Текст книги "Unspeakable"

Автор книги: Michelle K. Pickett

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Текущая страница: 10 (всего у книги 21 страниц)

“I said I wouldn’t lie to you. If I answer, I’ll have to lie.” My voice was strained from the lump in my throat, and I was trying—unsuccessfully—to keep my tears from falling.

Brody let out a loud sound of frustration, almost a growl, and ran his hand up the back of his head, resting his hand on top, his other hand low on his hip. “You are so frustrating.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll just go.” I’d just opened the door to leave when I heard him move behind me. His hand slapped against the wood, pushing the door closed. I stiffened.

“I don’t want you to go,” he murmured close to my ear, kissing the hollow behind it. “I promised you a visit to the mall.” I felt his lips curve into a smile against my skin.

“Yes, you did.”

“Let’s go then. All of a sudden, I have a craving for a blue raspberry slushie.” I looked over my shoulder and gave him a shaky smile. “Okay?” Nodding, I followed him to his Jeep.

When we got to the mall, we met Jenna and Tim in the food court. Jenna looked back and forth between us with a raised eyebrow. “Meet each other in the parking lot?” she asked.

“Sure did,” Brody answered.

“Uh-huh.” Jenna looked at Brody, who was doing a much better job of keeping a straight face than I was.

“The ease with which you’re able to lie is scary, Ace,” I whispered to Brody as we walked from the table to get our slushies.

“What? I wasn’t lying. We did meet in the parking lot. You got out of my Jeep and I met you at the door in the parking lot.”

I laughed. “Okay. Whatever you say.” He reached down and took my hand, folding it in his. I looked down at our intertwined hands.

“Sorry.” He started to let go and I squeezed his hand, holding it in place. We stood in line holding hands and not really caring who might see. When it came time for us to order, Brody ordered two blue raspberry slushies.

When he tried to let go of my hand, I tightened my grip on his. He bent down to my ear and whispered, “I love holding your hand. I really do. You have no idea how much. But I need my hand back so I can pay.”

I shook my head, and he chuckled. “I thought of that already.” I fished in my back pocket, pulled out a twenty, and handed it to the clerk. “See, no reason for you to let go.” I smiled and bumped my hip into him.

“I love how your mind works.” He kissed my temple, and I shivered. “That shiver had nothing to do with your slushie.” Brody smirked.

“Pretty sure of your skills aren’t you, Ace?”

“When your body does that, yeah, I am.”

If he only knew that little shiver isn’t even half of what my body is doing right now.

The four of us sat at a table in the middle of the food court, eating soft pretzels and drinking slushies. We joked and laughed for nearly two hours. I was amazed at how easily Brody fit in with Tim and Jenna, in a way Jaden never had. In fact, Jaden had never tried to fit in with my friends. It was expected that I make the effort to fit in with his friends. They were the only people that mattered in Jaden’s world—other than himself, of course.

We finally left the food court. Brody and Tim got sidetracked by a music store and Jenna by a makeup counter. While they were preoccupied, I made my way to the T-shirt Factory.

It was a small store filled with racks of T-shirts. Some already had sayings and jokes printed on them, and some were left blank for the customer to design. A person could get something as simple as a saying on the shirt, to something as complex as a drawing or logo. If you could think it up, Mr. Rafferty could get it on a shirt. The walls were covered in samples of T-shirts that he’d made. One of my designs was even hanging up.

Mr. Rafferty smiled when he saw me. “Back for another one, huh Willow? I swear you keep me in business.” He chuckled.

“Yeah, just can’t get enough.”

“Nice shiner. Everything okay?”

I raised my fingers to my eye. I’d almost forgotten about it. Glancing over at Mr. Rafferty, who was probably my grandfather’s age and looked like a bald Santa Clause, I shrugged a shoulder and said, “Just took an elbow in gym class.”

“Gotta watch out for those stray elbows. Let me know when you’re ready.”

