Break Me (The Summer Series)

by James, Harper

  Scott

  “Okay, so I know who she is.” Olivia bounced around Scott’s room where he sat, pulling answers together for his science study guide. At her words, he froze and turned, his stomach clenching with nerves. A part of him was terrified that it was someone he had known his whole life and had just neglected to really see. He wasn’t sure if there was any way to come back from flat-out ignoring a girl for four years.

  “And?”

  “Okay, here’s the deal. Before I tell you, you have to do something for me.”

  Scott stood. His expression was both pained and annoyed. “Seriously? You’re going to blackmail me with the name of a girl I could find out from about a third of the school anyway?”

  “Actually, big bro, it’s more like the whole school. You plus Nate plus fight equals big news.” Olivia’s hands went wide over her head. “Throw in the fact that everyone thinks you broke some poor girl’s legs, and it’s diabolical.”

  “Liv, this is as nice as I can ask. Please, for my sanity, tell me who she is.”

  “Fine, but only because I’ve never seen you like this before, and from what I can gather from all my sources, it sounds like she’s a pretty good girl. She stays out of trouble, you know, that sort of thing.” She shrugged and relaxed onto Scott’s bed.

  “Liv!” Scott heard himself shout.

  “Jeez, fine. Her name is Chloe. Chloe Delaney. If one of the girls I talked to was telling the truth, her dad is Chuck Delaney, the TV guy. Apparently she’s really smart, in all the advanced classes, doesn’t do anything else at school, and avoids crowds as much as possible.”

  Scott hadn’t heard anything after her name. “Chloe” was all he could think. He was going to find her the next day, and after Friday’s game, he would be taking her out. There was no way he was going to let her get away.

  “Look, Scott, there’s one more thing you need to know. I only found this out because I have a few classes with one of her good friends, Anna.” Olivia snapped her fingers in Scott’s face to get his attention, jolting him back to the present and from his plans for the future. “Scott, this is important.”

  “Yeah, I’m listening.” Noticing the serious expression on his sister’s face, Scott sobered and sat back in his chair. Pleading with God for her to be single, he waited to hear his sister’s next bomb.

  “Her mother . . .” Olivia cleared her throat. She was so sensitive to others. One sad story or mention of loss and Olivia was in tears along with the person who was actually going through the struggle. “Scott, her mom died like a year ago. She had cancer and lasted about a year with it before she was gone.”

  Scott’s brow furrowed. His heart ached for this girl he didn’t even really know. He had no concept of loss. His greatest loss was his pet fish when he was eight. He felt deflated and selfish because his life had no sorrow. Olivia’s eyes were brimming with tears as she continued. “Scott, whatever you do, please don’t hurt her any more than she already has been.”

  Coming Soon

  The sequel to Fight for Her—Live for Her—is coming Fall 2014.

  Live for Her

  A For Her Novel

  “There are all kinds of love in this world but never the same love twice.”

  -F. Scott Fitzgerald

  ONE

  Olivia

  She arrived half an hour before things were set to kick off. She, unlike the other pledges, had been granted a reprieve in order to do her required tutoring. The sorority never prevented the girls from doing what they needed to do to keep their grades up. None of them wanted to be known as the chapter that got reprimanded, especially for grades. Olivia was doing well so far for her first semester. Her GPA was still perfect, but with her being a scholarship student, it also had to stay that way. The sorority was too expensive without getting everything else covered. She cleared her throat and the thoughts of school from her head as she started up the front steps to the two-story house where the upper classmen lived.

  “Yay!” Cameron, her closest friend in the house and a sophomore, came running to the door to meet her as she walked in. “I’ve been dying for you to get here. Did you invite him?”

  “Ugh, you do realize he’s practically married, right?”

  “Practically and officially are two different things.”

  “Okay, then, you do realize that she’s my best friend and I have warned them about you, right?”

  “But! Why?” Cameron crossed her arms over her chest.

  “Because you’re a slore who is only interested in nailing my brother for bragging rights?”

