“He was really drunk. It probably wasn’t his finest performance.”
Lifting his fingers, he presses two against my lips. “I’m glad to know I’m better, but I don’t need the details.”
“Okay,” I say with a laugh, dropping his other hand so he can finish packing.
25
Shane
I can’t lie, knowing that Jake Thorn didn’t rock her world makes me feel better about life than I have in a long time. It also helps that half, or more, of the guys I spend time with haven’t had a taste of what’s mine, like I once thought.
“Why are you smiling at me?” Chelsea asks from the other side of her coffee table.
We stopped off to get burgers after leaving my house and ate them in the front of my car. It’s not exactly the kind of first date she deserves, but it was pretty perfect for us. One day soon I’ll take her out and treat her right, but not when we’re both covered in sweat and sand from our run.
“Just thinking about what you said earlier,” I admit with a smirk.
“Wha– oh, I didn’t tell you to stroke your ego,” she mutters, rolling her eyes.
“Maybe not, but I like it.”
“Fucking hell, I’ve created a monster.” She throws her pen at me, but I easily catch it before it connects with my face.
We both continue with our homework, but I can’t wipe the smile off my face, or refrain from glancing up at her where she types away on her laptop every few seconds.
“You’re never going to get that finished,” she says, without looking up from the screen. “I can feel you watching me.”
“Can’t help it.”
With a sigh, she closes the lid and looks at me. I swear just the sight of her takes my fucking breath away. She’s so beautiful.
Color hits her cheeks and she smiles in a way that only a few see. It’s unsure and shy and I freaking love it. I love that I can see under the mask, the act, the bullshit. Yeah, she’s fucked up, but she knows that. She’s opened up and I’m so fucking grateful she has because what I’ve found inside is exactly what I always hoped was in there. A really sweet, funny and warm-hearted girl.
“So what did you win the other night then?”
Her question confuses me. “Huh?”
“The dare you won when you fucked me, what did you win or get out of it?”
“Uh um… nothing.”
“What kind of shit dare was it if there weren’t any benefits or consequences?”
“There were consequences, something about the winter formal but I didn’t get anything out of it.”
“How come? You got me.” Her brows draw together in confusion.
“There had to be evidence, or it didn’t happen,” I say with a wince. She’s aware of how the guys act, I’m sure she’s been in the middle of their games and tags before now but admitting that she was used in this doesn’t make me very comfortable and only points out how wrong their stupid game is and why I’ve never gotten involved before.
“You didn’t get any?”
I swallow nervously. I hate that I caved to their fucking demands that night. I blame the alcohol. “Yeah, I recorded it.”
“So show them and get out of whatever bullshit they want you to do.” She doesn’t even look shocked, which amazes me.
“It wasn’t a video, just a sound recording.” She nods. “And no fucker is listening to that.”
“But—” She starts to argue.
“You’re mine, Chelsea. No one gets to hear you like that. I’ll take whatever they throw at me, I don’t care.”
Pushing to her feet, she walks over to me and drops into my lap. She’s once again wearing my jersey but thankfully she’s wearing a pair of shorts underneath, making it almost possible to look at her without losing my goddamn mind.
She takes my cheeks in her hands and stares into my eyes.
“I don’t deserve you.”
She drops her lips to mine and I’m powerless but to kiss her back.
All too soon she’s standing once again and walking to her kitchen.
“Drink?”
“Soda would be great,” I mutter, rearranging myself in my pants.
Sadly, after handing me a can, she retakes her seat at her computer and opens it back up.
“Are you behind after being away?” I ask as she starts clicking around.
“Not really. All my teachers sent work, I spent most evenings doing it. Contrary to popular belief, I’m not actually an idiot,” she says it lightheartedly, but I hear the underlying anger in that statement.
“Did I ever say I thought you were?”
“No, but I know what people think of me.”
“Good thing I’m not people then, isn’t it?”
“It really is.”
We both get back to what we were doing, well, she does. I mostly stare down at the paper in front of me while my thoughts run at a million miles a minute.
“What changed?” I ask, my thoughts spilling from my lips without permission.
She finishes what she’s doing before looking up at me.
“What changed with what?”
“After that first night, you left like I’d set your ass on fire and you ignored me from then on. I just assumed I was shit and that you were disappointed.”
“I’m fairly sure I remember you making me cry out your name that night.”
“Chelsea,” I sigh. “You’re the queen of playing the game. I had no idea back then if it was one or not. Seeing as you’d never looked twice at me before, I could only assume it was.”
“Honestly,” she whispers. “A lot changed.” She looks down at her hands that are twisting in her lap. “I made some stupid decisions, and one of them was leaving that night. Going away made me realize a lot of things, and one of the biggest was that I wanted you. It’s why I came to you first. Why I sought you out after the game. I needed to apologize. I… I needed you.”
She looks up at me, her dark eyes full of honesty and regrets.
“Shane, I—”
Whatever she’s about to say is cut off when the door behind me opens.
“Hey, I was just wondering… oh, hello, Shane. I wasn’t expecting to see you again.”