“Actually, I’m ready. I want to get a long-sleeved shirt in this burgundy color with this printed on the front.” I handed him a piece of paper.

He read it and glanced at me. “Okay. I don’t get it, but I don’t get much of what you kids want these days.” Shaking his head, he walked to the back of the store. “Give me fifteen minutes,” he called over his shoulder.

“Thanks. I’ll be back.”

I found Jenna, Tim, and Brody sitting on a bench outside the music store. “Hey, where were you?” Brody asked, walking over and taking my hand.

“I know where she was. The T-shirt Factory. Right, Willow?” Jenna smiled.

“Yeah. I have to go back in fifteen minutes.”

“Why didn’t you let us go with you?” Brody look down at me.

“Because I don’t want you to know what it’s says until it’s done.”

Brody quirked an eyebrow at me and smirked. “Should we be alone?”

I laughed. “No, Ace. Nice try though.”

After I picked up my shirt, Jenna and Tim followed us to Brody’s Jeep. Jenna forgot what part of the lot she’d parked in, and Brody offered to drive her around until she found her car.

“I thought you were paying attention, Tim,” Jenna snapped as we walked to the Jeep.

“You drove. You should have been watching where you parked.” Tim rolled his eyes.

“Yeah, I was driving. That means you weren’t doing anything but riding, so you had less to do. That means you should be able to remember where the car is.” Jenna threw up her arms and let out a frustrated breath.

“They’re a match made in Heaven,” I whispered to Brody. He laughed. Jenna and Tim rolled their eyes at me.

“Show us your shirt,” Jenna said when we reached the Jeep.

“Not now.” I shoved the bag under my arm.

“Yeah, I want to see it,” Brody said.

“I don’t want you to see it until I’m wearing it, and there’s nowhere to change here. I’ll wear it to school tomorrow.”

“So change in the Jeep. The windows are tinted,” Jenna said. I looked at her with my mouth open. “What?” She shrugged. “They won’t look.” She waved her hand at Brody and Tim.

“Yeah, Willow, change in the Jeep.” Brody’s blue eyes sparkled with a hint of a dare as he let his keys fall from his hand and dangle from his fingers in front of me. “I won’t look. Much.”

I glanced at the windows and back at the three of them. Jenna’s eyebrows were raised; she was completely daring me to do it. Tim looked bored. If it didn’t have to do with chess, it really didn’t get him going. And Brody looked amused.

“Fine. Give me those.” I swiped the keys from Brody. “You better not look.” I pointed at him.

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

I climbed in the back of the Jeep and quickly switched from one shirt to the other, smoothing the new one in place before getting out of the SUV. “Okay.”

I felt a little stupid standing in the middle of the parking lot while three people read words plastered across my boobs, but there I was.

Brody laughed as soon as he saw me. Jenna and Tim looked at me and said, “Huh?” in unison.

“‘Movies in the back of Jeeps do it better.’ What the hell does that mean?” Jenna said, looking at the back of the T-shirt for the punch line.

“Just an inside joke,” I said, biting my bottom lip to keep from laughing.

Jenna looked at my face, which I’m sure was beet red, and then at Brody, who was still laughing. “Uh-huh. Inside joke. Nice color. Really matches Brody’s Jeep.” She pointed between my shirt and the Jeep.

Brody doubled over with laughter.

Tuesday. I woke up to my phone chiming that I had a text message. Groaning, I pulled my quilt over my head. I still had twenty minutes before my alarm was set to go off. I’d just started drifting back to sleep when my phone chimed a second time. I flipped the quilt off and grabbed my phone. Whoever was texting me was not going to like my response. Then I read the name and smiled. Except him. For him, I’d make an exception.

Brody: Good morning, beautiful.

Me: Hey, Ace.

Brody: Were you awake?

Me: No, but this is a nice way to wake up.

Brody: Ick. Too sappy for this early.

Me: What’s up?

Brody: Wear something funny.

Me: Weird request. I’m game.

Brody: Later.

Me: Bye.

