“Either you’re messing with me or you live under a rock,” Novalee said.
I shook my head. “Maybe you should head back to your friends.”
“Is that a threat?”
“No. Just a friendly suggestion.”
Novalee laughed. “You can untwist your panties, Tinsley. Nobody is fighting anyone tonight here. Something bad happened in HCH. That’s why Elijah is here.”
“Wait a second…”
Novalee nodded. “Yeah. Let’s just say that death hit a little close to home.”
“You know these guys had nothing to do with it,” I said. I caught myself grabbing Novalee’s arm. “I’m being serious here.”
She looked at my hand and laughed. “You’re a little quick to jump there, huh?”
“Defending my guys,” I said. “You’d do the same.”
“Why do you think I’m here?” she asked.
“So you and Elijah…”
“Like it really matters to you,” Novalee said. “I was just standing here watching the waves. See what kind of water BFH has to offer.”
“Should have brought your surfboard then,” I said.
“No thanks. This isn’t a fun or long visit.”
My eyes moved again to the Rulz and Elijah.
I had to give it to Elijah. He had some guts. Standing there with Pres, Barr, and Kip staring him down. Without an ounce of fear in his eyes.
Then again, he did have help with him.
I looked over to Weslee Jackson again.
He was smoking a cigarette.
And so was Aira.
They were like some bad ass rebel couple.
It made me wonder about the whole BFH versus HCH thing.
Maybe it was just a football thing. Dumb jocks messing around, making things worse than they really were.
“Stare long enough and she’ll come down and kiss you,” Novalee said.
“What?” I asked.
Novalee laughed. “You really are new here. It shows. Better watch yourself, Tinsley.”
“Says the one standing on a beach where she doesn’t belong,” I said.
Novalee turned and faced me. “Do something about it.”
“You want to fight me?” I asked. “Give these guys a show?”
“I’ll drown you in a wave, bitch,” Novalee said.
My hand shot out and I grabbed her hair. “Say that again…”
Novalee swung and slapped my face.
But I didn’t let go of her hair.
I made a fist, ready to show her that bitches here didn’t slap. We punched.
Before I could swing, Kip was there, sliding between us.
“Holy shit,” Kip said. “What is this?”
“She doesn’t belong here,” I said to him, looking up at his eyes.
He grinned. “True.”
“Don’t fucking touch her, asshole,” Elijah yelled as he ran toward Kip.
“Nobody touched a thing,” Kip said.
Elijah was ready to soar through the air and start something even more dangerous.
Pres caught up to Elijah and grabbed his shirt. “Hey. We let you come here. We let you talk. Don’t take that as a sign that we’re not willing to bury you right here.”
“Then fucking do it,” Elijah said.
I looked toward Weslee Jackson and he was already on the move, along the with the two other guys.
“It’s all good,” I said. “I was just making sure things were understood here.”
“Get the fuck out of here,” Barr said. “Playtime is done, Elijah. We didn’t do a thing. Pres called it. You got your five minutes of peace. Don’t step into a hell you can’t step out of.”
Elijah reached for Novalee’s hand.
They turned and Elijah waved off Weslee Jackson.
Only problem was that Weslee Jackson wasn’t listening.
It took the other two guys to stop him.
Barr started to walk up the beach, leaving Kip to go after him to really keep a fight from starting.
To make matters worse, I cupped my hands around my mouth and yelled, “Nice to meet you, Nova!”
She threw me the middle finger.
“I know a place where you can stick that finger,” I called out.
She turned and Elijah had to wrap his arms around her waist and scoop her up.
“What the fuck has gotten into you, sugar?” Pres asked, his eyes wide and pissed off.
“Just defending what I know,” I said.
His lip curled and then changed into a smile.
He slowly nodded and gently touched my chin. “Good to know. But that? That’s not for you. Me. Us.”
“He doesn’t believe you,” I said. “Whatever happened in HCH. That funeral you went to. The guy that was murdered…”
“They’re leaving, sugar,” Pres said. “They know… they come back and I won’t be so nice.”
I turned my head and saw Elijah opening the door to a low to the ground car. He tried to touch Novalee and she quickly slapped him across the face.
Not bad…
The rest of the HCH crew was waiting until Elijah was ready before leaving.
And just like that, they disappeared into the night.
Barr and Kip came back.
“You were going to fight Nova, girl,” Kip said. He put his fists up and punched the air.
“Whatever it takes,” I said.
“Christ, love,” Barr said. “I’d pay to see that fight.”
“Then bring her back,” I said. “I’m ready.”
Kip looked at Pres and lifted an eyebrow.
“She's serious,” Kip said.
“We could get some serious cash on that,” Barr said.
Pres looked down at me. “No. We’ll defend her ourselves.”
“So I can’t fight?” I asked. “Fuck you, Pres. I’ll fight someone. Whenever I want."
“I have a fight for you.”
I turned and saw Gi behind me.
“Gi. What’s wrong?”
“Iris… she just threw up into the fire.”
