Because You Exist(28)

“Weren’t you the one asking for details about me and Carrie like days ago?” I asked, throwing my books into my locker. Books I probably needed. I just needed to throw something.

“Yeah, well, that was before you started messing with my chances of going to State. Walking off practice was dumb. It was also before you got cocky and let half the school watch you walk her to your car after you did God knows what. I mean she couldn’t run a brush through her hair? Sex hair is always a giveaway, man. You might as well have done it right there in the parking lot.”

I turned on Alec. “Do you ever actually listen to yourself? You sound like a freakin idiot!”

“Do you ever use your brain? I’m not above thinking with the cock, dude, but you need to get it together. Whatever you have going on with Ms. Emo has to stop. Fix things with Jenna, and win the game tonight. Otherwise, you’re gonna find yourself on the wrong side of things, man. Consider yourself warned.”

I slammed my locker shut and took a step closer to Alec. “You sound like some lame ass teen movie. This isn’t a movie, Alec. I’ll do whatever the hell I want. If I want to hang out with Josephine, I’ll hang out with Josephine. My relationship with Jenna is not a team or school matter. And I’ll win that damn game tonight. Not for you or the school. I’ll win it for me because I’m a damn good quarterback. So, get off my ass.”

I’m not sure if Alec heard a word I said because his eyes were glaring at someone behind me. I turned to see Josephine, dressed in a brand new black hoodie. Her hood was off her head, and she was glaring right back at Alec. She looked a lot more self-assured than I felt. It felt good to say the things I said, but the trouble was I didn’t know if I believed them.

“Take care of it,” Alec snarled and turned and stalked down the hallway.

“Thanks,” Josephine said, nodding towards where Alec walked off.

“For what?” I replied, fiddling with the straps of my book bag. There weren’t many kids roaming the hallways yet, but I knew that wouldn’t last for long.

“Yesterday. I figured they’d give you hell for it today.”

“Like I care. I’m Logan Middleton. You think I care what they think?”

“I’m Logan Middleton? Wow. You sound like an idiot when you talk like that. And yes, I do think you care what they think.”

“Awesome. Thanks for the vote of confidence. Nice hoodie by the way. Do you buy them in bulk?”

Josephine smiled, and I wondered if she even noticed I had insulted her. “You caring what they think is part of what made yesterday pretty cool. I know it was risky for you to help me, and I wanted to thank you for it. I know I wasn’t particularly gratuitous yesterday.”

No, between the freak out in the car, the joking of my room, and the creeptastic incident with my uncle, she didn’t really have time to thank me properly.

I shifted my weight from foot to foot. “Well, you sort of saved my life. Consider us even. You killed a man for me. I committed social suicide.”

“Oh, come on. One public appearance with Scary Carrie and the great Logan Middleton is brought down? Nonsense.”

I couldn’t help but chuckle. Even if she was making fun of me a little. “You’re right. It would take so much more than that.”

Josephine leaned against the locker next to mine. “Was Jenna really mad?”

I noticed the way the both of us were keeping our hands busy. I continued to pull on the straps of my book bag, and Josephine wrapped and unwrapped one of her hoodie’s drawstrings around her hand.

“She’s cool,” I replied.

Josephine shook her head, one of those knowing smiles gracing her face. I hated when she smiled at me like that. “So, you two didn’t really talk about it. Did you?”

“We talked.” Sort of.

“Oh? So what did you tell her? Did you tell her we’re time travelers who almost lost our lives? Or how you were helping me wash the blood off my hands? Or maybe that we might just be friends?”

“What does it matter?” I asked, looking at my cell phone to check the time. It was getting harder and harder to look into her eyes. Part of me wished she would pull that hood right back over her face.

“I might need to know the cover story before I return her sweatshirt to her.”

“I’ll give it to her.”

“Wow. You told her nothing. Did you?”

“That’s not true. I told her there was nothing going on with us.”

“Nothing? So, we’re not friends? I mean sure we aren’t braiding each other’s hair or playing Mash, but I thought something like a near death experience might have given us a little perspective. Or maybe it was the fact that we were told we’re partnered for a reason? But I guess like usual, I’m just nutso.”