Tripping Me Up (10 page)

"Why'd you run off this morning?" Tripp asks, drawing me out of my internal thoughts.

"Sorry. I guess I just sort of panicked."

"Hey, man." Maverick bounds over to Tripp and slaps him on the back. "You coming in?" He glances over at me with a funny look on his face.

It's obvious that he can't figure out why Tripp is talking to me, and it makes my stomach twist into knots. It takes all my willpower not to run away again.

"In a
minute. I'm going to finish talking to Hadley." Tripp returns his attention to me, while Maverick heads into the cafeteria.

I smile at Tripp. "Okay, you've made your point. You can go off with  your friends now."

"I am with my friend," Tripp says seriously.

My whole body goes hot. I can't think of a thing to say in response, so I end up standing frozen in place like an idiot. Just when I'm about to redeem myself and say something, Sonya's scent reaches me. I turn around just in time to see her sauntering in our direction. Having no desire
to engage in a confrontation with her, I glance up at Tripp apologetically. "I better go find Paige. I'll see you later." Without waiting for him to respond, I race into the cafeteria.

SIXTEEN

TRIPP

"Y
ou want to tell me what happened earlier today?" I nudge Hadley in the leg with my elbow.

It's Friday af
ternoon, and we're sitting on Hadley’s front lawn waiting for her dad to pick her up. It's cool, but not freezing. Goosebumps rise on my flesh, but I think it's more from Hadley’s close proximity than the weather. This girl does something to me. Sure, I’ve dated girls sexier than her. Hell, I’ve dated girls who ooze sex appeal. Girls that most guys would give their right arm to be with. But I never felt this way around any of them. I’ve never felt this damn attracted to someone in my whole life.

"What are you talking about?"
Hadley flashes me a confused look.

"C'mon, you get on me about not ta
lking to you at school, so I do and you run away from me. Twice."

"Sorry. It's just that I freaked out."
She picks at a blade of grass with her fingers. I may not have known her that long, but I know this is one of the things she does when she’s uncomfortable. Her gaze flickers to the street, and I know she’s hoping her dad will drive down right now so she can avoid this conversation. Luckily for me the street is deadly quiet.

"That's what you keep saying, but
what freaked you out so bad?" I lean close to her, catching a whiff of her watermelon scent. It causes my pulse to spike. I stare at her lips, imagining what they would feel like against mine. "Am I really that scary?"

She swallows hard, moving back a little. I try not to feel slighted by it. But it does make me wonder what she would do if I did try to kiss her. "No, it's not you I'm scared of. It's her."

"Who? Sonya?"

She nods.

"Why?
” I ask. “What exactly happened between you two?"

She
takes a deep breath, and I’m afraid she won’t tell me. Then she slowly opens her mouth, a glazed look in her eyes like she’s lost in her memories. "Sonya and I were best friends all through elementary school and junior high. Then we started high school and things started to change. Both of us were kind of outsiders before, but freshman year both of us really wanted to be popular. For some reason I lucked out and became friends with Molly Carsons. Sonya got really jealous, but I assured her that it wouldn't change things between us. Molly invited me to eat lunch with her and her friends, so I brought Sonya with me. I introduced her to everyone, and made sure she was included in everything."

"I vaguely remember that you hung out with Molly for a little while,
now that you mention it," I say.

She
nods. "But I guess that wasn't enough for Sonya. She wanted to be more popular than me. Now I know that she wanted to be more popular than everyone. She started trying to exclude me from things. One day at lunchtime I called her on it, and that's when she destroyed me."

I place my hand gently over hers, offering her the same comfort she did for me the night I hurt my hand.
"How did she destroy you?"

"She shared all my embarrassing secrets with the whole tabl
e. They were things I told her in private. Things only she knew. She humiliated me in front of everyone." She turns away from me, but not before I catch a glimpse of the ashamed look on her face. "I never sat at that table again. In fact, I never spoke to any of them again." 

