As I start walking with him, with Jax and Zay behind us, I’ll admit it feels a bit weird. Not just because I’m walking into school with people, but because I’m not super stoned and don’t have my earbuds in.
It’s not too bad, though. At least, it isn’t at first. But then one of the guys standing around the SUV calls out, “Who’s the new girl?”
I stiffen, even though it seems like such a simple question. But it’s like a nervous tick linked to all those years of being bullied, I think.
“None of your goddamn business, Porter,” Zay calls out in a tone that would probably send a chill up most people’s spine, but this Porter dude just grins.
He pushes away from the SUV that he was leaning against and starts toward us, his thick boots scuffing against the pavement. He has short, dark hair that’s a bit longer on the top and brushed back, and a few metal piercings ornament his brow and lips. To be honest, he looks like he could be friends with Hunter, Zay, and Jax, but Zay already told me he was an enemy of theirs, something that’s made fairly clear as they all give him dirty looks as he approaches us.
Then they slow to a stop, tension rippling from their bodies.
Porter appears unfazed, an easy smile spreading across his face. “Relax,” he says as he stops in front of us. “I just came over here to introduce myself.” His gaze lands on me then as he sticks out his hand. “I’m Porter Averlyson. My father owns all the car dealerships in Honeyton.”
Hunter lets out a soft, disdainful laugh while Jax rolls his eyes. Zay, however, appears to be even more irritated.
“Nobody here gives a shit who your father is.”
“I wasn’t talking to you,” he says to Zay while grinning at me. “I was talking to this beautiful girl whose name I still don’t know.”
I’m partly annoyed at this dude and partly suspicious, not just because he seems to be attempting to be nice to me, but also because it seems like he’s using the act of being nice to irritate the guys. Why, I’m not sure, but that suspicion is enough for me not to shake his hand. Besides, who shakes hands anymore?
“Well?” Porter says while looking at me expectantly.
“Well, what?” I ask him in a bored tone.
Jax laughs softly from behind me while Hunter rubs his hand across his mouth, I think to conceal a smile. Zay just crosses his arms, a ghost of a smirk playing at his lips.
“Guess she’s not interested in introductions with you, so why don’t you go back to your friends and save yourself from more humiliation?” Zay tells him with a smirk.
For a flash of an instant, Porter’s smile falters, anger flickering in his eyes as he glances at Zay. Then he recovers, his grin returning as he looks at me. “I’m going to figure your name out, beautiful girl. Because, when I want something, I won’t stop until I get it.” He winks at me in a way that causes my heart to skip a beat, and not in a good way.
“Did he just threaten me?” I ask as Porter spins back around and returns to his friends, who are all looking at him like they have no idea what’s going on.
“No … I think it was more of a threat to us,” Hunter mumbles with a frown.
Zay’s gaze is glued to Porter. “It definitely was.”
The corners of Porter’s lips twitch when he notices Zay looking at him.
“He wants to get his ass kicked,” Zay says in a low tone. He stares at Porter for a beat longer before turning and striding by us, heading for the school.
Sighing, Jax hurries after him with his books tucked under one arm. “Great, here comes the drama,” he utters.
Hunter gives me an apologetic look. “Sorry about that.”
“You don’t need to be sorry,” I tell him as we start across the parking lot again, the wind nipping at my arms. “You guys didn’t do anything. And honestly, I’m not even really sure what just happened.”
I sneak a glance over my shoulder at Porter. He’s leaning against the back of the SUV with his foot propped up on the bumper. His friends have gone back to their conversation, but Porter is staring right at me so that, when I look at him, our gazes briefly lock. The corner of his lips kick up into a half-smirk that causes my confusion to double, and I look away as my brows dip.
“What just happened is that one of our enemies made a statement,” Hunter explains as he retrieves his phone out of his pocket.
“What sort of statement?” I wonder.
He reads something on the screen then pockets the phone, his blue-eyed gaze landing on me. “That you’re free game.”
