Chapter 3
CHAPTER THREE
Ashton
Willyecho - Monster
F irst period was a fucking shit show. My hands were balled at my sides as I made my way to my second class, pure hatred searing through me. That stupid fucking bitch had the audacity to look at me like I’d never meant a damn thing to her. But what else had I really expected? She was a whore. I was a fool for not realizing it sooner. I’d never meant anything to her. If I had, she wouldn’t have done what she did. She wouldn’t have ripped out my heart and stomped on it.
I was going to enjoy returning that fucking sentiment. Tearing her to shreds, making her feel like she was nothing. I didn’t transfer here because I knew she was here. Hell, I figured she’d left the state like she always used to talk about when we were teenagers. Seeing her hurry into the classroom had my heart stuttering in my chest, teleporting me back to that fateful afternoon. It only reminded me of how deeply I still hated her. For a while, I thought I’d let that go. But evidently not.
My hands drifted through my black hair, burrowing into the strands.
Everyone had a first love. Most of the time the relationship didn’t work out. I knew that, but she had been my obsession, the reason I lived and breathed. She was everything to me, until she was nothing. Out of all the girls that went to school with us, I didn’t think she’d be the one to get under my skin the way she had, to weasel her way into my heart so effectively, only to slice through it when something bad happened in her life. She threw me away like I was nothing.
I blew out a frustrated breath and slipped into my second class, finding a spot near the back. Students trickled in, filling up the remainder of the seats.
My economics professor did something similar to what Professor Whitlock had done. Forcing us to introduce ourselves to the class like anyone actually gave a shit. My foot tapped impatiently beneath the table, anticipation driving through me. I just wanted this day to fucking end so I could go home. Maybe I’d hit up a bar, sink into a pretty pink pussy, and get so drunk I couldn’t remember my name.
The guy beside me turned, his eyes assessing the side of my face for a moment. “You were at soccer tryouts,” he pointed out with interest. His blonde hair swooped across his forehead. I turned to give him a better look. My eyes danced over his light pink button-down shirt paired with black slacks. He looked like a preppy douche.
“You don’t say,” I retorted dryly.
He swallowed, thrown off by my hostility. But I wasn’t here to make friends with someone who looked like he clipped plants for a living while smiling at the neighbors, kissing his pregnant wife who volunteered at all of the school functions, and prancing off to the country club on weekends.
“I’m Lucas,” he continued with hesitancy. “I just noticed that I hadn’t seen you around. Was going to offer you a tour, but?—”
I wanted to laugh. Lucas . Was this dude Eve’s boyfriend? How fucking low has she fallen? Hard enough to hit that pretty, deceitful head of hers apparently. “But what? I’m covered in tattoos and look like a gangster?” I shot back, my amusement coming out thick.
“Not at all. You just don’t seem interested.”
“Clearly.” I rolled my eyes, tearing my gaze from his.
“I just figured that since you’d be joining the team, that?—”
I cut him off again. “That I’d what? Want to sit in a circle and jerk your cock? I’ll pass.” The same fucking cock that Everleigh’s been riding. That thought was bitter in the forefront of my mind. I hated that she got to move on so damn easily.
“Forget it then,” he snapped.
I didn’t bother replying to him. There was no point to keep the conversation going. Instead, I leaned back in my seat and listened to the professor drone on and on about what we’d be learning this year. Despite my recent assessment of Ned Flanders over here, I could see what Eve saw in him. He was safe. Not entirely hideous to look at and seemed well put together. The complete opposite of me.
I’d heard what she said to her friend when she thought I’d left. I wasn’t her type. Maybe I’d never been. Pieces started coming together easier now. I was just a fun time who knew how to work her body. Something she never wanted long term. Which was exactly why she hurt me in the worst way imaginable. To make sure I wouldn’t try talking her out of it if she simply broke up with me. She might have been right about that, too.
After class ended, I made my way to the cafeteria, my mind still reeling from the unexpected turn the day had taken. I grabbed a tray, topping it with a burger and fries before adding a can of soda before I paid for it. My eyes danced around the large bustling room. The tables were all wooden, giving the illusion of some kind of buffet.
A snarl curled my mouth when I saw her at one of the tables near the center of the room. She was seated between Ned Flanders and the friend I’d seen her with earlier. A blonde and another guy I didn’t know filled the other chairs.
Lucas chose that moment, to glance up at me. I knew how I probably looked. Like a lost dog. But it was true. I could sit alone, but that would make me look pathetic. Why do that when I could sit at her table and make her life a living hell? He waved me over, giving me one last opportunity to join him despite the things I’d said earlier. Sighing, I started in their direction and Lucas eagerly jumped up to fetch an extra chair like a good little lap dog. Maybe he really did want to slob my knob.
Everleigh looked at him with confusion, but didn’t notice me until I approached, her posture stiffening as I slid into the newly placed chair beside her friend with the nice tits. The ones I took my time admiring at the end of my first class while she was clinging to my conniving ex like they were the best of friends.
