Loser II || WlW

Twenty-Five

     "Are you serious?" Brittany crosses her arms over her chest. "Is Zach getting in your head again? I told you, J. I'm not—"

I shake my head. "It's not Zachary. Clementine saw me push that kid over the railing and now she's blackmailing me."

Brittany's silent, her eyes narrowed. I can see the wheels turning in her head. She's been playing games with the catty girls since her freshman year of high school. Maybe she can think of a better way to deal with Clementine. Finally, she lets out a hopeless laugh and shakes her head.

"She told you to break up with me?" She raises an eyebrow at me. "Or what?"

"She's going to tell Ron what she saw."

She nods and sighs. "Are you going to move your stuff into her room now or later?"

"Britt, please don't be mad at me," I beg. "What am I supposed to do? If Ron finds out, they'll have me locked up and you'll be alone to defend yourself against Zachary."

"It was self-defense."

I take her hand in mine, make her face me. "She took the knife he was attacking me with. I don't have any proof."

Brittany goes silent again but her expression is rock hard. She's radiating anger and I think she might lash out at me until she buries her face in my neck and wraps her arms around my waist. "This isn't how our first week of dating is supposed to go."

I kiss her on the head, stroke her hair from her face. "I know."

Brittany sniffles. "What exactly does she want?"

"She mentioned a date. A proper date or something like that." I shrug. "She's mental, Brittany. She convinced herself I'm secretly in love with her."

She pulls away, searches my face. "I'll be right back." She turns and starts toward the door when I grab her hand.

"What are you doing?" I can't keep my hands from shaking. If Brittany doesn't handle this situation gently, it could end her life.

She shrugs one shoulder. "I'm going to have a chat with Clementine."

I don't try to stop her. I've been trying to handle everything on my own for too long now. Maybe Brittany can do something I can't. I follow her to the common room where she scans the room, finds Clementine by the bar, and grabs her hand, pulling her into the bathroom. 

I'm still standing by the door, waiting for something. A thud maybe, from Brittany slamming Clementine's head against the wall. A scream. Something to signal an argument but instead, they emerge from the bathroom like two best friends who went with each other to freshen up.

I'm staring at them, my mouth hanging open as Brittany turns and kisses Clementine on the cheek. "Okay, we'll chat later."

They smile at each other before Brittany walks past me.

"What happened? Are you guys friends now?" I half-jog to keep up with her long strides.

Brittany scoffs. "Babe." She rolls her eyes. "Be real."

Despite the situation, the way she calls me babe, with so much attitude in her tone, feels like electric jolts in my stomach. I can't help but blush. "Well, what happened in there? Did you get Clementine to give this whole thing up?"

"Nope." Brittany keeps walking.

I can't keep the irritation from my voice. "What did you do?"

"I told her if she thinks you love her, she can have one date to win you over but if it doesn't work she has to leave us alone." She stares at me.

"What? " I lower my voice. "Why did you do that?"

She shrugs, turns on me. "Are you worried you're going to fall for her? Because I'm not."

I shake my head hard. "No. Absolutely not. I just... She's Clementine. She's not going to follow through on her promise."

Brittany's lips pull into a soft grin. "Let me worry about that when the time comes." She rests her hands on my neck and kisses me. "You handle your brother. I'll handle the high school drama."

I'm about to protest when blue-tinted beams of light swing across the trees. An old army green truck is in the driveway but no one is getting out.

"Have you seen that truck before?" I ask, looking over Brittany's shoulder.

She glances at the driveway and shakes her head.

"I'm starting to think Ron is a liar. First, that guy, Roger, drove up after the roads became 'undrivable' and now this?"

Brittany squeezes my shoulder. "Maybe they came in from town. We drove into town today for Donna's show. The roads were clear."

I nod, ready to agree with her when I see him. Zachary is getting out of the passenger side, holding a duffel bag in one hand.

Zachary.

Here.

Roger meets with him, gives him a rough pat on the back, and pulls him into a hug.

Zachary's girlfriend, what did he say her name is? Christina? Kristen? Chrissy? She climbs out of the driver's side and scans the campground as she adjusts her purple scarf.

The ground sways under my feet.

"Brittany. Brittany, oh my god." My voice is slurred as I take a step forward, pointing at the truck.

"Jordan?" Brittany grabs my shoulder. "You don't look good. Take a breath with me."

I nod, try to breathe, but the weight of my body is too much. My knees buckle. Everything goes black. 

***

My favorite thing about Jordan is that her consciousness just yeets itself out the window when she gets too stressed. 

Anyway, sorry for the short chapter. I have been mighty distracted lately but also a quick warning... This is the last "NOT intense" chapter. So, be ready, and I will see you guys tomorrow with our Red Zoned upload (: 

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