Lisa

Jennie let out a sigh and shook her head as soon as she hung up with my mom.

"So?" I asked, stepped inched closer.

"School," Jennie almost whispered as she slipped her phone back in her pocket. "It's at school."

"Son of a bitch." My mother tracked me? I guess that explained how she found me the night at the fish pond. "She's smarter than I thought," I said more to myself.

So my phone was at school. I left it at the party, so that meant that someone from our school had taken it, and they had it on.

Well, that was dumb.

It still didn't solve the question of how someone had recorded the video. My phone was playing music that night, but it definitely wasn't recording Jennie and me.

Shit.

I blinked long and hard.

The balcony.

Could someone have been out there filming us?

Now, my gut was twisted with acid, and I was charged.

That was the first time Jennie had taken over, tried something new and gotten on top. She was brave and beautiful, and I was rocked.

To think of someone outside on the balcony the whole time, watching us. Watching her.

Refocusing, I looked at Jennie, whose eyebrows were arched in. Scared.

But she's not a runner anymore.

"I see that look in your eye." I inched closer and spoke quietly. "It's the look you get when you want to bolt. The look you get right before you decide to stay and fight."

"What am I fighting for?" she said, her voice cracking.

Us, dammit!

"We did nothing wrong, Jennie."

Her eyes were red from crying, but I knew she wasn't running away. Her breathing evened out, and her lips settled in a resolved line.

"Let's go." She turned and walked to her truck, swinging open the door.

Thank God. I let out a long breath.

Maybe we wouldn't find my phone. Maybe I wouldn't be proved innocent in her eyes. Maybe taking her back to school, with all of those eyes, was a huge-ass mistake.

But she was fighting for us again, and that had me so happy I'd dance in public anytime she asked.

"Is…um…is your car safe to drive?" She gestured to the Boss parked behind her truck.

Baby, I don't even care. I shook my head.

"Don't sweat it. It gives me an excuse to do more upgrades."

Her eyes pooled, but she blinked the tears away and took a deep breath.

"Stop at your mom's firm and pick up her phone," she instructed, as we'd need my mom's phone to find mine. "I'll meet you at school."

Once I grabbed my mother's phone and hurried away from her questions, I sped off to school to find Jennie in the parking lot waiting for me.

"Are you okay?" I asked, taking her hand, but she immediately yanked it away.

My heart dropped into my stomach.

"Jennie."

She wouldn't look at me. Her eyes were turned away, looking at the school.

"Don't ask me if I'm okay." Her voice was raspy as if she were holding back tears. "I don't think I'm going to have any idea how to answer that for a while."

She ran a hand through her long hair and took a deep breath before walking towards the school.

God, I hope this works.

The more time that passed, the further away from me she got, and whether or not I was guilty, this might be the straw that broke the camel's back.

Jennie had had enough.

She was walking the line between fighting back and shutting down.

Coming up beside her, I stayed close but didn't touch her.

Everyone was still in class but not for long. The bell would ring soon, and we'd be like animals in a cage at the zoo.

Eyes all around and nowhere to turn.

I followed the tracker on my mom's phone, still amazed that I wasn't pissed off that she tracked me.

After so long feeling like I was on my own, it actually felt comforting to have someone worry about me.

The light flashed, showing my phone's general location, but it wasn't specific.

There had to be a quicker way to do this.

My hands were shaky, and I wanted to get the fuck out of here before the bell rang.

"Is it still flashing?" Jennie asked, looking over at the phone in my hand.

"Yeah." I looked around, waiting for someone to see us. "I can't believe my phone is still on after two days. GPSs use a lot of battery."

"Well, the video was sent this morning," she pointed out. "If what you say is true, then whoever used your phone has probably charged it since Saturday night."

So far away.

"If what I say is true…" I repeated her words, hating how quickly shit changes. This morning I was all over her, and now it was like she wanted me far away.