“What the heck?” I hiss. “Free game for what?”
He sucks on his lip ring with a contemplative look on his face. “You’re new, and you’re spending time with us, yet you’re not officially part of our group yet. At least, that’s how Porter sees it, which means he’s going to go after you.”
Great. I knew this whole not-being-bullied-in-this-new-town thing wasn’t going to happen, even though I desperately wanted it to.
“Should I be worried?” I ask. “I mean, I’ve been bullied before, but there are different levels of it, you know.”
A bit of sympathy flickers in his eyes but quickly dissipates when he frowns. “I didn’t mean he was going to bully you. I meant he was going to try to claim you.”
I scrunch my nose. “Claim me for what?”
He shakes his head with his teeth sunk into his bottom lip. “You’re so fucking innocently cute. I seriously don’t know what to do with it.”
I blast him with a dirty look. “I’m not innocent or cute, dude.”
He wavers, scrubbing his hand across his jawline. “You’re definitely cute. And as for the innocence thing, you may not be it with some things, but I think you’re definitely innocent when it comes to guys.”
Now I just feel like a dumbass, mostly because what he’s saying is true. And I don’t like how much he can see of me.
“I’m going to get to class,” I mumble then quicken my pace.
He rushes after me, lightly touching my arm as we reach the curb. “I’m sorry if I upset you,” he tells me, gently pulling me to a stop.
I spin around to face him, the wind slowly kicking up and blowing leaves into the air and making strands of his hair dance around his face.
He’s so pretty.
I quickly shake the thought from my head. Stop being weird, Raven.
“You don’t need to be sorry.” I fold my arms around myself. “I just need to get to class.”
He offers me a small smile. “I know, but I just want to make sure you’re not mad at me. I don’t think you’re naïve or anything. In fact, I think you’re extremely smart. I just …” He hesitates. “Look, all I meant by Porter trying to claim you is that he’s probably going to try to get you to go out with him.”
I snort a laugh. “You’re kidding, right?”
A quizzical line forms between his brows. “Why would I kid about something like that?”
I shrug. “Because there’s no way that guy would want to date me.”
“Why would you think that?” he wonders. “I mean, I don’t want you to date him, but I’m curious to know why you think the possibility of him wanting to date you is so crazy.”
I shift my weight and shrug. “Because he’s an FH.”
His mouth quirks upward. “And you’re not?”
“No,” I annunciate the word.
He eyes me over curiously. “You really believe that, don’t you?”
“It doesn’t really matter to me whether or not I’m an FH,” I say, avoiding the question, “because I don’t care if I am or not.”
“And now you’re avoiding the question.”
What is he? A freakin’ mind reader or something?
“I’m not an FH. And I don’t care if I am.”
He steps toward me. “Yeah, you are one. But it’s okay if you don’t want to agree with me yet. I’m not going to force you to do anything you don’t want to do.” He takes another step toward me and tucks a strand of my hair behind my ear, causing fl
utters of confusion to dance through me. “And being an FH doesn’t need to matter to you, but as your BFF, I do need to tell you that you are beautiful and totally beyond fuckable. I thought that from the second I saw you in the office.” He smiles at me, and this strange sense of familiarity washes over me.
I can’t help thinking about that dream I had about the blond-haired boy and how he sort of reminded me of Hunter. But it was just a dream. And even if it wasn’t, it doesn’t mean that the blond-haired boy was him.
Then I realize what he just said to me, and my cheeks start to warm. I don’t know what the hell to do with it. I hardly ever get embarrassed anymore, but right now, I’m definitely veering toward that direction.
I’m about to bail, run off like a freak, go around the school and smoke until I can’t feel the warmth on my cheeks anymore, but again, I swear Hunter knows what I’m thinking because he says, “Let’s get you to class, okay?”
I nod, relief washing through me.
He smiles at me, and I smile back, feeling a bit better.