“We’re just doing homework,” Chelsea says in a rush.
When I glance over my shoulder to say hello, Honey is looking between us with a weird expression on her face.
“Mom, can we talk… outside.”
“Sure, sweetie.” Chelsea gets up and ushers her mom outside.
I watch the two of them interact but I’m unable to lip read any of what they’re saying to each other, although when Honey points at me it makes it clear who they’re talking about.
The conversation gets a little heated before Honey walks back to the house. Chelsea looks to the sky, sucking in a deep breath before reaching out for the handle and pulling it open.
“Everything okay?” I ask the second she’s inside.
“Yeah, it’s…” She takes one look at me and bursts into tears.
“Shit.”
I’m up off the floor and have her in my arms in seconds.
“Shhh, it’s okay,” I whisper into her hair.
“I’m sorry, I’m just being stupid. She offered to make us dinner. I hope you’re hungry.”
We spend the rest of the afternoon working before heading into the main house to have dinner with Honey.
It’s all very normal. Despite the look I keep getting from Chelsea’s mom. I almost expect her to launch into the ‘what are your intentions with my daughter’ speech but it never comes.
Her eyes are soft as she looks between the two of us, but I can see questions swimming in them. Just like I’m sure everyone will tomorrow when we walk into school together.
The thought alone has my stomach in knots.
I’ve never exactly been in the spotlight like Chelsea. I might be on the team, but I’ve spent as much time hidden in the shadows as possible, much to my dad’s annoyance. He wanted me to be just like hi
m and my brothers and go after the top spot. Shame he couldn’t see that his youngest son was too shy and happy being hidden.
But thanks to the girl beside me, I’ve spent a few weeks as the topic of everyone’s gossip as they blamed me for drugging Amalie all those weeks ago.
Walking into that place with the real culprit on my arm is going to cause a stir, that’s for sure.
Ideas for the things people might say, accuse me of, fill my mind but one glance at the girl beside me and I know it’s worth it.
Our relationship might not be what anyone expected, it might have come from nothing but games and lies, but there’s something so right about it. I don’t expect anyone else to understand. They don’t need to. All that matters is that we’re on the same page, and as she meets my eyes, hers twinkle with delight and I know that we are.
We’re us going forward and things can only get better… right?
26
Chelsea
“Are you sure about this?” I ask Shane who’s sitting in the driver’s seat of his car beside me.
My stomach turns and I worry I might vomit in the footwell.
I blow out what I hope is a calming breath, but it does little to settle the nerves racing around me.
I’m not worried about me. They can throw whatever they like at me and I’ll let it wash over me as if it doesn’t sting. I’m worried about Shane. He doesn’t deserve what they’re inevitably going to say about him because of me.
“Yes, Chels. I’m sure. I refuse to hide this because of those assholes.” Reaching over, he laces our fingers together and tugs me over to him.
His lips brush against mine, and I immediately relax.
“How about we just go back to the pool house for the day?” I ask against him.
Hanging out in there together yesterday was so incredible. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt so relaxed in my own home. Him being there with me was just so natural.
Everything was great until Mom turned up and jumped to conclusions about Shane’s sudden appearance. Okay so they’re correct conclusions and she was not impressed when I admitted that I haven’t told him the truth yet.
To be fair, I was trying to work up the courage when she interrupted us. I tell myself that if she didn’t choose that exact moment to storm in then I would have confessed all. Although, a huge part of me knows that I’m only lying to myself.
I’m living in denial right now because I know once the truth is out that everything is going to change all over again.
This normal we’ve found is going to be shattered, and I’m terrified of losing him now that I’ve found him.
Someone knocking on the window scares the shit out of me and causes us to jump apart in fright.
When I turn to the window, I find a smiling Rae looking back at me with an amused looking Ethan behind her.
“Fucking hell, was that necessary?” I ask, pushing the door open.
“Good morning to you too.”
I grunt at her as I climb from the car and grab my purse.
“Are you ready for this?” she asks as Shane walks around and takes my hand.
“No,” I state.
“It’ll be fine. I’m sure you’ve dealt with worse in the past,” Rae says knowingly.
“Me? Yes, it’s him I’m worried about.”
“He’s a big boy and can make his own decisions,” Shane mutters.
“Is that right?” Rae looks up at him, wiggling her eyebrows in delight.
“Really?” Ethan barks. “Don’t you think it’s bad enough that you withheld information about those two from me, now you’re checking him out?”
Rae winces. “I’m in trouble.” She winks before Ethan lifts her over his shoulder and marches away from us.
“She’s really good for him,” I say to Shane as we watch her struggle and squeal against his hold.
“It’s amazing what the right woman can do, don’t you think?”
“You think I’m the right one?”
Tingles erupt within me as he drops his lips to whisper in my ear. “Yep, in all the wrong ways.”
As we get closer to the school building, my skin starts to prickle. I don’t need to look up to know that we’re gathering attention.
“Huh, looks like the newest gossip just arrived,” Shane mutters, clearly braver than me and looking around at our growing audience.
