Beautiful Defiance: Cambridge High Mayhem (Kiss Starter: Cambridge High Book 1)

by Ashlyn Mathews

  “No clue.”

  “Oh, I think you do. How about I put my guess to the test?”

  “Seven.”

  He turns his back to me and reaches for the remote. I tackle him, but too late, he hits the “on” button. The panel on the ceiling above us opens, exposing the hidden skylight. The moon is hiding behind the clouds again. The stars twinkle at us. It’s beautiful, and I hate it.

  I face the wall.

  “Leigh.” A large warm hand settles on my shoulder. Thick fingers sweep aside my hair. He traces the tattoo at the base of my neck. “What’s wrong? Why don’t you want to stare at the night sky? Hear raindrops on the pane?”

  “Too extravagant. I don’t want to get used to it. Thomas’s world. I don’t belong in it.”

  “Leigh, in this, can you just be and enjoy what you have in the here and now?”

  I sigh. How did this boy get to be so wise? Undone by the tenderness in his voice, I scoot close and lay my head on his shoulder. We stare up at the night sky.

  “It’s breathtaking.”

  He kisses the top of my head. “I agree. Goodnight, Leigh.”

  “Night, Seven. Remember, we are not friends.”

  “Never that, Leigh. Never just friends.”

  What’s he mean by “never just friends?” I don’t think too hard on it. My eyelids droop, and I give in to sleep, excited for my first day at my new job.

  16

  LEIGH

  I wake up to an empty bed. Wondering if last night was a dream, I throw off the covers, sit, and stretch my arms high and tip my face up.

  Daylight shines in through the skylight. Seven in my bed wasn’t a dream. Smiling, I dress and hurry out of the guesthouse to catch the shuttle into the heart of Cambridge, the town center.

  Snagging the job at Queenie’s is great, but I’ll need more hours to pay off the hospital bill that will arrive soon in the mail. No way will I let Thomas pay for my mistakes even though it was his son who tried drowning me, giving me a case of pneumonia.

  Speaking of pneumonia, I take a deep breath. My lungs aren’t tight. The back of my leg doesn’t hurt as badly either.

  At the end of the road to the Stevenson’s mansion, I wait at the shuttle stop. Thank goodness I don’t have to wait long. It starts raining. I hop onto the shuttle and tap my pass on the reader next to the driver. There are two other passengers, a woman and her child.

  The woman looks to be a few years older than me. Her little boy is sitting on her lap. When the woman notices me staring, she smiles. Friendly. Trusting.

  Her reaction is different from what I’m used to. On the city buses, people don’t dare make eye contact. It can be misconstrued as challenging or disrespecting someone. I meet her gaze, and smiling back, I grab a seat next to the window.

  The ride into the town center is about fifteen minutes, putting us close to the neighboring town of Delridge. Delridge High is Cambridge’s rival. I hear their quarterback hates Seven. If both guys decide on attending Dumas University, they’ll be fighting for the top spot of starting quarterback.

  Tired of the silence and miffed that Seven isn’t far from my thoughts, I stick in my earbuds, pull out my phone, and find a playlist. The first track is one of my favorite artist collaborations. “Broken” by Seether and Amy Lee of Evanescence. She has the most beautiful voice, and paired with his, I could play the song on a loop.

  Deep in my own piece of heaven, I rest against the window and stare at the passing scenery. There are wheat fields for as far as the eye can see. There are also large, beautiful, expensive-looking homes that sit on acres and acres of land.

  Thomas told me many homes have landing strips for private airplanes. Or the homeowners store their planes at the small airport that sits between Delridge and Cambridge. Rich folks live in Cambridge and Delridge for two reasons—privacy and to get away from big-city living.

  Along the way, the driver makes two more stops. Another young mom and her toddler get on the shuttle. Holding on to her little boy, the mom sits across from the other mom, and they start chatting. I can’t hear what they’re saying; my music is blasting. From the smiles on their faces, they must be friends.

  On the last stop before the town center, a kid my age boards. He sits behind the driver with his back against the window and his arm resting on top of the seat. He stares at me. I stare back.

