The F Word

Chapter Eight

Brooke:

Might as well get this over with, Brooke thought as she climbed out of her car. 

After spending the weekend hiding out in her room, Brooke didn’t have any choice but to rejoin the real world when it came time to go to school. While her mother had been sympathetic and allowed her to stay home from church on Sunday, her mom wouldn’t let her miss school.

Taking a deep breath, she entered the main hallway. She could feel everyone’s eyes on her as she headed for her locker, but she tried to ignore their stares.

“Brooke!” Bethany cried, rushing toward her. “I called you like a million times yesterday. Are you okay?”

Brooke glared at her. “What do you think?” 

“Look, you and Tanner broke up, not me and you,” Bethany said.   

Brooke’s shoulders sagged. “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“That’s okay,” Bethany said and then glanced over her shoulder. “If it makes you feel any better, he’s totally miserable.”

“Good!” Brooke huffed, daring to smile for the first time in the last three days.

Tanner:

Tanner hadn’t expected seeing her in the halls to hurt so much. Having to see her wasn’t as bad as having the whole school know their business and think he was crazy for dumping her. Maybe he was crazy, but he didn’t need people reminding him of it.

“Hey, Lewis,” Jimmy said.

Tanner’s eyebrows shot up. Jimmy Cavanaugh didn’t talk to him if Kenny wasn’t around. Something had to be up.

“Hey,” Tanner said.  

“Word is you dumped the California babe,” Jimmy said.

The muscles in Tanner’s arms and shoulders tightened. “Her name is Brooke.”

“Yeah, whatever,” Jimmy said. “I just want to know if it’s true.”

“It’s true,” Tanner admitted.  

“That’s great,” Jimmy said as a sly smile lit his face. “I think I’ll ask her to the dance, and then afterward she can drive us to Peavey in that Mustang of hers. If she’d put out for you, I definitely have a chance.”

Jimmy Cavanaugh was as tall as Tanner and at least twice his weight, but it didn’t matter at that moment. Tanner grabbed the front of Jimmy’s shirt and shoved him into the bank of lockers.

“If you touch her, I’ll kill you,” Tanner warned through clenched teeth.

Jimmy laughed. “There’s just one problem with that.”

“What’s that?” Tanner asked, still holding onto Jimmy’s shirt.

A merciless smile drew tight across Jimmy’s face. “You’re a crippled freak, and Kenny’s not here to protect you.”

“Screw you,” Tanner said, finally letting go of him.

“Just wait, Lewis,” Jimmy called after him as Tanner headed down the hallway. “I’ll have your girl by next week.”

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” Tanner muttered without turning around.

Brooke:

During fourth period, Brooke watched the minutes on the clock tick by. That morning, she’d gotten her first bitter taste of small town living with everyone staring and whispering. She only heard bits and pieces, but she caught enough to know they were trying to figure out what happened between her and Tanner.