Free T is for...he's a TOTAL jerk (Grover Beach Team #3) by Piper Shelly

hair.” She sounded much calmer now. “It’s cool and something new. I’m thinking about getting a similar style myself, actually.”
    Tony laughed. “Yeah, do that and Hunter will spank your ass. And if he doesn’t, I will.”
    A moment later, he came out of the room and walked straight for the kitchen to the others. He didn’t see me pressing against the bathroom door, horrified by what he’d just said.
    Liza, however, spotted me the instant she came out after him. She stopped in her tracks and grimaced. “Oh no. You heard it all, didn’t you?”
    I nodded, unable to speak.
    “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have cornered him in here.”
    I shook my head, wanting her to stop apologizing. It certainly wasn’t her fault that Tony was an asshole and I was an idiot for listening in on them. “Could you give me a ride home?” I begged. “I don’t want to go in there again.”
    Liza waited a moment, as if deliberating whether to sway me to stay. Finally, she nodded in resignation. “Sure. Just let me get Ryan’s car keys.”
    “I’ll wait outside.”
    With a spinning mind, I trudged through the front room and out onto the veranda, where I slumped down on the wooden steps. Only twenty feet away, waves crushed on the beach, and I wished I could drown all my anger and pain in them. I was so sick of this whole moving thing and the troubles that came with it.
    I sniffed and wiped my nose with the back of my hand. When the door opened behind me two minutes later, I glanced over my shoulder. It wasn’t Liza coming out but her boyfriend. He jingled a bunch of keys in his hand. My butt remained rooted to the floorboards as he walked down the steps, turned around, and squatted in front of me.
    “Crap evening, huh?” he said, looking me in the eye.
    “You have no idea.”
    “I told Liza I’d take you home. You cool with that?”
    “Um, sure.” As long as I would get away from Tony, all was fine with me.
    “Okay, let’s go.” He rose and reached for my hand, pulling me up.
    In a car that certainly commanded attention wherever he went, Ryan drove me home. Most of the way we were silent, but when he turned into the street where my family lived, he slowed down and looked at me for the first time. “You know, he isn’t really such a jerk.”
    “Who, Tony?” Yeah, right. “That’s a bit hard to believe,” I muttered.
    “Seriously. He’s a nice guy. A good friend. I’ve known him for a long time.” He parked the car in front of the house and cut off the engine, which made me wonder if he had more to say.
    I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned toward him. “Why are you telling me this?”
    “Because my girl likes you, and from what I get you’re cool. Seems like you’ll be hanging out a lot with us in the future. I just want you to feel comfortable when you do.”
    “Comfortable?” I gave a bitter laugh. “With Anthony Mitchell around? Oh, sure.”
    “Give him time to…adjust. He’ll work it out, I’ll make sure of it.” Ryan started the engine again but looked at me once more with an amused smirk. “He’s a soccer player. It’s all about defense. He doesn’t like it when somebody’s getting under his skin.”
    My brows pulled into a frown, because I didn’t get what he was trying to tell me at all.
    “Never mind.” He laughed. “Go to bed and get some rest. I think you need it—you look chewed up and spat out. See you at school. Liza will hold a seat free for you at lunch.”
    I didn’t know if I should be happy about that or scared. Hanging out with Liza and her friends was nice. Hanging out with Tony was…like a tonsillectomy without anesthesia. I sighed. “Thanks for the ride.”
    He said goodnight, and I climbed out of his car. As he drove off, I headed inside, grateful that I had my own keys this time. All the crap I’d had to take tonight had exhausted me, and I fell asleep within minutes.
     
    *
     
    Before school the next day, I ran Tony’s notes through the copier in my