Chapter 35
Gavin’s face went red, then pale. He shoved Scarlett aside. “What are you even saying? She’s just a junior. She’s smart and works hard—our professor even praises her. We all like her. How did you twist it into something so dirty?”
“People with filthy minds see everything that way. I can’t believe you turned out like this, Scarlett. We’re done.”
“You!” Scarlett stared at him, stunned. “But you used to—”
“Get out.” Gavin snapped, pushing her toward the door. “Don’t make me hate you.”
Josie stepped in and grabbed his arm. “Gavin, you still owe me money.”
“Yeah, pay Josie back first. I’ll handle this loudmouth,” Allison said, dragging Scarlett out.
Zoey and Adeline stepped up, blocking Gavin’s path.
“Gavin, Josie might be nice, but she’s not stupid,” Adeline said, arms crossed, glaring at him. “You clearly have money. Are you trying to get away with not paying her?”
Zoey nodded. “You should give it back. Josie’s family isn’t well-off. You know, she used to have to rely on you guys. Once she gets that money back, I believe she’ll never need to do that again.”
Gavin’s face darkened. He turned to Josie. “I’ve always looked out for you. Why are you doing this to me in public? Can’t we talk in private?”
He reached for her arm, thinking he could smooth things over if he just talked sweet enough. Josie had always been soft-hearted. He’d drop it if he coaxed her a little, and he’d slip by like before.
But this time, Gavin had misjudged her. Josie wasn’t giving him that chance.
“Let’s talk right here. Zoey and Adeline aren’t strangers. I have no reason to keep anything from them,” Josie said, pulling away from his hand.
Gavin took a deep breath, clearly annoyed. “Come on, Josie. Don’t be like this. It’s not that I don’t want to pay you back—I just don’t have the money right now.”
“You had money to buy clothes for your girlfriend but none to pay Josie back, huh? Who are you trying to fool?” Allison said as she came back, rolling her eyes.
Gavin looked both embarrassed and pissed. He glared at Josie. “When did you get like this? You’re not even showing me a little respect. Do you seriously have to humiliate me in front of everyone?”
“Respect doesn’t pay bills,” Josie shot back. “I’m not trying to start something. But what that girl said back there, huh? That was way out of line. I thought I’d been good to you. I didn’t expect you to talk behind my back like that.”
Her voice dropped a little, disappointment written all over her face. “If you look down on me that much, then we don’t need to be friends anymore. Either pay me back right now, or I’ll post proof of every transaction and message on the school forum.”
Gavin cared a lot about his image. No way could he let that kind of stuff blow up online. Josie was sure she’d get her money back—one way or another.
“Do you really have to push me this far?” Gavin snapped. “We’ve been on the same team for almost three years. Are you really throwing all that away?”
Allison stepped in front of him. “Did you think about friendship when you trashed her behind her back? That girl didn’t pull those words out of thin air. You said them. And now you still expect Josie to care about being friends with you? You’ve got some nerve.”
Adeline pulled Allison back. “Why waste your breath on a guy like him? Let him pay and get lost. Josie should just pretend she never knew him.”
“Josie,” Gavin said, staring at her in disbelief, fists clenched. He couldn’t believe she was letting her friends tear into him like this.
She used to protect their reputations—she’d never embarrassed him like this before.
Gavin looked over at Adeline and the others, then spotted Zoey. His eyes narrowed.
He remembered her—she was the one who confessed to Aiden and got humiliated in front of everyone. He didn’t expect someone like her to stand up for Josie.