Matt’s smarter than he looks. “Why would I get involved in Haley’s world if we weren’t an item?” Because Haley defended me, because Conner hit Haley, because I won’t go through the rest of my senior year with anyone believing I’m weak...because I can’t fail again.
Her lips compress into a flat line. “That I don’t know.”
“Haley and I are the real deal. If you talk to Matt again, tell him he can kiss my ass.”
“I still think you’re lying.” Jessica trails a finger along my arm again and surprising myself, I inch away and wipe my biceps as if to get the dirt off. Wildfires don’t work as fast as this girl.
“Haley and I are dating and you’re supposed to be her friend.”
“Haley doesn’t do attachments. She floats. By the way, I saw your Escalade in the parking lot. It looks like a sweet ride.”
“It is.” Come on, Haley, where the hell are you?
She leans against me, pushing her breasts against my arm. “I like sweet rides.”
Meaning she gives sweet rides. “I’m taken.”
“Please.” She rolls her eyes and pulls the hem of her shirt down so that she exposes more of her cleavage and part of her bra. Damn. She’s selling hard. “You’re not taken. If you were, you would have confessed your undying love for her Monday or Tuesday or any day this week during science, but you never did.”
True. “I was curious what people said about Haley.” Truer.
“You kept quiet because you liked what you saw in me.”
“Let me guess, your favorite position in basketball is forward?”
Shit, the way she just smiled says she eats anything she fucks for breakfast. “I heard you liked forward.”
Normally, I do. Guess a lot has changed in a few days. “As I said, I’m taken.”
“Besides,” she continues as if I hadn’t spoken. “Haley doesn’t do guys.”
That grabs my attention. “What?”
Her smile widens and she juts out a hip. “Haley’s a fighter.”
“So?”
Her voice indicates the “duh” is implied. “Fighting is a guy thing.”
And cars are also considered a guy thing, but my sister is in love with the inside of a popped open hood. I can’t stomach people like the chick in front of me. “I’ve gotta go.”
She slides to block my exit. “Okay fine, she’s interested in guys, but she’s Matt’s property.”
My muscles tense. “A girl is no one’s property.” And Haley sure as hell doesn’t belong to that asshole.
“You’re all girl-power. That’s awesome in a weird way. Look, I agree with you, but here’s the thing—Matt doesn’t give a crap about equal rights or that we earned the right to vote a couple hundred years ago. Haley and Matt may have broken up, but he makes it clear that no one sniffs around her. He’ll hit you the moment you touch her.”
“Let him.” I’ve agreed to this showcase in two months for Haley’s sake, but if Matt and his crew want to go at it now, then I’m game. Maybe it would be better if we did. I wouldn’t have rumors floating around that I’m weak and it would take the burden off Haley.
“Matt’s bad news,” she says.
“So am I,” I snap, pissed everyone thinks this guy is stronger than me. “Why are you even interested?”
Her eyes light up. “Because you’re West Young.”
Because she thinks I have money. This is the first time I’ve itched to tell anyone I’ve been disowned. Is she still going to be pushing up on me then?
With her fingers typing intently into a cell, Abby, the queen of not giving a shit whether or not I want her around, sidles up beside me. “You should listen to her about Matt.” She glances up at me. “I was eavesdropping.”
“Rude much?” says Jessica.
“Jessica,” responds Abby.
She widens her eyes as a “what do you want?”
“I bite.”
And the blonde scurries down the hallway like a squirrel darting through traffic. If I didn’t hate Abby, I’d be impressed. “You do go to school here.” Haven’t seen her once.
“Yep.” She slips her phone into her back pocket. “Do you watch soap operas?”
What the hell type of question is that? “No.”
“Curious.” Her eyebrows furrow. “Because I would have thought you reenacted the crap with what you’ve accomplished in a week.”
Not caring for anything else Abby has to say, I head to my first period class. Maybe I missed Haley and she’s already there.