Wear something funny? What does he think is funny this early in the morning besides waking me up to tell me I’m too sappy? Guys. God’s way of letting women know He has a sense of humor.

I pulled out a blue, long-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of black jeans. Jenna was going to have a fit. It was technically my day to dress normal, but Brody’s request outweighed Jenna’s, so funny T-shirt it was.

I showered, doing my hair and makeup before getting dressed. Grabbing my blue converse tennis shoes and my book bag, I was just walking out the door when my phone chimed. I looked at the screen, expecting a text from Brody. My heart stopped when I read the name across the top of the message. My hands turned clammy and started to shake. I was so dizzy I had to sit on the bottom step of the staircase before I fell.

There was just one line, but it was going to change everything.

I stared at the text, willing my breathing to calm. I could feel myself start to hyperventilate. Tears pressed at the back of my eyes and, for the first time, I realized something. I was happy, happier than I’d been in months, maybe more than a year. And then another truth slammed into me like a linebacker on Jaden’s football team. The message I was staring at was going to rip that happiness away.

Jaden: Someone saw you at the mall yesterday.

The letters started to swirl and blur as my eyes filled with tears. My head pounded in sync with the blood rushing behind my ears. I sucked in two deep breaths, letting them out slowly to calm my rapidly fraying nerves. One thought was in the forefront of my mind—I had to warn Brody.

I tried to call him as I drove to school, but my call bounced to voicemail. I hung up without leaving a message. Pushing the speed limit, I drove through yellow lights and rolled through stop signs. I was lucky there weren’t any cops around, or I would have gotten one helluva ticket.

I parked in the student parking lot, not caring I took two spaces, and hurried into the building, sliding to a stop when I saw Jaden leaning against my locker. I’d prayed that he’d just let it go. That he’d use this as an excuse to break up with me. Play the part of the jilted boyfriend. Smear my name all over school. I wouldn’t have cared. I’d be free of him. That was all that would’ve mattered.

But I’d known deep in my gut that he wouldn’t. He’d make me suffer for the embarrassment I caused him. Breaking up with me would be too easy. He’d want to hurt me—the sadistic streak running through his dark soul wouldn’t let him walk away. This was a game to him. One that had just become a lot more fun.

“I don’t know what was going on at the mall and I don’t care. But it’s gonna stop. Now. From now on, I’ll walk you to and from your classes. You’ll sit with me at lunch—the entire lunch period. Karen will stay and watch your chess practices and tournaments while I’m at football practices, and you will be required to attend all of my football games. If you need a ride to the away games, Karen will drive you.”

Jaden paused and scratched his thumb over his bottom lip. “I know you share a lot of classes with Brody Victor. I’ve already made arrangements with friends to keep an eye on you during those classes to make sure you don’t overstep any boundaries. I feel these new guidelines will help keep you in line. There will be no discussion and no negotiations. This is how it will be. Period. And in case you’re wondering, I’ve had a chat with Ralph. He agrees with my terms. Thinks I’m being more than fair considering your behavior. So do we understand each other?”

I didn’t know what to say. I was completely blindsided. I nodded my understanding more out of shock than actual acceptance.

“Good. I’m glad you are going to be sensible about this.” He grabbed my arm, pulling me behind him to my biology class. Jaden jerked me to a stop next to my seat, and I stumbled into it. He stood next to my table until the first bell rang, and then he left without a word.

Brody leaned over to say something to me. I shook my head, but I didn’t look at him. He pulled back. I could see him watching me out of the corner of my eyes. Taking my notebook out of my bag, I scrawled a note across a page.

Jaden found out about us at the mall. His friends are watching. We can talk on the phone or text later.

When the bell rang after class, I gathered my things. I hadn’t even left the classroom and Jaden was there to walk me to my next class. It continued all day.

During lunch, I sat at Jaden’s table. When I mentioned I wanted to say hi to Jenna and Tim, he stood to go with me. I sat down and told him I’d changed my mind. Brody was sitting with them, and he was who I really wanted to see. But that was impossible with Jaden shadowing me.

