“I know, but she lived so far away.” Clove juts out his lip as he looks at the girl. “Why did you have to move so far away?”
She shrugs. “Sorry. If I had my way, we never would’ve moved at all. But unfortunately, twelve-year-olds don’t get much say in where they live.”
It suddenly clicks that I do know her.
Her name is Ava, and she used to live in Fareland until about seventh grade. Then her family moved somewhere else, and I haven’t seen her since. Not that I ever talked to her before. No, in grade school, I was too quiet to have many friends, and in middle school … well, then I met Queeny and talking to people like Ava wasn’t allowed.
Although, Ava barely looks like the short, skinny girl I remember. She’s taller now and has traded her oversized glasses for cute, hip ones. It looks like she’s started combing her hair, too. In fact, she’s really pretty and seems friendly. But I’m feeling a bit apprehensive about walking over there. The last time she saw me, I was Queeny’s sidekick, and I can’t remember if I ever helped Queeny do anything mean to her. Considering my past reputation, my bet is I may have.
Hmmm … Maybe I should just wait by the car.
I start to back away to do just that when Clove spots me.
A dopey smile spreads across his face. “Aw … look, it’s my favorite little weirdo in the whole wide world.”
Ava’s gaze darts to me, and her forehead scrunches as her gaze scrolls up and down me.
Her scrutiny makes me squirm, and I consider continuing to back away, but then Maxon glances at me. His gaze collides with mine, and he smiles. And just like that, I’m walking toward them, feeling a bit better than I did before.
“Hey,” I greet Clove then smile at Maxon. “I thought Bouncy McGee was in a hurry?”
“I really wish you guys would stop calling me that,” Clove gripes, shoving up the sleeves of his shirt. Then he adjusts the knitted cap on his head so it covers more of his brown hair. “I’m not that bouncy.” But he has to bite back a smile as he says it.
“You’re the bounciest person I know,” I remark with a smile.
He taps his finger against his lips. “Okay, maybe you’re right.”
“I’m always right.” I wink at him, and his grin broadens.
Grinning, I turn to Maxon. I want to kiss him good morning, but it seems a bit weird to do in front of a girl who’s staring at me like I’m some strange species, which has me questioning if she does recognize me. Well, either that or I went a little overboard with my outfit today.
The latter idea dissipates as Maxon’s gaze scrolls over me. “You look beautiful today.” A flush creeps across his cheeks as he scratches the back of his neck, staring at my legs for longer than the rest of my body. “I mean, you always do, but …” He tears his gaze off my legs and blinks at me, shaking his head. “God, I’m so awkward sometimes.”
“You kind of are, but it’s okay. It’s part of why I like you so much.” I nudge his shoulder with mine and smile at him. “And thank you for telling me I look beautiful.”
“I’m just telling the truth.” He threads his fingers through mine, pulls me toward him, and then brushes his lips across my forehead.
His movements are a little bit shaky, but that’s just how Maxon is. He gets nervous and flustered a lot, which is another reason I like him so much.
Back in the day, when I was Queeny’s sidekick, I dated this guy named Knox, a douchey, preppy, popular football player. He was cocky and constantly tried to pressure me into having sex with him, but fortunately, I never gave in. I later learned that he’d been cheating on me from the beginning of our relationship, so needless to say, I don’t miss him at all. Honestly, the only thing I feel toward Knox is regret that I ever dated him.
“Oh God, here they go with the kissing,” Clove gripes dramatically. “Ava, I’d recommend covering your eyes before they start making out.” He makes fish lips at her, and she chuckles but still appears a bit puzzled about something.
Maxon throws Clove a dirty look. “We’re not going to make out, so shut it.”
“What’s with this we stuff?” I can’t help teasing him. “I was totally planning on kissing your pretty face.”
Maxon shakes his head, his cheeks turning pink, but a smile plays at his lips.
“Well, this is fun.” Ava lets out a forced laugh as she glances from Maxon to me. “I’m sorry. I don’t want to be rude or anything, but I’m not sure who you are …”
Crap, I was kind of hoping she wouldn’t ask. Although, it’d be a bit weird if she didn’t.