  Dark-chocolate hair gelled into spikey strands. Intense eyes framed by thick brows. His face is made up of sharp angles and strong lines. Sculpted by an angel, the finishing touches done by the devil.

  He watches me with eyes hooded. The boy appears disinterested, but I don’t let down my guard. Boys who look that dangerous are always aware of their surroundings, ready to pounce when an opportunity presents itself. They are the worst predators. They don’t go in straight for the kill. They like to play with their prey first.

  Danger and Disinterested is familiar, but I don’t recall seeing him at Cambridge High. If he lives near the last stop, then he could be a student at Delridge High. The town center is not in the center of Cambridge, but closer to the border of Cambridge and Delridge.

  After what seems like minutes of staring at one another, I glance away and check my messages. There’s only one. It’s from Thomas, asking how school is and do I need more money transferred into my account. I keep my answer short.

  Me: Good. No.

  I feel bad when he shoots back a message right away. His text was from three days ago.

  Thomas: If there’s anything you need, ask, okay?

  Me: K

  I plan on asking him if I can help around the estate, but that’s a conversation and not a text. There’s no point disturbing his vacation. I take out my earbuds and shove it and my cell into my bag. We’re at the town center.

  The boy doesn’t get off first. Like me, he hangs back and waits for the women and their kids. I go next. Passing the driver and going down the steps, the back of my head tingles. The boy is staring again.

  We get off on the side of the street that has a directory of the shops and the restaurants. For how small Cambridge and Delridge are, the town center is huge. I search the directory and find the restaurant.

  No wonder Eleanor and I didn’t walk by the restaurant when she brought me here to shop for clothes and shoes for school. The pho restaurant is at the far end of the town center, away from the high-end restaurants and boutiques.

  I weave through the crowd. The pretty dresses in the window snag my attention, but I keep on walking, sparing the blue dress with the plunging neckline a fleeting glance.

  The dress, made of tulle and lace and the straps dotted with flowers, must cost a grand or two. Money I don’t have. Anyway, what reason would I have to wear a fancy dress like that? This isn’t a fairy tale.

  At the end of the street, I hit the button for the walk sign. The back of my head tingles again. The boy is following me. Great. The sky darkens, and the wind picks up. A sign? I stick my hands inside the pockets of my jacket and pull the edges closer to my core. The light is taking its time changing. The boy’s gaze drops to the spot between my shoulders and goes low. Is he checking out my ass? I’m wearing cargo pants with these ridiculously deep pockets. Where else would a girl keep her mace and switchblade?

  The cargo pants also mold to my ass like a second skin. My ass is my least favorite part of my body. It’s too big. I don’t fixate on my imperfections. There’s yelling from my left. Did a driver piss off another driver in the roundabout? I look off to the side. A lap dog runs across the roundabout, its leash flapping. He’s running like he’s on an epic doggy adventure.

  Crap! In the middle of the roundabout is a swarm of bushes. The leash will get caught in a branch and choke the poor dog. I dart across the street. Everything happens in slow motion. The end of the leash catches on a branch. He keeps on running. The leash pulls taut, reeling him back. Oh, God, he’ll choke.

  I lunge for him. Someone screams behind me. I look to the side. A car is careening toward me. I o
pen my mouth. Nothing comes out. Something big hits me from behind, and the air is knocked from my lungs. I fly forward face first. See a bush of red berries and spiky leaves coming up fast in my line of sight. No, no, no. Strong arms wrap around my waist and anchor me against a solid chest.

  I step forward and slam my elbow back, instinct driving me to act out. Before my elbow can make contact with my rescuer’s gut, I’m turned around. Thick fingers grasp my chin and tip my face up. I stare into sapphire eyes marred by what I’ve seen in the eyes of the guy I stole a car from—ruthlessness with a hint of crazy. I haven’t seen Maddox in a year, but his last words stick with me.

  “Someday, I’ll come for what’s owed to me, and you’ll have no choice but to comply.”

  I’m not in the business of being indebted to anyone, most of all someone as dangerous as Maddox Stassi. Now, I’m indebted to someone else.

