My gaze skirts over the group of girls with short shorts, rolling my eyes as they twirl their hair and flirt with the guys across the gym, giggling and batting their lashes. It was disgusting. I’ll never be the girl who flirts and giggles, I’m more straight to the point because you might not have a tomorrow. That reminder makes me shift uncomfortably on the bleachers, the dull ache between my legs throbbing. I shouldn’t have had sex with Logan, my apparent stepbrother of all things, but it felt so good. Still don’t trust the fucker even if he made me feel things that I thought were impossible. It’s absolutely ridiculous that after years of feeling nothing, scared to hope and dream that the past wouldn’t rule over me, I’m attracted to four men that I hardly know.
“Wat-watch out. Out. Out!” A girly high pitched scream comes from somewhere behind me and I instantly duck my head.
A basketball bounces off the bleacher higher up behind me, right where my head would have been. Straightening, I glance to the court, seeing Paris smiling with a lip curl at me as she pats a guy's arm lovingly, one of the jocks from earlier.
“Bitch. Bitch. Bitch!” The same voice that gave me warning from before shouts repeatedly and I turn around to see a girl with bright pink hair in a pixie cut flipping off Paris, not even looking at her.
Decked out in multiple colored neon tights, a deep purple tulle skirt, and a white shirt with Hello Kitty on the front, she buries her face back in the book she’s reading which looks like a romance from here. She peaks over the pages, her almond shaped lime green eyes meeting mine for a split second before she ducks her head and goes back to reading her book. I’m about to get up to go sit next to her because why wouldn’t I? She looks like a real person instead of someone fake, plus I love the style she has going on, but the gym teacher blows his whistle, dismissing class just as I start to stand. She bounces out of her seat quickly, her pink Jimmy Choo sneakers flashing as she runs down the steps and rushes across the gym to the exit but not before she chucks her book over her shoulder in a jerky movement without looking behind her like she had no control over her arm and letting out a small shriek at the same time.
It smacks Paris in the face, her screaming louder than the one who threw it. Justice served in my opinion. I’m determined to be that girl’s friend, she might just be my hero dressed in Hello Kitty.
Sticking as close as I can to the walls, I’m rushing out of the gym and trying to reach the front of the school without running into anyone in the crowded halls. I can breathe easier once I’m outside, having a chance to glance around and groaning in misery when I see the guys surrounding Logan’s car with a group of girls hanging all over them, except for Nicky but they do try to get his attention.
Well, this is fucking fantastic. I’m going to have to bulldoze my way through the fan club if I want a ride back to the temporary house. Glancing around desperately, I see Evan heading towards a bright red Jeep Wrangler in the back of the parking lot. Not thinking about it, I start chasing after him, very aware of the stares as I jog with my bag clutched to my chest and the humid air making my shirt stick to my back.
“Evan!” I pant behind him, shoving a purple strand of hair out of my eyes.
He spins around startled and darts his gaze around nervously before settling on me, a slight smile turning at the corner of his mouth.
“Hey, Till. Shit. I’m sorry! I didn’t even think, just gave you a nickname like we’ve been friends for years instead of just a day.” His eyes widen behind his glasses, a panicked look moving over his expression. “I mean, uh, if you know… if you want to be friends. No pressure,” he gushes out on a deep inhale, running his hand through his thick curls on top of his head.
I can only stare at him, biting my lip as a laugh climbs up my throat. A loud engine roars in the parking lot somewhere near the front of the school. Clearly, the owner needs attention because the person keeps pressing on the gas, drawing the noise out. I don’t bother to look, I can feel his stare burning into my back. I quicken my pace with Evan until we’re standing at his front bumper.
“That had to be the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. Yeah, you dork, we’re friends.” I clear my throat to contain my laugh, punching him on the shoulder and pretending to not notice when he winces at the small love tap. “Would you mind giving me a ride to my, um, house?”
