Do What I Want: A High School Bully Romance (Dirty Little Secret Book 2)

by Kai Juniper

  "I don't know. Did they?"

  "Maybe it was only two, but each time they got back together so I'm sure this time won't be any different. I have to go. See you at lunch?"

  "Um, yeah, probably."

  She walks off while I head the other direction to class. I didn't know Briggs had broken up with Aubrey before. If that's true, there's a chance they'll get back together. I check my phone. He never texted me back. Is it because he's already back together with Aubrey?

  When I walk into class, I see him in the back of the room. He glances at me, then types something on his phone. I take my seat and check my messages.

  There's a text from Briggs. Can't today. No time.

  I really need to talk, I text back. It's important.

  He doesn't text back. What is wrong with him? He tells me to let him know if I find something out, and when I do, he ignores me?

  After class, I try to catch him as he's leaving, but Aubrey gets to him first.

  "You need to get your shit out of my house," she says, loud enough for everyone to hear. She loves making a scene, but Briggs hates it. She usually doesn't yell at him like this at school, but she must think it's okay now that they've broken up.

  Briggs walks past her, pretending he didn't hear her.

  She huffs and whips her head to the side, right where I'm standing. "What are you looking at, bitch?"

  I ignore her.

  "Briggs, get back here or I swear to God..." She storms up to him but he pretends not to see her, which makes her even more furious. She grabs his shirt. "Briggs!"

  He abruptly stops and turns to her, leaning down to her ear to say something. She opens her mouth to say something back, but then quickly shuts it and watches as he walks away.

  At lunch, I send Briggs another text. Still need to talk.

  Not today.

  Seriously? He knows what this is about, and it's a lot more important than whatever he has going on.

  "Why do you look so serious?" Charlotte asks, peeling her orange.

  "I don't, or I didn't mean to."

  "Who were you texting?"

  "Why all the questions?"

  "It just seems like you're always texting someone, and no offense, but you don't have any friends, other than me."

  "I was texting my dad. Now that he has a girlfriend, he texts me all the time so I don't feel like he forgot about me. He's all worried I'll think that."

  "That's sweet. You have the best dad."

  I get up. "I'm going to the library to study."

  "Ella!" Charlotte whispers. "Behind you."

  I look behind me and see Finn standing there.

  "Hey, Trailer Girl."

  "What do you want?"

  He takes the chair I was sitting on and yanks it back, then stands on top of it. "Everyone shut up! I have an announcement." The cafeteria quiets down. "It has recently come to my attention that Ella Quinn is a virgin, not that I'm surprised."

  "Finn! Stop it!" I reach for him, but Parker races up and holds me back.

  "She's looking to fix this problem," Finn says. "Is there anyone here who's up for the challenge?"

  Everyone laughs, except Briggs. He's sitting at his usual table, a serious look on his face, watching what's happening but not stopping it. Did he tell Finn to do this? How else would Finn know I'm a virgin? I can't believe Briggs would do that!

  "What's going on here?" Mr. Lander says, racing up to Finn. "Get down from there! Right now!"

  Parker lets go of me as Finn gets down, laughing at his performance.

  Mr. Lander turns to me. "Ella, what was this about?"

  "Finn was doing one of his usual pranks," I say, glaring at him.

  Mr. Lander points to Finn. "No more disruptions during lunch. Understood?"

  "Yeah, got it," he says, a smirk on his face.

  I turn and leave, pretending not to be bothered by what just happened, but inside I'm fuming. I'm not surprised Finn did that, but I'm shocked Briggs would put him up to it. Even if he didn't, he told Finn something that was private, something that was supposed to stay between us.

  When I see Briggs in the hall later, I walk right past him, not even acknowledging him.

  During class, I get a text from him. I didn't tell him.

  Yeah, right, I text back.

  I didn't. I swear.

  Then how did he know?

  He didn't.

  Liar.

  Behind the building at 3.

