“Not yet. I’m sure he’ll be here in a bit.”
I look around the cafeteria as I sit down beside her, trying to see if he’s here.
“So I’m hearing all kinds of crazy shit about this guy. Most of which I don’t believe for a second. But… do you feel like telling me what I should know?” She pins me with a look and raises a brow.
“Not really,” I mutter. I look to the line forming for food. Part of me wants to join it just so I’ve got something to do but I already know that I’m not going to be able to eat anything.
“Har,” she sighs, sympathy filling her eyes as she wraps her fingers around my hand. “Let me help you.”
“It’s not that I don’t want that. I do. I just… I really don’t want to have to think about it, let alone talk about it.”
“I get it.” She squeezes my hand tighter “I’m here, whenever you’re ready. But can I ask just one question?”
“Sure.”
“He didn’t actually… kill anyone, did he?”
I can’t help the laugh that bubbles up my throat at the thought of Kyle actually killing anyone.
“No, Rubes. As far as I’m aware, he’s never killed anyone.”
“He went to juvie though, right?”
“That’s two questions,” I point out. “But yeah, he’s done a year.”
“Right, and—” I raise a brow at her in amusement that her one question is now turning into three but her words are cut off when everyone around us falls silent. “Shit,” she breathes.
My entire body tenses, my temperature increases a few degrees and my need to run almost gets the better of me once more.
It’s only been a few hours and he’s already getting under my skin. And I swear he’s not even trying.
Swallowing down my apprehension, I suck in a breath and lift my eyes.
My brother is standing before us with none other than Kyle fucking Legend by his side.
My teeth grind as the two of them stand together as if the years haven’t passed and they’re still close. I swear to God, if he knew about this, I’ll fucking kill him. If he knew and didn’t warn me. If he knew and… and is okay with this then…” My fists curl, my nails digging into my palms until it hurts so much, I’m convinced I’ve drawn blood.
“Guys, this is Kyle. He’s a fucking kick-ass running back.” He directs his words to Jake, but I don’t miss his eyes very briefly flick to me. “He’s starting as a junior. You’re going to want him on the team next year.”
“Legend, yeah, I know all about your performance,” Jake says, his eyes lighting up with excitement. It’s no secret that he’s worried about the team who are going to proceed him and the rest of the seniors that are about to graduate.
“This is bullshit, Zayn,” I snap, standing from my seat before my brain has even processed what’s just happened.
Zayn’s concerned eyes turn on me at the same time Kyle’s amused ones do.
“Har, it’s okay.”
“Are you fucking kidding me? Did you know about this?” I fume as tears burn the backs of my eyes.
“No, I had no idea until this morning.”
“You know Mom did this, right?”
“Do you really want to do this here?” he asks me quietly, glancing at the crowd around us.
“I can’t believe you.” My lips curl in disgust that he’s happily accepting Kyle into his life, his team, this easily.
“You’re making a bigger deal out of this than there needs to be.” My jaw drops as I hear his voice for the first time since that night.
My eyes snap to his light blue ones and my teeth grind. My chest heaves as we stare at each other. Something crackles between us, something I remember from that night, but I force it aside. Nothing good came of that night and nothing will now.
“This is bullshit, Zayn. But it’s good to know where your loyalties lie.”
“Harley, wait,” Zayn calls as I finally do what I’ve wanted to do all day. I run.
“Harley, what’s—” I dodge Poppy as she tries to intercept my escape from the cafeteria and bolt down the half-empty hallway.
I have no idea where I’m going, but that’s not important now. I just need to get away from him and my memories of that night.
It was just supposed to be a party like all the others I’d been to in Harrow Creek. Maybe it was naïve of us to think we could turn up once we’ve moved and to be treated like we always were… like one of them.
The main door to the football stadium is open when I get there.
The entire place is deserted, just as I hoped as I climb the steps between the bleachers and find myself a seat at the top.
I drop my ass to one of the red plastic seats and lower my head into my hands.
The tears I’ve been fighting all morning finally come.
He isn’t supposed to be here, and my own mother shouldn’t have been the one to help it happen.
Betrayal wraps around my chest, making it hard to breathe.
None of this is my fault. I was the victim that night, I still shouldn’t be the one suffering now.
But it wasn’t his fault either, was it? a little voice in my head screams. Yet, he paid the ultimate price.
By some miracle, no one finds me before the bell rings.
Math.
The last place in the world I want to be. The only thing that would make it worse would be having him in class.
Groaning, I pull a compact mirror from my purse and set about fixing my makeup.
By the time I push open my classroom door, I’m late.
All eyes turn on me but I keep my stare on the floor as I mutter my apologies to Mr. Wilson and make my way to my desk.
I pull out my books and get started on the instructions that are on the board for us without looking at or talking to anyone.
I stare at the equation in the textbook that I’m supposed to be solving and all the numbers, letters, and symbols start swirling around the page as my head begins to spin.
I fucking hate math.
I try. I try as hard as I can until my only reaction is to want to curl up in a ball and admit defeat.