He glances out of the corner of his eye towards the asshat who presses on the gas again, only louder this time, and I swear Evan’s eyes couldn’t get any bigger at whatever he sees. I blow out an annoyed breath fed up with the games. I’m about to turn around until Evan grabs my cheeks, squeezing my face so that my lips pucker out like a fish.
“Don’t look. If you don’t move, maybe they won’t see us,” Evan whispers out of the side of his mouth, it hardly looks like he’s breathing.
I would laugh but it gets stuck in my throat as we hear multiple car doors slam shut, I wince at the sound. That poor car.
“Oh, God, they’re coming this way! It didn’t work! Screw it, get in the car!” Evan lets go of my face like I burned him, his expression horrified when he realized he was squishing my cheeks and touching me.
“Tillie!” Logans shouts, anger clear in his voice and that’s my cue to leave.
I shove Evan towards the driver’s side to get him moving and hurriedly dash around the front towards the passenger seat. We’re both slamming the doors shut, tires squealing as he pulls out of his parking spot. My gaze unwillingly glances out of the side window as we roll by. Logan and Nicky stand a few feet away with identical clenched jaws. Mad as hell honey eyes glare into my window and quickly shifts to Evan like he just signed his death warrant.
Shit. I didn’t think about this beforehand and now I’ve put Evan in the middle of it with a target on his back. I’m not supposed to leave their sides without one of them watching my every move but I need a moment to myself. My emotions swirling out of control after the day I’ve had, trying to drown me, and I refuse to let anyone see me this way. My gaze flickers to Nicky for a hot second just before we leave the school behind, my throat closing at the look of red-hot hatred in his emerald eyes.
At least Tey looks amused as he laughs his ass off, pointing at the jeep with that unicorn next to a huge motorcycle. That beast must be Dalton’s, it has motorcycle club written all over it with the all black, shiny body and long handlebars.
“Should we just keep driving and never look back?” Evan asks jokingly, but by the uneasy way he keeps glancing out his side mirror, I think he’s serious. “So, where to?”
“You know where Logan lives?” Speak of the devil.
I glance out of my side mirror, seeing a fabulous sports car racing right behind us and a pissed off owner inches away from Evan’s bumper. It’s strange that I hate Logan but don’t at the same time. Growing up around criminals my whole life, I’ve seen true evil so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that I end up running right back into them headfirst. It’s different though. These guys are dangerous, psycho, and possessive but I don’t see empty stares that are void of any emotion. Each time I look directly at them, something is sparked alive in their gaze. Either with anger, violence, or lust. It scares me and yet gives me a rush I’ve been longing for. So it doesn’t bother me that Logan is chasing after me, probably thinking of a way to punish me but little does he know I’m looking forward to it. Maybe it’s because the fucker had his cock shoved so far up inside me that I saw stars I never thought I’d reach. I may have a love/hate relationship going on with him, but he gave me a piece of what living can feel like. My body tingles, raw desire shivering down my spine. I want more, to live until I’ve had it all. He doesn’t even know what he started.
“Yeah, everyone knows where the princes live. They throw epic parties, not that I’ve ever been. I just hear the rumors.” Evan starts to sweat, I can’t tell if it’s because of the humid air or the devil hot on our tails.
“Sweet. I’m staying there, so you can just drop me off at the gate.” The jeep swerves before jerking back into our lane.
“I, uh, what? Yo-you live with him?!” He practically shouts and curses when he jerks the wheel to the right to avoid Logan as he whips out from behind us and cuts us off.
I watch him speed away in heavy Los Angeles traffic as I grab the oh shit bar and know he isn’t going far so he can still keep an eye on me.
“Unfortunately. He’s my stepbrother.” Leaving it at that, I don’t go into detail.
I let people think what they will. I learned a long time ago when someone has made up their mind, they won’t hear a damn thing you're saying. Believe me, I’ve tried to slip hints, and even straight out told people that I needed help but no one heard me.