“This is Ash,” Clove introduces, gesturing at me. “Maxon’s very charming, very pretty girlfriend.” He drapes an arm around my shoulders. “And my very charming, very pretty friend and partner in crime.”
“Oh.” She presses her lips together, and I can tell she’s not very happy about something. Maybe because she’s figured out who I am? Or maybe it was the remark about me being Maxon’s girlfriend? “Are you new to Fareland?” she asks.
Okay, maybe she doesn’t know who I am.
I shake my head. “No, I’ve lived here all my life.”
“Oh.” She studies me. “Sorry, I used to live here, but I’m having a hard time placing who you are.”
Dammit, I was hoping she’d let this go.
“My full name’s Ashlynn,” I tell her with an internal cringe. “Ashlynn Wynterland.”
Recognition flickers in her eyes and a frown pulls at her lips. “Oh yeah, I remember you.” She pauses, staring at me hard. “You look different than I remember.” A bit of coldness seeps into her tone.
I shift my weight. “Yeah, I changed my look a couple of months ago. Decided I needed a fresh start or whatever.”
She smiles, but it’s totally fake.
Can you say awkward?
Silence stretches between the three of us, making things even more awkward.
“Well, we should probably get going,” Clove breaks the silence, drawing his arm away from me and rubbing his hands together. “I’ve got big plans for this morning.”
“What sort of big plans?” I ask suspiciously, latching on to the distraction.
He grins deviously at me. “Now, what would be the fun in telling you?”
Maxon lets out a quiet sigh. “And here we go.”
A smile pulls at my lips. Maxon and Clove’s friendship is so funny sometimes. Maxon is quieter and shyer, and Clove is outgoing and funny, and sometimes they get annoyed with each other, yet they’re best friends. It’s interesting to watch.
Clove rolls his eyes then backs away, looking at Ava. “You’ll be at school today, right?”
She nods, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “I was going to start on Monday, but my mom insisted I start as soon as possible.”
“Awesome.” Clove grins at her. “If we don’t end up with any classes together, you should stop by Mr. Chester’s classroom during lunch. Maxon and I will be in there doing all sorts of crazy, wild things.”
She smiles. “Okay, I will.”
He grins back at her then spins on his heels, snapping his fingers at Maxon and me. “Come on, you two. You’re going to make us late.”
Maxon lets out another sigh.
“He’s in a mood, isn’t he?” I remark with a smile.
Maxon nods, sweeping strands of hair out of his eyes. “He really is.”
“I don’t know why you guys seem upset about that. He seems happy to me,” Ava says in confusion, flicking a quick glance at Clove, who’s reached his car.
“He is in a happy mood,” I clarify. “But Clove’s good moods can sometimes …” I search for the right word.
“Cause trouble,” Maxon finishes for me.
Ava smiles at him in a way that makes a bit of irritation bite underneath my skin.
“Glad to see some things haven’t changed,” she says amusedly.
Maxon tilts his head to the side. “What do you mean?”
“I mean, Clove is still his happy, cheery self and y
ou’re still the sweet, quiet Maxon I remember ” Her smile turns flirty. Yep, freakin’ flirty. And Maxon being Maxon doesn’t seem to notice. “It’s okay, though. I always liked that you were.” Her gaze briefly strays in my direction, and I detect the slightest malicious twinkle in her eyes.
You’ve got to be kidding me. Is this girl like a Queeny in disguise?
Okay, that might be an overstatement, but still, she’s not pleasant. And the old Ash would’ve told her where to go and how to get there, maybe even drawn her a map. But this new Ash doesn’t want to be a bitch. Although, if she keeps it up, she might get a proper introduction to her.
Maxon shifts his weight, tightening his hand around mine. “Thanks.” He presses his lips together, and then a short, awkward beat of silence passes between the three of us. I wonder if he’s starting to catch on to her flirting.
“We should go,” he mutters, turning toward me, “before Clove starts doing something weird to get us over to the car.”