I wish the feeling could last, but as we head inside, I take one last glimpse over my shoulder and any relief I felt fizzles when I find that Porter is still staring at me, this time with a huge grin on his face.
5
Raven
Jax and Zay are waiting for us when Hunter and I enter the school. Jax is leaning against the wall near the display cases, but he straightens when we walk in. Zay is on his phone, reading what I assume is either a really intense article or a text from someone he’s not a fan of, judging by his expression. The hallways are empty, something I appreciate. Of course, about a second later, I became aware that I’m still going to have to walk into first period late. And since this school is on a block schedule, it’s a class I’ve never been to before.
“Give me a second, and I’ll get us all excused for being late,” Hunter tells us then turns to me. “What class do you have first period?”
“Let me see.” I dig my schedule out of my pocket and look at it. “English.”
Hunter leans over my shoulder to look at my schedule. “Well, the good news is you have it with Jax.”
That makes me relax a smidgeon. At least I won’t have to walk in late to class alone.
“And Jax is a poet,” Hunter informs me. “So, if you suck at English, he can help you.”
“Actually, I like English,” I say. “Books are awesome.”
That gets Jax to smile. He remains quiet, though. I think he might be the most soft-spoken of the three. Or maybe he’s just mysterious … I don’t know, but I find myself curious about the guy with the beautiful smile.
“I’ll be right back,” Hunter says then spins on his heels and saunters into the office.
As the door slowly swings shut, I hear the receptionist say, “Mr. Hathingford, don’t even try to get me to write I pass for you. I told you yesterday …” Her voice fades as the door softly clicks shut.
“I’m worried he’s not going to be able to get us out of detention.” I tear my gaze off the office door. “I was in the office yesterday, and the receptionist told him no more passes.”
Jax just smiles. Even the edges of Zay’s lips tug upward, his gaze remaining glued to his phone.
“He’ll be able to pull it off,” Jax says with his hands stuffed in his pockets. “If there’s one thing Hunter is good at, it’s charming people into getting what he wants.”
“Something I thought you already caught onto.” Zay shoves his phone into his pocket and looks at me with his intense eyes. “I mean, he did it with you, right?”
“Don’t be an asshole,” Jax says to him.
“I’m not being an asshole. Just stating a fact,” he tells Jax but keeps his gaze fastened on me.
“Why’re you looking at me like that?” I question. “Do you want me to agree with that or something?”
A challenge dances in his eyes. “If it’s the truth, then yes.”
“Okay. Then, yes, I agree,” I say. An arrogant grin starts to curl at his lips when I add, “That you are being an asshole.”
His smile dissolves, and Jax bites back a laugh. Zay gives him a dirty look, but Jax disregards it and sticks his fist out in my direction.
“Nice one,” he says to me.
I tap my fist against his, unable to stop a small smile from tugging at my lips.
Zay stares at me, not really glaring, but it’s not a friendly look, either. It’s almost like he can’t decide what to do with me, and it’s frustrating the hell out of him.
Story of my damn life.
Zay slowly steps toward me.
“Zay,” Jax says with a warning in his tone.
Katy had mentioned that people feared him, but I question if that’s exaggerated. Maybe I’m about to find out.
“You’re not afraid of me, are you?” he asks, assessing me with intrigue.
“No, but I’m not afraid of much.” How could I be when fear has been my life for years now? I’ve felt so much fear for so long that it’s just one of those things that live inside me, but I don’t fully feel it anymore.
“Yeah, I got that already. I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not, though,” he states, his gaze continuing to dissect me. He remains that way for a few slamming heartbeats before stepping back. “Meet us at my car at lunch. We’re going to head over to your house.” Then he turns and strides away down the hallway, making a turn around the corner.
I release a breath I wasn’t aware I was holding then turn to Jax. “Is he always so intense?”
Jax nods. “Pretty much. Don’t worry, though; he likes you.”
“And you came to that assumption because …?” I lift my brows in doubt.
