“Excuse me?”

“You should’ve known better!” my voice echoed.

She twisted in her seat again, facing me now. “Who do you think you’re yelling at right now, Del? You need to relax.”

“Me? I’m the one you’re worried about. Mason in there dogging you to his friends, but I’m the bad guy now.”

“I’ll deal with Mason. Okay? But you’re a little too deep in my business right now. I don’t know why, but I don’t like it.”

Deep breaths; I forced my voice softer. “Was the Purity Pledge a joke, Kiera? Because I seem to remember you questioning my motives and intentions from day one.”

She shook her head. “No. I didn’t.”

“You pulled me aside, got all into my reputation, and if I was going to be a problem for the other kids, and—?”

“I wasn’t questioning you, Del. I was questioning me.”

“I don’t understand anything you’re saying right now.”

“Are we friends, Del? For real? First Missionary Crew?”

I said yes because what else was I going to say.

Kiera wiped a hand down her face, like she could squeegee away the day’s stress. “I wasn’t a virgin when the pledge started. Me and Colossus, we’d been doing it. But when I found out he’d tried to cheat on me with Angie, I wanted a fresh start. When I saw you join, and I’d heard how you and Qwan be with all these different girls, it made me wonder if either of us had any business in that pledge. I came at you because I felt guilty.”

My car felt unsteady. Maybe it was the road. Or the entire world. Everything was off. “You’ve been lying about your virginity?”

“I didn’t lie. I never said I was a virgin.”

You know this game, that slick, back-of-my-mind voice whispered. You know it well.

“But, Mason?! After you took the pledge. After you promised.”

The first sob tore from her. “I know.”

She was hurting; me rubbing her broken vow in her face was salt in a wound. Good! “Out here acting like a THOT.” I was all rage then, none of the other emotions. It felt good being real about all this bullshit. For once.

“Like a what, Del?” She sniffed, cut off the tears, slapped me. Almost as hard as Mason punched. Then, she slapped me again. “I’m acting like a what?”

I swerved. We were in her neighborhood by then, and not going fast, thank God. “Stop! You’re going to make me wreck the fucking car.”

Her hand hovered, vibrating with the need to hit me again. Instead, she said, “Take. Me. Home.” Like we couldn’t see her house ahead.

I pulled into her driveway, and she was out the car before I was at a full stop, slamming my door with enough force to rock the suspension. She stomped up her porch steps, to the front door, then spun to deliver one last message.

Sweet church girl Kiera flashed her middle finger.

All my anger rushed back, and I drove home saying horrible things—more horrible than what I’d called her.