2 a.m.

Chapter 8

"Bobbie. You have got to be fucking kidding me." Myra whisper yells at her in the hall. Bobbie shakes her head and starts walking, all of us following after. Instead of heading back towards class we go out one of the side doors no one is watching. Myra keeps yelling at Bobbie on the way to the cars and doesn't stop even when we see Shep leaning on Derek's truck.

"Bobbie! Will you answer me?" Bobbie seems to be at a loss. She's between Myra and Shep, and in a few more seconds Shep will know all about her and Mitch. She turns and looks at me pleadingly, silently asking me to help her out. Myra doesn't miss this and now her anger is directed at me.

"Myra," I say, "lay off." I hope she can stay calm just a second long enough to realize Bobbie does not want Shep to hear this. But she just gets angrier. Shep's looking at us confused, and he moves forward to stand next to Bobbie. There's nothing about it that would suggest anything is different but Bobbie inches away from him like she knows everything is different.

"The fuck I will! Did you know about this?" She looks back at Bobbie. "How long?"

"How long what? Myra, there's nothing going on!" She sounds desperate.

"Guys what the hell is going on?" Derek asks. Him and Shep share the same confused look and Myra shoots Bobbie a biting glare, glancing at me as well. Jack shifts uncomfortably on his feet, not knowing what to do. This isn't his place and he knows it. I feel him rock back on his heels like he's going to leave and look at him, but not before Myra speaks her mind.

"Fucking Ken Doll knew before I did?" She screeches. Jack's face turns red and he mumbles something and heads off back towards class. As much as I'd like him here this is something that needs to be worked out with as little people as possible. He gives me an impish wave and stalks off.

"Myra, relax. I mean honestly there is nothing wrong here." Bobbie's trying to play it off cool now but I can see the clear panic in her eyes.

"Barbara. Seam. Don't you dare lie to me. Not now, not after all we have gone through and all we know about each other. So either you say it, or I will." Her voice is deadly and a small shiver runs up my spine. But Bobbie looks anything but frightened, and anger flashes across her face.

"This is none of your business," she growls. Her fists ball up at her sides and her body quivers. Shep puts a hand on her shoulder and everything changes in the blink of an eye. He looks at her with concern and care, nothing but worry on his face that his friend might be in trouble. Bobbie glances at him and her eyes soften. Her breathe hitches a little and she bites her lip, now to keep her from crying. The guilt on her face is barely noticeable and I only see it for a second, but it was there.

"Whatever it is Myra, if Bobbie didn't tell you it's because we don't need to know." Shep speaks up on his roommates behalf. He's always been protective of her, but then again he would step up for any one of us. But in that moment his small gesture means much more to Bobbie than it should and it registers on her face.

"Shep, I love you but this is all of our business." Myra starts to tell him. But I cut her off before she can continue whatever she was going to say.

"It's not. Myra," she looks at me, "do you tell everyone at school what happens between all of us? It's okay to keep some things to yourself." My words are a bit sharper than I intended them to be.

"I was going to tell you," Bobbie quietly says. I look at her again and her face has cracked, tears pooling in her eyes. Bobbie's never cried in front of all of us before. Shep shoots Myra a dirty look, and it surprises me a little. It's not very easy to piss Shep off but it looks like Myra has done it.