  “Thanks.” I set my hands on his chest and put space between us.

  The boy’s eyes rove over my face, then zone in on my mouth. What is it with guys and their fascination with my lips? Someone clears their throat behind us. He doesn’t stop staring at my lips.

  “Freak sakes, Red, let go of her already.”

  Let go? I glance down. The boy Red has a firm hold on my arms.

  “Go away, Rue, and take your little dog with you. This isn’t Kansas.”

  This boy’s watched The Wizard of Oz?

  I untangle from his hold and face the girl named Rue. She’s holding the dog close to her chest. He whimpers, and she pets his head and runs her fingers through his fur. She’s checking for injuries.

  “We should get over to the other side before traffic picks up.” She points in the direction of where she and the dog came from.

  I ignore the boy behind me and point in the direction I was headed before my plans were derailed by a boy named Red, a girl named Rue, and a cute-as-pie ball of white fur.

  “I’m headed to the pho restaurant.”

  “It’s that way.” She nods behind her.

  “The directory says that way.”

  “Fuck’s sake, listen to Rue. She knows this place inside and out. Restaurant moved, and the new location isn’t updated on the directory.”

  “Oh, okay, thanks.”

  I follow Rue and run across the roundabout, Red close on my heels.

  “Why are you tagging along?” He’s at my side, so close, our fingers graze. I stick my hands inside my jacket pockets.

  “Never seen you around here. You new?”

  “Yes.”

  “Where you from?”

  “Why the questions?”

  “To get to know you better.”

  “Well, don’t. I don’t stay in one place long enough.”

  “Take a chance on me and Rue. We’re good people. Right, Rue?”

  “Good people? Ha! You’re a Sterling, and Sterling boys are bad news all around.”

  “You’re related to Malice Sterling?” No wonder Red looked familiar.

  I keep walking. Rue doesn’t. She stops in the middle of the sidewalk. I plow into her.

  “Don’t speak my cousin’s name around Rue. She hates him.”

  Interesting.

  “How come I’ve never seen you two at Cambridge High?”

  “We go to Delridge.”

  I’m associating with Cambridge’s rivals, am indebted to a Sterling, and I’m hanging out with a girl who hates one of Seven’s best friends. If Seven ever finds out about this, he’ll shit bricks. This is awesome!

  I step around Rue and loop my arm through hers. Red takes a spot on my other side. I loop my arm through his too.

  “Pick my pockets and there’ll be hell to pay, short stuff.”

  At five foot five, I don’t think of myself as short, but next to Red’s six-foot-two body, he’s not off with his remark.

  “Why would you think I’d steal from you?”

  “It’s not stealing. I call it borrowing,” Rue supplies.

  Red barks laughter. “’Cause you and Rue are alike. You don’t like anyone having the upper hand. Having saved your life, I have one over you. You’ll want to even the score.”

  “Where have you two been all my life?”

  They laugh. My steps lighten.

  “Since you know me so well, does that mean I’m off the hook?”

  “Uh-uh. It’s not in me to give you a free pass.”

  The ruthless gleam I glimpsed in his eyes earlier.

  “No worries. There’ll be plenty of time to mess with you.” I wink at him.

  “I’m looking forward to it, short stuff.” He leans into me, pushing me into Rue. Rue tips over sideways. Red yanks and straightens us out, pulling us away from the path of a trash bin.

  “Name’s Leigh.”

  “Nice to meet you, Leigh,” Rue says. “So, pho, huh?”

  “Yes. A fr—” I almost referred to Seven as my friend. “A classmate told me about the place.”

  Seven and I are not friends. We agree we’re enemies. Except last night, he said “never just friends.” What does that mean in Seven speak?

  Sighing at how confused I am about my feelings for him, this hate to love, love to hate thing swirling in my core, I put aside thoughts of Seven and enjoy time with my newfound friends.

  Yes, I can call Rue and Red “friends.” One saved me, and the other is leading me to a restaurant that serves soups that remind me of my time with my parents.