  “You’re lucky I love you and that you’re one hundred percent right. Them’s fighting words.” Cameron smirked as she turned back to where the rest of the girls were standing around a bar in the kitchen. The ones who were old enough already had drinks in their hands. A lot of those who weren’t old enough did too.

  “Hey,” Olivia said to no one in particular as she joined the group and declined the drink offered to her. Instead, she reached out and grabbed the back of a nearby chair.

  “So, is your brother coming?” one of the older girls asked, not so subtly confirming to Olivia the real reason she was allowed into the most prestigious sorority on campus. She knew and couldn’t make herself care. She had spent so much time confined by her parents’ rules she took the best opportunity for a real life she could. These girls prided themselves on keeping their reputations as clean as possible. They all had plans far beyond these four or five years and made sure they helped each other accomplish their goals with the utmost success. So, yes, she sort of sold herself and her brother out for a chance to party and get a great job, but wasn’t that was most people used sororities and fraternities for anyway? Friends, food, and fun for the price of annual membership dues now. A network of employers for the future.

  “Yeah, he said he would stop by”—she made sure to emphasize her next words—“with his girlfriend.”

  “Sweet!” the girl yelled. “A toast to Scott Marsh.” She lifted her glass and the girls downed whatever concoction they had come up with, completely ignoring Olivia’s reminder that Chloe did, in fact, exist.

  Olivia pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to Chloe.

  Beware, vultures are out tonight.

  Not too long after she received a reply in typical Chloe fashion.

  Vultures? For me? Aw! Tell em I don’t swing that way.

  I love you.

  I love you and your brother. Bitches be warned.

  Pahahaha. Hurry. Bored.

  On our way.

  ~*~

  NATE

  He had arrived fashionably late like some kind of girl. It wasn’t on purpose. Someone needed his help with a project coming up in class, so of course, there he was. At times it was exhausting keeping everyone around him happy. His father and brothers were one thing. But now, here at school, he had Scott, Chloe, and Hope to worry about. He couldn’t even think about Livvy; keeping her happy was a little too prominent in his mind these days. When he arrived, he had zeroed in on her immediately. He was aware of every move she made, it seemed. As soon as Scott and Chloe were in sight, he hurried toward them to distract himself from his best friend’s little sister. Unfortunately, the love birds had soon disappeared out back where a few kids were enjoying the last few days of warmth. Apparently, Scott’s roommate Joel, a soccer player as well as a social player, needed constant supervision.

  Nate walked around the outer perimeter of the room, taking in the chaos of girls pretending to be far more wasted than they were so that they had the excuse of ignorance the next day. His younger brother would love everything about this party. Way too many insecure girls were looking for a guy that would make her feel beautiful for the night. Josh was too young and stupid to know these weren’t the kinds of girls you settle down with or look to in order to find any form of commitment or love. These were the kinds of girls you’d regret in a few days, weeks, or years. Nate knew better. He had known better since his first date with
Chloe. Though he now knew she wasn’t the one he had thought her to be at the time. He had been given a glimpse of what could be. Further, seeing where Scott and Chloe’s relationship was now only made him realize that there was even more out there than he could have imagined.

  Nearing the section of the room that was designated as a dance floor, his eyes gravitated to the same spot as almost every other male in the room. She was the kind of beautiful that didn’t need the skimpy outfits and painted-on makeup the other girls required. She stood out no matter where she was, and what made her even more attractive was that she had no idea she was so beautiful. Nate stepped back and leaned against the staircase, watching her dance with one guy after another. She wasn’t even able to finish a song with one guy before another walked up, waiting for his turn.

  Unable to stand it another minute, Nate pushed off the stair railing and made his way toward the center of the party. Yet another guy was approaching, so Nate veered left, just enough to cut him off and beat him to the punch. When she spun around, her hair cascaded over her shoulders and fell elegantly down her back. How did a girl sweating and dancing at a sorority party still look elegant? She had changed over the last few months of school and summer. Her once short, bright hair now seemed softer. It was longer and fell in waves around her shoulders. She was dressing a little sexier now too. It wasn’t noticeable to most, but he wasn’t most, and he noticed. She had a new confidence. Something was changing in her.

