If I Tell by Janet Gurtler Page B

Can’t we pretend it never happened?” I flashed a feeble smile and glimpsed at Lacey for help.
    “Pretend it never happened?” Nathan pounded the table with his fist. “You weren’t acting like a friend.”
    I shrunk down farther in my seat.
    “Nathan. Chill,” Lacey barked. “Leave her alone. She’s a kid. She doesn’t usually drink, and she’s not experienced.”
    “She’s experienced now.” Nathan’s voice sounded ugly.
    I glared at him, the echo of my heart thumping loudly in my ears. I opened my mouth to defend myself when Jackson walked up to the table.
    “Hey. How’s it going?” He touched my arm, and something about it felt protective.
    My skin tingled and my face burned.
    “Hey,” Jackson said to Lacey. He didn’t greet Nathan.
    “What do you want?” Nathan snarled.
    “Relax, my friend.” Jackson sat in the chair to my left. He raised his hand. “I come in peace.”
    Nathan slammed his fist down on the table again, so hard this time that it shook. “Screw you,” he said to Jackson. “And screw you,” he spit at Lacey. “And screw you too,” he said to me. “Or maybe I already did?”
    “You did not!” I yelped.
    “Grow up.” Lacey pointed to the exit of the coffee shop. “Get out of here until you cool off.”
    I glanced around the café. All eyes were on us. I wanted to crawl under the table.
    “Amber’ll ban you if you keep this up,” Lacey told him.
    Nathan leaped to his feet and gave her the finger. He glared down at me and stormed out of the café.
    “Hmmm. I guess you’re not on his Christmas list,” Jackson said.
    A loud laugh escaped my throat, like an unexpected hiccup.
    Lacey crossed her arms over her chest. “Nathan’s being an asshole because he feels rejected.”
    “Well, he must act like an asshole a lot then,” Jackson quipped.
    I giggled again but covered my mouth when Lacey scowled. I couldn’t help it. My nerves, plus relief that he’d left, made me giddy.
    “You know how he feels about you, Jaz. You shouldn’t laugh at him,” she said.
    “How he feels?” I turned my nose up.
    “He has a thing for Jaz,” Lacey said to Jackson but her eyes stayed on me.
    “He has a thing for every girl who breathes.”
    Jackson leaned across the table. “Hold your breath around him in the future,” he whispered.
    I ducked my head, but it was too late to hide my smile.
    Lacey cleared her throat and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I’ve gotta go get washed up before my shift.” She stood. “Don’t forget who your real friends are.” She ignored Jackson and spun on her heels and walked away.
    Jackson watched her go. “I guess that doesn’t include me.”
    “She should talk.” I chewed my lip, the light mood gone for good.
    “I thought she was your BFF.” Jackson made quote marks in the air.
    “So did I. I was wrong.”
    He brushed his bangs out of his eyes. “So, how come you hang out with those two anyway?”
    “Lacey is my best friend. Was my best friend,” I corrected myself. “Nathan and her go way back. They’re roommates.”
    “They’re a lot older than you.” He twirled his hoop earring as he studied me. “You really shouldn’t mess around with him.”
    I ducked my head and kept my eyes on the table. “I’m not. Anyhow, Lacey has been my friend since I was fourteen.” I had an urge to cry. Because she wasn’t my friend now. Not anymore. And Nathan wasn’t my friend either. I wouldn’t miss him though. He never really had been.
    Jackson held out his hand. “All I’m saying is maybe you need some friends on the same page.”
    “I have Ashley.”
    He shrugged.
    “She goes to our school. The swimmer. She hangs out at Marnie’s too.”
    He nodded. “I’ve seen her around. I don’t know her. ”
    I didn’t want to explain further, so I pretended to study my nails. Easy for him to talk about making friends. He’d barely lived in Tadita six months and already got invited to parties. He probably made friends by