"I'm sorry, Hadley. She never should've done that to you."
I squeeze her hand tighter. There’s no way I can take away her pain, but I wish I could. I know what it feels like to be ridiculed and humiliated, and I hate that she does too.

"Thanks."
She peers up at me with a smile.

"Sonya doesn't deserve a friend like you."
I move closer to her, and this time she doesn’t move away. In fact, she leans in. I take it as an invitation. My heart hammering in my chest, I angle my head toward hers. The sweet scent of her lipgloss nears me, and I part my lips. But then a honk startles me. I gasp and flinch.

"I guess your dad's here."
A strangled laugh escapes from my mouth, and I jump away from Hadley.

"Yeah."
She says, her cheeks reddening. Quickly, she stands up, brushing grass from the back of her jeans. I scramble up too just as her dad emerges from his vehicle. Swallowing hard, I wonder how much he saw. Shock slams me in the chest when my gaze locks on Hadley's dad.

"Your dad is Dr. Summers?"

Hadley nods, wearing a proud smile. I can tell she loves her dad, and I’m hit with a twinge of jealousy.

"I don't know why I didn't make that connection before."
I scratch the back of my neck, feeling agitated.

“
Hey, Hadley." Dr. Summers greets his daughter.

It’s odd to see him appear so casual, wearing jeans and a collared shirt. I’ve only ever seen him before in a professional setting.

"Hey, Dad." Hadley’s hand brushes over my arm. "This is my friend Tripp."

"Ah, yes." Dr. Summers
reaches his hand out to me. "Tripp Bauer. How have you been?"

"Good,
Dr. Summers,” I mumble. Looking down at my feet, I successfully avert Hadley’s curious gaze.

"How is your mo
m doing?" Dr. Summers asks. "I haven't seen her in awhile."

"She's doing
well." The words burn as I say them. I feel hot, and itchy. I have to get out of here. Turning to Hadley, I give her an apologetic look. "I better get going. Have a fun weekend, Hadley."

"Yeah. Good luck on the game tonight
."  Concern is etched on her features as I hurry off. I run as fast as I can to my house and don’t dare look back until I’m sure she’s out of sight.

The locker room is loud just like usual before a game. All the guys are talking over one another, and their voices bounce off the walls and echo around me. The salty smell of sweat is overpowering. I stand up, pulling my jersey over my padding. Maverick is next to me, slipping his own jersey on.

Once his head pops through, he reaches out
his arm slapping me good naturedly on the back. “You wanna tell me what’s going on with you and Haley?”

“Her name’s Hadley,” I say through gritted teeth.

“Whatever.” He shrugs as if to say that he doesn’t care what her name is. It irks me further.

“Hadley?” Toby walks over to us. “You mean the lesbian girl who sits in the back of my science class.”

My body goes hot with rage. “She is not a lesbian.”

“You sure about that?” Toby says with a light chuckle under his words.

I have to fight against the anger surging inside of me. Breathing evenly I will my body to calm. Luckily for the guys, it’s a skill I’ve perfected over the years. “I’m sure. Why would you even think that?”

“Because she wears baggy clothes, she’s never had a boyfriend
, and she’s always with that chick who dresses funny.”

“Yeah, no kidding. And I’ll bet those two are into some kinky shit,” Mav says. “The nerdy ones always are. Isn’t that right, Tripp
?”

My face hardens
. “Why would you say that?”

Mav shrugs, a teasing look on his face. “You’re the one whose always hanging out with them lately.”

Toby flashes me an incredulous look. “No way? You have a thing for Hadley Summers?”

I want to say yes. I want to tell them that Hadley is the most amazing girl in the whole world
, but the words stick in my throat. I can’t do it. Not with them all mocking me, mocking her. “Of course not,” I lie, and it tastes bitter in my mouth. “She just lives near me, that’s all. My dad’s friends with her stepdad, so I have to make nice with her, okay?”

