Mine (Winterburg Book 1)

by Linz VonC

  OMG- you didn't!

  I laughed and skipped into the bathroom to have a shower.

  Cal picked me up for school the next morning. I smiled at him as I saw him leaning against his car waiting to see me. His face looked a bit better, swollen but not as bad as it was yesterday. I kissed him softly and he kissed me back urgently, his hands sliding into the back pockets of my jean pulling me closer to him.

  "Morning baby." He whispered. We got into the car and I smiled.

  "What are you smiling about?" He asked me as he pulled away.

  "Nothing. You need your seatbelt on."

  I warned. He laughed but made no move to put it on. We reached school and as I went to get out he put his hand on my arm.

  "Baby I am not going in today. I've got some things to take care of. I will pick you up after and take you home. Will you be ok in there?"

  His eyes searched mine.

  "Cal you can't keep skipping school."

  He rolled his eyes.

  "Listen beautiful. You don't need to worry about me, just focus on yourself."

  I glared at him. "But what are you going to do when it’s time to find a job Cal? You need to pass-"

  He looked at me seriously.

  "Are we having our first argument?"

  I smiled then. "Maybe."

  I kissed him intensely and then dragged myself to class as he watched me appreciatively.

  ******

  I put my arm through Rosie’s.

  “You seem very happy indeed,” she winked at me. “How do you feel?”

  I leant back and pouted. “Like a woman?!”

  She laughed.

  “So, where is he today?”

  I bit my lip. “He has some things to take care of...”

  Rosie rolled her eyes. “He's cutting school again? Attractive.”

  I nodded sadly. “I know, it’s shitty. But you can't help who you fall in love with.”

  She turned her head and looked at me.

  “Love?” Her mouth agape.

  I stopped at my class, cheeks burning as I giggled. Rosie looked past me and mouthed 'turn around' before walking away to her class.

  I turned around to see Luke walking towards me, followed by Finn. Finn ran past to catch up with Rosie and I braced myself for more verbal abuse from Luke.

  “Hey.”

  He stuffed his hands in his pockets. I stood waiting for him to speak.

  “I need to talk to you. It’s not about us or anything like that.” He added quickly.

  I folded my arms.

  “Right. So go.”

  He fixed his blue eyes on mine.

  “Not here. After class, meet me near the bleachers. Please?”

  I walked past him into class muttering that I would meet him after class. He smiled to himself and walked away.

  The bell rang and I checked my phone. Nothing from Cal. I texted Rosie to tell her I was going to meet Luke- and that he wanted to talk. She wished me luck. I pushed through the doors and headed to the bleachers. I saw a couple kissing pretty heavily, and I tried not to stand too close to them. Where the fuck was he? I checked my phone and then sighed. The couple to my right broke apart and I saw it was Krystal. I rolled my eyes. I was just pleased she had moved on. Krystal smirked as she walked away and I saw the other half of the couple kissing. It was Luke. I felt like I had been punched in the stomach.

  “Krystal? Really Luke?”

  He wiped his mouth and smiled at me.

  “Sorry princess, didn't see you there.”

  I folded my arms and stared at him.

  “What did you want to tell me?”

  He flicked his black hair out of his eyes and leant back against the bleachers.

  “You can come closer, I won't bite. Unless you want me to.”

  He winked and I stared at him in fury. I walked closer to him and stood in front of him, my hands on my hips. I didn't have time for his fucking games.

  “What? What did you want to tell me?”

  He moved his eyes from my lips down to my chest.

  “Did you really fuck him G?”

  I blinked, caught off guard.

  “What?! It has absolutely nothing to do with you.”

  I was seething. He did a low whistle.

  “You really did. Wow.”

  He looked over the field as I furiously wondered who had told him.

  Rosie? Surely not? He looked back at me and said coldly,

  “So what, I wait a YEAR and he waits a DAY?”

  We stared at each other in anger. Finally I spoke.

  “Is that what you wanted to talk about?” I said coolly.

  “No actually, it’s not.” He cleared his throat. I waited.

  “Has Cal told you anything about himself? Anything you might not have liked, princess? Or do you not talk?”

  He sneered bitterly. I felt my heart go out to him then.

  “I'm really sorry Luke, I can't help how I feel.”

  He nodded.

  “Yeah I know. So did you know why Cal moved here?”

  I didn't want to hear this from Luke, of all of the people.

  “Luke don't you think Cal should tell me?”

  He laughed.

  “Absolutely. He should have told you by now. The thing is, he's family. So you will hear it from me, and no one else- because no one else will know. If he thought anything of you, he would've told you that you could be in danger.”