“You’re a soap opera writer’s wet dream.” Abby keeps step beside me. “The funny part is, I’ve never seen one, but, holy shit, has this been fascinating. In a span of seven days you’ve managed to piss off Isaiah, Jax and Kaden Williams, and Matt and Conner Spencer.
“You’re dating Haley Williams, plus you’ve got slut of the month Jessica...well...slutting up on you. Throw in a switched at birth storyline and bam, I’m thinking daytime Emmy for sure.”
Abby pivots, walks backward and snags the shirt of some kid with bloodshot eyes. She drags him with her, forcing him to her level. “Unlike the rest of corporate America, I’m not into competition. Last time I’m telling you, keep it off my block.”
She releases him with a shove, then resumes walking forward. “Sorry, business negotiations. As I was saying, it’s amazing no one’s plugged a bullet into your head.”
Abby’s probably right. I pause outside the doorway to my class and she, not surprisingly, joins me. “Why are you telling me this? We hate each other.”
Her phone vibrates and she pulls it out, texting back instantaneously. “True. But I kinda like this fairy godmother, guardian angel bullshit, plus oddly enough I believe in karma. One last tidbit for the day before I return to mild-mannered drug dealer.”
I hold out my arms. “Lay it on me.”
Pushing Send, she refocuses on me. “Watch Matt. He’ll be gunning for you, but he’ll wait to see what your weaknesses are before he does. Jax and Kaden have always been protective of Haley and I don’t see that ending anytime soon, even if they are mad at her. Stay out of Isaiah’s way. He’s giving you a reprieve because your family kicked you out, but don’t test his patience. With Rachel in pain, he’s looking for an excuse to snap.”
Abby turns to leave, but I stop her. “How did you know Dad kicked me out?”
“When it comes to my neighborhood there isn’t much I don’t know. I heard that an Escalade has been at the park every night, all night. Then I saw you in the bar.” Abby shrugs. “I know kicked out and hungry when I see it.”
“Does Rachel know?” I stop myself from asking if my parents appear upset.
“Your parents are holding their cards close to their chest. Isaiah’s monitoring the situation because he doesn’t want anyone to tell Rachel. It’ll upset her.”
The asshole has gained some of my respect. “Thanks. Can you keep it to yourself that I’m a Young?”
Abby rolls her neck. “Does Jessica know?”
“Yeah.”
“Then it doesn’t matter if I keep my mouth shut. Jessica doesn’t shut hers and, yes, I mean that in every way possible.”
“I’ll take care of Jessica. Will you keep it to yourself?”
“What, you’re so much better than this school that you can’t tell the truth?”
This from the self-proclaimed liar. “Being a Young here will create problems. Don’t Haley and I have enough of those?”
“And the boy has a point. I’ll keep your dirty secret...for Haley.” Abby releases a smile that causes the hair on the back of my neck to stand on end. “But now you’ll owe me a debt. Toodles.”
I just made a deal with the devil.
Chapter 25
Haley
My legs are Jell-O. Actually, Jell-O is sturdier than I am. This is my fourth morning training at the gym and tonight I have to start training West.
This morning, I ran and ran and ran. Then I began on the sit-ups and push-ups. I crave a nap, a hot bath, then another nap. I fold my arms on my desk and rest my head on the makeshift pillow. A tension stretches across my shoulder blades. I worked out on the bags this morning. Tomorrow, the muscles in my back are going to be begging for death.
“Haley.” It’s a low whisper that has to be one of those strange illusions during that semiawake, semidreaming state.
“Haley!”
My seat jerks beneath me when my head pops up. It’s not that the voice was loud this time, but it’s a shock when Marissa says anything louder than a whisper. Next to the two-seater science desk we share for Biology II, Marissa holds her books tight to her chest. “We need to talk.”
“Okay.” I rub my eyes and wait for her to sit, but she doesn’t. She remains standing, edging her books closer to her chin as if she’s contemplating hiding her face.
“What’s up?” I ask.
She glances to the left, to the right, then to the left again, like she’s preparing to cross the street, then leans toward me. “Jessica came on to West in the hall this morning. She touched him...and everything and well...he didn’t leave.”