He smiles amusedly. “Well, for starters, he let you into our group, something that hasn’t happened in … a while.” For a moment, I swear I see panic in his eyes, but he quickly erases it. “Plus, he never lets anyone talk so defiantly toward him without losing his shit.”
“He’s lost his shit with me.”
“Sort of, I guess.”
His nonchalant attitude makes me wonder what Zay normally does to people who smart off to him.
“Don’t worry; it’s a good thing that he likes you,” Jax tells me, misreading my expression. “You want someone like Zay to have your back.”
He’s possibly right. And I guess, in a way, Zay and I are alike, mostly with our toughness. I’ve just never had a group of friends that I knew would have my back, so my confidence is a bit lower, I think.
“What about you?” I wonder.
“Yeah, I like you, too,” he says without missing a beat, almost as if he does it absentmindedly.
I press my lips together to stop myself from giggling at his statement. “Well, that’s not what I meant, but I’m glad you do.”
Now he’s the one to press his lips together. Then he looks away and I think, Holy crap, he might be a bit embarrassed. And I decide right then and there that cute, quiet guys are absolutely adorable when they get embarrassed. Then I decide to let him off the hook, even though I kind of like how cute he looks right now.
“What I mean was: are you as scary as Zay is?” I say. “Well, to other people anyway.”
He lets out a quiet exhale then looks at me, fiddling with his brow piercing. “What do you think?”
I consider what he said while eyeing him over. “I think you’re like the quiet, calculating type. Like you’re not as in-your-face as Zay, but only because you like to plot your revenge.”
Amusement sparkles in his eyes. “That’s how you see me, huh?”
I shrug. “Maybe. Or maybe you’re just shy.”
That gets him to laugh. “Yeah, hell no. I’m just not a fan of talking to people unless it’s worth my time.”
His remark makes me think about how he’s standing here talking to me, but I really doubt he meant it like that. Then he smiles again, and I wonder if maybe he did.
We’re still smiling at each other, like a couple of idiots, when Hunter s
trolls out of the office. He has a cocky grin on his face and is carrying a few pink slips of paper. “See? Told you I could pull it off.” His smile stays on his face but puzzlement fills his eyes as his gaze bounces back and forth between Jax and me. “Okay, what’d I miss?”
I angle my head to the side. “Nothing really. Why?”
He stops beside me and assesses me. “Then why are you and Jax smiling at each other like a couple of weirdoes?”
“If smiling makes you a weirdo, then you’re the biggest weirdo ever,” I quip with a cheeky grin.
Hunter grins. “Touché, BFF.”
I giggle, and he gives me this amused smile. I’m about to ask him what’s up when his brows pucker as his gaze sweeps the hallway.
“Where’s Zay?” he asks, his gazing landing back on Jax.
“He went to class,” Jax tells him with a shrug. “I’m not sure what he’s going to do about being late, but I figure that’s his problem.”
Hunter pulls a face. “Yeah, I’m gonna go give him the pass. The last thing we need is for him to be stuck in detention while we’re working a case.”
He hands Jax and me a pink slip then looks at me. “You can meet us at lunch, right?”
I nod. “Zay already basically told me I had to.”
“He can be bossy, can’t he?” Hunter asks, and then he becomes serious. “You don’t have to listen to everything he tells you to do. I mean, I don’t think you’re the kind of girl who would, but I also know Zay will use you working for us as an excuse to boss you around, but you shouldn’t let him.”
“I wasn’t planning on it,” I assure him. “But I don’t mind meeting you guys for lunch. I don’t have any other plans anyway.”
Smiling, he reaches out and lightly tugs a strand of my hair. “Good. I’m glad I get to have lunch with my BFF.” He starts to back away as he adds, “And I can try to work a little bit on tracking down that person sending you harassing texts.”
With everything going on this morning, I almost forgot to bring that up to him.
The Rules of Being Friends (A Pact Between the Forgotten Series Book 2) Page 4