The guys laugh, and Mav gives me a sympathetic smile. I force myself to laugh along with them, but I think I might throw up. As we make our way onto the field the crowd’s clapping sounds around me. I wave up into the stands, knowing that the spectators cheer us on like we’re heroes. Only I don’t feel like a hero. I feel like the biggest coward of them all.

SEVENTEEN

HADLEY

"S
o, how was your weekend at dear old dad's?" Paige leans forward, propping her elbows up on the cafeteria table.

I swallow down a gulp of my water. "It was fine.
” My mind flickers back to our odd conversation on the car ride to his house about Tripp.

Dad didn’t waste any time. The minute
he pulled out of Mom’s driveway he turned to me. "So, you and Tripp Bauer, huh?"

I blushed at what he was insinuating. "We're just friends."

"That's good."

I was surprised at his reaction. Mom practically gushes over Tripp. I swear if she could force me into an arranged marriage with him she would. "Why? Do you know something about him I don't?"

Dad didn't answer. I think about how strange Tripp acted when Dad asked about his mom. And then I remembered his bizarre behavior the day we saw his mom while we were walking Bruiser. "Dad, is Tripp's mom one of your patients?"

"You know I can't discuss my patients
with you, Hadley," Dad responded in his stern voice.

I groan
ed, throwing my head back in frustration.

"I just want you to b
e careful, okay?" His words sent chills down my spine.

"Okay." I stare
d out the window, wondering what he meant by that.

Paige gives me a funny look, pulling me out of my reverie. “Did something happen this weekend?”

I contemplate sharing with her, but then decide against it. If Tripp’s mom is one of Dad’s patients, I really shouldn’t mention it to anyone. So I just shake my head. “No, just a typical weekend at Dad’s. Although, he did actually come out of his office a few times." Even though I flash her a rueful smile, the truth is I don't think it's that funny. I wish Dad wasn't such a workaholic. Sometimes it hurts my feelings, and I wonder if he doesn't want me around anymore. Like maybe I'm a burden he wishes he could unload.

"That's good. I just mostly lounged around listening to music," Paige says, taking a large bite of her carrot. It snaps loudly in her mouth
, bits of orange peppering her white teeth.

Chattering spills over us
and laughter swirls us. I glance over at the group sitting on the other end of our table. They look like freshmen, and they're hunched over talking in hushed tones.  I extend my arm toward my water, but end up knocking it over. It spills across the table and starts dripping into my lap.

"Oh, great," I mutter under my breath. Jumping up, I wipe the wetness off my pants with my hands. "I'll be right back. I'm going to grab some paper towels." Spinning around, I walk straight into a boy's chest. Before even looking up
, I know it's Tripp. His familiar smell encompasses me.

"You okay?" His arms come up around mine.

My heart hammers at his display of affection in front of everyone. I peer up at him. "Yeah. Fine. I'm just being my klutzy self."

His gaze lands on
the wet spot on my jeans. But instead of teasing me, he just shrugs. "Happens to the best of us."

"Well, well, what's going on here?" Sonya's voice pierces through the moment.

"Nothing," I mumble, moving away from Tripp.

"Did you wet yourself?" Sonya asks with a laugh. Her friends join in
, and pretty soon it's like the whole cafeteria is staring in our direction. My face flames, and I take a couple of steps backward. "Where are you going, Hadley? I was just coming over to have a little talk with you." Sonya's voice drips sweetness, but the bitterness underneath is unmistakable.

The room spins, the walls seeming to close in around me
. I find it difficult to draw breath.

"I know what you're up to, Hadley, and it's time that Tripp did as well." Sonya looks pointedly at Tripp.

He crosses his arms over his chest. "Sonya, just leave her alone
. Okay?"

I look at her smugly, grateful that Tripp stuck up for me.

A couple of Tripp's friends notice what's going on, and they come walking in our direction. Tripp's face blanches. No way am I staying here. I spin around to leave, but one of Sonya's friends intercepts me. She raises her brows. "Going somewhere?"