I nod then put on a smile. “Part of me kinda wants to see what he’ll do.”
Maxon shakes his head, the corners of his lips twitching. “Don’t let him hear you say that. It’ll only encourage him.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want that.” I pretend to zip my lips. “Consider these things zipped shut forever.”
“That’s not what I meant,” he says then brushes his lips against mine. “Keeping these things zipped shut forever would be the greatest tragedy of the decade.”
“The decade, huh? Wow, I feel so special.” I kind of do. Maxon always makes me feel this way.
“That’s because you are,” he says, pulling me with him as he heads down the dirt road toward his driveway.
As we’re walking away, I sneak a glance over my shoulder at Ava, half-expecting her to be staring at Maxon’s ass. But her gaze is locked on me and crammed with so much hatred that my stomach drops a bit.
Either she really likes Maxon, or I did something to her in the past.
I need to find out before I end up with another Queeny situation on my hands.
2
Ashlynn
When we reach the car, Clove is sitting in the driver’s seat with one of those nerf guns in his hand, the end pointed in our direction. When he sees us approaching, he lowers it.
“Man, just in time,” he says with a grin. “I was just about to start blasting you with darts.”
I crinkle my nose. “Well, that’s kinda mean.”
“Why? They’re just foam darts,” he says then shoots one at Maxon to prove his point. Although, it doesn’t help that the dart pegs Maxon in the forehead.
“Ow.” Maxon winces while lightly touching his forehead.
“Don’t be such a baby,” Clove says with an eye roll.
“You think I’m being a baby?” Maxon questions.
When Clove nods, Maxon steals the nerf gun and shoots him in the chin. The suction cup on the end of the dart gets stuck to Clove’s face and leaves a red mark when he pulls it off.
“Well, that was vicious,” Cloves says, tossing the dart and nerf gun into the back seat that’s piled with boxes.
“You did it first,” Maxon retorts, lacing his fingers through mine.
“Yeah, but it’s in my nature to be vicious,” Clove quips with a goofy grin.
Maxon and I trade a look then bust up laughing.
“What the hell’s so funny?” Clove asks, glancing between the two of us.
“You being vicious.” I dab the tears of laughter from my eyes. “Thanks. I really needed a cheer-me-up.”
“Any time.” Clove grins, but then confusion knits his brows. “But, why do you need cheering up?”
Maxon gives me the same confused look. “Did something happen?”
Crap, I hadn’t meant to say that aloud, and I don’t want to tell him the truth. That Ava, their old friend, has me feeling annoyed because she flirted with Maxon. But I hate lying to them. I’ve done it before, and it nearly destroyed our friendship. Not that I believe I have to tell them everything.
“It’s nothing.” I give a dismissive shrug then start toward the passenger side of the car, towing Maxon with me, figuring they’ll let the subject drop. I should know better, though. Clove is too good of a friend, and Maxon is way too caring of a person. And once we all get seated in the car, I’m reminded of this.
Like always, I’m sitting in the front seat, wedged between Maxon and Clove. I like sitting here. It always makes me feel safe and happy, and the air smells like an array of scents due to the ten air fresheners dangling from the rearview mirror.
“Ash, Ash, Ash,” Clove tsks me as he starts up his car. “Word of advice. You should never bottle up stuff.”
I want to point out that he rarely talks about stuff that’s bothering him, and while he could very well just never be bothered by much, I highly doubt that’s the case. I think he’s just good at dismissing things.
“I’m not bottling up things,” I insist, fastening my seatbelt. “I just don’t want to talk about what’s bothering me because it’s not a big deal.”
Clove raises his brows. “But you’re admitting something is bothering you?”
“Sure. But like I said, it’s not a big deal,” I stress, leaning back against the seat.
Maxon slips his arm along the back of the seat, right behind my head, and starts lightly combing his fingers through my hair. “I think he just wants to make sure you’re okay,” he says. “Even if it’s not a big deal.”
Le sigh. Why did I have to open my mouth? Although, it is really sweet that they care so much about my wellbeing.
