by K. Walker
Liv appeared, and I was grateful. “Liv, can I get a ride with you?”
“Sorry. Mia’s driving today,” she said and hurried to the front.
“But I can…”
“No,” she shouted back. “She’s taking all of us.”
That’s it. I was going to walk.
I started for the front of the house, mentally calculating how much money I had in my account. Maybe I could call a cab.
“What are you doing?” Tyson asked from right behind me.
I didn’t even hear him come up behind me. “I’m not going with you. I would rather walk.”
“Celine told me to give you a ride today, since you ran and told her I didn’t yesterday, so get in the damned car before I have to put you there myself!”
I opened my mouth wide in shock. “What?” I rolled my eyes and started to walk off. Suddenly, I was whisked in the air, and before I knew what was happening, my feet were dangling down Tyson’s front as he threw me over his shoulder.
“Put me down!” I cried and slapped at his back. He didn’t flinch. He walked to the passenger door, opened it, and pretty much tossed me inside.
“Don’t even think about it,” he said and slammed the door shut.
I might have gotten out, if not for the fact that I would probably wind up walking two miles to school. And then I would be even more of a laughingstock. But I didn’t have to like it. I turned my body against him, facing the window instead.
He got in and started the car, but he didn’t say another word. That was fine with me. The car rolled out of the garage and onto the street. Loud music blared from the speakers, and I wanted to turn and switch it off, or at least turn it down, but I could tell he wanted to rile me up. So, I stayed in my position.
The car smelled a lot cleaner and nicer than I thought it would. Actually, I never thought about it at all before. Nor did I anticipate how claustrophobic it would be sitting so close to Tyson, his hand hovering over the stick too close to mine.
My body tingled, and I hated it. It wasn’t supposed to feel that good. I didn’t dare glance in his direction because he would have caught me. I gulped, feeling like a trapped animal, and he narrowed his eyes and smirked.
“Not something you’re used to in the slum, is it?” he asked.
And just like that, whatever I was feeling, or whatever idiotic thought was about to burst through my consciousness was quickly averted. I looked away, and he chuckled to himself. I might not have come from money, not even a little bit, but he had no right to tell anyone where I was from or to treat me like garbage.
“It must pain you that the trailer park trash is sitting in your car right now, lives under your roof, and eats the same shit as you, huh?”
His face clenched, and it gave me tremendous satisfaction. It would probably cost me later, but what did I care. After a year, I would be gone.
He pulled into the school’s parking lot and the car jerked to a stop. We opened our doors simultaneously and got out. He walked off, but I didn’t know if he looked back at me to make sure I was out. I didn’t check either.
“What?” Lila chuckled as she sauntered over to me, her eyes focused behind me. “Did I just see, right?”
“Nothing strange about what you saw,” I sighed. “Until I get my car, that’s my only way to school.”
I didn’t stop walking as I spoke, and Lila kept up with me, her voice more animated as she spoke. “Riding with Tyson’s a big deal,” she told me flatly and gripped my hand. “People won’t think you rode with him because you live together.”
“We don’t live together,” I told her in an annoyed voice. “I’m temporarily staying at their house.”
“Same thing. The only people who go in that car are Liv, his boys, and girls he’s fucking.”
I stared at her with dead eyes. “Lucky me. I guess I’m now the school tramp, in addition to the trailer park bimbo.”
“Hello, beautiful,” someone said and threw his arm around my shoulder. I twisted to see who it was, but by the look on Lila’s face, I knew it was not Duke. Nor did it sound like Duke.
He loosened his hold on me for a second, and I realized it was Noah Kent, one of Tyson’s boys. Did he send him over? I tried to look, but Noah’s large form prevented it from happening.
I gazed into his eyes, realizing for the first time how green they were, and how god-damned good he smelled. His musty smell enveloped me as easily as his arm, and I inhaled a lungful of him as my head began to swim.
Why the fuck did they have to be world-class douches?
“Did Tyson ask you to come over here?”
He pulled back and his brows tightened. “Tyson? Why would he do that?”
“I don’t know. It just seems like something he would do,” I told him.
“Uh, I’ll catch up with you later,” Lila said, gave me a mini-wave, and then hurried off. Was she really leaving me alone with Noah Kent, like I was someone he was interested in? He must have some ulterior motive to being seen with me, and I dreaded hearing what he would say next.
“So, how do you like it at Bridal Creek High?” he asked and grinned at me.
I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to feel about Noah’s arm around me, and it didn’t escape me how the other students walked by, giving me both jealous and smearing looks. Or were those mocking eyes?
It was uncomfortable in so many ways.
“It’s just been a day. Give me a little while to make up my mind,” I said to him, cautiously.
“Okay, makes sense,” he said, his arms still around me as we walked through the main doors. “I think it’s great that you’re staying with Tyson.”
“I’m not staying with Tyson,” I said hotly and narrowed my eyes.
He laughed. “Nothing’s wrong with that. How else are you supposed to blend in?”
“Excuse me?” I shot back and gave him a confused disapproving look.
“You have to know, with your background, you would be lucky if any guy here even looked at you without thinking you’re a piece of shit skank he can fuck with no strings attached.”
