Malik (Carter Brother Series Book 1)

by Lisa Helen Gray

  “I feel sorry for her. Maybe we should have done something else,’’ Denny whines.

  I actually agree with her, maybe we could have done something else to get back at him. I do feel bad, but I can’t help but find the whole situation funny. It’s not like they’re going to break up. She’ll find out he’s not going anywhere after school and that will be that.

  “True, but the fucker deserves it. He gave me lines today for looking up Mrs. Martin’s skirt. She’s fucking hot,’’ Max grunts.

  “What lines did you have to write?’’ I ask curious.

  “I shall not sin and I shall respect women,’’ he laughs, and we laugh along with him.

  Myles grabs a film from his bag throwing it over to me and as I do every time, I grab the DVD and put it on. It’s what we do most nights.

  Chapter Seventeen

  The next day I meet Malik at school. He had to run in early to talk to one of the teachers about an assignment he’s working on.

  My heart races as I walk into school. My shoulders are slumped, my head looking down with my P.E. bag slung over my shoulder. The last time I had P.E. was when I had my photo taken naked. It’s not something I’m looking forward to. I’m even taking both bags outside on the field with me or in the gym with me, either way it’s not leaving my sight. Then I’m walking home to shower like I used to. There is nothing that will get me to go back in those showers. Not even Malik’s naked body could tempt me. Okay, maybe his naked body could probably get it to cross my mind.

  Thinking of his naked body, all wet, and all that hard muscle has my mind in a daze, reeling over what we did last night. By the time everyone else left Malik and I by ourselves it was late and my Gram’s wanted me to go to sleep. Malik went home like usual when she asked, but I could tell he was annoyed about leaving when things had just started heating up. He was so worked up he called her a cock blocker under his breath on the way out. Gram’s had heard him, but he recovered quickly by saying he said ‘nice knocker’ pointing to the old knocker on our door. My Gram’s looked at him as if to say ‘Do you think I was born yesterday?’ but Malik ignored it with a tight grin and went home.

  An hour later he was back, sneaking into the house with the key Gram’s keeps at Mark’s in case of an emergency. He didn’t leave mine until this morning when his alarm went off. We only managed to get in a few hours sleep, which is why I’m walking down the hallway looking like a zombie.

  Standing by my locker is Denny and Charlie, both girls laughing and joking about something. When I get closer they both look, motioning me over. When I get there both girls lean in giggling like they have the biggest secret ever.

  “Mr. Haynes is in Mr. Rogers’s classroom,’’ Denny sniggers.

  I raise my eyebrows at her wondering what the hell she’s getting at before she looks over to Charlie to take the stage. For a second before she starts speaking I remember the phone call Max had done with Mr Haynes’s wife. I’m hoping like hell he isn’t in there blaming me. I wouldn’t put it past the asshole; he’d blame me if his car broke down.

  “He’s in there shouting at him about you. Apparently, from what we could hear, Mr. Haynes is trying to get you kicked out of school.’’

  “That’s fucking stupid,’’ I yell, but quiet down when Charlie gives me a sharp look and Denny smacks my arm. “Hey, that hurt.’’

  “They were arguing pretty loudly that Principal Collins had to step in. Mr. Rogers has been fighting to get you to stay, telling them they have no grounds to expel you blah blah blah. I think Miss Collins just wants the school to look good, so she’s trying to calm Mr Haynes down, but he’s refusing to teach you now. With that picture of you being public knowledge it’s not looking good for the school, so Miss. Collins has no leg to stand on.’’

  “Oh fuck!’’ Denny gasps grabbing my arm tightly.

  “Ouch,’’ I snap moving my arm away from her. I’m starting to worry I’m going to have to file a complaint to the police about her abuse today. “I’m not going in there if that’s what you’re thinking. I haven’t done anything wrong. I have a few…’’

  “Um, Harlow… Mrs. Haynes is coming this way and she looks really fucking pissed,’’ Denny hisses getting my attention. My head whips around to see a tall, slender woman in her late forties storming our way. She’s wearing a grey charcoal suit with black pumps and her hair is a neat twisted bun at the back of her head. She’s beautiful and not someone I expected Mr. Haynes to be with. How is she married to him? She said her mom told her not to marry him, so it’s not from an arranged marriage or anything. Maybe it was a blind date?

