The Secret Life of Emily Blu

Chapter Fifteen

Bethany's suspension lasted the entire week but she is back at school the following Monday. The vice-principle actually pulled me out of class on Friday to warn me she was returning. Part of me expects her to be waiting for me out front when I get to school on Monday, but I don't see her until lunch.

Despite being able to read again, Jonas has spent every lunch with me reading Flowers in the Wind out loud while I eat. We haven't talked about it since the first day, but I know he catalogues everything I eat, making sure I finish my lunch. It's incredibly difficult the first couple of days, but it seems to be getting easier with each day. I don't think I've put on any weight, but I haven't lost any, either, and that's a win.

He's in the middle of narrating a sex scene in the most obnoxious voices possible when I see Bethany crossing the field. As Jonas and I are the only two out here it's clear she's coming to us.

"Is Bethany going to kill me?" I interrupt Jonas.

He pauses and looks up, following my gaze to Bethany. "Nah, I don't think so. Even if she tries, I'm here. I can take her."

"That's only mildly comforting."
Jonas shoots me a smile. "I promise nothing is going to happen to you."

I nod and watch Bethany finish closing the distance between us. She climbs the bleachers and stops a row below ours.

She glances between me and Jonas. "Jonas."

"Bethany."

"Can I talk to Emily alone for a moment?"

I stiffen but Jonas only raises an eyebrow. "That seems like a bad idea given your track record together."
Bethany rolls her eyes. "Shove it, Jonas. I'm not going to attack her. If I get suspended again I can count my college fund goodbye. My parents are pissed."

Jonas turns to me. "Is it okay if I step away? There's no pressure either way. For what it's worth, I doubt anything will happen. Bethany is a lot of things, but she's not stupid."
"I can hear you," Bethany hisses, frowning at Jonas.

"I don't care," Jonas shoots back.

I get the feeling there's some history between the two of them, but since Jonas had been Hardy's best friend at some point, and Bethany had been Hardy's girlfriend since middle school I know their paths had to have crossed at some point.

"It's fine," I tell Jonas. "I'll scream if I need you."

Bethany rolls her eyes but steps aside for Jonas to walk past her. She waits until he's out of earshot before she turns to me.

I don't know what to expect from her, and by her cold stare I can't even guess at what she's thinking.

Taking a deep breath, Bethany says, "I don't like you. You cast a spell on Hardy, and I blame you 100% for us breaking up. We've been together since middle school; we're supposed to get married. If you go after him, I will destroy you. Socially, I mean," she hastily adds.

"If you'd ever bothered to talk to me, I could have told you I have no interest in Hardy. If anything, he won't leave me alone. He just pops up all the time."

Bethany frowns at this. "I don't believe you. Everyone wants Hardy."

I get the sense that part of why Bethany wants Hardy is because everyone else wants him, too. She seems like she's that kind of girl.

"That's not why I came over here to talk to you about." She sighs and brushes her red hair behind her ear. "I'm really sorry I hurt you. I only meant to shove you, which is bad enough, I know, but I never ever intended to cause you bodily harm, let alone land you in the hospital. If you hate me, I get it. I just wanted to apologize. It really was a horrible accident."

I stare at her, considering her words. A grudging respect for Bethany starts forming in my chest. She's still a bitch, and I doubt she'll ever like me, but she is sincerely apologizing and that takes guts, even when the other party doesn't land in the hospital.

"I never thought you did it on purpose," I finally say. "And the only reason it was so bad is because I've already had a traumatic brain injury before. If I hadn't I doubt it would have been as bad as it was."
For a moment relief flashes across Bethany's face but as soon as I recognize it it's gone. "Cool."

I nod. "I still don't like you, though."

Bethany smiles the first real smile I've ever seen on her face, and it transforms her. I've always thought she was pretty, but when she smiles she's breathtaking. I can see why a handsome guy like Hardy would fall for her. "The feeling is mutual."

I nod.

She starts to turn to leave, and then pauses, turning back to me. "There's no reason for you to trust me, but can I offer you a piece of advice?"

Curious, I say, "Sure."

Bethany glances over her should at Jonas, who is standing at the end of the bleachers waiting for us to finish. "Be careful with Jonas. He's not who he seems to be."

I follow her gaze with a frown. "Jonas?"

"Yes."

"What has he done?"

Bethany shakes her head. "I can't say anything else. Just keep my advice in mind." She turns and leaves. When she passes Jonas she pauses for a moment, and they speak briefly before she goes back to the school building.

Jonas walks back over to me. "What did Bethany want?

"She wanted to apologize for hurting me, mostly. The other half of the conversation was her telling me she hated my guts."

"Ah, the duality of man," Jonas laughs.

I give him a once over. I want to ask him what he and Bethany had said to each other, but if he wanted to share he would have by now.

What had Bethany meant by her warning? The question eats away at me for the rest of lunch, and when the bell rings it finally occurs to me what's going on. Despite Bethany and Hardy breaking up, Bethany will always take Hardy's side. Whatever ended Hardy and Jonas' friendship had clearly created sides, and Bethany chose Hardy's.

Relieved that there's no real basis to her words, I let Jonas walk me back to class.