“Where is she?”
“Wha…” It takes her a few seconds to register it’s me. “Amalie?”
“Yeah, Amalie. Who the fuck else would I be asking you about?”
She just shrugs and it pisses me off.
“Where is she?” I spit.
“Don’t you know?” She’s baiting me, I know she is, but I can’t help but let it get to me. I fucking need her.
“Does it look like I fucking know?”
My raised voice is starting to cause a scene, but I don’t give a shit.
“She’s gone to London.”
My head spins as I try to accept what she’s just said to me. I spent practically all of the past two days with her and she never once told me she was leaving. My heart starts to race as panic begins to take over. Why wouldn’t she tell me she was leaving?
“When’s she get back?” My voice is rough as I fight like hell to keep myself in check.
“I don’t know. Her gran said she booked a one-way flight.”
My chin drops in shock. “One-way?”
“Yeah, probably trying to get the hell away from you,” Shane bravely pipes up, giving me the perfect excuse to do exactly what I was craving the second I laid eyes on him.
“Motherfucker.”
My fist flies and I hit him square on the jaw. He stumbles where he wasn’t expecting the hit but manages to catch himself before he tumbles to the floor.
The next thing I know, a pair of large hands wrap around my upper arms and I’m being pulled back while Shane groans in pain.
The taste of copper fills my mouth telling me that he must have got a few of his own hits in but my body is too pumped up with adrenaline to feel anything right now.
I’m forcefully shoved forward as people start to surround Shane.
Fuck him. I hope it hurts like hell.
“You don’t deserve her,” he calls out above the commotion.
A smirk curls at my lips. Ain’t that the fucking truth.
By the time I’m pushed through the door to Coach’s office and shoved onto the seat in front of his desk, I’m starting to come down from my high and my face is starting to ache.
“You need to start talking, boy. First fighting during a game, then missing practice two days on the trot and now this. I’m this close to benching your ass, Thorn. This fucking close.” When I glance up, he’s holding his thumb and forefinger about a centimeter apart. “What’s going on? Please don’t tell me all of this is over some skirt.”
“She’s not just some skirt,” I seethe.
“So it is a girl. Who is it that’s got you all strung up?”
Dropping my eyes to my lap, I keep my mouth shut.
“I can’t help you if you don’t talk.”
“It doesn’t fucking matter who she is, okay? She’s gone. Fucked off and left me behind like the trash I am.”
“Well, this one really has got herself under your skin.”
“It’s not just her, Coach.”
He leans back and crosses his arms over his chest, waiting for me to spill. I’m surprised he doesn’t know. Gossip spreads through the teachers here just as fast as it does around the kids. “Go on.”
“Kate showed her face.”
He nods, waiting for me to spill, which I do. Coach is the one and only parent figure I’ve had for most of my life so unlike most of the world around me, he knows all my dark and dirty secrets. He’s also bailed me out of the shit more times than I can count.
“You need to get her out of your head or you’re going to be useless Friday night. It’s our big game against Eastwood, in case you’ve forgotten. We win this one and we’re well on our way to state. But I need you, Thorn. I need you and I need you fully focused. No screwy mother, no girl issues. Get them out of here and focus,” he says, tapping my head. “Now get the fuck out of here and go sort out your face. I’ll see you on the field after class.”
“You’re not benching me?”
“Not yet. I need you Friday, you’re just going to have to keep your nose clean until then or my hand might be forced. Now fuck off before you get blood on my office floor.”
No sooner am I released from Coach’s office and I’m hauled into the principal’s office and given an ass-kicking for my actions. Much like Coach though, he also knows he’s relying on me for Friday night’s game, so in the end, he goes easy on me.
By Friday night, my bruising is starting to reduce and my cuts on my knuckles healing, shame the ache in my chest is yet to abate. I tried phoning her when I first discovered she’d left, but it didn’t even connect. So after fucking up my trailer a little more than it already was after my mother’s visit, I sent her a text that I regretted the second I hit send. In reality, I didn’t mean any of the harsh words. Her sudden disappearance just hurts so fucking much, her actions are exactly what I accused her of when she first arrived. She’s no better than my mother who ran at the first hint of a better life. Was her few hours with me so fucking bad that she had to leave the country?
The last thing I want to do is go to school and get cheered on as we hopefully thrash Eastwood’s ass. They’re our closest rival and almost every year they fucking beat us, leaving with smug as fuck smiles on their faces.
The entire school body fills the stadium for tonight’s game. Homecoming is a big deal, hopes are high after our last couple of wins and all eyes are anxiously on us as we hit the field. The roar of excitement from our fans makes me wince, but it helps to push aside everything I’m feeling and allow me to focus on what I should be doing right now.
Fuck her, if she doesn’t think this place is good enough for her then good riddance. This place is mine and right now my people need me.
The game’s fucking hard and not helped by the fact that Shane taunts me with overly amused eyes or a shove in the shoulder if he thinks he can get away with it. He’s pissed that I had her, even for a short amount of time but he’s equally fucked off that I made her leave. I might gloat that I had Amalie to myself, but at least I didn’t have to drug her to get her into bed.