I half expected Everleigh to ask me why I joined them, but then she’d have to explain that we dated, and then would also have to tell the story of why we broke up. She wasn’t prepared for that. Because if she didn’t say anything had the conversation came up, I might have, and it wasn’t a risk she was willing to take.
Nice tits turned to look at me, a sultry smile stretching across her face. “When you said you’d see me soon, I didn’t expect it to be this soon.”
I lifted a shoulder in a shrug, taking a fry and plopping it in my mouth. Her gaze followed the movement, watching me chew like she was picturing my mouth on her instead of the food. Could she be any more fucking obvious? She was hot enough, but not sure if I’d tap that long term. I wasn’t the same pathetic bitch I’d been a few years ago. Plus, she was Eve’s friend. Which meant she was probably a snake, too.
I didn’t bother indulging her. If she had something worth responding to, then I’d say something. She shifted uneasily in her seat, probably not used to guys blatantly ignoring her. I shared that sentiment but reversed.
Lucas cleared his throat, placing his hands on the table, linking his fingers together like this was some kind of parent teacher conference. He glanced over at his girlfriend for a moment. “This is my girlfriend, Everleigh,” he began, making her choke on the fry she’d just inserted between her thick glossed lips. She spluttered for a moment before lifting her beverage to her lips and swallowing a mouthful of the liquid to help wash it down.
Once she’d composed herself, her friends looking at her with various expressions of concern, she blew out a breath. “We met. He’s in my chemistry class.”
“Oh. That’s cool.” He shrugged, dismissing how blatantly weird she was acting. But I didn’t miss a thing. “Next to you is Amber. She’s friends with Everleigh. And on the other side of you is Alex, and then his girlfriend, Rosalie.”
I paid them no mind. Not even when they gave me nods of acknowledgment. My eyes were pinned to the bitch who ruined me. Her face was flushed from choking on her food moments ago at the mention of Ned Flanders, telling me that they were dating. I felt sorry for the bastard. He didn’t know just how much of a slut his girlfriend truly was deep down.
“And this is Ashton,” Lucas finished, motioning to me. “He’s in my economics class, and he just made the soccer team, playing offense.” He grinned over at me like that was some kind of grand accomplishment. But I’d been playing for years, so making the team was easy.
Everleigh’s jaw tightened at that, her hands dropping down to the edge of the table where she gripped it tightly. “He what ?” she demanded.
Amber glanced over at her, the only one realizing that something was off. Even her own boyfriend didn’t seem to put it together, too caught up in the sport the three of us would be playing together.
“That’s right.” I smirked. “You’ll be seeing a lot more of me.”
She lifted her gaze to meet mine. Past the rage she’d been sporting since I’d confronted her, there was fear. Her pulse was fluttering wildly against the column of her throat. And for the briefest of moments, I imagined what it would feel like to wrap my hand around her throat and squeeze until she ceased to exist. To see the panic flash within her eyes as she silently begged for breath.
“There’s a party happening at one of the frat houses this weekend,” he continued, once again, ignoring his girlfriend like she didn’t exist. Maybe he was used to random outbursts like this from her, or maybe he didn’t give a shit about her at all. Who knew. I didn’t give a shit.
“Really,” I drawled, my interest piquing at that.
I glanced around the room, my eyebrows rising when Briley slipped into the cafeteria, walking side by side with a couple of girls. The last time I’d seen her, she’d been fifteen. She’d definitely filled out in a few areas but was still as petite as ever. A wicked thought slipped through my mind, but I flushed it as quickly as it had come. The first time I’d seen her, she was nothing but a kid, giggling when she saw me groping her sister at the maze. We might have only been a couple years apart, but back then, she’d been a lot more child-like. That’s what I saw now, when I looked at her.
Lucas’s words cut through my thoughts, pulling me back to the table, pulling me back to her . “Oh yeah, man. We have the craziest parties here.” He shot Everleigh a knowing smirk, which she exchanged, like they were one and the same.
“You should totally come,” Amber chipped in.
I could think of a few places I’d like to come. My gaze darted to her exposed cleavage, picturing it coated in white, contrasting against her baked skin.
“Eyes up here.” She smirked, drawing my attention to her green eyes.
My lips twitched with amusement, but that quickly faded when I was jerked into a memory I’d done my best to forget. Everleigh had always been quick with flirty comebacks. A teasing smile gracing her lips as she dared me to cave. My hot breath whispering over her ear while we sat in the back of our biology class. Instead of shrinking away, her back was ramrod straight, the pulse in her neck fluttering wildly was her only tell. That was what initially made me crave her. Our flirty encounters, the jokes, her gorgeous fucking smile. The way she looked at me like I was the only one in the room. That’s when I knew I had to have her.
Shoving those thoughts to the back of my mind, I scowled, glaring at the bitch on the other side of Amber. But she wasn’t looking at me. She was looking at him— like he hung the goddamn moon. She was looking at him how she used to look at me.
“I’ll think about it,” I told Amber.
The walk to the soccer fields was drawn out, the hot sun beating down on me as I crossed campus, headed toward the far-right side of the university where the field resided just beyond that. I passed a few students who were lurking in the parking lot, and some who were making their way to class.
