“I... I’ll meet you there. Jenna and I were going out shopping anyway so...”
That seems to appease him and he nods.
“Seven thirty at the movie theatre, the one that shows the classics.
Jenna knows which one. We’ll be going out for drinks after the movie.”
He walks away and everyone around me seems to let out a collective breath they were all holding.
Chatter starts again and I don't need divination powers to know that they're all talking about what just happened.
“Are we going shopping?”
Jenna looks amused.
“I... I panicked.”
“No shit!”
I explain about my Mom being super strict and Jenna sighs.
“Do you have a curfew?”
“Oh, I don't know. I...”
I explain that in Chicago I never went out much.
Before junior year, I used to spend all my weekends with Sean and we would hang out mostly at my house, his house or the church youth club.
“Mom was all right with that because Sean's Mom is her bestie. They even let us sleepover because they trusted each other's supervision. So we really didn't need a curfew, I guess.”
What I don't tell Jenna is that after the famous kiss at the lake house, Sean and I stopped hanging out and I spent all my weekends reading in my room or watching movies with Ben when he wasn't out at the skate park with his friends.
“Sleepover? That’s it! We’ll tell your Mom that you're sleeping over at my house. And you can definitely do that for real. Char, are you in?”
I object that Mom will still want to talk to Jenna’s Mom but my new friend dismisses my worries with a wink.
“I’ll have my housekeeper call your Mom impersonating mine. She's done it before. My Mom’s the DA and she's too busy to ‘Mom me’, especially now that I’m eighteen but it's been this way since freshman year. Don't worry, I got you covered.”
Char asks:
“What are you going to wear? This is a really big deal, Ayla. I mean, it's Alex...”
I’m at a loss for words: I’ve no idea what these rich kids wear for a night at the movies here in Beverly Hills.
I admit that much and Jenna scoffs frustrated.
“Ok, you’ll borrow some of my clothes.”
I look dubious: she’s much taller and thinner than I am.
“Ok! Whatever! Char, your clothes should fit Ayla. Six o’clock sharp and bring options.”
Char squeals excitedly, something about a makeover and the rest of the school day passes in a daze: I’m going out with Alex.
I GROAN.
“Are you sure that this is going to be ok? I... I don't really look like me.”
My new girlfriends smile satisfied: their arms folded over their chests in a matching stance that almost looks practiced.
“What do you say, Jen?”
“I say that she looks yummy! So yummy that Alex will definitely want to take a bite or two.”
Char nods and becomes suddenly serious.
“Ayla, just... Guard your heart. He can be so charming and I don't know you that much but you seem like such a sweet girl. He’ll chew you up and spit you right out. Don't let him, ok? Do it for every girl he’s ever wronged.”
I look at her and for a second, I just want to ask them to stay in. Order a pizza and watch Netflix and forget about impossibly hot alpha-assholes.
“Char, have you and Alex ever...?”
Her eyes widen.
“Oh hell no! No! I have a boyfriend. He’s a year older, he goes to Stanford so I’ll see him about once a month. I’ve been dating Max since freshman year.”
“Alex has tried to hook up with Char. But I guess it was just half ass attempts. If Alex Richmond wants something, trust me, he gets it.”
“What about you?”
I ask and Jenna laughs as if the only idea were completely ludicrous.
“What? He wouldn't be caught dead with Ugly Prom Queen.”
“But you aren't ugly...”
“I’m not ugly anymore? It doesn't matter, trust me. Come on now, we can't be late. And Char is right. Be careful, Ayla. I might be wrong but you don't strike me as the experienced type. Just... Be aware of who you're dealing with, ok? And if you feel out of your element, remember that we are there.”
I look in the mirror one last time: my long auburn hair has been straightened and now it flows silky and glossy, way past my backbone.
I’m wearing a chiffon black dress with a floral print and a sweetheart neckline.
My shoulders are covered by a dark red short jacket and I’m wearing black suede sandals with high heels and a thin ankle strap.
I’m also wearing more make up than normal: Char lined my eyes with kohl giving me a soft cat eye and I’m wearing a glossy, red lip gloss.
Alex
I LET THE RETINA SCAN examine my eye and wait for the light on my house door panel to turn green.
I lift my index finger from the finger print reader, look at the security camera and say the password.
A robotic voice says:
“Access granted. Welcome home, Alex Richmond.”
“Yeah, thank you!’
I snicker as I enter my Father's house and make my way through the lounge.
I’ve been at football practice: the season will begin soon and coach has already decided on two practices a day.
I can't wait to shower and then I’ll get ready for the movies.
“You have one new message!”
The house has an advanced communication system: imagine Siri or Alexa but way, way more advanced.
After all, when your Father is Spencer Richmond, the owner of the biggest security company in the world, I guess top notch security and technology go with the territory.
RGS (Richmond Global Security) was started by my Grandfather as a small company that dealt in house alarms and anti-burglary systems in the early eighties.
