The Mercy Academy Box Set: A Complete High School Bully Romance Series

by Lane Hart

  “If I did, I can’t remember it right now,” I admit.

  “Maddie was at the homecoming dance tonight,” Blake tells me.

  Homecoming. Maddie. Tonight.

  “Oh shit!” I exclaim when I try to sit up in bed only to flop back down a second later. “I missed homecoming and didn’t call. She’s gonna be so mad at me.”

  “She was,” Blake agrees. “And she showed me some seriously fucked-up photos of you. Pardon my language, Mr. and Mrs. Prince.”

  Photos? Maddie showed him photos. Oh, fuck me! The photos. God, how could I forget she had those? No wonder Blake looks like he wants to slam my face in a wall.

  “I’m so sorry, man,” I tell my best friend. “I swear it’s over with Collette. I’m done. So fucking done. It’s been over for weeks. Don’t tell your Kurt. Your dad. Kurt.”

  “Collette?” Royal repeats. “Dude, why are you talking about Blake’s mom?”

  “Maddie took those pictures before school started,” I feel the need to explain. “Bad decision. Really, really fucking bad. Wish she had never touched me.”

  “Aric!” Blake yells, sounding furious. “What the fuck are you talking about?”

  “Please don’t tell your dad,” I whisper, at least I think I’m whispering. “He’ll kill me and her.”

  I close my eyes for a second when they get heavy; and when I open them again, Royal and Blake are fighting. No, Royal is trying to hold Blake back from launching himself at me. I was right about him wanting to smash in my face.

  “Calm down, man,” I tell him. “It’s all good now. Whew! I’m glad that’s finally off my chest.”

  “I’ll fucking kill you!” Blake roars before there’s a group of people surrounding him and dragging him out of the room.

  “What’s the big damn deal?” I ask Royal, who is left behind, scrubbing his hands over his face.

  “You just…I think you just told him you screwed his mom! He’s never gonna forgive you, asshole. And then there’s Maddie…”

  “Maddie,” I repeat. “She’s awesome. I think I love her.”

  “You’ve lost your goddamn mind, man,” Royal says with a shake of his head before he walks out of the room too.

  The next time I open my eyes, my parents’ faces are hovering above me.

  “Just five more minutes,” I tell them, way too fucking exhausted to get up and start getting ready for school.

  “Son, it’s time to go home,” my father says.

  “Home?” I repeat in confusion because that’s where I thought we were, home in my bed.

  “He doesn’t even know where he is!” my mother exclaims, her voice all choked up.

  “It’s just the pain meds,” Dad tells her. “He’ll be fine in a few hours once it wears off.”

  “Or he’ll be in a lot of pain!” she counters.

  The mention of pain and pain meds finally sinks into my foggy skull. I remember the homecoming game, hurting my shoulder again, then my parents kidnapping me to bring me to the hospital. There was an MRI and a few horrible seconds where a doctor popped the joint back in place. I’m pretty sure I screamed like a little bitch.

  “I’m supposed to go to the dance!” I blurt out when I eventually remember my plans with Maddie. The girl is not exactly the forgiving type either. She’s gonna be so angry. My dick may be in jeopardy of getting sliced off.

  “The dance was over hours ago,” my mother tells me. “And since when do you care about school dances?”

  “Since Maddie.”

  “Maddie’s the girl Blake and Royal mentioned,” she says to me or my father, maybe both.

  “How did they know about Maddie?” I wonder aloud.

  “Son, do you remember what you told Blake when he came to see you earlier tonight?” Dad asks, his words slow and drawn out like I’m a dumbass.

  “Not really.”

  “Apparently this Maddie girl showed Blake some photos,” Mom starts. “And you mentioned Collette. Is there something you want to tell us, honey?”

  “Oh fuck,” I mutter as I close my eyes and replay the bizarre dream I thought I had while I was asleep. “Blake knows about Collette? He’s gonna murder me. Right after Maddie…”

  Holy shit. Did she seriously show him the photos of me and Collette because I stood her up? That’s a low fucking blow, even for her. How could she do that to me? I knew she would be angry, but to be this goddamn vengeful? I guess I didn’t really know her at all.

