“Thanks,” Tabitha said drily. “I feel like hell.”

“You wanna talk ’bout it?”

“You wanna tell me why your mama sold your car?” Tabitha countered.

“Touché.” Terry laughed. “So let’s talk ’bout something else. You make your move with Conner yet?”

“Let’s talk about anything but that.”

Terry raised his eyebrows knowingly. “Little girl, you are a mess.”

Tabitha closed her eyes tiredly and let her head drop back against the seat like Terry’s. She was quiet for a long time before she turned on her side, tucking her hands underneath her cheek and asked, “Do you think I’m pretty?”

“You don’t think Conner’s been hounding you for nothing, do you?” Terry grinned. “Yeah, you’re pretty. Very pretty. You’re one of those late bloomers who just showed up great looking out of the blue. Guess Conner’s smarter than most.”

“I was thinking ’bout cutting my hair,” Tabitha mused. “Short.”

“God, why?” Terry winced.

She shrugged. “Maybe it’d make me less pretty.”

Terry paused at that before his gaze flicked over her, taking in her jeans and Brett’s large flannel shirt she’d put on over her T-shirt. “Did something happen to you, Tabitha?”

“No,” she lied as she closed her eyes, feeling the tears threatening because for the first time since she’d left Wyatt behind yesterday, she could let her guard down. “I like being around you, Terry. You make feel safe, and I dunno why. You’re different, but it’s a good different.”

“Sweetheart.” Terry reached out, cupping her cheek, and it said a lot about him that she didn’t flinch away from the affection. “What happened?”

She didn’t know why she did it, but she crumpled into Terry Dower like he was her only friend in the world, which at the moment felt true, because she couldn’t talk to Wyatt or Clay without making things worse than they already were.

“I’m all alone,” she squeaked, crying silently in a way she’d learned a long time ago. “What am I going to do? I can’t talk to him anymore. He’ll know what happened after he left, and he’ll think I’m stupid because I am stupid and—”

“Okay, let’s not talk ’bout him.” Terry rubbed her back, pulling her tighter against him as he scooted down in the seat, hiding them from prying eyes. “Let’s talk ’bout me instead. You can tell me what happened, and I won’t think you’re stupid.”

Tabitha blinked up at him through her tears. “You won’t?”

Terry shook his head. “No, I promise.”

She believed him, so she told him everything. About her first amazing kiss with Wyatt, and then Brett and Vaughn showing up and ruining everything. She told him what happened in the bathroom. She told him about Clay’s call, and her brother questioning her relentlessly into the night after their mother passed out. Brett’s paranoia was spiked by whatever drugs he was taking, and she hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep.

It all spilled out of her in hushed, terrified whispers between broken sobs, and on some level she knew it was good to talk about it, but it was draining when she was already incredibly tired. The two of them were scrunched so low in the seat the other kids on the bus probably thought they were doing something indecent, but she couldn’t find it in herself to care.

When the bus stopped in front of the school, Tabitha looked at Terry with wide eyes and asked again, “Do you think it’ll stop if I cut my hair?”

Terry winced. “I don’t think that’s the best solution.”

“I don’t wanna go to class.” Her voice cracked from the tears and exhaustion. “I wanted to stay home, but Clay said if I didn’t come—”

“How ’bout we skip school today?” Terry suggested. “Just the two of us? You can come back to my place. My parents are working. My brothers might come home, but they ain’t gonna say nothing ’bout you taking a nap in my bed, okay?”

“I don’t want you to get into trouble,” Tabitha whispered.

“If my parents knew I was skipping school to get a girl in my bed, they’d be the happiest two folks in Garnet, I promise you.”

For some reason, the way Terry said it didn’t make it seem like a threat. It sounded sort of funny, and she let out a soft giggle. “If you say so.”

“I don’t know what ya’ll are doing back there,” the bus driver called. “But we’ve arrived in case you ain’t noticed.”

“Okay, come on.” Terry grabbed both their bags, putting one over each shoulder, and stood.

Tabitha pulled her hair over her forehead and kept her head down as she let Terry lead her down the aisle of the bus. Her hand was in his, and it help to dispel some of the tension.

When she stepped off the bus into the sunshine, it was incredibly jarring after a night with no sleep. A part of her brain thought it should still be night. She blinked past it, feeling disoriented. She wiped at her face with her free hand and tried to pull herself together long enough to figure out how they were going to cut school.

“I don’t know how to do this,” she admitted with a wince. “How are we gonna manage cutting school?”

“I might’ve lied when I said it was going to be just the two of us. I’m gonna have to grab a ride. This no-car shit sucks.”

“Who’ll give us a ride? They’ll tell on us.”

“Ah, no.” Terry laughed. “Our secret will be safe. I’ve cut school with him plenty of times.”

“Tabitha!”

“Oh my God.” Tabitha turned into Terry when she heard Wyatt’s voice echo across the parking lot. She hid her face in his chest and whispered, “Does he have his sister with him?”

“If I say yes, are you going to freak out?”

She clutched at his shirt tighter. “Yes.”

“Right.” Terry lifted his arm, calling out, “Conner! Hey, buddy, why don’t you lose your better half?”

As embarrassing as it was, on the second week of school Tabitha stood there on the sidewalk leading to the high school shaking with exhaustion, face swollen from crying, trying to hide from life in Terry’s T-shirt.

“Yeah, he’s not having a great time losing her. They really are the dynamic duo, aren’t they?” Terry mused.

Tabitha giggled again, which seemed insane as everything else that was happening around her. “Is she gone?”

“She’s going to the school with Powers. She doesn’t look happy ’bout it.”

