Chapter 41

Melissa’s betrayal stung.

Since the moment everything exploded with Graham, she picked his side.

I told her why things went wrong between us. I told her about Graham’s disgusting behavior, using me to hurt Jacob.

She knew about Graham’s past, his bullying Jacob. Despite that, she searched for excuses for his behavior.

She told me I could be mistaken, that Graham would never do such an evil thing, that he was crazy about me.

She said Jacob had to be making up the story because he was jealous after losing me.

She didn’t want to believe me. She wanted to remain on Graham’s good side. Being against him meant she couldn’t be with the popular people anymore.

Her opportunity to climb back to grace appeared at the beginning of senior year and she wasn’t going to lose it.

Our friendship wasn’t worth it.

She continued to be nice to me, but still decided to hang out with the popular crowd and defended Graham at every opportunity she could.

It hurt, so I decided to spend lunches in the library, all by myself.

On Wednesday, I was bored, so I decided to stroll through the hallway before lunch break ended.

I was listening to music when I heard laughter coming from around the corner.

Confused, I approached the next turn and stopped in my tracks.

Jacob and some guys from the football team were there. The guys from the football team were laughing as they threw a phone around. Jacob was rushing in circles, desperate to grab the phone.

“Come on, Choir Boy, is this the best you can do?” one of them taunted Jacob. “This is too easy.”

They pushed Jacob to the floor and laughed when he landed on his back, defenseless. The guys on the team circled Jacob as though they were going to do something worse than throw his phone around.

Their hands fisted. They were going to punch Jacob. They weren’t satisfied with watching Jacob running after his phone and making an ass out of himself. They wanted to hurt Jacob physically too.

My back tensed. I was ready to bolt and try to stop this, but a loud voice echoed in the hallway.

“Stop it.”

My head swiveled to the side.

Graham.

His face was serious and his tone lethal. He wasn’t amused. He was angry.

“Hey, St. Claire,” a guy piped up. “Look at this idiot.” He chuckled.

“Return it,” Graham declared in a booming voice.

“What?” Another guy frowned. This one sensed Graham’s anger and was alarmed.

“Return the fucking phone and leave him alone unless you want me to bench you for the entire fucking season.”

The guys looked at each other, confused. Normally, Graham was the first to join them and laugh at Jacob’s expense. This was out of the norm, and they didn’t know how to behave.

My breath hitched as I watched in silence. Graham hadn’t seen me, and I didn’t want to make my presence known anymore. I wanted to see what Graham would do.

Was he going to defend Jacob? Or was Graham pretending to act as Jacob’s savior, only to turn into a crueler aggressor?

I was breathless as the exchange went on.

Graham impatiently and barked at the guys, “Now.”

They jumped. One returned the phone to Jacob, and they all left the premises without another word.

My heart hammered in my chest when Graham approached Jacob and extended his hand.

Jacob looked at it with hesitation before grabbing it. Graham helped him back to his two feet without a word.

Jacob was flabbergasted. “Thank you…”

Graham nodded. “The least I could do, after everything I’ve done.”

There was a brief silence before Graham clenched his jaw and rubbed the back of his neck.

“I’m sorry about that,” he began. “I know an apology doesn’t cover all the shitty things I’ve done, but I do want to let you know I regret it. I was an idiot. Fucking stupid and naive and angry. You never deserved any of it. You’ve always been a good guy. And I was a jealous idiot.”

Jacob gazed at Graham with wide-open eyes.

“I know I can never make up for everything I put you through, but I want to tell you I won’t do it again. And I won’t let anyone else hurt you. I’m really sorry for everything, Jacob. I really am. And I’m paying for all those wrong deeds. They cost me dearly.”

Jacob blinked in disbelief. He was speechless.

I was too. Frozen and surprised and amazed.

I didn’t think I would see the day in which Graham St. Claire defended Jacob and then apologized to him.

I had to be dreaming.

Graham inhaled deeply, giving Jacob a weak smile before he retreated in the opposite direction.

I watched Graham’s figure disappear in the distance. At the sound of laughter at my back, I snapped.

I went after St. Claire.