  He wants me to meet him? I thought he didn't have time. I don't text him back. I'm not even sure I'll meet with him. It could be another trick, like last time.

  Just before three, I head to my truck to go home, but then change my mind and go around the building to the back. Briggs is standing there, leaning against the wall and looking hot as hell. I hate how much I'm attracted to him, and how my heart beats faster whenever I see him.

  "What do you want?" I snap.

  "You're the one who wanted to talk. So talk."

  "That's it? You're not even going to address what happened in the cafeteria?"

  "I didn't tell him you were a virgin. And I didn't put him up to that."

  "You also didn't stop it."

  "If I'd stopped it, people would know something's going on with us."

  "Or maybe they'd just think you're being a decent human being for once. But I guess you can't let people see that side of you, if it's even real."

  "What's that supposed to mean?"

  "I don't know, Briggs. You tell me. Who's the real Briggs? The one at school, or the one I hung out with at your house yesterday?"

  "If you don't know that by now, then it's a waste of time to try to convince you."

  "I've only seen the nice Briggs a few times. I've known the other Briggs for years. How do I know the nice thing isn't just an act?"

  He shoves away from the wall. "I'm going to practice."

  “Wait! I didn't tell you what I found out."

  He sighs, folding his arms over his chest. "What'd you find out?"

  "That man told Susan that he remembers several guys being there that night. He didn't know their age or what they looked like. He just remembers hearing voices. Men's voices."

  "He said men? So he thinks whoever hit him is older?"

  "I don't know. I'm just repeating what my dad said after he talked to Susan. He said the guy has a brain injury so he's not very alert. Oh, and he said it was an SUV that hit him, not a truck, but the cops are looking for both."

  "Is that it?"

  "He might've told her more, but that's all she told my dad."

  Briggs shrugs. "If that's all he said, then I'm not worried. He didn't give any specifics. Men who were driving an SUV? That's not much to go on."

  "It is if they match the SUV with the body shop records."

  "I guess." He checks his phone. "I need to get to practice."

  He walks off, leaving me confused. It's like he had no interest in the case, or me. I thought he might try to kiss me, which would be risky at school, but the Briggs I was with yesterday would've done it.

  I wish I knew what he was up to. I feel like this is all some kind of game he's playing and I'm going to end up losing.

  Chapter Ten

  Briggs

  I can't stop thinking of Ella and it's pissing me off. I tried to stay away from her today, and wasn't going to talk to her, but I wanted to know what she found out about the guy we hit. It sounds like he doesn't remember much, which means there's no way the cops will trace this back to us, or that's what I'm choosing to tell myself because I have too much shit going on in my life to worry about it.

  Last week I got a C on a paper and a B on a test. There's no way I can beat Ella with grades like that. I need straight A's and extra credit, and even then, it still won't be enough. I've been trying to study more, but I'm having trouble focusing. Ever since my father found out my mom's not coming to graduation, he's been in a state of rage, stomping around the house and yelling at her on the phone. When he leaves and it
finally quiets down, my mind drifts to Ella and why I keep pursuing her when I know I need to go back to bullying her to get the valedictorian title.

  "You going to the gym?" Parker asks as we're walking to our cars after practice. The season's about to start and I've been playing like shit. If I don't step it up and play like I used to, Coach is going to bench me and put in my replacement. I'm not letting that happen. I need to fix whatever's wrong with me and fast, or everything I've worked for will be for nothing.

  "I'm skipping the gym today," I tell him. "I have a paper due Friday and I haven't even started."

  "Then I guess I'll see you later," he says, heading to his car.

  "Hey! Get over here!"

  He walks back to me. "What?"

  "What the fuck was going on at lunch today?" I wanted to ask him this earlier but didn't have a chance.

  "We were just messing around." He smirks. "And hey, maybe she'll get a prom date out of it."

  I grab his shirt and yank him toward me. "You think that's funny? You want her getting pissed and going to the cops to tell on us?"

  "She's not going to the cops. If she did, she'll get in trouble too."

