college, didn't they? I mean, didn't you marry some millionaire? Didn't he send you flowers this morning?"
After sneezing, Delia's shaking hands grabbed her glass of water and brought it to her lips. She took a sip to avoid answering that question.
"And look at you now. You're gorgeous. You have a perfect life."
The food came and Lena dove into her chicken and rice dish. Delia suddenly didn't have much of an appetite. She needed to somehow reach this girl.
"My life didn't get better in college. And Jason James was certainly no prize."
Looking up from her food, Lena said, "What do you mean?"
"College was much the same as high school. I still got no attention from men. That is until the great Jason James pranced into my life." Delia waved her hands theatrically. "His eyes, his physique, everything about him just made me tingle. He swept me off my feet. But, now that I think about it, he really didn't do anything. The simple fact that he remembered my name was enough to make me think that he loved me. He never bought me flowers or surprised me with little gifts." Delia stabbed a shrimp and took a bite as everything slowly became clear to her. How could she have been so blind?
"He never loved me. Even then. He never loved me. Even our dates weren't really dates. Every time we were alone somehow I just ended up doing his homework. All he had to do was smile at me or kiss me and I folded like a cheap table."
"Why do you think he married you?"
"I have no idea."
***
C.J. didn't wait long to confront Ian about Delia's attack. Monday afternoon C.J. waited for him by his car in the parking garage after football practice. He leaned on the fender trying to remain calm as Ian approached the car.
Ian stopped in front of C.J. waiting for him to start the conversation and say what he wanted, but C.J. remained silent. "What do you want? Did something go wrong with the tests?" he asked finally. Ian had actually started to feel a little nervous inside at C.J.'s penetratingly cold glare. Even though he was bigger, C.J.'s ability to fly off the handle at the slightest provocation scared Ian. He involuntarily rubbed his throat at the memory of being choked in the bathroom of the Black Cat.
"Don't play dumb, Ian. You do it too well."
"What are you talking about?"
"I told you to stay away from her."
"Who? Ms. Clark? I didn't — "
C.J. grabbed Ian's neck and slammed his head into the car several times. "I told you I'd kill you. Do you want to die?”
"I swear, I didn't touch her man, I swear." Ian was on the verge of tears as he felt something in his nose snap. But he refused to cry in public. Especially since any second another player on the team or a cheerleader or something could enter their level of the parking garage and see the situation. He had to save face.
Ian reached behind him and tried to jab at C.J.'s stomach, but C.J. grabbed his wrist and nearly twisted his arm out of its socket. Ian screamed in agony. He couldn't move. The pain was too great. How did C.J. know how to handle himself so well in a fight?
Ian had a difficult time breathing as the blood from his possibly broken nose drained into his mouth. He had to think quickly to get out of this situation before C.J. killed him.
"I didn't do it. I was with my sister when Ms. Clark was attacked. Ask her."
"Why should I believe you?"
"Because it's true," he pleaded. "Look, I was gonna try to get back at you, but not like that. I was just gonna flatten her tires or something."
Chase loosened his grip on Ian as he thought about this. Ian wasn't the most intelligent high school student he knew. In fact, he was pretty dumb. He would have a hard time orchestrating something as complicated as a kidnapping complete with electronic voice disguise.
"I swear I didn't do it, man. But I can help you figure out who did. My dad has connections to the mafia. I can find out any information you could possibly want. I can find out who did it, I promise."
"I don't
After sneezing, Delia's shaking hands grabbed her glass of water and brought it to her lips. She took a sip to avoid answering that question.
"And look at you now. You're gorgeous. You have a perfect life."
The food came and Lena dove into her chicken and rice dish. Delia suddenly didn't have much of an appetite. She needed to somehow reach this girl.
"My life didn't get better in college. And Jason James was certainly no prize."
Looking up from her food, Lena said, "What do you mean?"
"College was much the same as high school. I still got no attention from men. That is until the great Jason James pranced into my life." Delia waved her hands theatrically. "His eyes, his physique, everything about him just made me tingle. He swept me off my feet. But, now that I think about it, he really didn't do anything. The simple fact that he remembered my name was enough to make me think that he loved me. He never bought me flowers or surprised me with little gifts." Delia stabbed a shrimp and took a bite as everything slowly became clear to her. How could she have been so blind?
"He never loved me. Even then. He never loved me. Even our dates weren't really dates. Every time we were alone somehow I just ended up doing his homework. All he had to do was smile at me or kiss me and I folded like a cheap table."
"Why do you think he married you?"
"I have no idea."
***
C.J. didn't wait long to confront Ian about Delia's attack. Monday afternoon C.J. waited for him by his car in the parking garage after football practice. He leaned on the fender trying to remain calm as Ian approached the car.
Ian stopped in front of C.J. waiting for him to start the conversation and say what he wanted, but C.J. remained silent. "What do you want? Did something go wrong with the tests?" he asked finally. Ian had actually started to feel a little nervous inside at C.J.'s penetratingly cold glare. Even though he was bigger, C.J.'s ability to fly off the handle at the slightest provocation scared Ian. He involuntarily rubbed his throat at the memory of being choked in the bathroom of the Black Cat.
"Don't play dumb, Ian. You do it too well."
"What are you talking about?"
"I told you to stay away from her."
"Who? Ms. Clark? I didn't — "
C.J. grabbed Ian's neck and slammed his head into the car several times. "I told you I'd kill you. Do you want to die?”
"I swear, I didn't touch her man, I swear." Ian was on the verge of tears as he felt something in his nose snap. But he refused to cry in public. Especially since any second another player on the team or a cheerleader or something could enter their level of the parking garage and see the situation. He had to save face.
Ian reached behind him and tried to jab at C.J.'s stomach, but C.J. grabbed his wrist and nearly twisted his arm out of its socket. Ian screamed in agony. He couldn't move. The pain was too great. How did C.J. know how to handle himself so well in a fight?
Ian had a difficult time breathing as the blood from his possibly broken nose drained into his mouth. He had to think quickly to get out of this situation before C.J. killed him.
"I didn't do it. I was with my sister when Ms. Clark was attacked. Ask her."
"Why should I believe you?"
"Because it's true," he pleaded. "Look, I was gonna try to get back at you, but not like that. I was just gonna flatten her tires or something."
Chase loosened his grip on Ian as he thought about this. Ian wasn't the most intelligent high school student he knew. In fact, he was pretty dumb. He would have a hard time orchestrating something as complicated as a kidnapping complete with electronic voice disguise.
"I swear I didn't do it, man. But I can help you figure out who did. My dad has connections to the mafia. I can find out any information you could possibly want. I can find out who did it, I promise."
"I don't
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