“Oh, damn,” Kip said.
“Hardcore,” Barr said.
“Let’s get her out of here,” I said.
Before I took one step, Pres grabbed my arm. “I’ll help.”
I looked up at him. “You’ll help?”
“I didn’t stutter, sugar,” he said.
“But you were nice.”
Pres curled his lip. “Happens only a few times a year.”
* * *
Pres carried Iris and I felt jealous.
I wasn’t happy with myself for feeling jealousy. Yet at the same time I wished I was the one blasted drunk so Pres was carrying me.
You could have that in a second, Ti. You know that. You don’t need a drink to make it happen…
Oh, but I fucking did.
Jumping into bed with one of the Rulz seemed so much more of a risk now than before. At least before there was the cloak of the bet. Me making fools of them. Them thinking they were getting something that wasn’t there.
Now…
“Let me get the door,” I said.
I opened the backdoor of my SUV and Pres eased Iris into the seat.
Her head bobbed like she had no neck.
“I’ll go around,” Gi yelled.
She got into the backseat from the other side and basically had Iris across her lap.
“Keep her head to the side,” Pres said. “In case she lets loose again.”
“Got it,” Gi said.
Pres shut the door.
I folded my arms. “So you're the hero now?”
“No,” Pres said. “Just don’t need some chick throwing up in the fire and getting herself hurt or killed.”
“Oh, right. Because then that would require the cops to show up. You’d get in trouble. Daddy would need to climb off whatever whore he’s with and write a big check to a lawyer.”
“You sound amazing when you’re pissed and petty, sugar,” Pres said.
/>
“I’m not-”
Pres lowered his mouth to mine and stole my words.
His tongue flirted with my tongue and my arms unfolded, fell to the side like I never had arms to begin with.
The kiss ended after only two mississippi’s which left me feeling cheated.
“Get her home,” Pres said. “Have Gi stay with her. You go to Kip’s.”
“That an order?” I whispered.
Pres held my chin again. “That’s a fucking order, sugar.”
He gently kissed my lips one last time and walked away.
I fell into the side of my SUV and grabbed the door as though I were falling down a four hundred foot drop.
I scrambled to get into the driver’s seat and focus.
“Everything okay?” Gi asked.
“Yeah,” I said.
That was a rotten lie.
I wasn’t okay.
At all.
I was fucking in love.
twelve
twelve
It wasn't like Kip had to sneak over because it was his house. And his guesthouse. Even still, there was something about him knocking at the window next to the door to get my attention that gave me butterflies. Not to mention when I opened the door, he always came rushing inside as though it were raining. And he’d grab me by my waist and walk me back to the kitchen counter. And the look in his eyes…
My entire mind would go a little fuzzy.
We had gone from popcorns and stupid shows to having a drink or two together when we felt like it. It was calm, casual, and it was fun. Kip took away the worry and stress from everything around me. Which was both good and bad.
“Last sip,” Kip whispered to me and pushed a glass toward me.
“I already said no,” I whispered back, pushing the glass right back at him.
He laughed. “Whatever you say, girl.”
Kip grabbed the glass and drank what was left in it.
He said it was some kind of super expensive and super old whiskey. Like a thousand dollars a bottle kind of whiskey.
He had his subtle ways of showing off yet I was receptive to that kind of stuff.
They were all rich. I knew that. So showing off with a fancy car, big house, or expensive alcohol wasn’t going to do a damn thing for me.
I reached for a purple grape from a bowl of mixed green and purple grapes.
It was small, juicy, and maybe the best grape I ever tasted.
I laughed to myself thinking how rich people even got the best tasting food.
My elbows were on the counter, my hoodie blanketing me.
The only other piece of clothing were panties but my hoodie was long enough to hide that little fact.
Kip just made everything comfortable though. I didn’t think about it or worry about it. It was just me and him. And maybe four tons of tension. Waiting for that tension to figure itself out was hard to wait through, but I really had no idea how everything worked at the moment. Because the Rulz still wanted me. Without any strings attached. And without strings (like the bet or revenge) hearts were involved.
More importantly, my heart was involved.
Kip grabbed the bowl and pulled a purple grape free. “Open wide, girl.”
I tilted my head. “Really?”
“Come on,” he said. “That wasn’t dirty.”
“Sounded dirty.”
“Only because you have a dirty mind. Admit it.”
“I’m not admitting anything.”
“I just wanted to throw a grape at you.”
“Oh?”
“So… please open your mouth, girl… so I can throw a grape… that’s it. Unless you have other things in mind.”
Kip looked down and around at the counter, nodding.
“What?” I asked.
“I can spread you out right here on the counter,” he said. “Put your legs over my shoulders. Make you my sweet and juicy snack.”
I swallowed hard, telling my mind not to visualize it.
Too late, Ti.
“Just throw a stupid grape,” I said.
“If you say so, girl,” Kip said with a sly grin.
Of course, Kip being Kip, he didn’t try to hit my mouth. He just wanted to see me with my mouth open. And I literally walked right into it.