And there it was. I drew in my breath and dipped to escape him. “Noah, I don’t need your pity. And in case you haven’t noticed, living with Tyson has done shit for me so far.”
He walked up to me, his green eyes piercing my skull. “This is not your world, trailer park. And this right here, this is our turf. Nothing happens here without our say so.”
He was right in my face I could smell the breath mints wafting to my nostrils. He filled my entire personal space, and I gulped again when my heart started pounding against my chest. Not out of fear, but something else.
The same something I had felt in Tyson’s car. I wondered what kind of bottom-feeder I was to be attracted, even in the slightest bit, to the boys who constantly fucked with me.
On a different day, at a different time, and maybe at my old school, I would be grinning to have one of the hottest boys at my side—to even notice me at all but not at Bridal Creek High. Not Tyson’s friend. Not…
I made the mistake of looking up into his face before my train of thought was completed. He stopped and bit on his lower lip. It was the hottest thing, and it had me salivating, wondering what his kiss felt like.
I almost wanted him to lean in and kiss me. Make a damned statement while he was at it. My heart raced when I thought he was going to do just that when he leaned forward. But his lips only brushed my cheek as he whispered in my ear.
“You belong to us, trailer park. Don’t forget it. It’s about time you showed some gratitude for this new life you have.”
Gratitude? What the fuck was he talking about?
His warm breath tickled my skin and set my hair on end. He pulled back, and I felt the blush rising to my cheeks. Then he winked and walked away.
And I was left standing in the middle of the hallway, wondering what the hell just happened. I walked off in the direction of my homeroom, careful to avoid the angry stares that found me.
Chapt
er 9
“What was that about?” Kyla asked as she caught up to me.
“No clue,” I replied to her. “All I know is, I want to steer clear of all the drama, but somehow, it keeps finding me.” I pushed the door in and walked inside.
“Hey!” Annette called to us from the back of the room. Luckily, I didn’t share homeroom with Tyson, or Tonya and the mean girls, or Duke. That was one of the few mercies the universe decided that I was allowed.
“Hi Annette,” I said and sat.
“What’s up?”
“Noah is what’s up,” Lila joined in the conversation. “What is it about you that has those goons going crazy?” she asked as she looked me over.
I shrugged as I remembered Noah’s words. “They’re not going crazy over me. I’m just their new pet.”
“No,” Lila said as her eyes widened. “It’s more than that.”
“He came that close to kissing you,” Kyla said, her eyes wild and dancing with excitement.
“What?” Lila asked and grabbed my arm. “He did?”
I pulled away. “That wasn’t a near kiss. That was Noah’s sick way of reminding me that I didn’t belong here, that I should be grateful to them, or whatever. I don’t even know what that means.” They all exchanged knowing glances, which made me curious. “What?”
“I don’t know if that’s a bad thing, them keeping an eye on you,” Annette said carefully and checked her girls for support. “A lot of shit can happen in this place, and Tyson and his boys – no one fucks with them.”
“That doesn’t give them the right to treat me like a damned bitch,” I hurled at them. “And I don’t need them watching out for me. I’m from Miami Dade. I get shit thrown at me all the time. I can handle what anyone throws at me.”
“Okay,” Lila said and threw her arms up. “If you say so.”
I did, and I hated the insinuation that I needed their protection, or whatever, or that I should be grateful to Tyson, and by extension, his boys, for living a grand life that so far amounted to shit.
Our moods turned somber just as the teacher walked into the class, and the conversation was forgotten. Not that I wanted to get back to it. I wanted to forget Noah, and that conversation, and everything about them. I might not be able to ditch Tyson because we live in the same house, but I sure as hell could avoid his boys.
I was walking down the hall when I spotted Noah walking with Tyson in my direction. I wanted to sink into the floor. I looked around while trying not to, just so I could find an empty room or somewhere to veer off to so I wouldn’t have to go by them.
Tyson stopped at a locker where a raven-haired, blue-eyed bombshell was standing. She was sucking a lollipop, like a real porn star – well, that was how it looked to me – like she was a professional at it.
But damn, she was pretty.
She curled her lips into a smile and touched Tyson’s lip with her lollipop. I couldn’t take my eyes off of them even though I was supposed to be escaping. I kept looking until he turned and saw me.
Shit!
I looked away then, held my head down and away from them, as I hurried by. I thought Noah would have said something to me, but he wasn’t even looking at me when I passed. I shook my head when I was in the clear, but I couldn’t help thinking – that was how my life was going to be for the next year. It was bound to be a cauldron of craziness.
I had pretty much shoved all of that morning to the back of my head when I got to my first class. I had just gotten into my seat when my phone vibrated. It was a text message from a number I didn’t recognize. I opened it, and my entire face clenched tight.
Next time, look away unless you want to join us!
Tyson! Of course.
I stuffed the phone back into my pocket and slid down into the seat. I was embarrassed and I was the only one who had read the text. He made living with him even harder.
The thought occurred to me then that what I needed was a boyfriend. Maybe one of his friends. That should do him in. I laughed at myself after the thought escaped my innermost self – I was no villain. I couldn’t pull off using one of his friends to get to him.