Coach notices the tension between us and mouths over to me to calm my shit down. We both know that I shouldn’t be on this field right now after I jumped Shane the other day. I’m determined to finish this game and not have him ruining it, like he’s attempting to do.
We win, but only just, and the excitement is off the charts as we make our way back into the locker room.
“Fuckin’ yes, boys,” Ethan hollers. “Now let’s shower this shit off and go find the pussy.”
Everyone else cheers but I just start stripping my uniform off and it doesn’t go unnoticed.
Mason and Ethan appear at my sides.
“You’re coming, right?”
“Do I look like I want to go to a fucking dance?”
“Aw, come on, you’ll get the crown and then you’ll have even more girls hanging off you than usual.”
Neither of them so much as flinch when I raise my arm and slam my fist into the locker in front of me.
Pain radiates up my arm, but I welcome the distraction from my heart.
“I don’t want other fucking girls,” I whisper, not wanting the rest of the team to overhear that I’ve grown a fucking pussy.
“Fine, well how about you come to celebrate with the team. You don’t have to stay all night. We can leave early and get fucked up.”
Now that sounds more like an offer I can’t refuse.
“Fine, but only because you’re offering something to kill the memories of it after.”
“That’s my man.” Ethan slaps my shoulder before heading off to the showers.
“You still haven’t heard from her?” Mason asks, sounding more concerned about me than just missing out on tonight.
“She’s gone. I hope she’s laughing her fucking tits off. She played me at my own game, made me want her and fucked off.”
“Na, man. That’s not her style. Have you even gone to speak to her gran, find out what’s going on?”
My s
ilence clues him in to the fact I’ve done no such thing. I ain’t chasing her and allowing the whole fucking town to see that she’s got me on my knees.
I shower and then pull on a white button-down with some black pants and shoes. Dressing up is the last thing I want to do, but I don’t want to let my team down more than I already have.
I can plaster on a fake smile for an hour before someone hopefully hands me a bottle of something strong.
42
Amalie
Walking back into my parents’ house is the weirdest feeling. It’s exactly the same as when I left. The housekeeper that’s still employed has kept it sparkling clean.
My heart ached more than I thought possible as I look at all their belongings, their lives.
I shouldn’t have run like I did, but the need to be surrounded by them was too much. I miss them more than words could ever express and hearing the news that no one wanted them dead made me need this final closure.
This place might feel familiar in so many ways, but it’s obvious the minute I step inside that it’s no longer my home. The two people who made this place feel like a loving family home are gone, leaving it as no more than a house.
I spend my first day wallowing in the loss of my parents and going through all their stuff. As much as I hate to remove pieces of them, I know it needs to happen to help me move on. I select a couple of my favourite items from my mum’s wardrobe and jewellery collection and I let go of the rest. It’s time to move on.
Once the house is mostly cleared, I feel a little better and like this trip was actually worthwhile and not just a crazy spur of the moment decision that I’m going to regret.
It wasn’t until I turned my phone off ready for the flight, I realised that in my haste to pack I didn’t pick up the charger.
I told myself that there was a reason I forgot it and when I walked past the shops at arrivals in Heathrow Airport, I didn’t stop to get a new one.
Miss French kick-started thoughts about my future, I need this time to figure out what I want to do. It might be selfish to shut myself off from the world, I know Jake won’t be happy about it, but I’d hope he’d understand my need for a little time. My life’s been crazy, and I just need a minute to take a breath. I need everything to slow down, all the changes to stop just so I can be me.
I organise a meeting with my parents’ solicitor to discuss what happens next along with another at the bank as I try to figure out what the hell to do with the money they’ve left behind. I knew they were well off, but having the reality of the situation on the screen in front of me was a little overwhelming. As their only child, everything, including their business has been left to me. Thankfully they’ve got very capable people running it which means I don’t need to do anything. They were sensible enough to have things set up just in case the worst were to happen. So apparently, I just get to sit back and reap the rewards my parents would have got. If I’m honest, I’d rather just have my parents, but it’s a bit late for that now.
The second I step from the bank I know what I need to do. Since the moment I landed, I think I knew that this place wasn’t my home and more time here has only proved one thing. I left my heart behind in America. It’s firmly in the hands of a hard-headed, sexy and broken guy who I think feels the same way, despite every way he tried to prove otherwise.
Allowing thoughts of Jake in, my heart aches to see him again. To feel the security of his arms around me.
Flagging down a taxi, I rattle off my old address and tell him to hurry the hell up. I’ve got a flight to book and hopefully catch.
The flight back is excruciating. Once I’d made the decision, I wanted to be back there that instant. So sitting for almost an hour even waiting to take off took its toll.
I called Gran the moment I booked my last minute flight, and she agreed to pick me up at the other end.
I purchased a phone charger at the airport and made use of the onboard power supply to charge it.
When I turn it on at the other end, it goes crazy with messages and voicemails. Almost all of them from Jake and Camila.
I ignore every single one. My focus is on one thing, and one thing only.