I was counting the seconds until independent study so I could talk to Brody. But when I walked into the library, I came face-to-face with one of Jaden’s football buddies. How had I not noticed him before? There was no way I could talk to Brody with Jaden’s lackey watching me. So I sat at a table in the front of the library, instead of where Brody and I always sat. When independent study was over, Jaden was waiting in the hall. He walked me to my locker and then my car. I was never alone the entire day. He’d completely shut me off from my friends and, more importantly, from Brody.

I was backing out of my parking space when my phone chimed, but I didn’t dare look at it. Jaden still watched me. I waited until I was on the main road sitting at a stoplight before I looked at the message.

Brody: Call me.

I dialed his number as soon as I pulled into my driveway. I hadn’t even gotten out of the car when he answered.

“What’s going on?”

I threw my messenger bag over my shoulder and walked into the house. “Someone saw us at the mall yesterday and word got back to Jaden. I can’t believe I was so stupid. He has friends everywhere. I should have known someone would see and tell him.”

“So, what, he’s going to babysit you every day to make sure you don’t talk to anyone?” Brody asked, his voice hard. “Willow, you can’t—”

“I know what you’re going to say and if it was any other person, I would break up with him, but it’s Jaden. He’ll make my life a living hell if I try to leave him. And he’ll do the same to you. Trust me, I’ve tried.”

“And he’s not making your life a living hell now?” Brody challenged. I didn’t answer. He was right. “I need to see you,” he said softly.

I took the stairs two at a time and hurried into my bedroom, clicking the lock closed behind me. “I can’t. He’s coming over for dinner. My mom and stepdad are wrapped around his little finger. They’ll never let me see you.” Blowing out a breath, I threw my stuff on the floor before I fell across my bed.

“Can you get away tonight? After your parents are in bed?”

“You mean sneak out?” I chewed on my bottom lip, running through the scenarios in my head. Once I went to bed, my mother never checked on me and since I had my own bathroom, there was no reason for me to leave my room. But my bedroom was on the second floor. Getting down the stairs and out the door would be a problem. If I ever got caught… “I can do that.”

“Don’t if you’ll get caught. My mom isn’t around, so I’m free to come and go. I don’t want you getting in trouble.”

“No, I’ll be fine. Can you meet me down the road around midnight? They should be in bed by then. Or is that too late?” I ran my hand up and down my thigh, waiting for his answer.

Actually, they’ll both be passed out by then, but that’s beside the point. They won’t know I’ve left the house.

“I need to see you. I don’t care what time. I’ll be there.”

I looked straight ahead through most of dinner. I spoke when spoken to. I smiled when I was supposed to. Answered questions, played the part of adoring girlfriend. All the while, I screamed, railed, and cursed inside. I was trapped, both physically and in my own head. I didn’t want to be there. I didn’t want to be sitting next to Jaden. I tried not to cringe when he touched me, and I had to force myself not to gag when he kissed me.

I kept looking at the clock. The hands moved so slow it was as if they were moving backward.

“Have somewhere to be?” Jaden asked, looking at me. I looked up at him and noticed he gripped his fork so tightly that his knuckles were turning white.

“No.” I shook my head and forced a smile. “I just have a ton of homework tonight. My history teacher assigned another report. Did yours give the same assignment?” I took a bite of dinner, forcing myself to keep eye contact with him and my expression neutral.

“Yeah, she did. It’s due Friday.”

“Mine too.”

“We should work on it together this week after school. I could pick you up after football practice tomorrow and Thursday. We can go to the library and knock it out.” He smiled like he knew he’d just one-upped me and taken away any chance I’d had at seeing Brody after school the evenings he had football practice.

“Oh, that sounds great, doesn’t it, Willow? You and Jaden haven’t been able to spend a lot of time together since football season started,” my mom said, looking between Jaden and me.