But once my Father took the helm of the family business, after Grandpa retired, the company became a global giant with a virtual monopoly on anything that has to do with security technology.
From anti car theft, to house security to government contracts, RGS is a multi-trillion dollar company.
My Father was the one that took RGS from a family company to a global giant and that definitely took a toll on our family life.
I have a very faint memory of going to the park with my parents and doing normal things when I was little.
My best childhood memory is from when I was about two and a half years old and Mom was pregnant with my sister Abilene.
It's one of my earliest memories and parts of it are quite foggy if I have to be honest.
But other parts are really vivid, as if they were happening right now.
We’d gone to the mall, probably for some baby supplies as my sister’s arrival was imminent.
We’d been caught by a torrential downpour on our drive home and the visibility on the road was next to zero, so Dad pulled into the first parking lot he could.
There was a tiny strip mall with a small, one screen movie theatre.
It was a two dollar theatre that only showed older movies and that day, they were actually showing Mary Poppins.
“It’s my favourite movie of all time!”
Dad had proclaimed and had decided to take me to see my first ever movie in a theatre.
Now, obviously if you’ve seen Mary Poppins, I don't need to tell you how amazing it was for three year old me.
Dad bought popcorn and we went home singing supercalifragilisticexpialidocious.
Abi was born shortly afterwards and Dad took the company to the stock market, motivated to provide for his growing family.
That was the worst thing that could have ever happened to us: he was always gone, Mom found it hard to cope with two small children despite having a nanny, and she started drinking and using cocaine.
That meant that I grew up with an absentee father and a mother that was
constantly in and out of rehab.
Abi was shipped to boarding school at age six and I got into football pretty early, so Dad hired someone to look after me whenever he wasn't home, which was about three hundred days a year.
I think since I was five, I must have seen Mom a grand total of eight times.
Dad obviously has all sorts of side tail to keep himself entertained and I personally deem any day as a happy one if I don't get to see him or talk to him.
Because...
He’s an asshole.
There's no other way to put it: he’s an unfeeling, tough, heartless piece of shit who considers his family just an asset.
My sister and I are constantly pushed to excel in everything we do and no accomplishment is ever enough for Spencer Richmond.
If we step out of line, punishment is swift and harsh.
This is why I control BHPA the way I do: a man has to have some down time and needs to play.
It can't all be hard work and sacrifice.
If I control all aspects of my social life, I'll make sure that nothing is going to be leaked out to my Father.
The love of a family?
I’ve been friends with Tuna and Sam since the first grade and Thanksgiving and Christmas and my birthday are all spent with Sam’s family.
I was friends with Tuna first, then Sam came along, transferred from another school and Sam and Tuna are like brothers to me: they're the only people I consider loyal to me and that I am loyal to.
Everyone else just wants to use me for my status and shine by association, so you know what?
They can fuck themselves.
They have to play by my rules or I make sure they get kicked out of the game.
My Father has scheduled a Skype call for just before I’m due to go out.
It’ll be the usual: he’ll ask me for accomplishments, objectives and challenges.
I’ll report to him and then, regardless of how well I did, he’ll ask what's next.
Not a word of praise.
I go through the motions during the video call.
He doesn't obviously congratulate me on making team captain or the A-Class, that was expected.
Once we finally hang up, I relax and smile at the thought of the new girl: Ayla.
I like how small and feisty she is and I enjoyed the way she’s been squirming under my gaze all week.
I knew that I wanted to ask her out since she set foot in my classroom on Monday morning.
Ayla
I SPOT HIM AS SOON as we step into the movie theatre: he’s next to Sam and Tuna and he looks breathtaking.
He’s wearing a dark blue shirt that makes his eyes stand out, his blonde hair artfully mussed with some hair product.
The sleeves of his shirt are folded up leaving his strong forearms exposed.
There's a tattoo on one of them but I can't make out the details from here.
His eyes find mine and don't leave me while I approach him followed by Char and Jenna.
He nods towards us and then announces:
“We decided to see Nightmare On Elm Street. A timeless classic. Come on, let’s go take our seats. EM, take care of the popcorn for everyone.”
He tosses some money at EM and steps behind me.
His hands are on my hips as we line up to enter the movie room.
For an old horror movie, this place is crazy crowded.
I’m about to say something about the way he ordered EM around but my words die right in my throat when Alex’s hands start skimming down my hips.
One of them finds its way under my dress, up my thigh and begins teasing my skin under the soft lace of my underwear.
I gasp and turn abruptly around, ready to glare at him but the person in front of me takes a step back, effectively pressing me against Alex’s strong chest.
Before I can say anything about how forward he's being and how disrespectful I find his behaviour, his lips skim over my ear and he whispers:
“I can't wait to see those panties later on...”
I blush violently and I really want to tell him to fuck off but those dark blue eyes are quietly undressing me and I feel deeply ashamed that a part of me would actually enjoy being alone with him and feel his slightly rough hands on my skin again.
