Trey grunted as a ball hit his thigh.
Moving around, she aimed one of the balls across the court, but it missed. She noticed how close Marshall was to her.
For a split second her attention was distracted, and in the next moment pain exploded across her face as a ball caught her. Going to the floor, Scarlett cupped her face at the intense pain that slammed into her.
The sound of a whistle going off in the distance halted the game.
“Ouch,” Scarlett said.
Mr. Bridges leaned over her. “Scarlett, can you hear me?”
“I don’t suppose a ball to the face means I’m still in the game?”
He chuckled. “No, it doesn’t, however, it does call for the team to lose a member.” He looked toward the other team. Marshall appeared above her.
“How are you feeling?” Marshall asked.
“My face feels like it just got hit by a ball.” She removed her hand and saw all three men wince. Jack appeared above her. “Do I even want to know?”
“Help her up and bring her to my office,” Mr. Bridges said.
Someone wrapped their arms around her, lifting her to her feet. Marshall was helping her. His arm slid across her back, and he pulled her arm across his neck.
“Come on, I’ll help you.”
Trey walked over to them. “Do you want me to take over?”
“Nah, I’ve got her from here. You take my place.”
Mr. Bridges led the way, grabbing out a cold compress from the freezer. “I’m going to have to call your parents.”
Before she got a chance to warn him that they would be out, he was gone, leaving her alone with Marshall.
Sitting on the sofa in the office, she placed the compress over her face. It hurt like hell, and it felt like her cheek was starting to swell. “Does it look bad?”
She didn’t like the way he sat looking at her.
He’d been crouching in front of her but stood to grab a mirror. Pulling the cold compress from her cheek, she saw the damage. Half her face was red from the ball.
“Who hit me?”
“Cheryl. She threw the ball.” He growled out the words.
Biting her lip, she nodded. It made sense for Cheryl to go for a blow that would seriously hurt her.
Mr. Bridges came in seconds later. “I can’t get either of your parents.”
“They’re doctors. Don’t worry.”
“No, I don’t want you driving home like that. I need to make sure—”
“I can take her home,” Marshall said.
“What?”
“Yeah, I’ve got my car. I’ll take her home, and Jack can follow with her car.”
“Are you sure?” Mr. Bridges asked.
“Yeah, I’m sure.”
She didn’t want Marshall anywhere near her home or her car.
“Excellent. I’ve left a message at the hospital.”
Mr. Bridges left the room once again.
“You really don’t need to take me home. I can find some way there myself.”
“You’re going to be able to drive?”
“Of course.” She only had a ball to the face.
“Look, if you don’t let me take you home, Bridges is going to make you stay until your folks get home. Do you want to stay behind until they’re here?” Marshall asked.
“I don’t want you to drive me home.” He may be friends with Trey, but he wasn’t her friend. She didn’t trust him and wouldn’t start doing so anytime soon.
He blew out a breath. They were two days into the new year of school, and suddenly he was driving her home, being nice. She shouldn’t trust him. Scarlett didn’t trust.
“Look, when it came to you, I fucked up. I know that. I’m offering you an olive branch here. I’m not messing with you. I want to be your friend.”
“Why?”
“I want to be.”
“You’re not going to say any more than that?”
“No.”
“I don’t like this.”
“I’m not asking you to like it. Let me take you home.”
She nibbled her bottom lip, wishing she could find any excuse not to be alone with him.
“Okay.” She whispered the word but wanted to take it back the moment she did.
“Good.”
He helped her to her feet, and she placed the cold compress on the desk. Jack was waiting by the door.
“I need to grab my stuff,” Scarlett said.
Marshall didn’t let her go. He followed her to the girls’ room, helping her grab her bag with her clothes. She stuffed them inside so that he wouldn’t see any of the sizes. Scarlett was waiting for the next stage of the joke, but nothing was happening. Once outside, she saw Trey waiting for her.
“Shit, Scarlett, are you okay?” He reached out to touch her cheek. She winced, and she was sure she heard a growl come from Marshall.
“I’m fine. Bridges asked Marshall to take me home.”
“Do you want me to take you?”
“I’ve already arranged it. I’ll see you later, Trey,” Marshall said, leading her out of the gym. They hit the warm air of the afternoon. Jack stood on one side of her while Marshall continued to hold her.
“I can walk.”
“I know. I’m happier holding you.”
Jack chuckled.
Scarlett couldn’t help the unease that worked its way up. Jack stopped chuckling, and she saw him stare at Marshall. “Fuck, you were right.”
“What?” Scarlett asked.
“Nothing is going to happen to you, baby. We’re not going to hurt you. We’re only going to help get you home,” Marshall said.