  “Fredrick Haynes,’’ she yells moving closer to us and the classroom. My head swings back to the classroom door. Mr. Haynes’s turns his head to the door looking confused before walking towards it and opening it.

  It’s like watching a train wreck about to happen and you can’t do anything to stop it. I’m about to step in and own up to what happened last night and keep everyone else out of it, but then she screeches at the top of her lungs when she sees him. The whole school stops what they’re doing to get a look at what’s going on. A few even have their phones out and angled at the distraught woman.

  Denny, Charlie and I on the other hand are standing right next to them both, all of us wearing grim open mouthed expressions. My eyes keep diverting around the corridor, scared if I look at either of them they’ll verbally attack me. Okay, maybe not as much from Mrs. Haynes, but Mr. Haynes I wouldn’t put it past. He doesn’t need an excuse to verbally abuse me.

  “Honey, what are you doing here? Is everything okay?’’ he asks nervously, his feet shifting back and forth.

  “Is everything all right? IS EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT? No Fredrick, it is not fucking all right.’’

  “Maybe we should take this to my classroom,’’ he whispers, his forehead and upper lip dripping in sweat.

  “Oh no, I’m leaving you, you cheating bastard. I found these,’’ she yells shoving a stack of papers in his arms. He catches them looking confused until he sees what’s on them, his face draining of any colour. From here the papers look like bank statements, but I can’t be sure.

  “I can explain…’’ he starts, but Mrs. Haynes slaps him across the cheek, the sound echoing down the halls making everyone gasp. I even notice a few flashes from the camera phones a few kids were holding up, no doubt already uploading the picture onto Facebook.

  “How can you explain booking a hotel every two days at the very same time you’re supposed to be here teaching? I’m surprised I even found you here at all. I thought you might have been lying about your job too because let’s face it, you hate freaking kids.

  “Three years Fredrick, three fucking years you’ve been having an affair. And not just by someone half your age, but a young fucking male. You make me sick,’’ she roars, tears streaming down her face.

  My head snaps to Denny mouthing ‘what the fuck’ to her. There is no way Max’s prank last night could be remotely true. Not unless he knew about the affair and that’s why he did it.

  “I’m not seeing a…. Oh my Goodness Mariana. You really believe I would have sex with a boy?’’

  “You’ve been paying for him,’’ she sneers, her black mascara running down her cheeks.

  “Come on Mariana; let’s get you to my office,’’ the principal says, softly approaching her.

  Mrs. Haynes rears back, glaring at her. “Don’t come near me,’’ she says before focusing back on Mr. Haynes. “I’m going to make sure everyone knows about this Fredrick. I want a divorce. My mother always said never to marry you. After all, you still kissed your mom goodnight when we first dated, but even married you have to call her each night to say goodnight and for her to read you a bedtime fucking story,’’ she bites out.

  Everyone standing in the hall starts to laugh making Mr Haynes go bright red. His fists are clenched and the veins in his neck are popping out. The wild, venom look he has in his eyes as he surveys the room is lethal and has me taking a ste
p back not wanting to be caught up in the crossfire.

  “I’m sleeping with Lilly Mae Collins,’’ he shouts angrily looking wide eyed as soon as the name leaves his mouth.

  Everyone around us quiet down; only a few gasps can be heard. I’m confused as to who she is until the principle speaks up.

  “My daughter?’’ the principal whispers, her voice deadly when she takes a step towards him.

  “Yes… no… I…. look, it just happened.’’ He runs his fingers through his hair, clearly agitated with the situation. There’s no way he can retract what he said now that it’s out there in the open. I’d feel sorry for the guy if he wasn’t such a dickhead. This just proves my point.

  “Just happened? She turned nineteen a few months ago Fredrick and this affair has been going on for two years? Oh my Lord, she was your student then too. I’m going to be sick. I suggest you go pack your things Mr. Haynes then make your way to my office. I’m really sorry Mrs. Haynes. I didn’t have a clue.’’

