A deep chuckle rumbles in his chest. “Sometimes I forget that’s an issue for others. I come and go as I please.”
He laughs, but from his tone, it seems he’s bothered by the implication there—that his parents couldn’t care less what he’s doing at any given time. His nonchalant attitude doesn’t fool me at all.
We step over to a wide brick wall surrounding the flower beds my mom likes to tend, and I motion that we should sit down. Micah loops his arm around me, running his hand up and down over my arm when I shiver. “So.” He clears his throat. “I’m not sure where to start.”
“I want to know who messed up your face and bloodied your knuckles.” I lean close, ghosting a kiss over his cheekbone.
He huffs, “Shayne and Carter.”
Not again.“Why?”
“Those fuckers were shooting off at the mouth.”
“About?”
“You.”
My head rears back a bit. “What did I do now?”
He shakes his head, rolling his eyes a little. “They were asking Griff what it was like to kiss …”
“Me?”
He jerks his head in the negative. He glances at me before looking away. Quietly, he grits out, “The new school slut.”
Shaking, my hands clamp over my mouth, which has dropped open in shock. A sick, slimy feeling works its way down into my stomach and settles there.
“Don’t worry, almost nobody else thought it was funny. Griff was about to haul off and kick their asses on his own when I stepped in.”
“When you say ‘stepped in,’ you mean …?”
“I punched the shit out of Shayne’s face and slammed Carter into the lockers.”
“You’re telling me a brawl started in the locker room because of me?”
“Yep.” He shrugs. “I have no idea how many people got into it for the hell of it, but I do know Shayne and Carter pissed off a bunch of people. Especially Griff.”
I look down at my hands. “It’s all my fault that Griffin is involved with any of this.”
“Maybe. I don’t think he minded so much. In fact, after Coach came in hollering at all of us, Griff and I had a chance to talk.”
I swivel my head so I can look up into Micah’s eyes and mash my lips together, waiting for him to continue. I want to know what was said between them.
“Griff has a little crush on you, Daph.”
“No …”
His head bobs next to mine. “’Fraid so.”
My face falls. Crap. I didn’t mean for that to happen, but in what world would someone like Griffin look my way?
He squeezes me into his side. “Don’t worry. I set him straight.”
“Is that so?” I raise a brow. “Because as far as anyone at school is concerned, you’re with Alora.”
He scoffs, “That’s not true at all. And they’ll believe anything.”
I pull away, frowning.