Free Breaking Through the Waves by E. L. Todd, Kris Kendall

When she broke their kiss, Audrey was even angrier.
    “What was that for?” Coen asked, his lips still slightly open.
    “Audrey.”
    “Wait. What?”
    “She was staring at us. I wanted to give her a reason to stare.”
    Henry glanced at her. “If she tries anything, I don’t care what happens to me. I’m going to teach her a lesson and make the bitch cry.”
    Sydney grabbed his hand. “Promise me you won’t.”
    “No,” he said as he pulled away.
    “Henry,” she pressed.
    Coen looked at him. “She’s right. Let it go. She’s my problem. I’ll handle her.”
    “Then nothing better happen to Sydney again,” he snapped, his eyes wide with venom. “If you can’t take care of her, I will.”
    Sydney was shocked by the anger in his voice. Henry never got angry. And she’d never seen him challenge Coen like that, blatantly saying he was better for her than he was.
    “ I got it under control,” Coen snapped.
    “It doesn’t seem like it. ”
    “I didn’t know she was going to dump a tub of syrup on Sydney! She snuck up on you too.”
    “But Sydney isn’t my girlfriend. If she were, believe me, I would have noticed.”
    Sydney didn’t like where this conversation was headed at all. “Knock it off—both of you.”
    Coen glared at him.
    “I mean it,” she said. “It’s no one’s fault. I’m fine.”
    Henry looked away. “It better stay that way.” He looked at Audrey again. “She’s twice your height.”
    “That won’t be a problem,” she said. She hadn’t told Henry about the level of her training so she didn’t want to bring it up now. It was better left unsaid.
    Coen stood up. “I’ll go deal with her right now.”
    “Just leave it alone,” she said but Coen was already halfway across the room.
    “This is total bullshit,” Henry said. “You’re being harassed. Go to the dean or something.”
    “We aren’t in high school anymore. It doesn’t work like that.”
    “Then go to the police.”
    “I’m not doing that either. It stays between us.”
    “Why?”
    “Because I’m not a pussy,” she snapped.
    Henry raised an eyebrow, shocked by her expression.
    “I can handle her. Don’t worry about it.”
    Coen returned a few minutes later and dropped into his seat with a heavy sigh.
    “So?” she asked.
    “She said she won’t stop until I break up with you.”
    “And what did you say?”
    “ That I don’t negotiate with terrorists.”
    Sydney chuckled. “That’s a perfect description of what she is.”
    Nancy shook her head. “I seriously want to beat this bitch’s face in. I fucking hate her.”
    “Don’t worry about her,” Coen said. “I’ll watch out for her.”
    “And I’ ll walk you to your classes when Coen can’t,” Henry said.
    “I appreciate it but you don’t need to do that—either of you. I can take care of myself. She just caught me off guard today.”
    “I know you can but it still gives me peace of mind when I walk you,” Coen said.
    “Coen, no. I refuse to live in fear.”
    He stared at her, silently communicating with her. Her past was something she struggled with her whole life. He knew this wasn’t any different. She wanted to fight her own battles and stand on her own two feet. He couldn’t take that away from her. “Okay.”
    “Thank you.”
    Nancy glanced at Audrey then turned back to Sydney. “When’s the trip out to sea?”
    “In a few days,” she said with a smile.
    “Are you excited?” she asked.
    “And nervous. I just hope I don’t piss him off. People who have a PhD are always weird.”
    “Don’t you want to get your PhD?” Coen asked with a laugh.
    “Yeah,” Sydney said. “I admit it. I’m weird.”
    “Are you missing school?” Nancy asked.
    “Just Friday. When I told my teachers what it was for, they were supportive.”
    “Cool,” Henry said. “Just be careful. You won’t be by the coast anymore.”
    “I know.” She grabbed her bag and placed it over her shoulder. “I’ll see you guys later.”