  “Oh my God,’’ I whisper as I watch Mrs. Haynes nod, tears still streaming down her face. She gives one more look to Mr. Haynes, looking at him disgusted before turning around and leaving.

  “Get to your classes please students,’’ the principal shouts.

  I’m too shocked to move, but Denny shoves me into my shoulder snapping me out of it.

  “Need the loo,’’ is all she says before rushing off.

  “Come on, before we get detention,’’ Charlie says from beside me.

  I nod my head in agreement, too stunned to even speak. I’m about to walk into the classroom when I hear Malik shouting my name from down the hall. Turning I grin as I watch him run towards me. He really does look fit in his school uniform, but not as fit as he does out of it.

  “Is it true what I just heard?’’

  “Depends what you heard,’’ I chuckle.

  “That Mr Haynes is doing the principals daughter?’’

  “Yep, that’s true,’’ I shrug moving around him.

  He laughs for a second before catching up to me, his arms going around me pressing my back to his front.

  “Miss me?’’ he whispers into my neck. And just like that I’m putty in his hands. I melt into him, loving the feel of his fingers brushing lightly across my stomach over my shirt. Even through the material of my blouse my skin burns from his touch.

  “Ahum,’’ I mumble forgetting what he even asked me.

  He chuckles huskily, “Someone misses me,’’ he replies sounding arrogant.

  “Come on you two love birds you have registration,’’ Mr. Rogers chuckles.

  My face flames bright red and Malik just chuckles behind me, his chest vibrating against my back.

  By the time lunch time arrives everyone who wasn’t in the hallway this morning now knows about Mr Haynes and his private affairs. No one has seen Mrs. Collins since then either. Rumours are she’s gone home to talk to her daughter. Some students who know her have said she acts like the good nerdy girl who is obsessed with all her classes, but the real Lilly Mae is a slut bag. In fact, I’m sure I heard one girl call her the town’s bike and another said their mom wouldn’t let her babysit them once because she made a pass at their dad. How true these statements are I don’t know. I’ve never met the girl, but something has to ring true about them because I can’t even fathom what she sees in him.

  I can see the headlines now, ‘Mr. Haynes, school teacher, takes a ride on the town’s bike’ in the paper tomorrow morning. The way this town gossips I wouldn’t put it past the newspaper to print it. I read in one paper about delinquents not taking a sign saying ‘no walking on the grass’ seriously. I’m surprised Grandma’s friend Edna’s gnomes weren’t published in there.

  Forgetting to make up a packed lunch this morning, I’ve had to brave hot dinners. The line isn’t that long which doesn’t surprise me. The girl in front looks deep in thought as she stares between the spaghetti bolognaise - without the spaghetti - and what I think is supposed to be chicken and dumpling stew. Not liking the look of either, I grab a yogurt and a banana and make my way over to the tills.

  After I finish paying I turn to find the rest of the gang when an arm shoots out stopping me. The touch startles me causing me to jump and my tray to shake. My grip tightens on it hoping my so called food doesn’t fall to the floor. The thought of having the whole cafeteria staring at me and laughing again makes me want to vomit.

  “Hey, it’s Harlow isn’t it?’’ a girl I don’t recognize asks. Confused I look around to see if this is some sort of prank, but no one is looking over at us, so I relax a little but keep my guard up.

  “Yes? I’m sorry but who are you?’’

  “Oh, I’m in the year below you. My sister is in your year and I just wanted to let you know we understand what you’re going through. We went through the same thing a few years back. If you ever need to talk to someone we’re always around. I know what it’s like holding it all in,’’ she says before walking off, leaving me to stare at her retreating form wondering what the fuck just happened. I’m so busy staring at her that I don’t feel the body walking up behind me until I feel his hands sliding around my stomach.

  “Hey babe,’’ Malik breathes out, his lips skimming lightly over my neck. Stuck between wanting to pull away and sinking further into him, I decide to turn and face him instead.

  He’s looking down at me amused; his dimple in his left cheek popping out has me melting. I love his dimples. It’s one of my favourite things about him. Well, that and his body, but I also love how sensitive and caring he is deep down.