"Look," she spoke up, killing the silence between us. "This tracker's only accurate within fifty meters. So—"

"So start dialing my phone," I interrupted. "Maybe we'll hear it."

Fifty meters covered a lot of area. The phone was here, but we'd need help finding out where exactly.

She dug her phone out of her back pocket and called my cell. We walked the tiled floors in silence, listening for any rings or vibrations from the lockers.

Even though she had the phone to her ear, I could still hear my voicemail pick up. Every time it did, she hung up and redialed as we continued to walk.

"Let's split up," she finally suggested after the fifth call. "I'll keep dialing. Just listen for a sound. I think it's in a locker."

"Why?" I asked, stopping to look at her. "Someone could have it on them, too."

"With me calling every ten seconds? No." She shook her head. "They would've turned off the phone, in which case it would've gone straight to voicemail. It's on, and it's in a locker."

Split up?

I rubbed my jaw, not liking this idea one fucking bit.

But we didn't have long.

"Fine," I bit out. "But if you find it, call my mom's phone immediately. I don't want you in the halls alone, not today."

She stood there, studying me, like she wasn't sure if any of this was worth her time. She was probably thinking that I did send the video, and I was just playing with her now.

Spinning around, she left and darted up the stairs to the next floor.

I continued searching the first floor, my fists clenching and unclenching inside of the front pocket of my hoodie as I listened for any sound of my phone.

I didn't wear a watch, usually using my phone to tell the time, but I knew we were close.

The bell was going to ring, and we needed to just give this up and get the hell out of here.

This morning I'd felt her kisses, her hands, and her happiness. But now I only felt her doubt. It sat between us like a ten ton elephant.

The phone in my hand buzzed, and I jerked it up so fast I almost dropped it.

2nd floor, next to Kuhl's room!! Jennie texted.

Shit.

I fucking bolted up the nearest flight of stairs to the next floor and nearly tripped on the steps when the final bell screamed.

Dread slammed my stomach down to my feet, and I only hesitated a moment before I charged ahead through the doors and onto the second floor.

Students flooded the hall, all trying to get to their lockers or downstairs to leave.

Most of them did a second-take at seeing me, but I just turned left and pushed through the crowd as fast as I could.

People coming my way slowed down, while others stopped to whisper to their friends. There's was no telling what was going through their heads, and my fists balled up in aggravation. Not only was I angry about what had happened, but I was completely fucking pissed that I now had to clean up a mess I didn't make.

I finally found Jennie next to a set of lockers towards the end of the hall, and she definitely had onlookers.

Her body was rigid, but she stood tall and didn't hide from their stares. She looked at me, and I fucking melted when I saw her guard with me was back down.

"Are you alright?" I asked, taking her face in my hands.

"Yes." Her tone told me everything. She believed me. "The phone is here, in 1622," she said softly, and I tensed. "I don't know whose locker it is, though."

I do.

I looked behind her, my eyes hardening on the locker.

Irene.

My jaw was glued together, and oxygen poured in like fuel.

I didn't hit women, but I'd damn well let Jennie hit her.

"Back so soon?" a female voice snipped behind me. "Is your porn career a failure already?"

Jennie

A catty voice rose out of the murmurs, and I shut my eyes.

Irene.

I felt Lisa's lips on my forehead before she pulled away. I opened my eyes to see Lisa turn around, shielding me, but I yanked her arm back and stepped forward.

I should've known Irene was a part of this. I don't know how she did it, but she was responsible, and I wanted to deal with her. Hell, I'd take pleasure in it!

I briefly noticed everyone in the hall squeezed together, patiently waiting for something.

"Actually, we're just waiting for you." I smiled and kept my tone even. "You know that video that came from Lisa's phone this morning? The one that everyone saw? She didn't send it. Her phone was stolen Saturday night. Would you know where it is?" I raised my eyebrows in my best condescending look.

She blinked but straightened her shoulders and tilted her chin up. "Why would I know where her phone is?"