  "He doesn't remember her," I say, letting Parker go. "He only remembers us."

  "What are you talking about?"

  "That investigator her dad's dating talked to the guy and he told her he remembers hearing three male voices. He doesn't remember a female."

  "She's lying. She made that up to make us think she's safe and we're not."

  "She wasn't lying. Even if she was, she's got an in with the person in charge of the case. Maybe Ella wasn't a threat before, but she is now, and you and Finn pissing her off is only going to make things worse for the three of us."

  Parker steps back, crossing his arms over his chest. "You're just saying that so we'll leave her alone. I don't give a fuck what she tells that lady. Ella has no power over us. It's her word against ours, unless you've gone to her side now that you're fucking her."

  "I'm not fucking her, and I'm sick and tired of you saying that shit. Keep it up and I seriously will punch you."

  "If you're not fucking her, then why'd you and her skip school yesterday?"

  "I didn't even know she'd left. I went home because I didn't feel well."

  "Then why was she at your house? And why were there towels left out by the pool? You've never once used that pool, and if you weren't feeling well, you wouldn't have gone swimming." He steps up to me, glancing around at the empty parking lot before looking back at me. "I know you're lying, but I can't figure out why. My guess is you're forming an alliance with Ella, knowing the cops would believe you two over Finn and me. The smart kids who never get in trouble against the two with the shitty grades who do drugs and get into fights. Doesn't take a genius to figure out who the cops would believe. You're getting close to Ella so she'll take your side when you go against Finn and me."

  I get in his face. "I'm getting close to Ella so she doesn't turn on us. You want to know the truth? Then yeah, I did invite her over yesterday. She keeps saying how much she loves pools so I let her come over and use mine. While she was there, I tried to get her to talk, to find out what she knows, and what she plans to do if the cops show up at her door."

  "And what'd she say?"

  "Not much. I don't think she's decided what she'll tell the cops, which is why we can't be pissing her off. And what you did in the cafeteria today didn't just piss her off. It was stupid, and juvenile. It's like something we would've done sophomore year. You want to go after Ella? Then do it in a way where she doesn't know it's happening. Do it by getting her on our side. Gaining her trust. Making her think you've changed."

  "Is that what you're doing? Playing her to get her on our side?"

  "Hell yeah. Why else would I be hanging out with her? You really think I'm interested in Ella?"

  "Seems like you are. Whenever she's around, you're always staring at her, and it's that look like you used to give Aubrey when you actually liked her."

  "It's all an act. It was with Aubrey, too. I never liked her. I just put up with her because she's hot. But Ella's smarter than Aubrey. I have to be more careful around her so she doesn't know what I'm up to."

  Parker laughs. "I really thought you were into her. But when you didn't stick up for her in the cafeteria, I thought maybe I was wrong."

  "You were, but you still shouldn't have done it."

  "It was a test. Finn and I needed to know whose side you're on."

  "There aren't sides. We're all in this together, or we need to make it seem like we are, to Ella. From here on out, I need you to lay off her. You don't need to be friends with her, but don't be doing shit like you did today."

  "I'll think about it."

  "You'll do as I say or else." I get in his face. "Leave her alone or there'll be hell to pay." I walk off and head to my car.

  I lied, about all of it. I'm not trying to con Ella so she doesn't tell on us. I already know she won't. The truth is, I'm falling for her, despite my constant efforts to fight it. She's become the person I talk to, because she listens and actually seems to give a shit. No matter how much I yell at myself for confiding in her, I keep finding myself doing it, and feeling better when I do. My shoulders relax, my chest loosens up, and I'm able to breathe.

  Parker can't know that, which is why I had to lie. I lied to the person who used to be my closest friend. But I didn't have a choice. I don't want him going after Ella like that, humiliating her, making people think even less of her. I hated seeing Finn and Parker embarrass her in front of everyone in the cafeteria, but I couldn't do anything about it. If I had stopped it, or stood up for her, the whole school would know something's going on between us. Or they'd think I was going soft, losing my edge, which would take away my power. I couldn't risk all that to protect her. Besides, she doesn't need my protection. Ella can take care of herself. She proved that by surviving all I've put her through over the years.