  “Watch your mouth in front of your mother,” my dad insists, like my swearing is the biggest concern I have.

  “Tell us what you meant about Collette, Aric,” Mom demands. “You said it was over and that you wished she had never touched you.”

  “How do you know I said all that?” I ask them.

  “Because we were sitting right there.” My dad points to the two cushioned seats over to my left that I didn’t notice before now. I vaguely remember Blake and Royal coming in through the door on the right, and I had no idea my parents witnessed the whole damn thing.

  “It’s no big deal,” I assure them.

  “It sounds like it might be,” my mom replies. “Did she…did you…were you intimate with Collette?”

  “Can we just go home? Please?” I beg them.

  “Fine,” Dad says. “But tomorrow we’re going to have a long talk, probably with all of the Sullivans.”

  “That’s not necessary, really.”

  “Oh, but I believe it is,” Mom argues.

  Everything has gone all to hell, and there’s nothing I can do about it now. My friends hate me, and my parents probably aren’t going to give up until they’ve destroyed Blake’s family.

  Chapter 29

  Maddie

  I’m not sure who I’m more pissed at – Aric, Hannah or myself.

  On the way home last night, Hannah finally told me that her and Royal have a past that involved getting naked, or at least partially naked, and then stupidly humping each other like I, unfortunately, witnessed first-hand. Apparently, all of that occurred before she fucked him over and last night’s argument outside resulted in them revisiting that stupidity. She assured me that he still loathes her, and she’ll never touch him again. I’m not sure if I believe that or not.

  Then, there’s Aric, who has completely ghosted me. Not a single text message or phone call. No apology voicemail telling me why he doesn’t want to be with me. He’s just…gone.

  And the reason I’m angrier at myself than them is because I stupidly got my hopes up.

  About a fucking boy.

  What was I thinking?

  Aric Prince was never going to change his ways. He’s a dick, and I fell for all of his bullshit, right up to when he stood me up and made me look like a fool.

  Big, fat tears are still rolling down my cheeks while I stare at my bedroom walls in silence and shovel spoonfuls of ice into my mouth. That’s right. Ice. I’m too broke to afford to wallow in my pity with a pint of ice cream, so I had to settle for crushed ice cubes. I’m so fucking pathetic.

  There’s a knock on the front door a little before lunchtime that gets me moving. Last night, Matt and Mandy spent the night with Shelly’s mom because I thought Aric and I would be out late before coming back here where we would fool around in my bed until I caved and gave him my virginity.

  Now that idea just seems absolutely absurd.

  I yank the door open with a fake smile plastered on my face for my siblings. It immediately falls when I see who it is.

  Aric.

  “Go away –” I start to say before I notice the blue sling hugging his right arm, a different one that holds his limb tight to his body. “Wh-what happened?”

  “I hurt my shoulder again last night,” he answers through gritted teeth that are clenched in either pain or…anger, I can’t tell which. “It’s dislocated this time, so I’m out for the season.”

  “That's why you didn't show,” I mutter in understanding, my anger evaporating into the air.

  “That’s why
I didn’t show,” he echoes. “My parents drove me to the hospital after the game.”

  “I hate that you got hurt again,” I tell him. “Why didn’t you call me? I would’ve…I would’ve come to the hospital.”

  “My phone is still in my duffle bag that’s locked up in the field house, and I didn’t remember your number.”

  “Oh.”

  “Oh,” he repeats. “Is that it? Do you have anything else to say? Maybe a fucking apology?” he snaps at me, and I realize he’s definitely angry.

  “I-I’m sorry, Aric,” I reply honestly.

  “Are you really, though?” he asks. “Do you even feel the slightest remorse for showing Blake those goddamn photos?”