Gran greets me at arrivals like she hasn’t seen me in years, not just a couple of days.
“I missed you too,” I say into her hair as she holds me tight.
“I was so scared you wouldn’t come back,” she admits, making my heart ache.
“I think I needed to go back to realise where I really wanted to be. I love London but this place has become home to me now. There was never a chance I wasn’t coming back.”
“Thank God for that.” When she pulls back, her eyes are swimming with tears. “I love having you here, Amalie. I didn’t realise how lonely I was before you came.”
Emotion clogs my throat and only confirms something I’d pretty much decided on in London. I’m not leaving her to go to college. Once I’ve got tonight out of the way, I’m going to get out the paperwork that Miss French gave me for the local colleges and check out their courses. This is where my heart and my family are, so this is where I need to be.
“I really like it here too. I didn’t realise quite how much until I left.”
“That’s so good to hear. Now, let’s get out of here, I understand there’s a dance tonight and I’m pretty sure there’ll be a boy waiting for you.”
“I’m not so sure,” I mutter, walking out of the terminal beside Gran.
“No?”
“I haven’t spoken to him since I left,” I admit with a wince. I know it probably wasn’t the most sensible thing to do where Jake is concerned but I needed the time.
“Well, even more reason to get dolled up to the nines and sweep him off his feet.”
The second I’m through the front door of Gran’s house, I run toward my bedroom.
I have the quickest shower of my life before blow drying my hair and throwing a little bit of makeup on. I might be in a rush, but I still need to look like I’ve made an effort.
Pulling open my wardrobe, my eyes land on one dress. The little silver one that my mum bought me for my end of sixth form night out.
Pulling it out, I allow myself a few seconds to admire it. I’ve no clue if it’s the kind of thing girls wear to Homecoming but right now, I don’t really care, it’s exactly what I need to give me the confidence to walk into that gym and claim my place in this school.
I forgo the fancy arrival seeing as the dance has already started and allow Gran to drop me in the car park.
After waving her off, I walk up the short path toward the gym. My hands tremble and butterflies flutter so hard in my belly that I think I might take off.
I’m terrified that he’s going to turn me away after I left him. It’s exactly the kind of behaviour he roasted me for when I first arrived, but I’m determined to make him see that it was a one-off, that I’m back and one of the biggest reasons is him.
Blowing out a long breath, I shake out my arms and lift one to pull the door open.
The sound of the chatter and excitement inside filters down to me, but to my surprise, there’s no music.
My curiosity along with my need for Jake has my feet moving. I walk down the short corridor and the reason behind the lack of music soon becomes clear.
“And your Homecoming queen is…” There’s a brief silence before whoever is in charge of the microphone announces Chelsea’s name. Of course she fucking is.
I roll my eyes and inwardly groan before continuing.
The gym is filled with balloons and streamers to make it look less like a sports hall and more like a room to celebrate in, but my eyes don’t focus on any of that or the hundreds of kids staring at the stage because it’s just one man on the stage who captures my attention.
He’s dressed in a white shirt with the collar undone at the neck, sans tie. His black trousers are skinny enough to hug his thighs and make my mouth water, but it’s his eyes that I get lost in as he stares into space. They look haunted in
a way I remember all too well. They’re just like the first day he saw me, and then again when he looked at his mother only a few days ago.
Chelsea flounces up on stage making a right song and dance about receiving her crown and being objectified by everyone.
Jake doesn’t so much as glance her way as he stands there like he wants the ground to swallow him up. I’m not surprised he’s been crowned king because that’s exactly what he is. He rules this place. He knows how much they need him for any potential football success, and he uses it to his advantage.
I’m frozen to the spot watching this little ceremony playing out in front of me when every muscle in my body tenses as Chelsea slides up next to Jake. She has a twinkle in her eye that I don’t like as the photographer gets a couple of shots of them. Just as he takes a step to leave, she blocks his path and crashes her lips to his. His body stills, his eyes widen, but it’s that moment he finds me standing in the doorway.
It takes about a second too long for him to react. I’m just about on the verge of walking up there myself and pulling the hussy from him when his arms rise, and he forcefully pushes. The entire student body gasps in horror as she loses her footing and falls from the stage.
I’ve no clue what happens to her because my focus is solely on Jake’s angry eyes. As the commotion continues in front of the stage, Jake effortlessly jumps down and sidesteps the crowd that’s formed.
My heart pounds with every footstep he takes toward me. I’ve no idea what he’s going to do, but the look in his eyes and the hard lines of his face terrify me.
At no point does he break our contact and I think that’s even more unnerving. He wants me nervous.
My entire body is trembling by the time he steps up to me and I prepare for what abuse about my leaving is going to fall from his lips, but nothing happens.
He’s inches from me, his eyes locked on mine, his chest heaving almost as mine is. His arm lifts and I flinch, not that I really think he’s going to hit me, more that the movement surprises me.
Then he does something I really wasn’t expecting. His hand cups my cheek before his fingers slide into my hair.
THORN: A High School Bully Romance (Rosewood Book 1) Page 24
