“Not everyone is bad like Heidi and Paxton,” I assure her. I cringe, realizing I fall into that category, though, since I hit Terrence. “And me.”
Tierra stops and tugs at a short blond strand of my hair. “I’m not Cal.”
“He’s justified in hating me,” I mutter. “It’s okay if you hate me too.”
Her lips curl into a smirk. “Hate? Not exactly how I’d describe how Cal feels about you.”
“What do you mean?”
“Please, honey,” she says with a laugh. “He practically inhaled you at lunch. And coming to your rescue like a knight in shining armor? That boy has it bad.”
I shake my head. “No. He hates me. Promised to make my life a living hell.”
“He’d never actually hurt you,” she tells me, conviction in her tone. “He’s a Hoodlum, not a monster.”
“No, that’s my ex,” I grumble.
“Your ex put his hands on you?”
I don’t like spilling my secrets, but she already told me hers. “Yeah. I’m repeating twelfth grade because…” I sigh. “I don’t remember much of last year. Just being with Ryan. Taking whatever pills Ryan shoved down my throat. Always walking on eggshells so Ryan wouldn’t get angry.” Absently, I rub at my neck where he used to like to grab me.
“Ryan sounds like a total dick,” Tierra hisses. “Where’s he at now?”
“He went to OSU. Over the summer, he tried to get back with me.”
“You told his manipulating ass no, right?”
“I blocked him.” I point at my hair. “After I whacked my hair and sent a snotty picture of myself to him.” A crazed giggle escapes me. “Then I went to rehab.”
“You went and got your shit together, huh?”
“Still trying,” I admit.
“I got your back, sis,” she tells me, smiling.
“I really am sorr—”
“I know.” She cuts me off with a wave of her hand. “T would die if he knew how badly this eats you up. I know my cousin. He’s a lover, not a fighter. When T wakes up, you can apologize to him. You can’t keep beating yourself up over it.”
“I should have never gotten behind the wheel with Ryan.” I choke on a sob.
She steps closer, taking my hand. “And you think Ryan would have allowed you to tell him no?”
Her words have my shoulders slumping and my eyes slamming shut. I remember the way he dragged me away from the party we were at. The grip on my wrist was so tight. His vicious words. Cruel and hateful, stabbing me everywhere all at once. The way he threw me in the car—
The bell rings, jarring me from my nightmares.
Tierra gives me a sympathetic look, squeezes my hand, and then leaves.
“You okay?”
I turn toward the voice. Mr. Ewing. His smile is soft and concerned.
“Yes, great,” I lie.
He winks at me. “Better get to your next class. I’ll let you pass this time and not give you detention.”
“Thanks,” I say with a light laugh.
“No problem. See you in class later. There’ll be a desk right up front with your name written all over it.” He grins. “Don’t fall asleep this time. If you fail again, I’ll think you’re just trying to find ways to spend more time with me.”
I roll my eyes and head toward my next class. “Bye, Mr. Ewing.”
Cal
I thought school would be a drag, but it turns out I like bossing little fuckers around. It makes me realize, though, how young everyone is. Having them at Campfire Chaos was a bad idea—one I’m not looking to repeat anytime soon. They’re all immature shitheads. No wonder Jordy and Roan grew the hell up. It’s long past time I do the same.
After gathering my bag, I lock my classroom and head down the hall toward the employee parking lot. I see Wes striding across campus toward his white Jeep. My legs eat up the distance so I can get in my truck and follow him. He pulls out of the parking lot, his tires squealing, and starts past the student parking lot. As soon as he passes an orange Jeep full of girls about to exit, he slows so he can gawk and wave. The blonde up front in the passenger seat waves back.
Fucking English.
I slow down once the orange Jeep pulls out. Penny—who I notice is driving—hauls ass past me and Wes. Tierra’s in the backseat with them. What the fuck. Like a caravan of fucking idiots, we drive to the park. Wes, in his haste to ogle little girls, pulls in after them. He calls out something to Penny, pointing at her Jeep. She pretends she’s sucking a dick and then flips him off.
I like that little brat.
He starts to get out, but I pull up so close to his Jeep, he won’t be able to open his door. I lean my head out the window and holler at Tierra.
“Let’s go, princess.”
Tierra shakes her head. “I’m gonna play ball with Penny. She said she’d run me back to Grandma’s car later.”
I glance over at Charlotte, who’s watching Wes with a frown as he slowly tries to move his precious Jeep away from my truck without scraping his vehicle.
“I’m not leaving you here where perverts like Wes can jerk off to.” I shut off the truck and climb out.
Tierra rolls her eyes and then trots off to catch up to Penny. Charlotte crosses her arms over her chest, waiting. For him?
Fuck him.
I grab my bag and pull the strap over my head before sauntering over to her. “Let’s go, loser.”
She huffs but doesn’t fight me when I sling an arm over her shoulders. That asshole needs to know these girls are off-limits. He has eyes for Charlotte, and I’ll be damned if I let him touch her.
“What do you have against Mr. Ewing?” she asks. “Or is this part of my punishment?”
I grit my teeth, refusing to tell her I’m saving her ass. “I told you, English. A living hell. That’s