  “What? Jeez! I was pissed at you because I thought you blew me off, okay? Blake didn’t know where you were either! If I had known you were hurt…”

  “But you didn’t know, did you?” he interrupts me. “And instead of waiting to talk to me, to see if maybe I had a pretty fucking good excuse for not showing up at some stupid ass dance, you thought the worst of me and ruined everything!”

  “Aric, I am sorry. Really,” I say as my throat tightens and eyes begin to sting.

  “I thought you cared about me even though you would never fucking tell me what was actually going on in your fucked-up head, but I was wrong about you, about everything! If you gave a shit about me, you never would’ve ruined my life and Blake’s so easily, like it was nothing!”

  “I don’t…what are you talking about?”

  “The photos!” Aric yells. “You showed him the fucking photos. How could you? Do you really still hate me that much? And what about Collette? I could hear Blake’s dad yelling at her all the way over at my house!”

  “Collette?” I say in confusion. “I didn’t –”

  “From now on, just stay the hell away from me, okay?”

  Before I can explain that I only told Blake about us, showed him our photos, not his and Collette’s, Aric and his anger roll right over me.

  “You were right,” he adds. “I felt sorry for you. But not anymore. You keep pushing everyone away because you say you can’t trust them. Well, pretty soon you’re gonna be all alone, and the only person you’ll have to blame is yourself for being a heartless fucking bitch.”

  Whether he was finished yelling at me or not, I slam the door in his face after he calls me a heartless bitch, unable to take another second of his rage.

  Brutal, soul-crushing sobs rack my entire body, so violently that I end up falling to my knees.

  Having the people I love leave me isn’t anything new. But for some reason, having Aric hate me is the worst thing I’ve ever felt.

  Chapter 30

  Aric

  “Royal, man, open up!” I yell as I bang on his door Sunday afternoon with my uninjured left hand. “I see your cars! I know you’re home and that Blake is in there with you!”

  I’ve sent a million text messages to Blake and called a dozen times, but he still refuses to talk to me.

  And at the moment, I need to try and fix shit with my friend; because after I left Maddie’s yesterday, I feel so fucking empty and alone.

  Just like I told her it was her own damn fault that people leave after she pushes them away, the same is true for myself. It’s my fault my friends hate me. I did this, with my actions, even though I took them out on Maddie.

  Finally, the front door cracks open and I’m looking at just one of Royal’s golden-colored eyes.

  “Leave before I call the cops.”

  “He’s never gonna speak to me again, is he?” I ask.

  “No. Probably not, so you’re wasting your time.”

  “Come on, man. There has to be something I can do to fix this,” I tell him.

  “Oh, there is,” Royal agrees.

  “Great? What is it? I’ll do it right now!” I reply in a rush.

  “All you have to do is…go back in time and not put your dick in his mom,” he grumbles.

  “God, he wasn’t ever supposed to find out! Nobody was. I ended it and we were done. It was a mistake, I know that. I never thought Maddie would actually show him the photos of us and shit.”

  “Da fuck you talking about?” Royal asks while throwing the door open wider. “Maddie didn’t show Blake any photos or tell him.”

  “Huh? Then who told him…”

  “You did, you fucking idiot,” he snaps at me.

  “What?” I ask. “No, I may have been high on pain meds, but I definitely remember Blake saying Maddie showed him the photos…”

  “Yeah,” Royal agrees. “Of you at Maddie’s, mowing her yard, doing her laundry, taking selfies and shit even though you knew how bad Blake wanted her!”

  “Mowing…” I start when it hits me. “Those are the only photos she showed him?”

  “That’s all the ones he told me about,” Royal replies with a shrug. “Then you started running your mouth while you were doped up, talking about Collette and shit.”

  “I told him…”

  “Yep.”

  “Son of a bitch!” I exclaim. “It was all a misunderstanding.”

  “So, you didn’t fuck her?” Royal asks.

  “I know it was stupid, and I regret it!” I yell right before he slams the door in my face, just like Maddie did yesterday.

  I royally fucked up, thinking that she told Blake everything when I’m the one who is to blame for running my mouth when I was high on pain killers.

  Guess I need to pay her another visit.