Feelin
g trapped, panic grips me. It's like deja vu of freshman year.
This is not going to end well.

"
I see Hadley's got her claws into you, Tripp. I can't say that I'm totally surprised. She has had a little crush on you since we were in junior high," Sonya continues, and I want to disappear. If only I hadn't become friends with Tripp. If only I was still invisible.  "She used to draw pictures of the two of you kissing." Her friends giggle, and my ears burn. I look to Tripp for help, but his face is bright red and he's staring at the ground like he's lost the ability to speak.

"That's enough!" Paige yells, bounding in my direction.

I heave a sigh of relief. At least she's still on my side.

"And it seems like she's still drawing you." My body numbs when Sonya reaches into her purse and pulls out a few crumpled pieces of binder paper. I'm completely frozen as if I've left my body and I'm watching this whole horrible exchange from somewhere far away. Sonya thrusts the pages into Tripp's hands, my sketches from the other day in class plainly visible.

"Did you take those from the trash?" My voice sounds scared and foreign. Tripp stares at the pages in his hand, his face draining of color. I want to curl up in a ball and die right here. If only I truly were invisible.

"You know that she's nothing but a whore just like her mom." Sonya's gaze catches mine.

"No, Sonya," I plead with her even though I know it's a losing battle. She's been waiting to use this against me for years.

Tr
ipp's eyes catch mine, betraying the struggle behind them. "Sonya, come on," he says, but not firm enough to actually stop her. His hands tremble, the pages in his fingers fluttering like butterfly wings.

"Her mom is such a whore, little Hadley here doesn't even know who her daddy is. If Dr. Summers hadn't rescued her mom, Hadley wouldn't have a dad at all."

And there it is. The secret I've kept from everyone for years. The secret I've never wanted anyone to know.

There is a collective gasp around the room. Even Paige looks shocked. Fighting back tears, I shove through the crowd gathered around me and hurry out of the cafeteria. Just before getting outside, I glance over at Tripp. He's staring at me with a horrified expr
ession. I narrow my eyes at him, glaring as hard as I can until the door closes, blocking him out. With wobbly legs, I run to the nearest bathroom. Only after I'm safely locked in a stall do I allow myself to cry. And it's not a pretty cry either. No, it's filled with big, sloppy tears and loud sobs. I feel like my heart has been ripped out of my chest. I wish that I'd  never been friends with Sonya. Most of all, I wish I'd never trusted her with my most valued secret.

Being Dr. Summers' daughter has always meant a lot to me. I've never wanted anyone to know the truth. That I don't belong to anyone.

The door to the bathroom opens, and I hold my breath.

"Hads?"

"Paige?" I sniffle.

Footsteps glide over the cement floor and stop in front of the stall I'm barricaded in. I unlock the door and open it.

"You okay?" The concerned look on Paige's face causes more tears to spill down my cheeks. "What she said in there, is it true?"

I nod, wiping my face with the back of my hand. "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you, Paige. It's just that I found out before I knew you. Sonya and I were best friends at the time and
—"

"Hads," Paige interrupts me. "You so don't have to apologize to me. I get it. I'm not upset with you. This was your secret, Hads. No one had the right to spill it like that."

"Thanks, Paige." I smile through my tears. "You really are the best friend ever."

"Yeah, I know. You've pretty much hit the friend jackpot right here."

I giggle.

"I wanted to punch that cow in the face. Only then my mom would ground me for life
, and I didn't want to risk it."

"That's fine, Paige. I would hate for you to get suspended over this. It would only make things worse." I sniff, running my hand under my nose.

"I can't believe she said those awful things, Hads. I wish I could've stopped her."

"At least you tried," I say bitterly. "
The only person that could've stopped her was Tripp, and he didn't try very hard."

"Some friend," Paige agrees.

I bite my lip. "Seriously. I guess I should be happy that I finally found out where his loyalties lie." I had really started to believe in Tripp. I can't believe he hurt me like this. One thing I know for sure is that it's the last time I allow it to happen.