“It really isn’t a big deal,” I insist. “I’m just feeling a bit uncomfortable about what happened with Ava.”
A crease forms between Maxon’s brows, but before he can say anything, Clove speaks first.
“Okay, what’d I miss?” he asks as he steers onto the dirt road that leads to the main road. “Because everything seemed fine when I walked off.”
Maxon presses his lips together, wariness flooding his eyes, and I have to wonder if he does realize that Ava was flirting with him.
“Well, not that it’s a big deal—and honestly, I’m sure I deserve it—but she was giving me some pretty nasty looks when she realized who I am.” I rest my head against Maxon’s shoulder, seeking comfort. Comfort I probably don’t deserve, I’m sure, but Maxon, being the sweet guy that he is, always gives it to me. “But like I said, it’s not a big deal. I wasn’t very nice to her in the past, so she has every right to give me dirty looks.”
But hitting on my boyfriend right in front of me crossed a line. Not that I’m going to say that aloud.
Clove pats my leg. “Give Ava some time. I’m sure she’ll warm up to you.” He winks at me. “All you need to do is work your sparkly, magical Ashlynn charm on her and things will be fantastic.”
Yeah, I don’t believe for a second that it’s going to be that easy, and I’m not even sure I want to become Ava’s friend. Not that I want to be her enemy. She just gave me a bad vibe. And obviously, she has the hots for my boyfriend. But who can blame her? He’s seriously hot.
“I’ll try,” I say with a lack of enthusiasm, which Clove totally notices.
“Are you sure that’s the only thing bugging you?” he asks as he pulls onto the road.
I nod then shrug.
“Ash,” Clove playfully scolds me. “What have we told you about keeping secrets from us?”
“It’s not a secret,” I insist, squirming in my seat. “It’s just something I don’t want to say aloud because it’ll probably make me sound silly, and I don’t want to be silly. Well, unless we’re playing Who Can Look the Most Stupid Dancing. Then I’m all for looking silly.” Clove and I made up the game one night when we were bored and ate way too many Skittles. The title of the game is pretty self-explanatory.
“Aw, I miss that game. We should totally play it again soon,” he muses with a wistful look on his face. “In fact, we should have a little get-together tonigh
t. It’s Friday night, which means it’s party night.” He waggles his brows at me.
“I’d totally love to,” I tell him, “but I have to run my mom’s store tonight since she going out of town. And then I promised her I’d go home afterward. She’s being really paranoid about me staying home alone, even though I’m old enough.”
“You’re going to be home alone tonight?” Clove asks with a mischievous glint in his eyes.
I eye him over suspiciously. “You’re planning something in your head. Something I’m betting could be fun but could also potentially get me in trouble.”
“Ha! Like I’d ever do that!” he exclaims.
Maxon and I trade an amused look then Maxon glances at Clove. “That sounds exactly like something you’d do,” he tells him, tracing soft circles on the back of my neck.
Clove rolls his eyes, a grin teasing at his lips. “Whatever. You guys are so wrong.”
“You know we’re right or you wouldn’t be grinning like that,” I remark with my own grin.
“Whatever. I so do not.” He pulls into the gas station that we stop at every morning to get a blue slushy and licorice. It’s been a tradition since the first day we drove to school together, and I love it, love that we have traditions that make me feel good inside. “I was just thinking that maybe we could have a little get-together at your house, you know, since the parentals aren’t going to be home.”
“You want to have a party?” I question in confusion.
I mean, yeah, Clove likes to party, if you consider partying as bingeing on candy, drinking high amounts of soda, and getting stoned while playing video games. But, as for actually partying with a bunch of people, it’s really not his thing. Honestly, none of the people I hang out with now like to party, and I like that they don’t.
“Not a party,” he clarifies as he steers into a parking space. “A get-together. Jeez, Ash, don’t you ever listen to me?”
I roll my eyes. “I listen to you all the time, but you always talk so riddle-y.”
“I’m the one who talks riddle-y?” he questions. “That’s not even a word.”
The Heartbreaker Society Curse (The Heartbreaker Society Series Book 2) Page 2