He threw the grape with force and it smacked off my forehead.
He clapped his hands together and laughed.
The grape landed somewhere on the floor and I wasn’t about to give a shit to find it. Someone else could find it and clean it up.
“Sorry,” he said. “Had to. I’ll do it for real this time.”
“Sure you will,” I said.
He plucked another grape and nodded.
I opened my mouth again and waited.
This guy was one of three guys who put money together to compete for my virginity. Which didn’t exist. Well, the virginity didn’t. The money did. And here I was, being playful and flirty.
I was either really stupid or really insane.
I wasn’t sure which was the one love made you feel.
Kip tossed the grape and I caught it.
I chomped down and then reached for my throat.
I pretended to cough and then grabbed my throat with my other hand.
“Tinsley!” Kip yelled.
He jumped the counter and dove toward me.
I jumped back and hit the fridge.
I let out a yell and my eyes went wide.
Kip touched my face. “Are you okay?”
“Whoa,” I said. “I was just teasing you.”
“Pretending to choke? Are you crazy?”
“What?”
Kip showed his teeth.
He had been scared. And because of that he was now pissed.
I chomped on the grape a few times. “See? Just messing around.”
“Not funny,” he said. “I’m going to leave.”
Kip rushed to the door and I chased after him.
He opened the door and I grabbed his hand. “Hey. What the hell? We were having fun, Kip. Just fucking around. You can’t be serious… you can mess with me so much but if I…”
Kip turned and slid his right hand to the back of my head.
He lowered his lips to mine for a kiss.
“Don’t ever do that again, girl,” Kip whispered. “Can’t imagine losing you too.”
Kip slipped away.
I stood in the doorway to the guesthouse and watched him go home. To the main house. To the mansion he called home.
I licked my lips to taste him.
… losing you too?
So much for a calm night.
My mind and heart were both racing again.
* * *
I had taken a sense of pride with my ability to avoid Beth.
Which was maybe the wrong thing to do. But I was still taking it all in. I believed everything Gi and Iris told me. And the fact that they did tell me, bringing me closer to them, well, it meant I needed to do what was the right thing for our friendship. Even though I had nothing to do with Iris and Bray, it was obviously the biggest moment in Iris’s life and shaped her into who she was today.
There were grapes in my locker.
I shook my head but not before sneaking a grape because they were delicious.
I shut my locker, turned, and was face to face with Beth.
My heart didn’t pick up speed. My heart didn’t drop either.
I almost looked at Beth like she was a stranger. Because in a way that’s what she was. We never hung out outside of BFH. I never got to really know her. She came to me for a favor about Denny only because she thought I could convince the Rulz to beat him up. That was it. We weren’t friends. Then. Or now.
“Ti?” she asked.
“Beth.”
She shook her head. “Please don’t buy into it.”
“Nothing to buy into,” I said. “I wasn’t here for anything.”
“But you believe it.”
“Believe what, Beth?” I asked
.
“Ti…”
“I better get going,” I said. “Don’t want to be late.”
“Just give me a minute,” Beth pleaded. “Just one minute.”
I gritted my teeth. “Bathroom.”
I walked faster than Beth. I didn’t want to be seen walking next to her and have anything seem the wrong way.
In the bathroom, I leaned against the sink, arms folded, and waited.
Beth started to pace, playing with her hands. That right there told me she was about to lie.
Bitch.
Here I was, judging her before she spoke.
I was BFH now.
“You heard,” she said.
“Doesn’t matter what I heard,” I said.
“You’re taking their side.”
“There are no sides.”
“Yeah there are,” Beth said. “Oh, because you hate Denny that means you hate me?”
I shook my head. “Never said that.”
“You think me and him don’t belong together.”
“Again, I never said that.”
“I didn’t mean for anything to happen,” Beth said. “Young and stupid.”
“Meaning what I know is true.”
“Not the story. I didn’t mean to cause problems. I knew Iris wrote that letter. And I thought she was afraid to take it to Bray. It was supposed to help them stay together.”
“But somehow you fucked him?” I asked.
“Wow. What a way to say it.”
“Well, what was it?”
“He was hurt,” Beth said. “That doesn’t make it right. And I was hurt. Those two together… Gi and Iris… they have a way of just… I don’t know. It’s like they just stick together and forget everyone else. You know that’s true. You’ve seen it and felt it. Right?”
I didn’t respond. I should have lied and said no.
But I understood what Beth meant.
Gi and Iris were always super close.
“It wasn’t just about Bray moving away,” Beth said. “There were problems before that. Bray was done. That doesn’t mean what I did was right. I’m a bad person for it. But put yourself in my shoes. We were both heartbroken over the same person. Which is weird to say, but it was true. I had my own stuff happening in life. So did he. There was just this moment…”
“I’m done listening,” I said. “I don’t want to be dragged into it anymore.”
I walked from the sink and Beth put her hand out. “Ti… are we okay?”
UNTamed: a bay falls high novel Page 11
