Double Threats Forever by Julie Prestsater Page A

with sobs in my embrace. “Thank you, Amy.” I’ve been waiting to hear that for so long.
    She backs away from me. “Thank you, Meg. Thank you for going with me to the clinic. I could’ve never gotten through that without you. I had no right to ask you and you could’ve told me to go to hell but you didn’t. You were there for me. You’re what a best friend should be.”
    Mrs. Flores leans forward in her chair, plucks a few pieces of tissue out of a box on her desk and blows her nose. Her eyes are wet too. “My work here is done. It’s about time.”
    Amy and I look at each other and bust up laughing.
    I reach in my backpack and pull out Brody’s chocolate bar. I take a piece for myself and pass it to Amy. Chocolate is the cure-all for heartache.
    Mrs. Flores is so right. It’s about time.
     
    Fourth period has already started when I arrive seething mad like a rabid dog. My classmates are sitting around chatting and doing work for other classes. We’ll have a few weeks of relaxation before we begin the next big event. I scan the room looking for my friends, but don’t see them.
    “Hey, where’s Mr. Mitchell?” I ask the first person I see.
    “He’s in the office doing some paperwork.”
    “Do you know where Eric is?”
    “I don’t know. The rest of the class is either in the cafeteria or they left for lunch.”
    “Thanks,” I say as I take off to find the dickhead.
    When I push through the swinging doors to the cafeteria, I see all my friends kicking back, some sitting on the lunch tables and some in chairs. There are other pods of students scattered around, but I step closer to my group. My hands are balled into fists and I can feel the sting of my nails digging into my palms.
    Tears flood my eyes as I get closer. I have no idea what I’m going to say. Or do. But I know I can’t let it go. That asshole is sitting there like nothing has happened. Like he didn’t lie about having sex with me. Like he didn’t allow his girlfriend to have an abortion all by herself. Like he didn’t even acknowledge that he was the father. All so his reputation would stay intact. Good luck with that now. His ass will never be welcome again. Not anywhere with me anyway.
    Travis notices me first, and stands right away. “Meggie, what’s wrong?” He puts his hands out to rest on my shoulders.
    I push past him, swiping his hands away and take the last few steps needed to stand in front Eric. Before I can think anymore, my right fist connects with the left side of his jaw. Immediate pain streaks from my hand to my wrist to my forearm. Then, I begin smacking him like a girl, hands flying and tears falling like splashes of water plunging over a fall.
    Eric holds his hands up while I feel arms wrap around my waist.
    Josh gets in Eric’s face. “What the hell did you do to her?”
    I break free of Travis’s hold long enough to punch Eric one more time … in the balls. His hands clinch his crotch as he looks up at me. “What the hell are you thinking? Why are you hitting me?”
    “You know why, you asshole. Don’t you ever come near me again. And you sure as hell better not tell anyone else that you had sex with me. As if!” Then I get real close to him and whisper in his ear, “and that’s not the only thing I know about you. You make me sick.”
    “Hey, what the hell is going on here?” I hear Mr. Mitchell’s voice loud and clear as he closes in on us.
    We all stand up a little straighter and face him.
    “Nothing,” Travis says. “We’re just messing around. Got a little loud. Sorry.”
    He looks at Eric who has a red blotch on the side of his face and is trying not to hunch over. “What’s up with you?”
    “Nothing. I’m good.”
    Our teacher gives us the knowing eye. “Just keep it down,” he murmurs and walks away.
    “Meggie, I’m sorry.” Eric reaches out to me.
    I flinch, not wanting even his fingertips to graze my skin. “There’s not a damn thing you can say and you know it.” My gaze