  “Hey you!” she shouted over the music when she noticed him.

  “Little Livvy, how’s it going?” He stepped up to her and put a hand on her hip.

  “What are you doing here?” she asked. He hoped that the flush had something to do with the scrutiny of his eyes, the heat of his hand, and the thrill of his complete attention. That was his aim and it seemed to be a success.

  “Connections. When you’re best friends with the school’s best chance at a championship season in basketball in a few years and know the most beautiful girl in the room like the back of your hand, people tend to look the other way when you walk in.” He didn’t mention that he had threatened the pledge that was in charge of the front door, helping out one of the sorority sisters.

  “Well, I’m glad you made it.” She reached her arms up and wrapped them around his neck. “I never see you anymore, Nate. I miss you.” She whispered the last part, probably thinking it would get lost in the noise. It didn’t.

  Instead of pushing her away as he should have, Nate gripped her tighter. “Dance with me.”

  She looked up into his eyes and swallowed noticeably. “Yeah.”

  He brought his arms from around her back and rested his hands on her hips before they started moving together. After a few beats, they both let some of the tension slip away, and Livvy threw her head back and started to dance again. With her arms in the air, she laughed as he spun her around and pulled her back to his front to dance. They finished the song, and when he saw her next suitor approaching for his turn, Nate caught his eye and gave him a subtle yet very intimidating shake of his head. Not a chance frat boy. She’s done dancing with anyone else for the night.

  ~*~

  Hope

  She looked around the room, a smile plastered on her face. There wasn’t a single boy here that could remotely pull her attention. How could they? She had been with the one that she knew would belong to her forever, only to have the douche canoe prove everyone right. He really was the most disgusting person to walk the earth. Had her friends known what she was doing, maybe they would have stopped her. Maybe they would have saved both of them. Maybe she wouldn’t be the best actress on the campus of The Ohio State University . . . but she was. And so she continued to smile. And she continued to let the frat guy with too much Axe Body Spray hit on her. She allowed him to think he had a shot in hell. Because if she did, she would be able to string him along until it was time to leave. To go home. To crash. And allow the show to fall away. Because at least in sleep she didn’t have to pretend.

  ~*~

  Olivia

  A little while later Olivia and Nate walked off the floor, laughing at his weak attempt at dancing. “You’re not going to go another dance? I think your line is growing . . .”

  Olivia looked over her shoulder and saw three guys straighten up and smile as her eyes passed over theirs. Trying to keep from checking Nate’s reaction to their interest, she shrugged and hooked her arm through his. “Nah, actually I’m dying of thirst, and all they have here is beer. Want to help a girl find a bottle of water?”

  Looking down at her, he smiled. “Still not drinking, Livvy? Remind me. Is it a legal thing or a personal conviction?”

  “Not everyone feels the need to lose control of their body, feel miserable the next day, and make poor decisions for the next four to five years.”

  “Hey”—Nate chuckled—“you’ll get no complaint from me. Child of a miserable alcoholic, remember?”

  Olivia stopped in her tracks, her tender heart evident in the slightly protruding lower lip that he could only slightly see quiver in the dimmed lighting. “Nate . . .”

  “Liv, stop. It was a joke, a bad joke but a joke nonetheless. Come on. Let’s go get you that water.”

  “Olivia!”

  Olivia turned and her face lit up at the approaching forms of her best friend and her brother. “Hey, Chloe!” She stepped up to the couple and punched Scott in the arm. “Big brother.”

  “I saw you tearing it up out there; you have a dance card or do they just push each other out of the way to get a turn?” Chloe quipped as she nudged Olivia with her hip.

  “Yeah, yeah.” She blushed. “When did you two get here? You said you would be here over an hour ago, missy.”