“Yes, that does sound great.” I kept my smile in place and my eyes never left Jaden’s.

Jaden didn’t leave until eight. My nerves were nearly frayed, and I’d chewed my fingernails to the quick.

I put my ear buds in and listened to music to distract myself as I cleaned the kitchen from dinner and bagged up the garbage, picturing Jaden’s face as I stuffed the garbage bag into the dirty garbage can outside.

“I’m done with my chores. I’m going upstairs.”

“Okay,” my mom said.

“Goodnight.”

And then I waited. I heard my mom go to bed at ten-thirty. My stepdad stayed up. Eleven o’clock came and went, and he still hadn’t come upstairs. Eleven-thirty passed, and he still hadn’t gone to bed.

Adrenaline flooded my bloodstream, and my head began to pound. I paced my room, wringing my shaking hands, and trying to think of other ways to get out of the house.

Can I climb down from my window? Can I climb out of the bathroom window and into the tree next to the house? Is it too far to reach? Can I climb down the trellis or is that something that only works in movies?

And then I heard it and my heart started racing. The floorboards creaked outside my bedroom door as he walked by. I wanted to do a happy dance. I would’ve if I weren’t afraid he or my mom would hear. So I forced myself to sit on the edge of my bed and text Brody.

Me: I’ll be a few minutes late.

Brody: I’ll wait.

At midnight, I stuck my head in the hallway and looked toward their bedroom door. The light was off, and it was quiet. I slipped out my door, carefully avoiding the floorboards I knew creaked. I’d learned which were safe about a month after moving into the house. It was a skill that had come in handy more than once.

I bypassed the front door because it was directly under their bedroom. Instead I made my way to the back corner of the house and let myself out through the sunroom.

I saw Brody’s Jeep parked three houses down from mine. The engine was running, but the lights were off. As soon as I step on the sidewalk, the Jeep rolled forward and I climbed into the passenger’s side.

“Hey, Ace,” I said and grinned at him. I wanted to touch him so bad. I could hardly keep my fingers to myself. I slipped my hands between my thighs and the seat to keep from reaching out to him.

“Hey back.” He smiled at me as he steered away from my house. “Where do you want to go?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I thought you had this planned out.”

His eyes met mine. Open and vulnerable. His voice was soft when he said, “I just needed to see you. I didn’t think beyond that.”

“Um, there a small park down the road and to the right. We can go there if you want.”

We drove in silence until Brody turned into the park’s parking lot and turned off the Jeep. He turned sideways in his seat and looked at me.

“So.” He rubbed his hands up and down his thighs.

“Yeah.”

Why am I so nervous? I’ve been out with him before. I wasn’t nervous the night we drove to his aunt’s property and watched a movie. What’s different now?

Brody rubbed the back of his neck and gave a short laugh. “I’m freakin’ nervous.”

“Why? It’s just me.” I didn’t tell him I was nervous too. I thought that might make him more nervous. “Let’s go swing.” Jumping out of the Jeep, I started running toward the swings. “I’ll race ya,” I called over my shoulder, laughing.

Brody caught up with me easily. I squealed when he grabbed me around the waist and lifted me in the air

He let go of me, letting me slowly slide down his body. My breath quickened. And desire flowed through my veins. I held on to one of his arms, my other hand resting on his chest, where I could feel his heart beat racing, mimicking my own. I looked into his eyes as he leaned his face closer to mine. My lips parted, and I moistened them with the tip of my tongue. Brody watched my tongue move across my lips and groaned a curse.

He cupped the side of my face with one hand and placed the other on my hip, pulling me closer to him. Placing his thumb under my chin, he tilted my head to meet his. His lips were so close to mine that our breath mingled. Then he moved and kissed just in front of my earlobe.

He let his lips rest in front of my ear and murmured, “I’m not going to kiss you tonight. I’m not going to kiss you tomorrow, or the next night, or the next, or even the night after that. I want to. You don’t know how damn much I want to, but I won’t. Not as long as you belong to Jaden.” He kissed the side of my face again, sucking my earlobe gently into his mouth. I gasped, fisting my hands in his shirt. He pulled his head back and rested his forehead against mine.

