“I can wait.”
It was the least I could do. After all, my psycho ex was the one who’d vandalized his truck. I shouldn’t have been surprised by the move. Hunter was unstable when it came to me, which I didn’t understand. He’d cheated on me repeatedly, if the rumors were to be believed, so why did he want me back so badly? It couldn’t be because he had feelings for me. Was it a control thing? I’d been weak and he’d been able to push me around; maybe he wasn’t ready to give that up?
I watched as Tyler changed the tire on his truck, his muscles bulging. I didn’t like the fact that Hunter had done this, but I had to admit that I was entertained for the moment. What girl wouldn’t like seeing Tyler like this? Was this why the cheerleaders hung out around football practice to watch the guys do push-ups and sit-ups? I had to admit, I saw the attraction in doing something like that, if the boy I was watching was Tyler.
When he was finished, he grimaced at his dirty hands. “I’d help you into the truck, but I don’t want to mess up your outfit.”
“It’s okay. I’m really sorry about Hunter. You should tell Principal Richards. It’s only fair that my ex gets into trouble for trashing your truck when yours got in trouble for trashing my locker.”
“I just want to get you home.”
“Please, Tyler? He shouldn’t be allowed to get away with this.”
Tyler sighed, but agreed. It took another twenty minutes to discuss the issue with Principal Richards, who wanted to take pictures of the tire with the knife in it and call the police. It took a while for officers to arrive but once they’d taken our statement and some pictures of their own, and I’d told the principal that I knew it was Hunter’s knife because I’d seen it in his car, we were finally free to go. I knew Mom was probably worrying because we were about an hour late, and I hadn’t thought to call or text.
“What do you think will happen to Hunter?” I asked.
“Since we involved the police, he may do some jail time. Is he still seventeen?”
I shook my head. “He turned eighteen last month.”
“Then he may be tried as an adult. I don’t think he’s going to college in the fall, or graduating high school.”
I felt bad for Hunter, but he’d brought this on himself.
Tyler got us to my house without incident and I apologized to Mom when she opened the door.
“I’m really sorry, Mom, but we had some problems at school today. Tyler’s ex-girlfriend squirted yogurt all over the inside of my locker, then Hunter decided to put a knife through one of Tyler’s tires. It took a while to change it and talk to the principal and then the police were called.”
Her look said she was both relieved and worried.
“You should have called,” she said.
“I know. I just got caught up in the moment.”
“Would you mind if I wash my hands, Mrs. Ryan?” Tyler asked, holding up his blackened hands.
“Not at all, Tyler. The bathroom is down the hall.” Mom waved him in that direction before facing me again. “Are you sure this relationship is worth the trouble you seem to be having?”
“Mom, Hunter was a problem before I agreed to date Tyler. Alicia is a new complication, but maybe she got the message after the principal made her clean my locker. I heard she got detention too and was warned another infraction would end with a suspension.”
“And Hunter?” Mom asked.
“The principal was going to call his parents after he got back to his office. Tyler told the cops he didn’t want to press charges, but they said since he was a minor it wasn’t up to him. He said he could understand the guy being upset because if he’d lost me, he’d feel the same way.”
“That’s not comforting, Hadley. You don’t need two boys that are completely nuts.”
I laughed and shook my head. “Tyler isn’t like that, Mom. I promise.”
“Very well. What are your plans for today?” she asked.
Tyler cleared his throat to alert her to his presence as he walked up to us. “I asked Hadley if I could do homework with her, as long as you’re all right with it, Mrs. Ryan. I’ll understand if you want me to go. I’ve caused Hadley a lot of trouble by asking her out.”
Mom patted him on the shoulder. “It’s all right, Tyler. You can stay if you want. Dinner will be served at six, if you think it would be okay with your mother for you to stay. We’re having meatloaf, green beans, corn on the cob, and rolls.”
Tyler’s stomach rumbled and we laughed.
“I’ll make sure I send my mom a text to let her know I’ll be home after dinner.”