Talk to Me

Hearing Sam was suspended, Hal's eyes grew wide. Hearing Aaron was gone, they grew even wider. What on earth had happened? Sam got her things so fast and he was so shocked that no words even had time to form in his mouth until she'd already left the room. "Sam, what-" He spun around and grabbed his phone. "Reese? What the heck is going on?"

"Hal, later. I'm too busy to discuss this with you right now."

"But-"

"I said later!"

Hal growled and hung up. Sam was suspended? Aaron was gone? Wait, had she implied Hal might not want to see her? He got to his feet and left the room quickly. Seeing the hall empty already, he broke into a jog and didn't stop until he'd gotten outside and saw Sam by her car. "Sam! Wait!"

He ran over to her, seeing the tears in her eyes, and it broke his heart. Positioning himself between her and her car so she couldn't leave yet, his gaze searched her face. "What. Happened? Talk to me."


Pete threw Ron a crooked grin. "I always do. I'll text ya later." Ron had quickly become a good friend, and he needed to hash this out with someone or else he'd never sleep tonight. Nikki was a must, but he couldn't share all this with her or he'd really be I  trouble. 

Finally taking a deep breath, he made his way out to go home. 


Jason nodded to Nate. "Okay. I'll go get him. If you hit a lead in the meantime, let me know." He started forward again and aimed to go around the block to turn around.

"Well... at least maybe this will take some heat off you and me for a little while..."

Better than nothing, right?


Garret sighed and looked around the near vicinity again. He'd already looked everywhere he would have gone, if it had been him. Aaron was moving smarter than he had before, and that in itself was worrisome. 

"He had this planned," he commented aloud. "He had to have. He played Sam until she trusted him. He did it so well that he knew she wouldn't let anyone hurt him if he tried to get out." He shook his head. "I should have seen it coming. I should have warned her."


Zan looked up cross-eyed as Destiny rubbed the dirt from his forehead, and he gave her a little smile. "It's not okay. I've been frustrated for weeks and I should have said something to him sooner." He sighed and took her hand to give it a kiss. "But you're welcome anyway... You deserve to be treated with respect and nothing less."

"I'm starving!" Eli had heard Scarlet's question, and wandered up, slipping his arm around her. "Where are the others?"

"Right behind ya." Hunter and Ryan had just made it as well. "What were we thinking in terms of... celebrating our victory?"

Zan kept hold on Destiny's hand and moved closer, glad for Scarlet allowing them to move past the incident with Jett. "Anything sounds good."

"How about..." Eli glanced at his sister. "Ice cream sundaes at our place?" It would be low-key, not a whole lot since everyone had eaten, and enough space for everyone to just hang out.

Hunter nodded. "That sounds like a great idea." He nudged Ryan. "Dibs on the couch."

"Hey now." Eli's eyes narrowed. "Me and my girl have had that reserved for weeks." As they all laughed, he looked around. "Where's Jett? He definitely deserves ice cream after helping out with this whole scheme."

Zan pursed his lips as he scratched the back of his head. "Um. He... wanted to party a little too much tonight. We'll have to include him another time."

Dylan just sat back and let the others talk. It was a little awkward being the only one here without a date, but truth be told, he really didn't mind. He was used to it after all. And besides, he wouldn't say no to ice cream.


Jett wound his way back into the crowd, finding a burn barrel to stare at as he downed the rest of his beer, then threw the bottle into the flames, listening to it shatter. Why did he even bother with people like Zan? He'd never be accepted into that circle. They wanted their own kind of people and that was it. And Jett simply didn't fit. He'd never fit anywhere in his life - why should this be any different? As much as he liked it here at the races, maybe he needed to find something else. Somewhere else. Somebody else.

"Hey, Jett." Kendra sauntered up to him, having already had her fair share of alcohol, according to the glaze in her eyes. She ran a finger across his chest teasingly. "Somebody told me you like to have a good time."

Jett forced a half smile. "Maybe."

"Mm..." She slung an arm around his shoulder. "You don't sound too sure. Maybe you need another beer to loosen up, eh?"

Jett glanced back to the flames. "Yeah... maybe I do."

Kendra giggled and moved away, taking his hand to pull him towards a rowdy group. "Come on then."

"Okay, just..." He pulled his hand away and stopped. "I'm right behind you." Ignoring Kendra's pouty expression, he retrieved his phone from his back pocket and found the text conversation he'd almost deleted the other day. His fingers hovered above the keyboard for several long seconds.
Changed my mind.
Still want me? 

The response was eerily immediate.
Tomorrow.
Noon.
You know where.

He sighed and put the phone back in his pocket. Zan didn't want him. But somebody did. More than one somebody. Kendra wanted him too. So what if she'd never give him a second look if she were sober? If she was drunk half the time, then that meant half the time she liked him.