He took my hand in his. We walked to the swings and sat down next to each other, swaying back and forth.

“So tell me all about Willow McKenna,” Brody said.

“Well, first, my name is Willow Rutherford, not McKenna. That’s Ralph’s name. He’s my stepdad.”

“Huh. How come I didn’t know that? I mean, I knew he was your stepdad, but I didn’t know your last name.”

“That’s because you were too mesmerized by my beauty and wit to be bothered by things as trivial as names.” I flipped my hair and batted my lashes at him.

He chuckled at my pose and kissed me on the nose. “That has to be it.”

“Either that, or you didn’t bother to find out my last name because you thought I was a bimbo.” I giggled at him.

“You will never let me live that down, will you?”

“Probably not. In fact, I’m thinking about putting it on a T-shirt,” I said.

“No way.”

“What? You said you liked my T-shirts.”

“I do, but you’re not going to wear a T-shirt that reads bimbo.” Brody shook his head. “Nope.”

“Oh, I wasn’t going to get it for me. I was going to get it for you.” I poked him in the chest and grinned.

“Ah, I see how it is.” He chuckled. “So Rutherford was your biological father’s name, then?”

I twiddled my fingers on the side of my thigh, looking at my feet. “Um, no. Rutherford is my mom’s maiden name. I don’t know who my biological father is. She was married once before. He was the closest thing I had to a father, but he died in a car accident. Six months later, she married Ralph.” I shrugged.

Shut up. Shut up now! You’re telling too much.

“Birthday?” he asked.

“Ugh, you’re not going to ask me what my sign is, are you?”

“No.” He snorted a laugh. “I just want to know when your birthday is.”

“May first.” I took a few steps backward, lifting my feet to swing forward.

“Really? Mine is April first.”

I skimmed my feet against the packed dirt ground under the swings until I came to a stop and angled myself toward Brody. “Your birthday is on April Fool’s Day?”

“Yes.” A grin tugged at his lips.

I giggled. “So you’re just a fool, then.”

He looked into my eyes, his blue eyes twinkling. “A fool for you.” He didn’t smile. There was no trace of teasing in his voice.

“Brody, you’re no one’s fool.” I tried to wave off what he’d said.

I’m with Jaden. Brody and I are just friends. So why did what he said make my stomach do somersaults? And why do my lips tingle with the need to feel his on them? Who am I kidding? Brody and I crossed the friend line a long time ago. And Jaden will never let me go.

We sat on the swings talking for more than an hour before Brody took me home.

“Would it be too greedy for me to ask if you can get away tomorrow night?” Brody asked before I got out of the Jeep.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t ask.”

He let out a breath and shook his head. “When it comes to you, it goes without saying that I want to spend every second I can with you.”

His answer filled me with the most exquisite feeling. I felt it bubble up within me, beginning in my heart and moving through my veins until it touched every part of me. I didn’t know what it was, but I’d never felt something so good, so right. “Then I’ll definitely be waiting for you tomorrow night. Same time.”

I was already looking forward to the next night and wondered what we’d do, what we’d talk about, where we’d go. Jaden never entered my mind.

“Oh, and Willow? The answer to the question is purple.” I tilted my head and looked at him, my brow wrinkled. He waved his hand at me. “Your shirt, ‘If you choke a Smurf, what color would it turn?’ It’d turn purple.”

“I don’t even want to know how you know that.” I shook my head slowly and jumped from the Jeep.

Brody chuckled. “See you in class.”

“Bye, Brody.”

I was still smiling when I climbed into bed. When I fell asleep, I dreamt of bright blue eyes looking into mine, as if they could see directly into my soul.