  Also, that around everyone else he is this quiet brooding type, but when he’s with me, alone, he opens up more and relaxes enough to just be himself. He’s never scared or worried that I will one day tell someone his secrets or how he really is and that means a lot to me. It means he’s as serious about us as I am about him.

  “Hey,’’ I grin.

  “Want to share my sandwiches?’’ he says frowning down at my attempt to have lunch.

  “Please,’’ I say dramatically. “I thought I was going to starve all day eating this. I’m pretty sure that yogurt is out of date too,’’ I frown.

  “Come on,’’ he chuckles grabbing the tray and throwing it in the nearest bin. He doesn’t even bother to remove the tray, he just leaves it sticking out of the bin like it’s disposable.

  “Hey,’’ everyone greets us once we sit down.

  Denny is sitting next to Myles, so Malik and I take a seat opposite them. There’s another lad I’ve seen with Myles a few times called Drew. I think someone said it’s short for Andrew.

  “Where’s Max?’’ I ask everyone.

  “Oh she misses me,’’ a voice booms behind me making me giggle. Everyone in the cafeteria stops to look over, but once they see Max thrusting his hips like he’s humping thin air behind me they turn back to their food.

  “Sit down dickhead,’’ Malik demands.

  “Okay boss,’’ he salutes, taking a seat on the other side of me.

  “So, you’re ready to ditch the boring brother to finally have some fun, huh?’’ Max teases me.

  “Max, there is nothing boring about your brother,’’ I tell him, emphasising the word boring.

  “Oh do tell Miss Evans.’’

  “Leave her alone,’’ Denny chuckles. “Plus, I want to know how the fuck you knew about… you know,’’ she whispers, leaning across the table so no one can hear her.

  “I didn’t know,’’ he laughs loudly. “I couldn’t believe it myself when someone tagged me in the video on Facebook. Poor woman! I reckon that chick Lilly is using him for his money because there is no way anyone would willingly want to sleep with Mr. Haynes,’’ he says shuddering, not caring who hears him. “For fuck sake, the dude farts after he cums,’’ he says more quietly.

  We all burst into a fit of giggles, more so when Myles and Denny make jokes up about it. They obviously spent all of last coming up with them.

  We’re all st
ill laughing when a shadow moves across the table.

  “I’m asking nicely for you to step back,’’ Max says seriously, all humour leaving his face.

  “Huh?’’ Hannah says scowling and I inwardly groan, too tired for a confrontation.

  “I don’t have a cross oh evil one,’’ he shouts then does something I can’t help but laugh at. He grabs the salt shaker and starts flicking it at her. She squeals stepping back away from him. When he sets down the salt shaker on the table, he turns back around smiling brightly at her.

  “That’s better. Now, what can we do for you?’’

  “Dickhead,’’ she snaps before her beady eyes turn to me. The evil gleam in her eye has me sitting up straight. Malik must notice too because his whole body tenses.

  “What Hannah? I really want to finish my food and I’m having trouble digesting with you near me,’’ Malik snaps sounding bored.

  “I just want to speak to Harlow,’’ she says sweetly, so sweetly that it makes me want to vomit. I can tell she’s up to something and whatever it is I know it’s not going to be good.

  “Well instead of looking at her like a clown with a forced smile, talk,’’ he barks making Max and the rest of the table chuckle.

  “I just wanted to say how sorry we are. If we knew how unstable you were we would never have spoken to you.’’

  “What are you talking about Hannah?’’ I growl, finally speaking up. The game she’s trying to play isn’t lost on me. I can tell she wants to run a mind game with me. The smug expression on her face is full proof of that and it’s starting to piss me off.

  “When those pictures were posted around school I got so worried,’’ she fakes dramatically, her hand over her black heart. “So I thought, hey, let’s see if we can do something to help her. I’m a giver you see.’’ Her voice is really grating on my nerves. If it wasn’t for the look on her face or the sarcastic bite to her tone, I’d actually believe she was generally concerned. Luckily I know better.

  “Funny, I heard you lay down on your back like a sack of potatoes.’’ Max’s comeback has a few people around us laughing, even my lips twitch, but I’m too on edge to crack a smile.