He Says He's Just A Friend

Chapter 47 - Hoax

- Emmett -

When the car stopped under the portico in front of school, I pulled on the door handle. I barely got the door opened a crack before my mother caught my elbow. "I'll be back when school is out."

I looked back at the cars lining up behind us, feeling the need to rush. For some reason, I hated holding up strangers more than people I actually cared about. "Don't you have to work?"

"I'll find someone to cover," she said.

"This is ridiculous. You know that, right?"

Her face twisted into a scowl. "You brought this on yourself."

"That's not even what I'm talking about."

She raised her brows questioningly. I assumed this meant she wanted me to elaborate. "I know I'm in trouble, but Carrie lives across the street. It's crazy for you to take off work early and drive out of your way back here, just to take me home. That's more punishment on you than it is on me."

"You're grounded, Emmett. I'm not letting you go off frolicking with Carrie for two hours until I get off."

"We don't frolic. I'm not that gay," I protested. She was not amused by my attempt at humor. "I can call you the second I get home. You can check Find My Phone and see that I'm there. You can even ask Dr. Herrera to make sure I don't sneak over to her house."

She turned her eyes to the side. I could see the wheels turning as she mulled it over. Finally, she nodded. "Fine. But I expect you to call me within forty-five minutes of school letting out. I know how long it takes to get home from here, even with traffic."

"Deal." I smiled as I retrieved my messenger bag from the footwell. I got out, rushing away before she could change her mind.

After a few uncomfortable run-ins with randoms who wanted to hear about the accident, Dan caught up to me, wearing a hoodie in place of his blazer and a beanie to cover his mop of hair. His backpack jingled from his collection of buttons and pins, everything from political support to obscure anime characters. He even had a rainbow pin with the words IF YOU'RE NOT AN ALLY YOU'RE AN [peach emoji] [hole emoji].

"Are you okay, dude?"

I nodded, gripping my messenger bag strap tight with my good hand. "I'm fine. And I really don't want to talk about it."

"That's cool. I just wanted to make sure. I tried to come over on Saturday, but your mom said you were resting. And also that you're grounded for ditching."

I offered another nod. I didn't feel like speaking.

"I just wanted to say—" he clapped me on the shoulder gently "—I'm glad you're not dead and all."

I actually laughed at that. "Thanks."

Dan meant well. He just was not so good with seriousness and emotions. That's why it took him five years to confess his feelings for Makenzie. He showed his love with sarcasm, jokes, and inappropriate comments.

When he received a text, he took out his phone. "Mak just said they have cinnamon rolls in the caf. So unless you're gonna, like, cry..." He pointed over his shoulder.

I flicked my chin to the side. "Go. Gorge yourself until you barf. And maybe aim at Whitley if you do."

He gave an unironic thumbs up. "I'll do my best."

I barely made it through the door of the building that housed my locker before Carrie tackled me in a hug. Her golden brown curls were twisted into a double French braid. "Your mother is killing me with this separation. I don't know why she has to punish me, too."

"Need I remind you that you aided my escape? Quite happily, I might add."

Carrie pulled back to grimace at me, her forehead wrinkled with distress. Her face looked rounder—younger—without all the hair surrounding it. "Don't. I already feel terrible about that."

"Don't worry. I didn't rat you out." I brushed my fingers across her cheek. "And I don't blame you. In fact, I'm grateful. If I hadn't snuck out, I might still be pining for Clay thinking he'd never love me."

When I told her that my mother said she could drive me home, and we could catch up on the last forty-ish hours, Carrie squealed with excitement and threw her arms around me again.

"Yo, Emmett!"

Carrie and I separated, turning to Kenny Huang, the captain of the lacrosse team, who hadn't spoken to me since I was outed. "Is it true they had to use the jaws of life to pry you out of the car?" Apparently, gossip was a good enough excuse to interact with the gay kid.

"No," I said, scoffing at the outlandish story. "I'm pretty sure they just opened the door. My side of the car didn't even get hit."

"Well, that's what Landon told me."

"Tell him he's a moron," I said, not even slightly kidding.

Kenny actually looked disappointed as he shuffled away, hooking his thumbs in the straps of his backpack.

That was the fifth time someone I barely knew had stopped me to mention an ridiculous version of the accident. Almost the second I got out of Mom's car, Haley Moore ran up and said she heard it was a five car pileup with multiple fatalities.

"It's been like that all morning." Carrie linked her elbow with my good arm. "People keep coming up to ask about you with these crazy stories. Sydney Wallace said she heard they had to amputate your arm on the street, and it was still laying out there rotting."

"That's gross."

Where did they come up with this crap?

I wasn't entirely surprised everyone knew about the accident. Our school was a very insulated community. There were only forty-six people in the entire senior class. Everyone knew everyone by name, even if they didn't interact socially. And everyone definitely knew me after what happened with Patrick.

I looked around, lowering my voice to ask, "Do they know about Clay?"

Carrie shrugged. "Not that anyone's mentioned. Why?"

"I don't want people to speculate about why we were together. He's barely got a toe out of the closet. That's already hard enough. He doesn't need all this drama and gossip."

"How is he doing?"

"He's okay." I stopped at my locker to put away the books Carrie brought home for me on Friday for my homework. I actually managed to get it all done, despite a concussion and my aching arm.

While I was telling her about yesterday, the bell interrupted us. I groaned, dropping my chin against my chest. I was not looking forward to being stuck in a room, unable to escape all the stares and whispering that were already following me around.