I hate that I can’t do this. Everyone else around me makes it seem so easy. Zayn and my older sister Letty, both make it seem so easy. I always feel like the stupid young one when we’re all together.
They’ve both always got top grades in everything, seemingly without even trying yet I work my butt off and I’m still borderline failing.
I sigh, resting back in my chair and closing my eyes.
I hate feeling like a failure. It makes me feel weak, and I’m not weak.
Finally, after Mr. Wilson gives us all an insane amount of homework the bell rings and everyone begins to pack up their stuff and leave.
“Harley, could I speak with you a moment?” he calls across the room before I manage to escape.
The knot in my stomach grows as I walk toward him.
“What’s up, sir?”
“We need to talk about your latest test.” All the air whooshes from my lungs.
“That good, huh?”
“Harley, we both know you’ve been struggling all year. I know you hate the idea of it, but I really think you need to get some extra help.”
The words I always say to him when he brings this up fall from my lips. “I’m fine, thank you.”
“Harley,” he sighs, sitting back in his chair and crossing one leg over the other. “That wasn’t a suggestion. I’m putting your name in for tutoring. I’ve got some fantastic students in my AP statistics classes that would be great for you.”
“It’s okay. Zayn can help.”
“Harley,” he says a little more sternly than before. “You need some help. This is only going to get harder as we move into senior year. You can’t wait any longer.”
“But—”
“You’ll get an invitation to meet whoever you are matched with in a few days. You can organize between yourselves how often, when and where you meet, but rest assure
d, I will be checking that you do so, and I will be expecting to see an improvement in this.” He presses two fingers against last week’s test paper that’s on his desk and he slides it my way.
I try to swallow over the huge lump in my throat as I stare down at the huge F on the front right by my name.
As much as I want to argue with him right now, I know that I don’t have a leg to stand on. And if Mom finds out about me failing a test, I really won’t have a choice. She’s offered to get me a paid tutor time and time again, but I always manage to put her off. I fear that my struggles and my avoidance is about to bite me in the ass with a sharp pair of teeth.
“I won’t let you down,” I mutter as I snatch up my test and bolt to the door.
“You’re a good student, Harley. Don’t let one grade drag you down.”
His words ring out in my ears as I walk away and out to the parking lot.
We usually have cheer practice now, but seeing as we’ve got the week off, I make my escape knowing that everyone will probably want to go to Aces, and right now, I really don’t want to be around anyone, and I certainly don’t want to see my brother as he shoves his old best friend into the middle of our new lives.
Mom’s car is in the driveway when I pull up, the sight of it is almost enough to make me turn around and go elsewhere but I know I can’t put this off forever. It seems she may have already been keeping secrets for a little too long.
I slam the front door harder than necessary to announce my arrival and within seconds, I hear her soft footsteps on the hardwood.
The moment she rounds the corner, I close the distance between us.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I seethe, my blood boiling beneath my skin. “Why didn’t you tell me you were helping him? Why? Why would you let me walk in blind to that situation?”
“Harley,” she says softly, pissing me off even more. “You know I can’t discuss clients with you.”
“Bullshit, Mom,” I spit, much to her irritation. “This is my life. Screw your job.”
“Harley, I understand you’re annoyed but—”
“Annoyed? Annoyed? That doesn’t even come close, Mom. I walked into English lit and there he was. No freaking warning whatsoever.”
“In my defense, I thought he was starting next week.”
“Convenient,” I mutter, spinning away from her and pulling my red hair back from my face.
“It’s true. Now that Kane has guardianship, I’m not involved. Bea has taken over his case. I’m sorry, Harley.”
“No,” I say, staring into her dark eyes. “No. Not good enough. Why did you even agree to help them?”
“Because it’s the right thing to do and you know it. You said it yourself that Kyle didn’t do anything wrong that night so why wouldn’t I help when Kane came to me?”
“You knew that he’d hate me when he got out. You knew that he’d blame me for ruining his life.” While he may not have been the one to cause my pain that night, he was still there. He knew what was going on and he let it happen nonetheless.
She swallows as guilt passes across her face.
“It wasn’t your fault, Harley.”
“You think I don’t know that? I’m the one who has to live with the memories of that night. He has every right to hate me.”
“I’m sure he doesn’t—”
“Were you there? Did you see the way he looked at me?”
“Well, no.”
“This was the wrong thing to do, Mom. I know you want to save every kid out there with a messed-up life, but you should have stayed clear of this one. Does Letty know you’ve been helping Kane?”
She swallows nervously once more.
“Great, so at least I can rest easy knowing that you’ve been lying to all three of us. You need to tell her. She deserves to know as much as I did that the Legends have moved to Rosewood.”
“It doesn’t matter to Letty. She’s off at college enjoying herself.”
I shake my head at her. “If you really believe that then maybe you’re not as smart as you make out.”
“Harley,” Mom snaps, hurt clear in her voice.
My mom has always been my hero, the only person I’ve ever looked up to. What she’s achieved, it’s… incredible. But right now, I’m struggling to even look at her.