We sit down smack in the middle of the room and Tuna, Sam and a few other girls from school flank us on either side while EM, Char and Jenna only find seats behind us.
As soon as the lights go out, he leans towards me and talks with his lips almost touching my ear:
“If the movie is too scary, I’m right here.”
The condescension in his tone really rubs me the wrong way and I snap:
“I can handle a scary movie. I’m not a two year old, Alex.”
He chuckles.
“Hmm, I noticed that... Don't worry.”
I roll my eyes even though I know that he can't exactly see me doing it but still...
From anyone else, this kind of behaviour would be a little creepy but somehow, he has me squirming in my seat, my cheeks feel hot and my heart is thumping loudly in my throat.
He smells so good, too...
Something spicy and woodsy, exciting but still subtle: I can only smell it because our shoulders are touching and he’s sitting leaning very close to me.
Normally I don't watch horror movies because I’m very jumpy and then I get nightmares for weeks.
And obviously this movie is really scary, so I do gasp and close my eyes.
I plan to keep my eyes closed until the end of the scene but I open them when I feel someone's breath very close to my lips.
Alex is mere inches away from me.
I move my face as far away from his as possible without invading Sam’s personal space.
I want to kiss him, I really do.
I mean what girl wouldn't?
Alex is drop dead gorgeous and this week in class I saw how intelligent and cultured he is.
But right now he's behaving like a real asshole: he's not trying to get to know me, he just wants to make out with me in front of all our classmates.
And I hate the way he takes for granted that I want to kiss him.
He didn't even ask me out, he told me that I was going out with him.
If he likes me, this is not the way to become my friend or even more than that.
I hear Sam chuckle when I jump in my seat during another scary scene and Alex takes my hand in his.
I shake my hand free of his grip and he emits a low growl.
I can feel his eyes on me in the dark movie theatre and I know he doesn't feel pleased that I’m not falling into his arms like every other girl at BHPA.
3.
A Midnight Kiss
Sam
NEW GIRL IS HOT!
Those tits!
Seriously, Alex is a fucking asshole for asking her out before I could.
Well, not that he did much asking, I don't think I’ve ever seen him ask for something.
And in all honesty, this is really fun to watch: normally by mid movie, Alex would have the girl’s face on his lap at the very least.
Once or twice, he’s had full on sex in this movie theatre.
But not with Ayla!
He hasn't even managed to get a kiss or to get her to let him hold her hand, for as much as Alex isn't the hand holding type...
I know that he's amused by how feisty and sassy Ayla is and the whole innocent vibe she gives out makes her truly irresistible.
However, I know Alex and he isn't exactly the patient type: new girl better retract those cute little claws she has out or she’ll get hurt.
It’s like watching a kitten being thrown into the tigers enclosure...
The lights come back on at the end of the movie and Ayla and Alex aren't actually looking at the screen, they are glaring at each other.
The air around them is literally crackling with electricity, like when you are on the beach right before a big storm hits.
They are still in their seats,
not moving but staring at each other as if nothing else existed.
I clear my throat and it does the trick: they snap out of it and Ayla rises from her seat.
Alex is instantly by her side, his arm wrapped around her shoulders and surprisingly, she doesn't protest.
She lets him guide her out of the theatre and we all follow them outside into the warm Southern California September night.
Alex, Tuna and I were driven here by EM: he was volun-told to be our DD tonight, since we are going out for drinks.
I don't know if Alex is really intentioned to let EM into the A-Team, we haven't had a chance to talk about it yet.
I mean, on paper, EM has all the credentials: his first name is Alex, he made the football team and the A-Class, he comes from money... But we are so much more than a bunch of popular, rich guys or even a posse.
We are brothers: not by blood but by choice.
So just being friends with us, doesn't earn you a spot in our midst.
This is what EM has yet to realise and I question his motives anyway: he wants the popularity and to be at the top of the BHPA social scene but I don't think he understands what has drawn us together in first place and what has forged our indestructible bond.
However, I know Alex way too well to expect that he’d tell EM that he doesn't stand a chance.
Before he drops him, he'll have fun with him and toy with the poor guy, dangling the chance to be initiated into the A-Team in front of his eyes and use him until he gets bored with him.
EM’s Jeep pulls over to the curb and we climb in while Josh, Jenna and Char get into their own vehicles.
I climb in the back with Alex and Ayla but there's not enough space for all of us.
Alex and I are big guys, both over six foot three and we aren't scrawny at all, we have broad shoulders, long legs...
“If there isn't enough space, I can ride with the girls.”
Ayla is standing in the space behind the front seat and is eyeing up the curb but Alex grins and pulls her down on his lap.
He settles her between his thighs, Ayla’s back against Alex's front, his arms effectively trapping her against him.
Beverly Hills Prep Academy The Complete Boxset : A Light Bully Romance Page 3