"Oh, because…" I drifted off and hit 'redial'. Behind Blue Eyes started playing from her locker, and I held up my phone screen to her so she could see that I was dialing Lisa. Everyone else saw, too.

"This is your locker, Irene," Lisa pointed out after I'd hung up.

"You know, I just love that song. Let's hear it again." As I called Lisa's phone, everyone heard the song echo from Irene's locker once more. Now there was no doubt.

Lisa stepped forward and bent down into her face. "Open up your locker and give me my goddamn phone back, or we'll get the Dean, and he'll open the locker."

Option A would prove to the entire school she was a thief and a liar. Option B would prove the same thing but also get her into trouble. She was standing there like she had a choice.

"It was Nate's idea," she blurted out, her voice cracking.

"You stupid bitch!" Nate growled from the crowd, and I looked over to see him step forward. "It was your idea."

Lisa pulled her arm back and punched Nate across the nose, sending the guy spilling to the ground like a wet dishcloth. The bystanders gasped and backed up, and I tried to resist the urge to do the same to Irene.

At that moment, Mino pushed through the crowd, wide-eyed with shock at the bleeding Nate on the floor.

"Are you okay?" he asked, looking pissed as he came to stand by my side.

I nodded and turned my attention to Irene. "How did you do it?"

She pursed her lips and refused to meet my eyes. So we're going to be stubborn today, I see.

"Your dad's a cop, right? What's his number?" I held up my phone, my fingers primed to dial. "Oh, yeah. 911."

"Ugh, alright!" she gritted out. "Nate took me to Homecoming and then to Tzuyu's party afterwards. When we saw you and Lisa head upstairs, Nate took his camera phone and climbed onto the balcony. When he showed me the video later, I saw that Lisa had left her phone on the dresser, so I snuck back into the room to take it."

"So the video came from Nate's phone. It was transferred to Lisa's before it was texted." I spoke to Irene but my eyes were on Lisa. Lisa looked at me, not angry like she should have been, but relieved. Now I knew she wouldn't do something like that to me. I should've always known, I guess.

Shit. I really messed up her car.

"Get Lisa's phone, Irene. Now," Mino ordered, with a scowl I usually didn't see on his face.

She huffed and walked up to her locker, working the combination until the lock clicked. Yanking the door open, she shuffled through her purse while the rest of us waited.

The crowd hadn't dispersed. If anything, it'd grown. I was surprised teachers hadn't come out of the classrooms yet. Lisa hovered over Nate, who still lay on the ground holding his nose. He had to remember a night not so long ago that he'd been in the same situation with Lisa and probably decided that it was better to just stay down.

Irene finally picked the phone out of her bag and threw it at my chest. Out of reflex, my hands shot up to catch it, but there was a dull ache from where it'd hit. She was scowling at me, and I almost wanted to laugh. Almost.

"We're done," she snapped and waved her hand to shoo me away. "You may go."

Um…yeah, no.

"Irene? Do yourself a favor, and get some help. Lisa is not yours, and she never will be. Lisren? Well, it's never going to happen! In fact, she won't ever look at you again and see anything good, if she even saw anything good in the first place."

Irene's eyes narrowed to slits, and I could tell by the muffled whispers that the crowd was more on my side than hers now. I guess it didn't hurt that everyone knew that Lisa hadn't sent that video. Hell, I guess they were really on her side.

Oh well, they didn't need to like me, but it helped to not have them against me, too.

I twisted around to pass Lisa her phone but was yanked back by my hair. Pain shot through my scalp as I slammed back to the lockers.

My equilibrium was thrown off, and I stumbled to right myself again. Shit. That had hurt. What did she think she was doing?

I saw Irene's fist priming for a punch. My eyes nearly bugged out of my head, but I reacted.

I ducked, and her fist caught my hair instead of my face. Shoving her away, I whipped my hand back and smacked her across the face. Before she even had a chance to stumble, I brought my other hand across her other cheek, and that sent her crumbling to the floor.

