Read Tight Knit for Free Online Page B

am in too much shock to feel anything really. 
    I storm towards the bike rack, my shoulder slamming into someone I don’t see. I have tunnel vision. I just need to get out of here.
    I hear footsteps behind me, “Talia!” Deacon grabs my arm. 
    I turn. 
    He stands in front of me, his sandy hair hanging around his face, but his expression doesn’t look any different than normal. 
    “She’s my best friend, Deacon. She’s my only friend.” My voice is less than a whisper.  
    “That was nothing,” He shrugs.
    Did he seriously just shrug? I yank my arm from his grip.
    “That didn’t look like nothing.” I cross my arms. My lip trembles and I chew on it.
    “If you’d let me explain,” Deacon’s voice is hard, like I’m the one at fault for not letting him talk.
    “Go away, Deacon.” I need to get out of here. I need to see Nan. I start walking away again.
    Deacon grabs my arm, harder this time, and spins me around to face him. It hurts and I try to yank my arm free. 
    From out of nowhere, Lachlan steps in between us and pushes Deacon out at arms length, his long fingertips on Deacon’s chest. His other hand is on my stomach. I feel nauseous. He’s shielding me with his body.
    “If I heard correctly, I think the lady told you to go away.”  Lachlan’s voice is low and serious, but unnervingly calm. Even more unnerving is that his tone soothes me. I feel calmer, stronger. His southern accent is faint but there’s a slight twang in his voice that I didn’t notice yesterday. I never knew he was from the South, but that is ridiculous. I don’t know anything about him.
    Why am I thinking about this? 
    My stomach won’t stop flopping around, but the pressure of Lachlan’s hand helps a little.
    Deacon watches me from around Lachlan. I look at my shoes. When I lift my head up again my now ex-boyfriend is gone. Lachlan grins and raises one eyebrow. 
    “Trouble in paradise?” The twang is gone.
    I scoff and unlock my bike. “You could say that.” 
    “You want to get out of here?” he asks and points to his bike. I must have a horrified look on my face because he laughs. Really loudly. 
    “This isn’t where I take you out of town and murder you, Hat Girl. Our grandparents know each other, someone would find out. I prefer to murder people my Gram doesn’t have a crush on.”
    I feel my face burn again. That’s not what I thought. 
    “Um, no. I mean, no thanks.” I swing a leg over the seat and push my bike forward. Away from Lachlan. I can hear him laughing behind me. The burn in my face changes from embarrassment to anger. 
    Guys are jerks.
    ~
    I pedal at hard as I can until I reach Nan’s house. 
    I’m such an idiot. 
    Tears pour from my eyes. I can barely see to get to the door.
    Janna. How could she?
    Sobs come so forcefully that my breath catches in my throat, and I have to choke out each individual lungful of air. I collapse onto the front step and pull my knees to my chest. 
    My body rocks back and forth. 
    I don’t know how much time passes.
    A warm hand touches my hair and Nan makes clucking noises with her tongue as she sits down beside me. I didn’t even hear the door open.
    “Darling? Darling, what’s wrong?” She tries to pull my head up to look at her, but I just bury my face deeper into my arms. I am so embarrassed. I should have noticed at the pool. How could this happen to me?
    Nan runs her fingers through my hair while I cry and clench and unclench my fists. 
    Finally, I take a couple deep breaths. My head is throbbing and I can feel my eyes swelling. 
    “Okay, now tell me what’s wrong? Shouldn’t you be at school?” Nan places her hand under my chin and my eyes fill with tears again.
    “Deacon... and he... kissing her... how could he... my best friend...” I try to get it out in one sentence but my voice keeps breaking. 
    Nan nods her head and wipes at my tears with her thumb. 
    “Did you love him, darling?” She asks calmly. I sit