Especially when it already seemed like that was exactly where they wanted me. I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction – they could rail on me all they wanted. I wasn’t going to show them any amount of gratitude. It wasn’t like I needed it. I was fine.
But it was still a nice idea – fucking one of his friends. A wicked smile crossed my lips as I imagined the look on his face when he found out. I could even fuck him, whichever one it was when I knew he’d catch me. Maybe I would do it in his bed.
“Hey, what’s so funny?” Kyla asked from beside me.
I blushed again. “Nothing. Just something I remembered,” I lied as I tried to contain my villainous side. At least I could have fun in my head.
But it wasn’t just in my head. It seemed like it was also in theirs, because the very next day, Liam approached me, like they were taking turns. I had just collected my lunch when he appeared next to me.
I looked around to see where the rest of the goons were. “Yes?” I asked and kept the line moving.
“I didn’t say anything,” he said and reached right across my front, so his face brushed against mine and my breasts touched his chest. “Sorry. I just wanted this,” he said as he bit into the apple in his hand. He turned, and it must have been deliberate when my tray clattered to the floor, spilling everything I had already gotten.
He turned, his mouth going from chewing on his apple. “Oh, did I do that?”
“You know damned well you did!” I barked.
He grinned. “My bad. Need some help with that, too?”
The fucker! He was suggesting I had already gotten their help with something. “It’s fine!” I growled and clenched my fists. “I’m not hungry anyway.”
Then he walked off. What the fuck?!
I turned, only to come face to face with Tonya. Her perfect, red lips were curved upwards, and she had her hand bent in a precocious sort of way. She peered at me through her bright, blue eyes. She could easily pass for a model – tall, beautiful, toned. Except for the scowl she wore. Then, she folded her arms over breasts that looked too large for her thin frame. They looked even bigger as her forearms pushed them up and they spilled out some more over her low-cut lace-accented tank. “My, my,” she said. “Are you going to just leave your mess on the floor? I would think girls like you are used to cleaning shit all the time.”
I narrowed my eyes at her and her mini posse behind her. They all wore jeering looks, and I turned to see half of the cafeteria watching us. I sucked in a deep breath, careful not to give them the showdown they were obviously after, and walked away.
I almost bumped into Liv on the way out. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Nothing,” I spat and kept walking. The door banged shut behind me, seconds before I heard feet scurrying towards me. I turned to see the girls chasing after me.
“This is…this is…” I wasn’t sure how to express the feelings that bubbled inside me. I was being attacked, and for what? For being the new girl? For having not been born a privileged stuck-up bitch? I paced the floor as the anger peaked inside me, and my ears burned from a lack of expression.
“Hey,” Lila said softly. “You okay?”
“Okay? How can I be? They’re teaming up on me!”
It angered me, and I wasn’t easily bothered. In fact, back in Miami Dade, I was always the coolest girl around. Even despite the crap that kept happening in my life. I was the one who rejected the QB or basketball star. Here? I wasn’t even given water-boy credits.
“I know we sound like a broken record when we say ignore them…” Annette started saying before she came into my anger radar.
“I am ignoring them. They’re the ones not ignoring me,” I said in an irritated way. “You know what? I’m going to walk it off,” and that’s what I did. I left them in the hallway and proceeded to where I believed to be the library. I was su
re none of them would be there.
But on the way, fury blinded me. No, I wanted to run into Tyson and his friends. I had a few choice words, and I did a U-turn and headed for the gym, where I was sure I would find them.
They had made sure I started making enemies before I had any friends, and I wasn’t going to let them. I found him and his goons in the gym, shooting hoops, and I wondered how no one said anything to them. It dawned on me then that I had never seen the school’s administration admonishing them at all.
They were the freakin’ untouchables! But I would see about that.
They may run Bridal Creek High, but I wouldn’t be their puppet. The door banged shut, and all four heads looked towards me.
It was hard to mistake the way Tyson’s eyes narrowed on me, right before he turned to the hoop again.
Chapter 10
I wasn’t going to be phased by his nonchalance.
I balled my fists at my side and walked right up to him. He was in the middle of a jump shot and I stepped right in front of him. I could have easily been Casper, the friendly ghost.
He took the shot anyway, almost knocking me on my ass.
“Watch it!” I snarled, the anger inside me swelling as my heart pounded, like it was trapped and trying to break out.
“You got in my way,” he said as he retrieved the ball, bounced it a couple of times, and took another shot. I was forced to move out of the way, then.
“Aren’t you going to ask me why I’m here?” I checked the other faces. Liam, Noah, and Jonathan were all looking at me like I was a homeless person soliciting funds.
“Nope,” he said and took the shot over my head.
I folded my arms across my chest. He was making it really hard to stay angry and not end up looking like an idiot in the process. Instead, I turned my attention to Noah. “Why did you hug me yesterday?”
I heard when the basketball stopped bouncing. Oh, that got his attention. “I hug everybody,” Noah grinned. “It’s what I do.”
“Really? And you, Liam? What was that about in the cafeteria?”