I registered the audience's sharp intakes of breath and their shocked laughs, but I didn't care. I glared down at Irene, who was trying to hold her face and stand back up at the same time.

Pulling my hand back to deliver another blow—hey, she deserved it—I felt myself being lifted off the ground.

I tried to wiggle out of the grasp of whoever had me, but when I heard Lisa shushing me in my ear, I eased up.

"What's going on here?" A male voice interrupted us. I looked over to see Dr. Porter, coffee-stained beard and all, looking between the two heaps on the floor. I grimaced. There was no way I was getting away with all of the damage I'd done today. And thank you Lisa for stopping me before Dr. Porter saw!

Lisa

Jennie immediately relaxed into my body. I released my hold, and she stood there silently, looking down, while Porter glanced between the whining lump of Irene on the floor and the bleeding heap of Nate next to her.

"Dr. Porter," Mino spoke up. "Nate and Irene bumped into each other."

Sweat poured down my back, and I didn't know if I wanted to hug Jennie, smack Mino, or…smack Mino.

"Mr. Caruthers, I'm not stupid." Dr. Porter looked to the crowd. "Now what happened here?"

I tipped my foot up and put pressure down on Nate's arm as a warning to keep his mouth shut. He struggled, but I just pressed harder.

I doubted he'd say anything anyway. He didn't want us going to the cops with this.

I would if Jennie wanted to, but I'd rather handle it on my own.

"I didn't see anything, sir," my friend, June, offered.

"Me either, Dr. Porter," another student followed his example. "Probably just an accident."

Everyone else in the crowd figured out the game plan and followed suit.

Porter didn't get anything from anyone, and no one got in trouble.

Jennie was safe, and I would be taking her home without any complications.

Rubbing his beard, Dr. Porter looked to Nate and Irene. "Alright, you two. Get up, and come to the nurse. Everyone else. Head home!" he barked.

Nate and Irene stomped down the hall after Porter, although Nate was a little wobbly. The rest of the students departed slowly and quietly. No one laughed behind their hands. No one gave Jennie a look.

They knew that the video wasn't my doing, and if I wasn't on board with it, they shouldn't be, either.

People being afraid of you can be useful.

Wrapping my arms around Jennie's neck, I brought her into me where she was safe.

Not that she needed saving.

"I'm so sorry about not trusting you." Her muffled voice vibrated against my chest. "And about what I did to your car, too."

I couldn't care less about the fucking car.

"Jennie, you're mine, and I'm yours. Every day you're going to realize that more and more. When you believe it without a doubt, then I'll have earned your trust."

I knew I didn't have it yet. Today was the result of the damage I'd done.

"I am yours. I just wasn't sure if you were really mine," she said quietly.

"Then I'll make you sure." I kissed the top of her head, and the image of Irene grabbing her by the hair flashed through my head.

I tried holding in my amusement at how Jennie hauled off and brought her down.

"You're laughing right now?" She pulled back and looked at me, half-angry and half-confused.

Yeah, I definitely shouldn't be laughing right now.

"Well, I was kind of worried about my anger issues, but now I'm kind of worried about yours. You like to hit people." I couldn't hold back the huge grin on my face.

She rolled her eyes. "I'm not angry. She got what she deserved, and I was attacked first."

I picked Jennie up, guiding her legs around my waist and carried her down the hall, unable to not touch her anymore.

I was so afraid I'd never get to again.

"It's your fault, you know?" she said against my ear.

"What?" I asked.

"You made me mean. And now I pummel poor, defenseless girls…and guys," she added, and I wanted to laugh again, thinking of the damage she'd done to Mino.

"You might say that I turned metal into steel."

She kissed the ridge of my ear, and a shudder rocked through my body.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night, you big bully," she teased.

And I gripped her tighter, hoping I could, someday, right all the wrongs.