  “We were here. I can’t help it if you’re lost in sorority sister dance parades or whatever you all do. We hung out with Nate here and then had to go hang outside for a bit.” Chloe leaned into Scott as she spoke, and a part of Olivia was jealous of what they had.

  “Well, what are you all up to? What do you want to do?” Olivia asked, excited to finally have some time with her three favorite people.

  “Nothing now, we’re about to head out, Scott said. I basically came to make sure Joel got in and out in one piece. I’m taking my lady home.” Chloe rolled her eyes at him. It was nice to see them playful and carefree after all the drama they had endured as a couple and Chloe had endured at home less than a year earlier.

  “If you’re leaving, then how are you going to make sure your roommate gets out in one piece?” Olivia laughed at them both.

  “He left about ten minutes ago with some girl, a warning look, and a promise of no longer than an hour. He’s an over achiever, that boy . . .”

  “Gross!” Both girls exclaimed as Nate chuckled.

  “Well, this girl and I are going to go ahead and head out.” Scott bent and scooped a surprised Chloe into his arms. As she squealed her delight, he laughed and turned to leave.

  “Bye, guys,” Chloe laughed over his shoulder before she buried her face in Scott’s neck and he pulled back to kiss her forehead. The crowd parted for the king of the court and his queen, and Nate watched them walk away, unaware of Olivia watching him for any form of reaction.

  “They’re so gross,” Cameron said as she walked up, scowling at the retreating backs of Scott and Chloe.

  “Don’t be so jealous.” Olivia laughed at the desperation dripping off her friend.

  Cameron turned to spout off some snarky comment but was thrown into speechlessness when her eyes landed on Nate. They shot wide as they worked from his head to his feet and then back up again. Her expression turned possessive, and her lips formed a crooked smile when she turned to look at Olivia. “I think I’m over it.” She held her hand out to Nate, and he took what she offered, awkwardly shaking it.

  “Nate, this is Cameron.”

  “Hey,” he said, clearly uncomfortable with his current audience and looking between the girls.

  “Nate.” She licked her top
lip, trying for sexy but accomplishing crazy. “I think you owe me a dance.”

  He looked to Olivia, and when she didn’t say anything, he shrugged. “Sure, why not.” Olivia couldn’t figure out the frustrated expression that crossed his face. She didn’t force him onto the floor. She sure as hell had nothing to do with the fact that Cameron had walked up.

  Olivia watched as Nate and Cameron made their way to the center of the floor. She had to admit Cameron wasn’t terrible looking. Her dark skin, flowing curls and plump lips had an appeal that more than a few frat guys had taken advantage of already this year. She had just hoped Nate wouldn’t be one of them. Honestly, since she had spent so much time with him this summer, she had been dreading the first time she saw him with someone else. There was just something about him that was borderline intoxicating. When he was around, she felt important, funny, clever, and special. It was just Nate though. Clearly, Cameron was feeling pretty special right now too.

  She tried to ignore them as she gave up on him coming back for her and started toward the dance floor and the guys who still seemed to be waiting. Luckily, one grabbed her and pulled her toward him before she made it too far. The thought of walking out to prove she didn’t need Nate only to stand alone in the middle of the room was not only mortifying but too depressing to consider. Finding him through the crowd, she attempted to see if he was watching her without letting on that she was staring at him to no avail. It seemed he was content with his new partner. Apparently, her friendship with Cameron was over.

  ~*~

  Nate

  He had danced three songs with her sorority sister and then excused himself as politely as he could. If her hand “accidentally” slipped below his belt one more time, he was going to cause a scene. He couldn’t take it anymore. He had stood to the side, walked around the back, and come back inside to find Olivia was still taking turns dancing with every guy who asked, and he was about to explode with jealousy. He decided to man up and just make a move. Questions needed to be answered, and if he didn’t at least put a feeler out, he would never know. Nate stormed through the crowd and pulled Olivia out of the groping hands of the latest douche to try to cop a feel, causing her to stumble into his arms. She turned and looked up at him in a haze. “What are you doing, Liv?” He couldn’t keep the growl out of his voice.