“I agree with the smart one,” Quinn says. “Skipping won’t make it better. If anything, it just proves them right.”

Ambrose sighs. “How can I even begin to protect—“

“—Don’t,” MB says. “Finish that sentence. I get that you want to protect me, but I’ve been protecting myself for a very long time. When I need your help, I’ll ask; until then, just stand by my side.”

They’re both quiet.

Quinn speaks first. “Damn, that was hot as fuck.”

“Back off.” Ambrose points a finger at him.

Quinn holds up his hands. “Easy boy, I wasn’t going to lick her and claim her.”

“Sure you weren’t,” I say. “Now turn around because I’m super naked, and the last thing you want is to start school with low self-esteem because my dick’s so big.”

“I’ve seen it, not impressed.” Quinn shrugs. “Mine, on the other hand—“

I cover MB’s ears with my hands and glare at Quinn. He just grins and walks out of the room, the little shit.

I don’t know why but I honestly feel good about the day, I check my phone again once I shower and get ready, and I still have zero messages from my mom. It’s like she’s just disappeared into thin air.

Losing a parent to death is one thing. Losing another by choice… it hurts.

It hurts that she hasn’t even checked in to make sure we’re both alive. What sort of parent makes that choice? Last year she was by my side, making sure I was okay after all the drama with Tessa, and now? Now I’m wondering why she even cared when clearly the only thing she cared about was what it looked like to everyone else.

At the time I thought it was me, she was worried about me, she said as much, but now I know the truth.

Everyone lies.

And both of my parents were embarrassed.

I take a deep breath as I drive everyone to school, I don’t really say much, but it kinda feels like none of us need to. The windows are down, music’s blasting, and for the first time in forever, it feels like old times with Quinn, just letting the warm breeze hit our faces. MB is in the back, sunglasses on, smiling to herself.

Everything is perfect.

Perfectly imperfect, and I love it. So what if things are messy with my mom?

I have a new family.

A new perfect, one I’m okay with, one I’d die for.

I pull into the usual parking space and immediately see Tessa standing outside the school building like she’s waiting for us—well, she’s going to be waiting a really long time.

As luck would go, all of our phones start buzzing. When I look down, it’s a news alert.

“DA John Andrews is in critical condition with a gunshot wound. Update soon.”

I freeze.

That’s Tessa’s dad.

He’s evil to the core, but I would never wish that on anyone. Quinn and I share a look while MB just stares at her phone like she’s seen a ghost.