  He fixed his eyes on me at that point.

  “I actually care about you. I didn't think for one second you would have left me to be with him, so it would have remained a secret. But you did, so now you need to know.”

  I frowned as I watched him kick the floor with his foot.

  “He took part in a robbery. They got away with a fuck load of money and jewellery. There was a girl there. She ended up in hospital.”

  I couldn't breathe.

  “The problem was, she was the daughter of a very important gangster in New York. Cal got arrested, sure. But then there was money on his head, and all his family.”

  I blinked furiously as I stared at Luke.

  “They want to kill him?”

  He looked at me his eyes flashing in annoyance.

  “He is a bad fucking person Gretchen. His family had to go into witness protection and move here. He isn't even Cal fucking Fallon.”

  Chapter 8

  My head was spinning. This was serious. I was a seventeen year old girl in love with a criminal. I scolded myself immediately- criminal according to Luke, who had many reasons to lie to me. I had a sinking feeling he wasn't though. My phone flashed on my desk. I picked it up.

  "Hey,"

  Cal spoke. "Where are you?"

  "I'm just getting ready to go to The Rink with the girls..."

  He went silent on the other end.

  "Can you pick me up after?" I asked sweetly.

  "Yeah. Text me."

  Just like that he hung up. I stared at the phone in my hand. He didn't sound overly happy that I was going out, I'm not entirely sure how I knew that, it was just the impression I got. I sighed, as I packed my skates in my bag. I skipped downstairs and out to Sienna's car; a gorgeous Fiat 500 in mint green. I really needed to learn to drive, every time I saw Sienna I was reminded of the fact.

  "Hey girls!"

  I climbed into the back and smiled.

  "Hey yourself," said Rosie as she climbed back into the car after letting me get in. She turned around to face me and we chatted aimlessly on the way to The Rink when I got a text on my phone.

  I hope you are ok. I do care about you. Luke.

  I felt gripped with anxiety briefly. I hadn't told anyone what he had told me, even Cal.

  "Who’s that?" asked Rosie as Sienna swung the car into the vacant space in the lot.

  "Luke," I replied, my head pounding.

  They exchanged a look.

  "Everything ok? More hot guys fighting over you?'' Rosie giggled.

  Sienna nudged
her.

  "Yeah but this is a good sign right?"

  I know she would just want us all to be friends, especially as I was her best friend and Luke was Ethan’s. It just made it simpler. I felt bad for fucking up the dynamics of our friendship, but I was starting to care less and less the more secrets that came to the surface.

  I shook my head. "I don't really want to talk about it guys. Let’s skate!"

  We walked into the stadium and joined the queue to pay for the skate only fee, whilst the other long line had people without skates queuing.

  I paid up and went and sat down on the bleachers by the rink, starting to lace my skates up whilst I listened to the beat of the music. The ice glistened in front of me and I couldn't wait to slice through it with my recently sharpened skates. I hugged my coat closer to me as Rosie came up dancing next to me.

  Finally we were allowed on the ice. I loved the feeling of the wind in my hair as I picked up speed, making patterns with my skates. Rosie slid next to me and we held hands, skating to the music in silence. After a while we made our way to the bar and ordered a hot cocoa each. Rosie smiled at me.

  "Feeling better?"

  I nodded gratefully.

  "Yeah I really needed this. It clears the mind."

  I frowned. 'Where's Sienna?"

  Rosie sipped her hot cocoa and glanced around, groaning with dismay.

  "Oh god, she is with Ethan, I said girls only! Did she miss the memo?!"

  My heart sank as I turned around to see Ethan, Luke and Finn laughing with Sienna on the rink.

  "Shit Gretch, I'm sorry. I honestly didn't know he would be here." Rosie’s face fell and I knew she was genuine.

  "I just don't want to spend my evening with my ex of three days, I really don't."

  Rosie laced her arm through mine and we walked under the DJ booth to where some booths were well hidden from view.

  "I think we will be quite safe in here."

  She smiled, glancing at the ice.

  "I'm so sorry Rosie. I have dragged you into this mess with me." I sniffed sadly.

  She grabbed my arm.

  "Hey! What are best friends for? I LOVE you Gretchen, I really do. If this is what feels right for you then I've got your back. But, if it doesn't work out then know that I will still be here too, ok?"

  My eyes shone with appreciation as I grabbed her hand back.

  "I know."

  Suddenly we were joined at the table by Sienna and Ethan.

  "Where did you guys go, we couldn't find you hiding under here."

  Sienna sat down next to Rosie meaning Ethan sat next to me. I glanced around awkwardly and Ethan nudged me.

