HIDDEN CREEK DARKNESS: a hidden creek high novel

by Kidman, Jaxson

  Not that I thought Brando had anything to do with Aira.

  I just needed to sniff around and show my face to let it be known that if they were going to cross the lines into Hidden, they were going to pay.

  We had no problem throttling our motorcycles right up into the parking lot of the stadium. Yeah, I said stadium. These motherfuckers had a legit football stadium at their disposal.

  I walked right through the giant archway and lit up another cigarette.

  Flynn and Leo were behind me, eyes peeled just in case we were spotted a little too soon.

  We walked by the ticket booth and right into the stadium on the ground level.

  Hell, we could have jumped the steel gate right there in front of us and walked out to the field.

  Instead, I stopped and watched.

  The lights were all turned on, the field a bright green color. Perfectly painted white lines from goalpost to goalpost.

  And there was Brando.

  Tough guy macho rich shit, standing shirtless in shorts, licking his fingers with one hand and spinning a football in his other hand. He scanned the field left to right and slowly dropped back, avoiding anyone that ran toward him. He was fast and accurate, locking in on his star receiver. Maverick wasn’t built like Brando. Maverick was built for speed with long arms and he dove for the catch, snatching it out of midair.

  A bunch of screeches echoed from the bleachers.

  These fucking girls up here were brainwashed with this shit.

  Thinking it was so cool.

  Hell, I probably should have brought an umbrella because they were going to start dripping out of their panties soon.

  Maverick hit the ground hard and rolled.

  Another guy was right there, throwing his shoulder into the ground at Maverick.

  The hit was hard and Brando instantly started to run.

  “Motherfucker!” Brando yelled. “Someone take Del out.”

  Maverick climbed to his feet, rubbing his shoulder.

  Two thick guys went after Del, pummeling him in a second.

  “Not bad,” I said. “Let’s go.”

  I walked from the cover of the bleachers and swung my leg over the steel fence and jumped down to the sidelines.

  “You can’t do that!” some chick yelled.

  I turned and showed my middle finger.

  Pigtails, pom pom carrying, sparkly eyes with glitter on her cheeks… she gasped and quickly cupped her hands to her mouth.

  “Brando!” she yelled.

  Brando turned his head and looked right at me.

  I took a drag of my cigarette and flicked it to the ground.

  “Oh, I’m fucking ready for this,” Flynn said.

  I walked right onto the field.

  Their field.

  Brando and Maverick charged right for us.

  The two meat necks that took down Del lifted him up and threw him in our direction.

  They needed all the bodies they could get.

  In about ten seconds we were facing off with ten guys.

  Ten on three.

  That was fine with me.

  “What the fuck do you want?” Brando asked. “You get lost on your way home?”

  “Just checking out the competition,” I said. “You know, Ryder has a hell of an arm. Can’t wait to see HCH take on you pussies.”

  “Wildcats,” Del said.

  “Oh, that’s right,” I said, snapping my fingers.

  “Save it, Jackson,” Brando said. “You have three seconds to tell me why you’re here.”

  “See, I knew you were going to say that,” I said. “If you really wanted to take us down you would have. Something tells me you heard what Jacob did. I mean, not from him, right? I don’t think he can talk yet.”

  “He’s healing up,” Maverick said. “You got your shots. Leave it at that.”

  “Can’t do that,” I said. “He stepped over a line.”

  “I mean, let’s be fair, Jackson,” Brando said with a grin. “Hidden Creek High… the girls just open their legs. You can smell it from a mile away. I mean, don’t any of you know how to properly fuck?”

  “Ask your mother,” Flynn said.

  Brando stepped forward.

  I put my hand out. “Before we get to that. I’m asking you, Brando, has anyone else from your crew been messing around in Hidden? Not just the party.”

  “Man, fuck that party,” Maverick said. “We weren’t even there. Dylan got the scoop on it from his ‘rents and it was lame as shit. No desire to get a cheap blowjob and be itchy for days. You know?”

  “Tell your mother to use mouthwash next time,” Flynn said.

  “What’s with you fucking everyone’s mother, dude?” Maverick asked.

  “He’s got a point,” I said to Flynn. “Lay off the mother fucking stuff.”

  “Get the fuck off my field,” Brando said. “Your time is up.”

  “Not even close,” I said. “You didn’t answer my question.”

  “I did,” Maverick said.

  “I’ll go back and finish the job on Jacob,” I said. “Maybe I’ll stick around and ask everyone if they’ve been messing around in Hidden. How’s that sound? Or I could make a phone call and have some other people come up here.”

  Maverick moved toward me.

  Brando shot an arm out and stopped him. “You want to risk your life by being here, Jackson? Go for it. It’s a different world up here.”

  “Just the same as in Hidden. And I’m not going to let anyone mess with that.”

  “Who do you think is messing around?” Brando asked.

  We were just a foot from each other now.

  I knew the severity of what we were doing and where we were.

  But this wasn’t a time to be logical.

  This was about action and finding out who was messing with Aira.

