Confiding in You ϟ a.i.

Chapter 69

"Okay, but Cooper definitely did not do that much damage," Luke says when we get on the highway. And to think I actually believed he was listening to me and was going to keep his mouth shut for once. "So who was it?"

"Nah, it was him," I sigh, leaning back. If he got into an accident, it could kill or injure him too. He wouldn't want to risk that if he's going to an Ivy League, would he? Of course not.

"You must think I'm an idiot."

"You are," I cross my arms.

Well, he isn't, technically. But he is. He's an intelligent, book-smart, cunning idiot. And I would sock him in the face right now if it didn't mean potentially causing him to get into an accident.

Oh my god, what if I beat him to death and then took control of the car?

No, that wouldn't work. But it was worth the thought.

"Yeah?" he glares at me for only a split second, "Let me guess, you took your anger out on some random kid, which got you suspended and that's why your mom took your keys away."

"Nope," I shake my head, smirking.

Okay, so he isn't actually wrong. Josh was pretty much a random kid. But my anger was directed at someone not random, who I thought he was. So I have the right to say no and avoid looking like the idiot I actually am.

"If you're dying to know, it was the guy who raped Maddie."

Luke bursts out laughing as soon as I finish explaining, and he won't stop. By the time he settles down, his laughs sound more like shrieks and a headache is forming in my left temple.

I don't get what's so funny, anyway. I thought it was pretty brave, going two hours out of the city to beat up a guy -- a dangerous guy -- that I've never met. Definitely a heroic thing that, if a girl heard her boyfriend did, she would forgive him for everything else.

"Well, he sure beat your face in," he continues to snicker.

"Yeah, I guess he did," I mutter. All that time being best friends with Luke and it led up to him laughing about me getting beat up. Well, at least it led up to me sleeping with Hannah. That's a plus, I guess.

Still letting out short laughs every now and then, Luke goes on, "I knew you were stupid, but I can't believe you thought a guy who is capable of raping a girl wouldn't kill you."

I don't want to say this, but he's right. It wasn't even Ethan and he had me vomiting up my lungs. If it had been the actual guy, I may not have made it out alive. I just don't know what to do anymore. I just want Maddie to forgive me.

"You fought me when you thought I raped Hannah," I try, the memory sparking in my mind as I search for a way to defend myself.

Luke is silent and it's only then that I realize his radio is still broken. Over the summer, I got drunk and managed to break it just by kicking it. Idiot has probably been too busy studying to get it fixed.

"No, I fought you when I heard you slept with her," he clarifies softly after a moment and I groan.

"Whatever," I grumble, "I know it was a stupid idea, and so was this."

"Why are you still as annoyingly angry as you used to be? I thought Maddie changed you?" he mocks, adjusting his hands on the steering wheel.

I watch as we pass another exit sign and sigh. Knowing him, he's probably taking the slowest possible route. He thinks just because he knows how to get around without a GPS that he should.

"She did," I say, "Maybe I'd be less angry if you didn't try to ruin my relationship over and over again."

"She didn't, though," he says, ignoring my comment, "If she did, you wouldn't have had self-pity sex with Lily after you broke up."