Total pages in book: 61
Estimated words: 58874 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 58874 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 294(@200wpm)___ 235(@250wpm)___ 196(@300wpm)
“Owen,” Jule said.
“So, listen, whatever she told you, it’s not true. She tried to trap me.”
He blinked a few times to clear his mind. As out of it as he’d been, he could still generally follow a conversation. “What?”
Owen sat next to him and leaned close. “Maria Cruz. I saw her over here and I know she told you what happened, but she did it on purpose.”
“On purpose,” he repeated.
“Exactly. I paid her to take care of it. It’s not like I could have a kid with a girl like that.” He laughed. “I was just having fun with her. But you know how those people are, she saw a golden ticket and thought she could trap me with a baby.”
“You got Maria pregnant,” he spoke his realization out loud.
“That’s on her. She thought she was my girlfriend but come on. It’s not like I told people about us or brought her around my family.” He scoffed. “Can you imagine? A girl like that. And besides, why wasn’t she on the pill? Because she wanted to get knocked up. That’s why. But whatever she said to you, you need to know that I did the right thing. I paid for all of it. Even the hotel room.”
“You had sex in a hotel room?”
“No.” He shook his head and then he somehow managed to get even closer to Jule. “The one for the abortion. She had to go to California to do it. But I didn’t complain. I paid every dime. I don’t know exactly what she told you, but we can’t trust those kinds of people. You know how they are.”
The pieces of information slotted together in his mind and the haze of exhaustion and despair dissipated in a flash of familiar and welcome rage.
“Yes, Owen, I know exactly how those people are.”
Owen started to lean back, looking pleased, but that lasted less than a second because Jule grabbed the edge of his tray and swung it against his smug, superior face. Food scattered everywhere, and Owen flew off the bench, blood spewing from his nose. He lay on the ground yelling and crying, and that was the best moment Jule had experienced in half a year. He would have gotten up and kicked the shit out of him, but teachers swarmed them and pulled him away. There was no point in fighting them off, so he let them drag him into the principal’s office and he sat down without a word.
After about fifteen minutes, Ms. Devereux the principal came into the room. “Julian,” she said his name softly, walked around his chair, and sat at her desk. “Do you want to tell me what happened?”
He didn’t respond.
“I spoke with the staff who saw the incident and then I spoke with Owen Jacobson.”
He remained silent.
She took a deep breath and let it out. “I understand you’re struggling, Julian. What happened to your father…” She shook her head, expression downcast. “Owen refused to tell me what exactly transpired between the two of you. He said it was a misunderstanding and he doesn’t want to make any sort of complaint. Normally, fighting at school is an automatic suspension but, in this case, I’m willing to let it go.”
He kept his eyes focused on her, so she’d know he was listening, but he didn’t have anything to say. He honestly didn’t care what she did to him.
“But I am going to call your mother and explain the situation. I’m also going to recommend some counselors to her for you to see. Your teachers have told me that you didn’t turn in any assignments last semester, and your test scores have plummeted since last year. They haven’t let it impact your grades because we all know what you’ve been through, but, Julian, you need help.”
That was probably true, but he doubted any counselor could help with his problem. Not unless the counselor could get him in touch with Tor.
“Alright, I can see that you don’t want to talk to me. Go ahead and get to class. I’ll be in touch with your mother. You’re a good kid, Julian. I hate to see you this way.”
He walked out of the office and almost bumped into Maria.
“Did they expel you?” she asked, looking worried.
“No, of course not.” He started walking to class and she joined him.
“Good.” She sighed in relief. “I assume you beat the shit out of Owen Jacobson because he told you that he knocked me up?”
“Yes.” He put his arm around her back. “Look, Maria, he’s a dick and you didn’t deserve—”
She started laughing. “It was all bullshit.”
He frowned. “What?”
“The story I told Owen. Total bullshit.”
“You weren’t pregnant?” he asked, stopping in his tracks.
“Of course not.” She pushed at his chest. “I’m careful. I’m going to go to college next year and then I’ll graduate and get a good job and get the fuck out of here. No babies for me.”