“I’ll be in my room,” I mutter, stalking toward the stairs.
I throw myself on my bed after kicking my sneakers off and bury my face in my pillow to muffle the scream that rips from my throat.
Memories of that night hit me. I can smell the heavy mix of weed and cigarette smoke as if I’m right back there. I remember his hands on me and how his touch burned my skin. I remember how the room spun around me before everything started to get totally out of control. I remember the other pair of hands, the panic, the exact moment the desire thrumming beneath my skin turned into something else entirely. I remember how desperately I wanted to get away but Letty was no longer in sight and no matter how much I wanted to scream for help, I couldn’t because I was losing control.
I knew making that phone call would be a death wish. People who live in Harrow Creek don’t call the police. We don’t rely on others—even the law—to fight our battles. So the second I hit dial, I knew it was the beginning of the end. I just wish they got the right guy.
It’s not until a knock rattles my bedroom door a while later that I realize that I must have fallen asleep. So much for the homework sitting in my bag.
I flip onto my back and look up at the ceiling as Zayn calls out.
“Har? Can I come in?”
The sound of his deep voice has everything that’s happened today slamming back into me.
Kyle Legend is once again part of my life.
I slam my head back against the pillow and squeeze my eyes shut.
“Yeah, come in,” I shout back reluctantly.
The door cracks open and he slips inside before closing it again.
“I had no idea, Har. I swear.”
I blow out a breath and continue staring at the ceiling, refusing to look at him.
“You could have fooled me the way you hyped him up to the team.”
“What would you rather I did, ignore him? Kyle’s not a bad person and you know it.”
“Do I?”
“Har,” he warns, walking closer and sitting on the edge of my bed. “He’s just spent a year in juvie.”
“I know,” I spit. “I put him there, remember?”
“No, I’m pretty sure the blow in his pockets was what put him there,” he mutters.
“I was the one who made the call. I set the events of that night into motion.”
“No,” he says, reaching for my hand but I snatch it away. I don’t want his support or comfort right now. I just want to be alone. “None of that was your fault.”
“Try telling Kyle that.”
“He’s fine about it, Har. He just wants to get on with his life.”
My shock at his words has my eyes snapping to his.
“You’re shitting me. Did you see the way he looked at me earlier?”
“He told me, Harley. He doesn’t hold any of this against you.”
“Then he’s lying. Ask Ruby and Ashton. They’ll tell you exactly how he looked at me.”
“He was probably just shocked. He just wants to start over. Graduate. Move on. You need to do the same thing.”
With him giving me death stares every time I see him? Yeah, I’m sure that’ll be easy.
“Fine,” I sigh, knowing that it’s pointless arguing with him.
3
Kyle
I sit in the middle of a diner surrounded by members of the Rosewood High Bears and sitting next to my old best friend, Zayn Hunter.
When he walked over earlier with a wide smile on his face, I wasn’t sure if it was a joke.
The night I ended up in the back of a cop car… he has every right to hate me for what went down before I was carted away.
That’s if he knows what actuall
y happened, of course.
But it seems it was genuine because no sooner had he accepted me into his new life, then he introduced me to the team and ensured I got my ass to their conditioning session after school.
I know Kane had talked about me joining the team, but I just wanted to keep my head down and get on with graduating, seems that isn’t what’s going to be happening because I’ve been thrust right into the center of Rosewood’s royal circle.
“So you just got out of juvie?” a guy with dark hair and even darker eyes sitting opposite me asks. Everyone else has kept the gossiping about me behind my back today, although not very discreetly. But this guy doesn’t seem to give a shit about beating around the bush.
“Yeah. I did a year,” I say.
He nods in understanding, and I’m relieved when I find no judgment there.
“I’m Ash. I only started here on Monday.”
“So I’m not the only one in this group to be adopted recently then,” I say with a smirk.
“Think they’d befriend anyone who can throw a ball right now.”
“Way to make me feel special,” I mutter much to his amusement.
“So what’s the deal with you and Harley then?” he asks, shocking the fuck out of me.
“Uh…”
“Ruby, her best friend, she’s my girl.” He nods toward where the cheer squad are sitting at another table and a small brunette girl’s eyes light up the second she sees him.
I want to say I recognize her, but I’ve seen so many new people today that all the faces are blurring into one, the only clear one in my mind is hers. It’s the same one I’ve focused on for a fucking year.
I was looking after her that night. I never would have let anything happen to her, yet she called the cops anyway and screwed me over.
“We’ve got history,” I say with a shrug, dragging my soda closer and taking a swig.
“As in exes?”
I almost spray him with my drink. “No, nothing like that.” Not really.
Images from that night before the shit hit the fan fill my mind and I shift in my seat as my cock swells at the memory of her sitting astride my lap.
Harley’s beautiful, I’ve never been able to deny that. But more importantly, she was always my boy’s little sister. Off-limits, no matter what.
LEGEND: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Rosewood High Book 7) Page 3