“Why does she care what happens to me?” Tabitha huffed.

“You know it’s built into their genetics to nose into stuff like that. Twenty bucks says she ends up being sheriff instead of Wyatt.”

“She was right there listening last night. I could die of embarrassment. Wyatt probably told her everything.” Tabitha groaned. “What a horrible side effect to liking a guy with a twin.”

“That’s just one of many problems you got to deal with when it comes to Conner. You pick ’em better than I do, and that’s saying something.” Terry wrapped one arm around Tabitha and then reached out with the other. She could feel his palm land against something hard and unforgiving. “Whoa, there, Romeo. Don’t come stomping over here like you’re gonna end my world. I’m your friend. Probably the best friend you got in this whole dang school. You just don’t know it yet.”

“Tabitha.” Wyatt’s voice cracked on her name, making it come out more like a croak of fear. “What is going on?”

Wyatt touched her shoulder, and she flinched. What if this was one of the days Brett came to school? She doubted it since he was up all night long questioning her, but someone could say something to him.

“What the hell?” Wyatt asked again. “What is wrong with her? What happened?”

“Here’s what’re gonna do. Tabitha and me are ditching—”

“Like hell.” Wyatt cut him off. “Look, Dower, I dunno who you think you are, but if you think I’m gonna let you take my girl—”

Tabitha stiffened as a low sound of fear escaped her. She turned her head on Terry’s chest to make sure no one heard Wyatt. They were alone on the sidewalk, which was a small blessing. There were other students mulling around, but they were out of earshot.

“Here’s a concept, Conner; maybe it isn’t always about you,” Terry said slowly. “I’m taking her to my house for a nap because she hasn’t had any sleep.”

“Why hasn’t she had any sleep?” Wyatt barked back, sounding like a cop asking questions. “Why is she crying? And why can’t I touch her?”

“We’re not leaving with you,” Terry went on as if he hadn’t just heard the rapid-fire questioning. “But if you wanna show up at my house at some point, I’m game to that.”

“You are leaving with me,” Wyatt countered. “If she’s going, I am too. I’m not letting you take her alone to your house. I know your parents work all day. No fucking way.”

“We’re trying to keep things on the down low. Dating you ain’t real great for her health. Get it?”

“Then you better figure out a way to be slick ’bout it,” Wyatt said firmly. “I’m going.”

“Oh Christ,” Terry groaned, and Tabitha could feel his head fall back as if he were looking to the heavens for help. “Fine. I got to find my friend. He’s probably already inside. You wait here; I’m taking Tabitha with me.”

“Fuck off!” Wyatt growled in a low, dangerous voice. “No, this is bullshit. I dunno why she’s standing there crawling all over you, but—”

“I’m gay,” Terry snapped in a low voice filled with frustration. “I’m totally fucking gay, Conner. I’m not taking your girl from you. She is not my type. So can you tone down the macho bullshit about five hundred degrees?”

It was such a startling, impassioned confession everything else in Tabitha’s mind was pushed to the wayside. She looked up at Terry in shock. “Is that true?”

“Yeah, that’s why my parents sold my car.” Terry looked away, a dark blush staining his cheeks. “They caught me.”

Tabitha put a hand to her mouth in horror and mumbled against her fingers, “Was it terrible?”

“Yes,” Terry said with a bitter laugh. “It’s still terrible.”

“I’m so sorry.” She hugged him again and placed her face back against his chest. “So very sorry.”

“I think I just killed your boyfriend,” Terry said uncertainly.

Tabitha remembered Wyatt again and turned around, finding him standing there looking at the two of them with eyebrows raised and his jaw hanging slack. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked like he had about as much sleep as Tabitha had.

She couldn’t help but feel guilty about it as Wyatt shook his head, obviously fighting with his exhaustion as he said, “Wait, what?”

“Holy shit.” Terry let out a pained laugh and then in slow, concise words repeated again, “I am gay.”

Wyatt just gaped at him again before he found his voice again, sounding completely mystified. “Why?”

“Uh…” Terry paused, totally flabbergasted. “Because I am. Is that an issue for you? Would you rather me be after your girl?”

“No.” Wyatt seemed to muse over it for a second more. “I just don’t—” He shook his head, clearly still searching for the right words. “Okay, Dower, whatever. I guess that’s your choice, but I don’t get it. You don’t like girls at all?”

“I like them as friends. I like this girl.” Terry squeezed her tighter. “I just don’t wanna make out with them. That’s as repulsive as it can get to me.”

“Wow.” Wyatt nodded, still looking amazed. “Jules would love you. She’s got this whole thing ’bout liberation and—”

“Can we go find my friend now? Meet us in the back of the student parking lot.”

“Right. I guess that makes sense.” Wyatt nodded, still sounding mystified as he hiked his backpack up on his shoulder. Then he glanced at Tabitha in concern. “What happened to your head?”

Tabitha placed a hand over the bandage. “I tripped.”

“Really?” Wyatt asked in disbelief. “Tab—”

“We’re running out of time.” Terry used his hold on Tabitha to pull her away. “Meet us in the back in ten minutes.”

* * *

It turned out Terry’s friend with the car was Hal Parker, the biggest, meanest linebacker on the football team, which was saying something, because Wyatt was on the team. Hal didn’t look thrilled about giving them a ride. He kept glaring at the two of them.

When they were to the back door of the school, he stopped, his gaze resting on Terry’s arm casually draped over Tabitha’s shoulder. “You two dating now?”

“Stop,” Terry said tiredly.

“I was just wondering what y’all are planning to do when you get back to the house. Seeing how I’m risking my spot on the team to get you there.”