Puck (Kickstarting My Heart #3) (COMPLETED)

Can We Pretend

Student council made it very clear Winter Formal was back on and was this Friday. Because of the short notice, everyone was running around like chickens with their heads cut off asking each other to the dance or planning.

There was such a peppiness in the air it almost felt as if all the Chase drama had gone away for good.

Almost.

The moment I walked into the cafeteria, that thought was quickly diminished.

Tyler stood in front of Chase, who had forced himself up, leaning against the top of the table for support. For a moment I thought maybe someone would step between them, try and stop Tyler from hurting and beating someone who clearly was incapable of fighting back. Instead, everyone found their phones and recording the fight that was about to break out priority.

I made my way through the few people who had stood to get a better view of the fight and slowed to a stop at the table between the boys. I snapped my fingers in between them, but neither of them acknowledged my presence.

"Why don't you just sit back down?" Tyler taunted, laughing. "It's not like you'd be able to do shit if you tried. You can't even stand up without leaning against the table."

I fought the increasing urge to jump to Chase's defense, but something in me prevented it. I couldn't fight all his battles. He needed to stand up for himself, to show everyone that he wasn't some sociopath that they could kick around.

"Try me, asshole." Chase snarled through his teeth. "I'd still kick your ass. Even with only one good leg."

I felt warm hands fall on my shoulders, then slowly force me back into their warm embrace. "Don't even think about it."

I thought about shaking my best friend off me, but it was probably best he restrained me.

There was no saying I wouldn't try to jump between the two dumb jocks if a fight really did break out.

"It's pathetic. You have Ronnie of all people fighting your battles." Tyler leaned across the table so his face was only inches from his former best friend's. "You're just a pussy. You should have died, everyone would have been better off without you, especially her."

Chase and I lurched forward at the same time, but neither of us came anywhere near Tyler. Jordan tightened his grip around me and yanked me back a little too rough for my liking, and Chase fell forward, giving the other boy the advantage. Tyler slammed Chase's face into the table multiple times. He probably would have continued if a few of his teammates didn't shove him away, shaking their heads and gesturing toward the other side of the cafeteria. I followed their worried gaze to find the principal, Dean, and a school police officer all rushing our way.

Before I had any chance to check on him, Jordan whispered something to himself in Spanish under his breath and turned me around, forcing me out of the lunch room before I had the chance to protest.

Jordan knew he wasn't high on my list the moment I climbed into his old Camry and slammed the door. He tapped his fingers along the steering wheel with a disapproving look.

"Was that really necessary?" He questioned. "Because you sitting here and yelling at me is going to be enough. You didn't need to heard my baby too."

I rolled my eyes. "Why'd you do that? Pull me away from them."

"Because they're both men and you're a pint-sized girl." He said it as if it were obvious. "If you would have gotten between them while fighting, you would have gotten hurt, Vera."