  I go home and try to catch up on all the homework I'm behind on, but my mind keeps wandering to Ella. Everywhere I look I see her—in my shower, by my desk, on my bed. I study on my bed, so being on it without thinking about what I did to her here is nearly impossible. Maybe I should try studying downstairs.

  "Briggs!" my dad yells.

  Shit. There goes my plan. I'm not studying downstairs if my father's there.

  "I'm studying!" I yell back.

  I hear his feet stomping up the stairs. I'm on my bed with my laptop when he barges in my room.

  "What are you doing home?" he asks. "Shouldn't you be at the gym?"

  "I'm skipping today so I can catch up on homework."

  "Yes, well, I just wanted to let you know I'm having a guest over shortly so I need you to be quiet."

  "Who's the guest?"

  "An acquaintance of mine. Mr. Lagoria. I don't believe you know him. Anyway, we'll be in my study. I'd like you to stay up here until he's gone. I don't want any interruptions."

  "Yeah, fine. I'll stay here. Is anyone else coming?"

  "No. Just Mr. Lagoria. He shouldn't be here for more than an hour. I'll let you know when he's gone." He smiles. "Perhaps we could go to dinner."

  He wants to take me to dinner? We never do that, or we haven't since my mom left. What's going on with him? He's smiling and isn't yelling at me. Maybe he made a lot of money today. That always puts him in a good mood.

  "I need to study," I tell him. "I might have to pass on dinner."

  "We'll decide later. Not a sound. Understand?"

  "Yes, I'll be quiet."

  My father is very sensitive to noise, especially when he's in sales mode. I'm assuming the guy coming over is a potential client about to hear my dad's sales pitch. He prefers to do it outside the office, claiming it puts people at ease and makes them want to invest more. Everything he does has a motive, which is why I used him as inspiration for the story I told Parker. Spending time with Ella is all to get her to do what I want. It's not true, but he believed it, which
is all that matters.

  A few minutes later, the doorbell rings and I hear my father greeting the man, his booming voice echoing in the foyer. The sound diminishes as they walk down the hall to the study, where my father will offer the guy a drink from his private collection of very expensive bourbon or scotch. It's a tactic used to indirectly prove to the guy that my father is extremely successful. It inspires confidence so the guy will want to invest with our firm. I know this game so well I don't even have to think about it. Using people to get what I want comes naturally to me.

  It makes me wonder if I really am just playing Ella, without even realizing it. I don't think I am, or feel like I am, but I don't always trust that my intentions are good. What if, on some unconscious level, I'm seeing this thing with Ella as just a means to an end—a way to convince her to hand over the valedictorian title? It would explain why I'm spending so much time with her, and why I'm letting myself do things with her I normally wouldn't do. But then why am I having feelings for her? Genuine feelings I haven't felt for other girls?

  An hour passes and I hear my dad's voice again, then the sound of the front door opening.

  "Anything you need from me, please let me know," my father says. "We're all very eager to get this taken care of. Let me walk you out."

  I hear the front door close and assume it means I'm free to go downstairs. I'm starving, and know my father's offer to take me to dinner wasn't real. When he says stuff like that, he never follows through.

  "Briggs!" my father calls out as I'm grabbing the deli meat from the fridge.

  "In the kitchen!" I call back.

  He walks in, a satisfied smile on his face.

  "I'm guessing he said yes," I say, taking the bread from the cupboard.

  "He did indeed." My dad's smile turns to a smirk. "It took months, but my efforts finally paid off." He watches me take bread from the loaf. "What are you doing? I'm taking you to dinner."

  "I thought you were kidding."

  "Why would I joke about that? Get upstairs and change. We'll leave in ten minutes."

  "Where are we going?" I ask, but I know it'll be some fancy restaurant or the country club, the only places my father will eat.