Chapter 43
Chapter Forty-Three
ELIZABETH
Fall From Grace
A fter prom, Maria started a rumor at school that I was pregnant. For a week, she, Jacinda, and Samantha hazed my locker and car with baby pacifiers and diapers. Julien caught them in the act, and once the school administration saw the pictures, Maria got a week’s worth of detention. Jacinda and Samantha didn’t get any punishment after the cheerleading coach spoke to the principal. Figures.
I know I should be over it, but it still hurts when Maria does mean stuff like that to me. I’m used to Jacinda and Samantha being world class bitches. But Maria? That stings the worst. I keep wondering what happened to the girl I thought I knew—the girl I thought was my friend.
Glancing at the clock on my nightstand, I groan when I see the time. I’m too psyched from yesterday’s news to sleep. Jayson was offered the swimming scholarship he’d been hoping to get from Carolina University. If his news wasn’t awesome enough, Ryder and I both received our acceptance letters from CU in the mail, making it a triple surprise. Our plans for going to college together are finally a reality, and my brain won’t shut off. Is this the future I want? Or am I just doing it because it’s what the guys want?
Pushing the covers off me, I climb out of bed. Might as well work on my AP Lit paper that’s due next week.
I’m pulled back by a strong, warm arm.
“Where are you going?” a sleepy Jayson asks.
“I can’t sleep.”
“Don’t go,” he mumbles against my neck. He breathes in deep and moans. “You smell good.”
I roll over so I can look at his face. I graze my fingers across his morning stubble and push his hair back behind his ears. Jayson really is wonderful to look at, especially when he’s asleep, his face relaxed and calm. I see glimpses of the boy he used to be in the man he has become. I’m still so wildly attracted to him, even after twelve years of knowing him. Jayson absolutely takes my breath away.
“You are such a beautiful man,” I say out loud, continuing my exploration with light caresses.
“Baby, you keep sweet-talking me like that…” He trails off and shifts me on top of him.
I’m instantly wet, and if his erection is anything to go by, he’s more than ready for me. Bracing my hands on his chest, I lift up and slide down effortlessly on his hard length, our lovemaking slow and languorous.
When the clock displays four in the morning, Jayson climbs out my window before my parents wake. They have to know by now that he sneaks in almost every night. Maybe not Dad. He’d lose his shit if he knew Jayson and I were sleeping together.
I take a quick shower and then work on my school assignment. Luckily, it’s Friday so I’ll be able to catch up on my sleep over the weekend. There’s another bonfire party tomorrow night. Maybe I’ll skip it. I’m tired after a long week and want a weekend of lying in and catching up on my Tbr.
The shower turns on in our jack-and-jill bathroom, alerting me that Hailey is up. Crap. I lost track of time and am going to be late meeting up with the guys for breakfast. I pack all my school stuff in my bag and go to brush my teeth. As I wipe off the condensation from the mirror, I happen to look up when Hailey turns off the shower and pulls the curtain to get out.
My gaze catches her in the mirror, and she freezes. Her eyes flare in surprise and something else, something like shame. She snaps the curtain back to hide herself, but she isn’t fast enough.
I saw them.
“Jesus, Hailey!” I shout, yanking the shower curtain hard enough that it pops three of the rings holding it on the bar.
Hailey desperately tries to wrap the towel around herself, but I’m not having it. I pull it away, exposing her naked body to me, modesty be damned.
“What the hell, Hales?”
“It’s nothing. Honest.”
“Nothing? I wouldn’t call those bruises nothing. What happened?”
I manhandle her to get a better look at the huge purple and green bruises decorating her upper thigh and hip. On her shoulder is what looks like a circular burn mark that has blistered and scabbed over.
“I fell during PE. Like I said, it’s nothing.”
She steps out of the shower and snatches the towel from me, wrapping it tightly around her chest.
The ghost of Mom possesses me, and I give her Mom’s patented incredulous eye stare that we get when she calls our bullshit.
“It’s not nothing. Does it hurt?”
“No.”
She walks out the other side of the bathroom to her room with me hot on her trail.
“You’re making a big deal out of nothing. Please, drop it.”
“Enough with the flippant remarks.” I touch her shoulder. “What about this one? Get that at PE, too?”
“That’s from my curling iron.”
She throws open several drawers and grabs various articles of clothing, one of them a long-sleeved shirt. She’s been wearing those for a while now, even when it’s hot outside.
“Hailey.”
She pivots around, giving me a brilliant, happy smile, but I’m not stupid.
“I fell down and had a hair mishap. Do I lecture you when I see all the hickeys that Jayson gives you, or the fingermarks I sometimes see on your hips when you’re wearing your bathing suit? Which by the way, I really do not want to know what you and Jayson do to get those.”
She has a point, but then again, she knows those marks are ones I get in the heat of passion from my boyfriend. Hailey looks like she challenged a semitruck and lost.
“Aren’t you going to be late?” she reminds me. “I’m surprised Jayson isn’t already beating down the door wondering where you are.”
I consider her for a minute, concerned and feeling utterly helpless. “Hales, you know if you need to talk to me about anything, I’m here.”
She sucks in her cheek, biting the inside, then gives me another one of those brilliant, fake smiles.
“I know. If there was anything to tell, I’d tell you. But there’s not. So, stop worrying.”
Hailey squeezes me in an overenthusiastic hug and pushes me out of her room. “See you at school!” she says, closing her bedroom door in my face.
Maybe, I’m worrying for nothing. If there was something going on, she would tell me. Right? I’ll ask Ryder to talk to his sister, Brea, since she and Hailey are best friends.
Another thought pops into my head. Is Hailey being bullied at school? Is Maria messing with her, too? I wouldn’t put it past her to hurt my sister to hurt me. If Maria has put her hands on Hailey in any way, she’s going to regret it.