Meet You There

Chapter Twenty-one: Shaking Hands

I want to meet Brody and Megan outside school so I can be there if anything goes down, but I decide that's a bad idea. It'll look like they need a protector.

Instead, I go home and meet them in a shaded corner of the farm out of the sun. Summer is well and truly on the way, and I'm both excited and overwhelmed, because after summer, I will have been in Ranley for a year, which is terrifying.

"So, anything to report?" I ask both of them, I can't stop looking at the black eye that Brody has developed over night. It's a lot worse than mine. He has smaller bruises along his face, too, that make up on large bruise.

"I have detention at the end of every day in the week after spring break," Brody tells me, but he doesn't seem bothered by it.

"Did you tell them you were just defending yourself? And Megan?"

"Yeah, but they don't care. Anthony has detention, too."

"Did he say anything to either of you?" I ask, feeling like I'm giving a police interrogation.

"He called me a slut and said there wasn't a guy in Ranley who hasn't slept with me," Megan chuckles and rolls her eyes.

I feel my blood boil, but Megan looks as if someone had just told her a joke. "You don't seem to care much."

"Why would I? I've been called a slut since I got boobs. People can't help reducing a woman to how many guys she talks to, how much sex she has. Especially in Texas, in a town like this. Why would I care? They're idiots."

Brody smiles at his sister. "Megan discovered feminism when she met Kyra."

She frowns at him. "Nothing wrong with being a feminist, Brody."

He shakes his head. "Of course not. It's awesome because you don't get upset when people call you a slut, now. You brush it off. And you and Ky have educated me a lot. It's great."

She grins and nods her head. "I mean, I've slept with three guys, but even if I had slept with every guy in this freakin' town, why would it matter? I'm a good person. I stay safe. I don't hurt anyone."

"Is it true that the Texas school district gives incorrect sex education to encourage abstinence?" I ask.

Megan rolls her eyes. "Unfortunately. At least in Ranley, anyway. Count yourself lucky you didn't grow up here."

"I can't wait to get out of here," Brody stares in to the distance as if he's planning on lifting off and flying away. "If I ever get out of here."

"You will get out of here," Megan puts a hand on her brothers shoulder. "We all will. I mean, except for Ruben, who, for some reason, actually wants to be here."

"Hey, if I didn't come here, I wouldn't have met you losers," I say.

Megan tilts her head at me and flicks her hair behind her shoulder. "Aww."

"Yeah, you would have never gotten yourself involved with the Kennerley's and their hick problems. That would have sucked," Brody jokes.

"Hey, sarcasm aside, I actually kind of like you guys, so wherever you go, I'm going. Even if it means I can't fulfil my destiny as a farmer."

"Seems like you like some of us more than the rest of us, lately," she smirks and looks from me to Brody. She knows, too?

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I smirk back and then wink at Brody.

"Oh, get a room!" she jokes just in time for Frank to appear seemingly out of nowhere.

"Brody, I need a word," he keeps a fair distance away from us. He doesn't sound happy. Fuck. Brody just glances at us and then stands up, and they walk towards to the Kennerley house which is at the other end of the farm.