  I looked at Flynn and nodded.

  “I can say it now?” he asked.

  “Say it,” I said.

  “Your mother is messing around,” Flynn said.

  Brando started to laugh. “That’s good. You motherfuckers show up and mess up my practice for this? Look, you know we weren’t at that party. No desire, as my boy Mav said. And we heard about what happened to Jacob. Now that’s a problem for you because of who his family is and who he’s tied to up here. He’s not tied to us though. You want to wander around and ask questions? Have at it. But it’s at your own risk. Because I’m telling you again, get the fuck out of here.”

  “I will take your entire school down, Brando,” I said. “This is your courtesy visit.”

  “Hey, I understand. But you understand our position, right?”

  “Which is?” I asked.

  “I don’t know what you think you saw with Jacob… but that little whore had been begging him all night. And they were just playing a little game. At least that’s what I heard.”

  Leo grabbed my right arm as I jumped at Brando.

  He was fast to throw a punch, clipping my jaw.

  Just enough to turn my head and remind me this could end up really bad really fast.

  I grabbed for Brando but he wasn’t wearing a shirt so it was damn near impossible to get my hands on him. But as he tried to fuck around and dance back, I snuck a left fist to his jaw as payback. Not my strongest punch but enough that it stopped him in his place.

  “Let’s go,” Leo said to me, pulling at my shoulder. “Message sent and received.”

  “You come near her again and…”

  “I have no fucking idea what you’re talking about, Jackson,” Brando said. “If you think we care and have the time to deal with you pieces of trash down in Hidden, you’re out of your mind.”

  Flynn stepped in front of me. “Come on. We can do this another way.”

  I backed away, leaving Brando and his jock buddies standing there.

  As we walked toward the bleachers, the same pigtail bitch was now leaning against the railing, looking down at us.

  “See you later, scumba
gs,” she said.

  Without warning, Leo made a daring jump and grabbed the railing. He pulled himself up and made this growling sound that made me laugh. But it scared the hell out of the girl. She jumped back and fell against the bleachers. Her legs were almost up in the air but her dress was all the way up.

  “Someone likes yellow,” I called out, referring to her panties.

  Leo jumped back down.

  Brando said something to his guys because they all started to run after us.

  “Fuck,” I said. “Time to go for real now.”

  We started to run.

  We all looked at each other.

  We nodded.

  I turned and swung a fist, smashing the window to the ticket booth. The thin glass shattered all around me.

  “Get those motherfuckers!” Brando’s voice boomed.

  They all ran and the only two that had a chance at getting to us were Maverick and Del.

  I lit up a cigarette and took a drag before turning and gently trotting backwards.

  Flynn and Leo took off to get to their rides.

  I was buying a little time for them.

  Maverick closed in and I flicked my cigarette at him.

  “Have a smoke and calm down,” I said. “Asshole.”

  Maverick swatted his hands like a bee was attacking him.

  I couldn’t have planned it better if I tried as Del barreled right into the back of Maverick. He had been running head down, for whatever reason.

  Maverick stumbled forward as Del fell to the ground.

  Del grabbed for Maverick and he turned, kicking at Del to get away.

  Brando caught up, jogging, his eyes stuck on mine.

  “Stay away from my town,” I warned.

  “Not unless I need a cheap fuck from one of your whores,” Brando said.

  “Bring the fight, Brando. Bring the fucking war if you want.”

  He kept jogging toward me and I turned to catch up with Flynn and Leo.

  I heard the rumble of their motorcycle engines as they cut from the parking lot up over the curb and darted toward Brando and his guys. That forced them to not only stop but retreat back.

  When I got on my ride, I waited for Flynn and Leo to finish up and then I led the way out of there.

  I hated everything about BFH.

  But there was plenty I hated more though.

  Starting with the simple fact that I wanted Aira’s heart back again.

  * * *

  I sent Flynn and Leo home.

  That meant Flynn would shoot home, then text and convince Charlotte to dart out of Aira’s place so they could have the rest of the night together.

  I rode home to check on Ma and she was asleep on the couch, a plate of half eaten food on the table in front of her. I turned the TV volume down and just left her there.

  I grabbed the keys to my SUV and drove to Aira’s.

  As I sat outside the house, I shot her a text.

  meet out back

  I stayed down on the first step and helped myself to a cigarette as I waited for her.

  When Aira came out of the house, she was wearing what looked like nothing but a hoodie. It was one of my hoodies. Hell, it was my favorite one. The thing was like a thick blanket and she definitely wore it better than I ever could.

  “Hey,” she said, her hands balled up into fists at the end of the long sleeves.

  “Hey, darling,” I said. “How’s your night?”

  “Great,” she said.

  “Everyone naked and throwing pillows?”

  “No,” she said. “We’re playing a kissing game where you write down a body part you want kissed and then someone chooses your name and a body part.”

  “What?” I asked.

  Aira shook her head. “You guys are so gross. Honestly.”

  “I needed to see you again.”

  “And here I magically appeared,” Aira said as she stepped down the steps.

