America rolled her eyes. “Who cares, Abby? People have been speculating about you and Trav for weeks. It’s not the first time someone has accused you two of sleeping together.”
Travis and Shepley traded glances.
“What?” I said. “There’s something else, isn’t there?”
Shepley winced. “They’re saying you slept with Parker at Brazil’s, and then you let Travis…take you home, if you know what I mean.”
My mouth fell open. “Great! So I’m the school slut now?”
Travis’ eyes darkened and his jaws tensed. “This is my fault. If it was anyone else, they wouldn’t be saying that about you.” He walked into the cafeteria, his hands in fists at his sides.
America and Shepley followed behind him. “Let’s just hope no one is stupid enough to say anything to him,” America said.
“Or her,” Shepley added.
Travis sat a few seats across and down from me, brooding over his Reuben. I waited for him to look at me, wanting to offer a comforting smile. Travis had a reputation, but I let Parker take me into the hall.
Shepley elbowed me while I stared at his cousin. “He just feels bad. He’s probably trying to deflect the rumor.”
“You don’t have to sit down there, Trav. Come on, come sit,” I said, patting the empty surface in front of me.
“I heard you had quite a birthday, Abby,” Chris Jenks said, throwing a piece of lettuce on Travis’ plate.
“Don’t start with her, Jenks,” Travis warned, glowering.
Chris smiled, pushing up his round, pink cheeks. “I heard Parker is furious. He said he came by your apartment yesterday, and you and Travis were still in bed.”
“They were taking a nap, Chris,” America sneered.
My eyes darted to Travis. “Parker came by?”
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I was gonna tell you.”
“When?” I snapped.
America leaned into my ear. “Parker heard the rumor, and came by to confront you. I tried to stop him, but he walked down the hall and…totally got the wrong idea.”
I planted my elbows on the table, covering my face with my hands. “This just keeps getting better.”
“So you guys really didn’t do the deed?” Chris asked. “Damn, that sucks. Here I thought Abby was right for you after all, Trav.”
“You better stop, now, Chris,” Shepley warned.
“If you didn’t sleep with her, mind if I take a shot?” Chris said, chuckling to his teammates.
My face burned with the initial embarrassment, but then America screamed in my ear, reacting to Travis jumping from his seat. He reached over the table, grabbed Chris by the throat with one hand, and a fist full of t-shirt in the other. The linebacker slid across the table, and dozens of chairs grated across the floor as people stood to watch. Travis punching him repeatedly in the face, his elbow spiking high in the air before he landed each blow. The only thing Chris could do was to cover his face with his hands.
No one touched Travis. He was out of control, and his reputation left every one afraid to get in his way. The football players ducked and winced as they watched their teammate being assaulted without mercy on the tile floor.
“Travis!” I screamed, running around the table.
In mid-punch, Travis withheld his fist, and then released Chris’ shirt, letting him fall to the floor. He was panting when he turned to look at me; I’d never seen him look so frightening. I swallowed. and took a step back as he shouldered past me.
I took a step to follow him, but America grabbed my arm. Shepley kissed her quickly, and then followed his cousin out the door.
“Jesus,” America whispered.
We turned to watch Chris’ teammates pick him off the floor, and I cringed at his red and puffy face. Blood trickled from his nose, and Brazil handed him a napkin from the table.
“That crazy son–of-a- bitch!” Chris groaned, sitting on the chair and holding his hand to his face. He looked at me, then. “I’m sorry, Abby. I was just kidding.”
I had no words to reply. I couldn’t explain what had just happened anymore than he could.
“She didn’t sleep with either of them,” America said.