  This time she doesn’t answer the door, and I’m left knocking for fucking ever on the trailer door, sometimes hard enough to shake it.

  “Go away!” I hear Matt’s small voice say from inside.

  “No! I'm here to apologize to Maddie. Tell her I was wrong for all the things I said yesterday. It was all a stupid misunderstanding. I’m the one who fu-screwed up, not her!”

  If I had to guess what was going on in her mind Friday night, Maddie was angry at me for standing her up, so she decided to tell Blake we had been seeing each other, which is what we had planned on doing at the dance anyway.

  Yeah, my best friend would’ve been pissed at me, but once I told him how I felt about her, and that it was more than just wanting to get in her pants, which is all he wanted, I think Blake would’ve gotten over it within a few hours. Or a few days max.

  Now, I’ve destroyed the amazing thing I had with Maddie and probably lost my best friends I’ve had my entire life for good.

  I gave up on Maddie answering the door after an hour and finally drove my ass home to face the firing squad. Tomorrow, I’ll try again with Blake and Maddie. And the next day. Every day for as long as it takes until they both forgive me.

  “Aric, sit down. We need to talk,” my mother says as soon as I walk through the garage door. I’ve been avoiding my parents for the past two days, either staying out of the house groveling or locking my bedroom door to sleep off the ache in my shoulder.

  “There’s nothing to talk about,” I tell them even though I slump down on the sofa cushion while they continue standing in front of the television. My mom has her arms crossed over her chest while my dad rubs his temple.

  “We’ve heard the screaming match coming from the Sullivans’ house,” my mom says. “Does that have something to do with you? Is there anything we need to know? Do we need to get the police involved?”

  “No, god, no!” I exclaim. “Nothing illegal happened. I was sixteen, the age of consent, and I knew what I was doing.”

  “Sixteen! That doesn’t make it right, Aric!” Mom shouts at me. I look to my father, who doesn’t seem nearly as concerned. It’s like he’s hanging around because my mom is making him back her up. “Collette was my friend. I trusted her not to…not to seduce my son!”

  “I wasn’t seduced,” I assure her, even though I sort of was in a way. Collette was older and flirted with me. She ultimately made the first move, but I could’ve said no or walked away. I didn’t, though, not until Maddie caught us t
ogether. “Look, I know it’s upsetting to find out something like this. I get it. But right now I think the Sullivans have enough to worry about on their own without us interfering.”

  My mom stares me down for several long seconds before she finally throws her hands up and relents. “Fine! But I am going to have words with Collette one of these days!”

  “How are you doing, son?” my dad asks. “You okay with everything? The injury? Ending the affair?”

  “Yeah, Dad. I’m good except the girl I love hates me and my best friends refuse to talk to me.” Only after I say the words do I realize I absolutely meant them.

  I love Maddie.

  I loved her even when I thought she destroyed everything which is why I was so angry at her.

  I fucking love her.

  And I blew it.

  “Oh, honey,” my mom says when she takes a seat on the sofa next to me and puts her arm around my shoulders. “I’m sure you think you loved her, but there will be other women. Girls. Females much more appropriate for you.”

  “Maddie is my age,” I tell her.

  “Maddie? I thought you meant…never mind,” she says when she pulls away from me. “So, tell us about this Maddie.”

  “Nothing to tell,” I say. “I screwed up, and now she won’t talk to me either.”

  “Everyone probably just needs a cool down period. Give them a few days to work through their anger,” Dad suggests.

  “I hate waiting and doing nothing.”

  “Well, how about we spend the next few days researching the firefighter academy and their requirements? We can talk to the doctor and see if he thinks your shoulder will be healed up and ready in time to start training next fall...”

  “You’re serious?” I ask, looking from her to my father, who is now pacing. “You’re not gonna make me go to college and play football.”

  “We’re serious,” my dad finally stops and says. “I’ll be proud to tell people my son’s a hero. A real one. Not just a football god worshipped by the masses for his athletic talent but because he saves people for a living.”