wish I could have seen the photos.”
Caleb arched his brow at the comment.
“Not for that reason,” Madaug snapped as he realized what Caleb was thinking. “I don’t want to see her in any kind of graphic portrayal, but I know the pictures had to be Photoshopped. If I had a copy, I could prove it.”
Nick scoffed. “Given how foul they were, you’re better off not seeing them. I’m still traumatized.”
Madaug pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose. “You know, I tried to invent eye-bleach when I was a kid. Didn’t work out, though. But I haven’t given up. One day, I will find a way to erase recent memories before they move into permanent storage.”
From anyone else, that would be a joke.
From Madaug …
You could put it in the bank.
Madaug retrieved his hoodie. “I’ll see y’all tomorrow.”
Nick didn’t speak until he was alone with Kody and Caleb. “Is there really no way to do some of the voodoo whodoo mojo things you two do to find out who was behind it?”
Caleb snorted. “Nice rhyme there, Dr. Suess. And sorry. There’s nothing I have to trace it.”
Kody dittoed Caleb’s sympathy and his comment.
Nick checked his watch. “Fine. I need to head over to Kyrian’s for work anyway.”
Caleb retrieved his backpack. “I’ll walk you over.”
Nick hated the thought of being walked home like he was incompetent. “Not your prom date, Cay. Don’t want to be, neither.”
“Have no fear. You’re too hairy for my tastes, Gautier. And no offense, you’re not pretty or sexy enough to change them.”
Nick gaped. “Now that was just hurtful and mean. Why you want to hurt me in my tender place like that, cher ? Don’t let this calm exterior fool you. I got feelings, too.”
Kody laughed at them. “I swear, there are times when it seems you two are the ones dating, and I feel like the third wheel.”
“Ah, baby,” Nick said with a grin. “You know better. You’re the only girl for me. Caleb is no competition whatsoever for you.”
Caleb shoved Nick’s backpack at him. “Get out of here before I hurt you.”
Laughing, Nick opened the door that led to the back hallway, then froze as he saw a small group of students gathered around graffiti someone had painted across several lockers.
Spencer Sexton is gay! If that wasn’t bad enough, there were photos of Spencer necking with another guy taped all around the words.
What the …
“Students!” Mr. Head snapped as he came rushing toward them. “Get out of here. Now! Disperse!”
As Nick left the building, Spencer grabbed him and hauled him to the side, away from the cameras and any possible faculty sightings. Even though he was only fifteen, Spencer was already over six feet tall, with enough muscle on his body that most people thought he was a lot older.
Caleb started to follow after them, but Nick motioned to him that it was all right. He could handle Spencer without help, and he had a pretty good idea what Spencer wanted with him. And the last thing Spencer would want for this was an audience.
“Who did you tell?” Spencer growled in his ear.
“Nobody.”
He glared at Nick. “You’re the only one who knows about me, Gautier.” Something Nick had discovered purely by accident one night when he’d stumbled across Spencer on a date with another guy in the back row of the almost empty movie theater.
“I told you I’d take it to my grave, Spencer, and I meant it. I haven’t breathed a word of it to anyone. Ever. Not even in my sleep. Are you sure your boyfriend didn’t spill it?”
He saw the doubt in Spencer’s eyes. But he didn’t know if that was for him or the boyfriend.
“On my life, Spence, I wouldn’t do this to you. I wouldn’t. I know what it’s like to be picked on for things you can’t help. I’m not about to do that to someone else.”
Spencer finally let go of him. He raked a trembling hand through his hair. The anguish in his eyes made Nick feel for him. “Those photos
Caleb arched his brow at the comment.
“Not for that reason,” Madaug snapped as he realized what Caleb was thinking. “I don’t want to see her in any kind of graphic portrayal, but I know the pictures had to be Photoshopped. If I had a copy, I could prove it.”
Nick scoffed. “Given how foul they were, you’re better off not seeing them. I’m still traumatized.”
Madaug pushed his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose. “You know, I tried to invent eye-bleach when I was a kid. Didn’t work out, though. But I haven’t given up. One day, I will find a way to erase recent memories before they move into permanent storage.”
From anyone else, that would be a joke.
From Madaug …
You could put it in the bank.
Madaug retrieved his hoodie. “I’ll see y’all tomorrow.”
Nick didn’t speak until he was alone with Kody and Caleb. “Is there really no way to do some of the voodoo whodoo mojo things you two do to find out who was behind it?”
Caleb snorted. “Nice rhyme there, Dr. Suess. And sorry. There’s nothing I have to trace it.”
Kody dittoed Caleb’s sympathy and his comment.
Nick checked his watch. “Fine. I need to head over to Kyrian’s for work anyway.”
Caleb retrieved his backpack. “I’ll walk you over.”
Nick hated the thought of being walked home like he was incompetent. “Not your prom date, Cay. Don’t want to be, neither.”
“Have no fear. You’re too hairy for my tastes, Gautier. And no offense, you’re not pretty or sexy enough to change them.”
Nick gaped. “Now that was just hurtful and mean. Why you want to hurt me in my tender place like that, cher ? Don’t let this calm exterior fool you. I got feelings, too.”
Kody laughed at them. “I swear, there are times when it seems you two are the ones dating, and I feel like the third wheel.”
“Ah, baby,” Nick said with a grin. “You know better. You’re the only girl for me. Caleb is no competition whatsoever for you.”
Caleb shoved Nick’s backpack at him. “Get out of here before I hurt you.”
Laughing, Nick opened the door that led to the back hallway, then froze as he saw a small group of students gathered around graffiti someone had painted across several lockers.
Spencer Sexton is gay! If that wasn’t bad enough, there were photos of Spencer necking with another guy taped all around the words.
What the …
“Students!” Mr. Head snapped as he came rushing toward them. “Get out of here. Now! Disperse!”
As Nick left the building, Spencer grabbed him and hauled him to the side, away from the cameras and any possible faculty sightings. Even though he was only fifteen, Spencer was already over six feet tall, with enough muscle on his body that most people thought he was a lot older.
Caleb started to follow after them, but Nick motioned to him that it was all right. He could handle Spencer without help, and he had a pretty good idea what Spencer wanted with him. And the last thing Spencer would want for this was an audience.
“Who did you tell?” Spencer growled in his ear.
“Nobody.”
He glared at Nick. “You’re the only one who knows about me, Gautier.” Something Nick had discovered purely by accident one night when he’d stumbled across Spencer on a date with another guy in the back row of the almost empty movie theater.
“I told you I’d take it to my grave, Spencer, and I meant it. I haven’t breathed a word of it to anyone. Ever. Not even in my sleep. Are you sure your boyfriend didn’t spill it?”
He saw the doubt in Spencer’s eyes. But he didn’t know if that was for him or the boyfriend.
“On my life, Spence, I wouldn’t do this to you. I wouldn’t. I know what it’s like to be picked on for things you can’t help. I’m not about to do that to someone else.”
Spencer finally let go of him. He raked a trembling hand through his hair. The anguish in his eyes made Nick feel for him. “Those photos
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