Wednesday. I dressed normally for Jenna. Well, I guessed you could call it normal. I called it my mourning outfit, a short, black shirt, black leggings, a black belt sitting diagonally on my hips, black boots, black nail polish, and black eyeliner. I looked like I’d just come from a funeral. Totally the vibe I was going for. I slipped in my skull and cross bone earrings that Jenna had bought me as a joke on Halloween the year before, and left for school.

Walking into the school building, I saw Jaden leaning against the locker next to mine. Jenna was pulling out her books from her locker. Papers and pens were falling from the shelf. Jaden stood there watching her, shaking his head. The idiot didn’t even try to help.

Handing Jenna a Starbucks caramel macchiato, I picked up the pens and crap falling out of the locker, stuffing them back on the shelf. “Thanks,” she said over her shoulder. “Holy black hole, Batman. Did a funeral throw up on you?”

I glanced at Jaden and then back at Jenna. “Something like that.”

“Ah. Your mourning outfit. How could I forget?” Jenna nodded.

“Doesn’t my girl look hot in black?” Jaden asked, wrapping his arm around me and kissing me hard on the lips. I felt nothing. Empty. Dead.

Brody set my body on fire with just a look. Jaden turned it cold with the sound of his voice. He made me feel dirty with his touch. Being with him was wrong. But he knew, damn it all to hell. He knew… and I didn’t know how to get out from under his threat of exposing what she did—what we did. That one night… one decision. Every day, I wish we could go back. I’d make her do something. Something other than what she did best—watching.

I grabbed my biology book out of my locker and walked to class, Jaden following close behind me. Stopping outside the door, I stood with my back to the wall and one foot propped against it. I could see Brody watching me out of the corner of my eye.

“Aren’t you going in?” Jaden asked.

“Nope.” I took a sip of my macchiato

“Why not?”

“I’m drinking my caffeine. I can’t take it in with me,” I said and looked around the hall, saying hi to people as they passed.

“I don’t want to stand in the hall while you drink your macchi-whatever the hell it is. Let’s go.” He grabbed my arm, pulling me toward the door.

I yanked free of his grasp. “If you don’t want to stand here, don’t. Go to your class. I’m finishing my drink. I can’t take it in the room with me, so that means I’m staying out here until I’m done. Don’t like it? Tough.” I took another sip of my Starbucks, watching him over the rim of my cup. I braced myself for his outburst, but he was too smart to do anything in school. He’d wait until after, and then he’d mete out his punishment.

“Fine. We’ll do it your way today. But from now on, make sure your drink is gone before you get to school. I’m not waiting in the hall for you to finish your coffee again.”

“Macchiato.”

“Whatever,” he snapped.

I deliberately drank as slow as humanly possible. When the first bell rang, Jaden started getting nervous. He shifted from foot to foot, scanning the hallway.

“You’re going to be late for class, Jaden. You know if you’re tardy too many times, you’ll be benched.” I looked at him with a raised eyebrow, knowing he wouldn’t risk not being able to play in his precious game.

“Go in and sit down,” he said through clenched teeth.

“I will. I still have some drink left,” I lied. My macchiato had been gone before I even got to the door of the classroom.

He turned with a huff and stalked away. I grinned behind my cup. As soon as he was out of sight, I walked past the classroom door. Brody got up and walked into the hall.

“Hey, Ace,” I said with a smile. “Tired?”

“Nah. I could stay up all night.” He let his hand brush against mine quickly. I wrapped my finger around one of his and squeezed.

“We’d better get in there, I guess.”

“Is your Starbucks gone?”

I laughed. “It was gone before I even got here.”

“Sneaky. You go in first. I’ll wait a minute and follow.”

I squeezed his hand one more time and walked into class, dumping my cup in the garbage on my way to my seat. I didn’t look up when Brody walked in and sat down next to me. We didn’t speak in class, and we scooted our chairs as far from each other as possible.

It was all about appearances. That was my life. Smoke and mirrors until I wasn’t even sure what was real and what wasn’t.

Ugh. Midnight will never get here. They’ve been in bed for a half an hour. I’m sure they’re out for the night.