Free Blood Ties by Victoria Rice Page A

bit down on my lip thinking pain might help stop my crying. I tasted the salty coppery taste of blood. I heard other voices ask what was going on. Jen and Logan shooed them away.
    It was several more minutes before I pulled back up into my chair. Jen shoved a handful of napkins at me. I blew my nose and then dabbed at my bleeding lip. The tables around us were watching the show.
    “You okay Liz ?”
    “I’m just tired.” I held my breath for a few seconds then pulled my lunch towards me. I poked at my fries lying in congealed grease.
    Logan un-wrapped his hamburger. He took a big bite and chewed as he watched me thoughtfully. He choked a mouthful down with a grimace. “She’s got her period.” He took another bite. He mumbled with food in his mouth. “My sister cries like a baby. Then she flips out into a ‘biatch’. She’s a major bleeder. It’s hell to be around her.”
    Jen looked aghast. “Fuck you Logan.”
    He shrugged his shoulders and flicked his eyes to the limp and soggy mess in front of me. He jumped up, burger hanging out of his mouth, loped over, and butted in line at the cafeteria counter, reaching between students to pick up a sandwich.
    He pulled the mangled mess out of his mouth to call out to the cashier, “I’ll catch ya later. It’s an emergency. We got a bleeder.”
    He walked back and put it in front of me.
    Jen stared at him. “Did I just say fuck you?” He gazed at her with that half amused, half I dare you look. “Well, fuck you again.” She flipped him the bird.
    He rolled his eyes. “Well, my hormonal friends, gotta go before I lose a body part.”
    We watched him walk away.
    She turned to me, eyes narrowed, watching me dab at the blood on my lip. The more I got to know her she seemed to pick up on little things as if I were giving off some weird psychic energy.
    “You gonna tell me? This h as ‘guy’ written all over it.”
    I buried my fries and chicken fingers under a couple napkins and shoved it to the center of the table. “I swear Jen. You’re too suspicious. It’s nothing.”
    “Yeah sure. My ass it isn’t.”
    I gave her a frustrated scowl. She huffed. She sat back in her chair, her arms crossed over her chest.
    “You need to let this go,” I warned. She huffed again then stuck her soda in her face and furiously sucked away.
    The next table turned around to look. Apparently, I was the topic of their conversation. I glared at them, suddenly feeling pissed. They turned around with a sharp movement.
    “Let’s go out tonight,” Jen blurted. I frowned as much as I could with a mouthful of turkey. “We’ll get everyone together. Nobody falls apart like that and doesn’t need some liquid mental repair.”
    I swallowed. “Forget it. I’m not in the mood. If this is an attempt to cheer me up, I don’t need it. You guys can go, have one for me.” Why was I so pissed off? I was pissed that I was stuck. Stuck in some weird dream time-loop with a phantom GQ model and obsessing about his pale twin.
    “Oh, so now the sarcasm comes out. What do you think Jen,” she said, dramatically talking to herself. “Is this better than the sobbing Liz?” She gave me another one of her toothy grins, daring me.
    “God Almighty!” I yelled, my voice booming out across the cafeteria. I stood up, threw the sandwich down on the table and pulled my pack off the floor. I shoved my unopened water into it , glaring at her, then in a quick movement, grabbed the sandwich off the table, stuck it in my mouth and stomped off to my next class, my feet squishing.
     
     
     
    Chapter 7
     
     
     
    I dropped to my feet and let out a scream of triumph. I’d lost my virginity, that is, my beer-bongin’ virginity. A loud belch slid out of my chest and I swaggered over to our table and stood in front of Logan. “Beat that you Canukistanian!”
    Jen led a chorus of whoops . Logan gave me a smug look and slowly got up and came out from behind the table. Our new beer-bongin’ buddies, a