  “Hey, do you two by chance know of a place that’s hiring? I need a job.”

  “I don’t.”

  “I do. Come on.” Rue steers us to a red-and-black building.

  I read the sign. “Cambridge Auto Parts.” I smile. Original.

  Red opens the door for us. I follow Rue inside, admiring how long and thick her black hair is. The ends brush the small of her back. She’s my height and thin. And unlike my lighter brown eyes, her eyes are so dark, it’s like staring into the moonless, starless night sky.

  “Rue, what nationality are you?”

  “Korean. You?”

  “Same.”

  “Sisters from another mother. Nice.” She glances over her shoulder and smiles at me. I smile back.

  We walk up to the counter. There’s a handful of customers in the store. The smell of leather and pine permeates the air.

  “Busy much?” Rue asks the guy behind the counter.

  He’s buff, with a buzz cut and a full beard. Tats line his neck. He looks up from whatever he’s writing down on a piece of paper and rolls his eyes at Rue.

  I like him instantly.

  “Smart off much, Rue?”

  “Is that your latest nickname for me? If it is, it’s cute. Beats cockblocker.”

  Laughter from the guys in the windshield wiper aisle.

  “What you did at that party was uncalled for.”

  “I saved you from catching a case of crabs,” she says, her voice low so that only the four of us can hear. “Condoms don’t save you from those critters, Mason.”

  “She has a point, man.” Red rests his hip on the counter. He and Rue fist bump. These two. I bite down on my smile. They are a hoot.

  “Leigh just moved here, and she’s looking for a job. You said you need someone to help cover until Iris gets back from maternity leave.”

  Mason looks me up and down. “You know anything about cars and auto parts?”

  “Enough to ‘borrow’ some guy’s battery from his truck.”

  He smirks. “Great answer. You’re hired.”

  I beam. “When can I start?”

  “First off, are you a minor? Do you go to school with these rebels?”

  A fitting name for Rue and Red.

  “I go to Cambridge High.”

  “Then you’re limited to eighteen hours a week.”

  “I’m working Fridays and Saturdays at Queenie’s, but don’t know total hours yet.”

  “Hand over your cell.” He gestures for my phone.

  I pull it out of my bag, unlock the screen, and
give it to him.

  “My number. Text me your schedule, and I’ll see what I can do. You want to work the maximum eighteen?”

  “Job’s temporary, right?” I ask.

  “Yeah. Iris gets back in three months.”

  “Then I’ll work the maximum.”

  He reaches under the counter. When he straightens, he’s holding a bunch of papers in his hand. “Fill these out. What size shirt do you wear?”

  “Small.”

  “I’ll have a uniform shirt ready for you. Wear black slacks. Got that?”

  “Thank you.” I extend my hand, and we shake on it.

  On the way out, Red wraps his arms around my waist and Rue’s. We walk to the restaurant with smiles on our faces, Rue’s dog yapping away at everything in his or her line of sight.

  “We’re complete, Rue,” Red says.

  We stop in front of the door to the pho restaurant.

  “You and me and Leigh, we are rebels.”

  “Outcasts,” Rue says.

  “A triple threat.” I put in my two cents.

  “Triple threat, I like that.” Red nods, this slow up and down of his head. “To new beginnings.” He sticks out his pinky finger. “To the triple threats.”

  Rue and I hook our fingers on his and say in unison, “To the triple threats.”

  I smile. Can’t stop smiling as I share a meal with my new friends. I’ve never been happier.

  17

  SEVEN

  I glance from the tree to my bedroom window to the wired fencing rolled up into a ball next to the side of the house. Why the groundskeeper put it there is beyond my understanding, but I see how Leigh hurt herself. She must’ve scraped the back of her leg on the metal points the night she stole my lucky coin and my gear.

  I stroke my chin and return my attention to the tree. The lowest branch is high up. The other branches are spread out.

  She would have to have a running start in order to jump high enough to grab on to that lowest branch. Then she’d have to reach high, hug the next branch, and with her legs wrapped around it, somehow pull herself up into a sitting position before starting over and repeating until she’s in front of my window.