  I took a deep breath and tossed my cigarette away.

  I wanted to taste her instead.

  I put my hand out and she slowly took it.

  When I pulled her, she had no choice but to jump off the steps and into my arms.

  As I hugged her, I took another deep breath, smelling her.

  “Wes,” she whispered. She put her hands to my shoulders and pushed. “I have to get back inside.”

  I put her on the second step and nodded. “Right. Don’t want to keep your ladies waiting.”

  Aira stepped back and up. Her right hand reached for my face. Her fingertips touched for a second.

  “You’re not bleeding anywhere,” she said. “Does that mean…”

  “Don’t worry about what it means,” I said. “I’m narrowing this down.”

  “Please, don’t get hurt.”

  “Because you worry about me, right? You care about me. You love me.”

  Aira swallowed hard and nodded.

  She worried. She cared. She loved.

  But not enough to be with me again.

  I watched her barefoot slide against the top step.

  That’s when I lost it.

  I charged up the steps and slipped my right hand behind her neck.

  Her hands went to my chest as she let out a gasp.

  I put my mouth to hers for a goodnight kiss that would keep both of us up all night.

  When I broke away from Aira, I turned and jumped from the steps to the sand. I walked around to the front of the house just as Charlotte was walking down the steps from the front door.

  “Use protection,” I called out.

  Charlotte jumped. “Wes? You scared me.”

  “I tend to do that to people.”

  Charlotte put her hand to her chest. “Aira seems fine.”

  “Yeah, she does. Enjoy the rest of your night.”

  “You too,” she said.

  She walked to her car and I looked back at the house.

  I licked my lips and tasted Aira’s lips still. For the first time in as long as I could remember I had no desire for a cigarette. I just wanted the taste of her all night.

  That’s when I knew what I needed to do next for Aira.

  Chapter 17

  Aira

  He waited at my locker after every class.

  He walked me to lunch and then back to my locker.

  At the end of the day he walked me outside and made sure I was good with Kailey. Even then, he stood and waited until I was gone.

  My eyes casually looked in the mirror over and over as I drove away.

  “You okay?” Kailey asked.

  “What? Yeah. I’m fine.”

  “He’s intense right now.”

  “Who?”

  “Who? Seriously? Wes. He’s everywhere you are right now. Don’t think I don’t see it.”

  “Oh,” I said. “Yeah.”

  “What’s the deal with you two? I mean… back together?”

  “No,” I said.

  “You still love him though.”

  “Yeah.”

  “And he loves you. It’s pretty obvious.”

  “How so?”

  “I can’t say.”

  “Why?”

  “I just can’t say,” Kailey said.

  “You better say or else I’m going to make you walk home.”

  “Okay. But you can’t get mad.”

  “I’ll do my best,” I said. “Just tell me.”

  “Well, before you came back… okay?”

  “Okay,” I said.

  “Wes didn’t fall in love. Like ever. There was never love.”

  “So?”

  “Aira, he loves you. That’s crazy to think. That Weslee Jackson loves someone. And even if he had a girlfriend, when they broke up, he was with someone else in no time.”

  “Good to know,” I said.

  “I’m not telling you to get you mad or jealous. I’m telling you the truth. He really loves you. For everything he’s doing. I’ve never seen this side of him before.”

  “Yeah,
well, I’ve never seen this side of myself either.”

  “That’s okay. You have a lot going on.”

  “A lot? I can’t figure out what’s going on, Kail. Or why. Is someone just being a dick to me? Or is someone going to try and hurt me?”

  “I wish I had an answer for you,” Kailey said. “But you have Wes. I think he’d do anything for you.”

  “That scares me too.”

  “I know.”

  I took Kailey home and then had to dart to Julia’s to get changed and go to work. The whole having a job thing to prove a point was starting to get old already. It really sucked that Ryland was able to come and go as he pleased since Eddie was his uncle, but I was determined to prove I could take care of myself. It was actually partially because of Julia too. The way she worked and fought and kept her life in order with the bakery. It was amazing to see.

  So I went to work.

  I walked through the kitchen and Bratly pointed right at me.

  “There’s my girl,” he called out. “How are you, Aira doll?”

  “Hey, Brat,” I said.

  “Got good news for you.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  “Your buddy was here and gone already.”

  “My buddy?” I asked as I dug around in my bag for a pen.

  “Ryland,” Bratly said.

  “He was here?”

  “Here and gone. Between you and me, him and Eddie got into it a little.”

  “Over what?” I asked.

  “Nah, come on now, I don’t do the gossipy thing.”

  “You brought it up,” I said.

  “Damn. I did.” Bratly stroked his chin. “I don’t know. Something about money. I think Ryland was trying to get his hands on some cash. Teenagers, huh? Probably looking for some drinking money.”

  “Yeah,” I said.

  Why the hell would Ryland need money? He was rich. Filthy rich.

  I went to the front of the diner and saw Eddie guarding the register.

  That wasn’t like him.

  He was always running around the place.

  And here’s the thing… he didn’t move from the register at all.