  "Hey listen, it’s cool. Your problem with your life is just that- yours. I'm not getting involved."

  He smiled at me and I thanked him for being so awesome. We all sat and chatted for a while until Finn and Luke wandered over. Rosie rubbed her leg against mine under the table in what I could only imagine was empathy- she had after all, promised a girls night out, and this felt like I was back in school again. I asked Ethan if I could squeeze past him and I told the girls I was tired and needed to go.

  "That’s a shit excuse." Finn said drily.

  "Fuck off Finn, it’s got nothing to do with you." I hissed.

  He totally ignored me and sat down next to Ethan. He then proceeded to tell us all how much better it was being single, how Cal and I would never work out.

  Now he had morals? I wondered how many times he had fucked someone’s relationship up. I walked away and got my phone out, ready to ask Cal to come and get me. I typed in a text then started to unlace my skates.

  This was a fucking ridiculous situation.

  I wondered if it would ever get easier. I glanced up and saw Luke skating on the ice backwards chatting to a girl I didn't recognise. She laughed and smiled at him as she wobbled on her skates, him holding his hands out for her to hold onto. I yanked my skates off and started lacing my trainers when Cal texted me to say he was almost there. I stood up and walked down the stairs when suddenly I was sprayed with ice from head to toe. I gasped with the cold and wiped myself down. I looked up and saw Luke hold his hands up apologetically.

  "Sorry, didn't see you there."

  I glared at him and muttered, "Prick" as he skated away. I eventually left the stadium and saw Cal’s car. I made my way over to it and saw his beautiful face staring at his phone intently. I opened the door and he gave me a once over.

  "Do you even know how to ice skate?!"

  I exhaled and closed my eyes, throwing my skates into the back seat.

  "Yes, I know how to ice skate. No I didn't know Luke was going to be there with his friends and no, I didn't know he was going to spray me head to toe with ice just before I left." I snapped.

  He stared at me, his jaw tight.

  "Fucking dick. Let’s go to mine, no one is home and you clearly need a hot shower and fresh clothes..."

  He smiled mischievously. I stared ahead, so many thoughts going on in my head. Why did it feel like in order to be happy, I had to sacrifice so much?

  "That's a good idea, but I need to be home at some point tonight. My mom is getting suspicious that she's not seeing me much lately."

  I answered, holding my head as I leant against the window. I wondered why he hadn't started the engine.

  "Luke spoke to me today."

  I hadn't intended for it to come out that way, but it did.

  "Did he now." Cal muttered coldly.

  "He brought me up to speed with you."

  I heard Cal take a sharp intake of breath.

  "How much up to speed, Raven?"

  I turned to face him.

  "To the point that you aren't really called Cal."

  He closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the seat.

  "Argh, he really is a fucking dead man."

  "You fucking need to explain yourself to me." I shouted, the past couple of days coming to a head.

  I was losing my tolerance.

  "It's complicated." His voice was quiet and non-confrontational.

  We faced each other in the car, my arms crossed.

  "So who are you, really?" I demanded.

  "I can't tell you that," he said, "Please understand, I can't tell you a great deal other than I really fucked up. I tried to tell you the other night..."

  He trailed off as he saw Luke coming out of the stadium, arms around the girl he was skating with earlier. The hatred in his eyes scared me.

  "I want to go and kill that bastard for ever having you. Do you know what it does to me every time I see him? I hate him. Now he has told you something I couldn't even have told you, and it was mine to tell."

  "Cal, whoever the fuck you are, you have to tell me what you did. I need to know who I am falling in love with."

  He turned to me then.

  "You're falling in love with me? It's been three days...” His voice trailed off.

  "Yep tell me about it. I spend a year with someone who I don't sleep with, or fall in love with. I spend three days with a stranger and I do both."

  He stroked my face and I closed my eyes and breathed in his scent.

  "I don't want to hurt you," he whispered.

  "Then don't." I said.

  He sighed and glanced around.

  "When I was a kid I just wanted to be rich. I spent my days researching rich people, what did they do to get to where they were."

  I listened, afraid to interrupt.

  'Some were bankers, most were famous and some invented things. I didn't want to be rich from inheritance, I wanted to earn my money, myself. When I went to school I made out I didn't have much money. I smoked pot, I stole and lied. My parents didn't know what to do. They tried moving me schools, but I still ended up with the crowd I felt that I identified with. The ones that were cool, but for the wrong reasons. Anyway, there was a girl at our school. She was rich, arrived to school with her driver, designer clothes and bags. Her pops was stupidly loaded."