Sucking in some confidence, I lift my head.
Every set of eyes in the vicinity is trained on us.
“Fucking hell. This is going to be hell.”
“Only if we let it. Come on.”
Much to my horror, Shane guides me to where the team and the squad hang out. They’re all too busy in their own conversations to notice us at first. But the second Rich looks up, he elbows Justin and in seconds all of them are glancing our way.
“Well, this isn’t what I was expecting to see on a Monday morning,” Rich announces, ensuring anyone who hadn’t noticed turns our way.
Whispered comments filter around us. My heart hammers in my chest as I wait for the first attack to come.
Shane must get bored waiting for any kind of reaction, either that or he just really wants to nail the point home because he pulls on my arm until I have no choice but to step into his body. He threads his fingers into my hair and lowers his mouth.
Just before they brush against mine, he says, “Might as well give them something to stare at.”
His lips press against mine and I forget that we’re standing here in the middle of the school with almost everyone watching us. His tongue slips into my mouth and tangles with mine as he pulls me tighter against him.
“Well, fuck me. I didn’t think Shane had that in him,” Justin hollers when he eventually releases me.
Shane chuckles but doesn’t look their way.
“Can I walk you to class?”
“I’d love you to.”
Leaving our spectators and the comments they make loud enough for us to hear, we turn our backs and walk away.
While I’m with him, they can’t hurt me.
“I wish I was in your classes this morning,” Shane says, coming to a stop outside my first class of the day.
“I’ll be fine.” Reaching out, I cup his cheek in my palm, loving that he’s worried about me.
“I’ll see you at lunch though, yeah?”
“You can count on it.”
I nod as he captures my lips in a sweet kiss before turning away and marching down the hallway.
My heart melts as I watch him move. I had no idea I could feel quite this strongly about another person, other than the one I’m currently growing. That thought has my guilt hitting me full force again.
I’ll tell him soon, I say to myself as I make my way into the empty classroom with a goofy smile on my face.
As each class passes, I ignore the comments that I was expecting, the gossip that I hear happening around me. It means little to me, my reputation in Rosewood High was ruined all those weeks ago, I just don’t want to bring Shane down with me.
For the first time since I came back, I find myself actually eating lunch in the cafeteria. But I’m not at the table I’m used to with the team and the squad, I’m at one I never thought I would be. I look up at Shane and then to his friends who surround us. Camila and Mason are opposite with Amalie beside her and Ethan and Rae next to me.
Camila doesn’t hide the fact that’s she’s not happy about this, and I can’t blame her. Knowing she’s only looking out for Shane makes me like her that much more. Amalie, however, hasn’t really batted an eyelid about my appearance.
She should be the one who’s angry at me, much like Mason but it seems they’ve accepted it for what it was, a mistake, and moved on. I couldn’t be more grateful, but that doesn’t mean I won’t speak to both of them when I get a chance to apologize.
They all chat around me as if my presence by Shane’s side is normal. While the rest of the school looked shocked, if not slightly horrified by this turn of events, these guys
just seem to roll with it. It makes me wonder if Rae had given them the heads up.
She told me that she and Amalie had seen Shane at the hospital last week and it was how she figured it out, maybe Amalie had similar thoughts.
While the football team mostly ignores us, I feel the cheer squad’s attention throughout lunch.
I haven’t spoken to any of them since my final run-in with Shelly and quite frankly, I don’t have any intention of changing that.
I might not be happy about leaving my squad behind but if that’s how it’s going to be then so be it. I’ve got more important things to worry about right now.
I slip my hand into Shane’s and squeeze.
Dropping his lips to my ear, his breath makes me shudder. “Are you okay? You wanna get out of here?”
“No, I’m fine. Your friends are nice.”
“You’ve just got to give people a chance, Chels.”
I want the ground to swallow me up as how I’ve acted in the past flashes through my mind. I’ve been such a bitch.
“I’m just going to the bathroom,” I say as I stand, needing to get away and have a moment.
I head for the bathrooms that he chased me to last week, but when I glance back over my shoulder, I find he’s not doing the same today, his eyes are firmly fixed on me though, concern laced through them.
I push inside and suck in a deep, calming breath, willing the tears filling my eyes to subside. I really don’t need to break down and give anyone any more reason to gossip about me.
I get a few dirty looks from the girls inside, but thanks to my previous reputation, none of them actually say anything to my face. I guess it’s one benefit of being known as the queen bitch.
“Hey, are you okay?” a familiar voice asks as I waste time washing my hands.
“Yeah, I just needed a breather.”
“You haven’t told him, have you?”
Turning, I find Rae’s dark eyes and immediately look away.
“Not yet. I’m scared.”
She walks over to the mirror and wipes at the dark makeup under her eyes.
“I understand that. But don’t you think it’s going to get worse the longer you keep it inside. Today must have been huge for him. What he’s done for you takes some serious balls. You owe him the truth.”
FIERCE: A High School Enemies to Lovers Romance (Rosewood High Book 4) Page 21
