Fight Back

Fuck it. She fired the first shot and I was tired of taking it.

“Kinda like your experience with bras,” I deadpanned. God damn that felt good. I didn’t even have to think about that one, it just cocked and fired instantly. It was like snapping a punch immediately after getting slapped and landing a solid shot on the nose. Fuck proportional response. All her snippy comments toward me were getting returned. Since I wasn’t a cheap bastard, I made sure to return it with interest.

The result was glorious. Like watching a controlled demolition. I was quite proud of myself really.

Unfortunately, this was no controlled demolition, but a messy carpet bomb as I found myself staring down a lot of angry faces.

“What the fuck Scott,” Abby said as she reached over to give Zoe’s arm a comforting squeeze. I think Zoe was too shocked to even say anything. That didn’t stop the others from coming to her aid. In the span of seconds, I found myself being berated by four angry teens. The only ones not saying anything were Zoe and, most importantly, Kaylee. She looked at a loss at what to do, staring at me like I had sprouted a gross deformity.

Zoe shook off my verbal blow and I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I had drawn proverbial blood, and she was looking to gut me.

“Least I’m not a fucking virgin.” Like a flip of a switch, silence fell over the table. Angry faces turned to confused ones as they looked from Zoe to me.

“Uh, Zoe? What are you talking about?” Ellie said, the curls of her brown hair obscuring portions of her face as she leaned forward to look down the table at her friend.

“Yeah. Kaylee and Scott have been friends since middle school. They’ve probably screwed countless times by now,” Abby said as she looked to Kaylee for confirmation.

I met Kaylee’s gaze and I think she understood the predicament I was in. Ever since I met her, Kaylee had always acted as my protector—whether I actually needed protecting or not. In a way, it was like having an overprotective older sister. Annoying since I already had one of those. This time, I wouldn’t mind some assistance getting me out of the crater I found myself in.

She opened her mouth to answer. A few words that would lead to my salvation.

“And don’t say you have to cover his dumb ass. You’ve told me multiple times you’ve never slept with him,” Zoe said. Just like that, the helping hand was yanked away. I could see the apology in her eye as she shook her head.

“I haven’t.”

“Really? Wow. I would have bet money he was your first,” Abby said.

“So are you really a virgin?” Ellie said, directing the table’s focus back on me.

I was so fucked. No way this was going to stay in the group. Gossip this good was just too good to stay contained. Someone would tell a trusted friend, who would then tell their trusted friends. I bet everyone would know by the end of the day. Zoe had just torpedoed my social life. I’d be an outcast. Shunned for not ‘doing my part.’ Worse, I’d have a giant bullseye on my back. Every girl in school would be trying to ‘correct’ it. The more I turned down, the more questions would be asked about why I was turning girls down. Questions I didn’t want people asking about me.

Beside me, Liam bust out laughing. It was a gut buster, tears in his eyes as he rocked back and forth. “Oh. Oh girls. The looks on your faces right now!” he gasped between laughs. “I should have taken a photo.”

“What?” Zoe said, annoyance creeping into her voice.

An arm wrapped around my shoulder as he pulled me against him. “Are you really dumb enough to believe Scott’s a virgin? At his age?”

Unsure faces looked between each other. It was a bit painful to see how ready they were to believe it. Even if it was true, I at least expected them to show a little less skepticism. Zoe wasn’t convinced one bit as she crossed her arms. “Oh? Please enlighten the group then.”

“I mean, I can’t tell you everyone obviously, but he’s been with my sister. There have been plenty of nights he spent in her room when staying over.” Damn. His lies were so smooth, even I found myself believing them.

“Like I’d believe that.”

Liam shrugged. “Ask her then.”

“Maybe I will.”

Kaylee finally managed to step in. “Come on Zoe. We’re all friends here. I’m sure Scott’s sorry.” She glanced over at me. “Right?”

It was a bitter pill to swallow, but it was one I’d gladly take. Zoe had made it perfectly clear she was willing to go nuclear. Maybe I could hurt her, but she made it abundantly clear she would utterly fuck my remaining time as a senior.

“Sorry Zoe. That was uncalled for.”

“Fucking right,” she said, crossing her arms. Kaylee glared at her. She looked away. “Though… I might have been out of line too.”

That last bit surprised me. Had she actually apologized?

“So…” Abby said, looking around the table. “What’s everyone’s plans for this weekend?”

Fading into the background, I blocked out the buzz of conversation. My heart was still racing at that close call. I’d been stupid, lashing out like that. It was easy to forget I had a lot to lose. One wrong word could harm more than just me. If Liam hadn’t saved my ass… Well, I owed him one.

That said, I really needed to talk to him about that. He might have saved me then, but what was going to happen if Zoe followed through and actually asked his sister? She was friends with my sister. I wasn’t entirely out of the woods yet.