It felt weird being back here. When me and Eve broke up, I skipped town, wanting to put as much distance between us as possible. I did my basics at Junction University in Texas and then found my way back, missing my parents too much to stay away for long. My family dynamic was all kinds of screwed up after everything went down, but I knew my mom and dad wouldn’t live forever and I’d regret it if I didn’t see them more frequently. Family was the most important thing in the world to me. That’s why Eve’s betrayal hurt so damn badly.
When I reached the fields, I made my way into the men’s locker room. Lucas was already dressed, propped against a row of lockers in a pair of basketball shorts and a tank top while he talked to a few guys animatedly about something. At least he wasn’t dressed like a fucking nerd, anymore. There was muscle definition, pronouncing his biceps, but not much. He was about as thin as I had been three years ago.
Placing my bag on one of the empty benches, I stripped down to my boxers. The room was loud, the scent of toxic masculinity permeating the air. I grabbed a black T-shirt and pulled it over my head, pairing it with some gray sweats. I’d never been much of a shorts person. Tying my sneakers, I shoved my previous outfit into my bag and tossed it into one of the lockers that didn’t contain a combination. If someone was ballsy enough to fuck with my shit, I’d make them regret it.
Running my hands through my thick, side-swept dark hair, I made my way back outside, heading toward the field. A group of people were already waiting there, a mix of girls and guys.
As if drawn by a magnetic pull, my gaze found Everleigh. She was wearing black athletic shorts that complimented her thick thighs, along with a tight T-shirt that hugged her narrow hips and breasts. She was thicker than she used to be, that was for sure. But not in a bad way. She looked fucking hot, and I hated it. She laughed at something her sister said, the sound carrying her voice through the wind.
I stood off to the side, folding my arms over my chest as a man made his presence known. If I remembered correctly, he was the soccer coach. Gray streaks wove through his dark hair, his eyes crinkled from years of laughing too much. I hadn’t laughed much since I was seventeen years old. Had no reason to. The man made his way toward the center of where we were all huddled together, forming some sort of sloppy circle. A clipboard was tucked beneath his arm, but he said nothing, waiting for the rest of the team to make their presence known.
When we were all here, that’s when he decided to say something. “I see a lot of new faces here today.” He beamed. “If you’re here, it’s because you passed the soccer tryouts. My name is Coach Doyle, and I’ll be working with each and every one of you to ensure that this is a successful year.” He turned to Everleigh, shooting her a broad smile. “Everleigh is our female captain, having earned it when she played last year. Girls, you’ll look up to her.” She gave a shy wave, heads turning her direction.
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. The bitch had it all, didn’t she? A boyfriend, friends, college, team captain.
“As for the captain of the boy’s team, that role goes to Lucas over here.” He motioned to the cunt’s boyfriend and annoyance flared deep inside me. Not because he was captain, I could care less about that, but because they were popular . Everleigh always claimed to hate that kind of thing but look at her now.
“We’re going to start with some warm-ups, do a couple drills, and then we’ll have a scrimmage. Boys against girls to see where you all are at. If this is your first time on the team, hang back after practice so I can get some more information about your clothing size and jersey number.”
I blew out a sigh, glancing up at the blue sky. A few birds whipped through the air, circling around the others. For a moment, I imagined what it would feel like to be that free. No school, no ex-girlfriends, no shitty ass brothers. There would be no reason to work because everything would be offered right at your fingertips. This world was filled with shitty ass people who wanted to see you fall, who would go out of their way to make sure you did. Everleigh ruined my perception on love—ruined me for anyone else. My mind was warped now, and I knew that I’d never be able to trust anyone ever again. Not after what she did. But why did she get to go off and live happily ever after what she put me through? So even though I knew I couldn’t trust anyone, I owed it to myself to at least try.
Coach had us line up on the white sprayed line that outlined the field. My chest was coiled tight with tension as I bent down to touch my toes as he instructed. Soccer used to be the only thing that helped take my mind off things, but now she infiltrated that, too.
Straightening my back, my arms moved toward the sky before I bent at the waist again and gripped my toes like before. We did this a few more times before we were ordered to spread our legs and direct our attention to one foot, then the other, and finally the middle between our legs. Afterwards, we did squats, lunges, butterflies, and then suicides—where we ran back and forth to various points of the field. By now, adrenaline was punching through me, my chest heaving with the force of my heart pounding against it.
Coach held up his hand, ordering us to stop what we were doing. “Lucas, Everleigh, come.”
The two of them made their way toward him, standing on opposite sides as they peered in our direction. “To make this fair, the captains will choose people to join them for the scrimmage. Once they’ve chosen you, move to stand behind them.” He turned to Everleigh with an encouraging nod.
She stepped forward, glancing over the line of people that were at her disposal. Her eyes locked with mine for a moment before she dismissed me. “Briley,” she decided.
Her sister scurried over to her, looking much thinner than I remembered, unlike her older sister. They exchanged smiles before she took the first spot behind Eve.
Lucas glanced around for a moment, but he didn’t even seem to think about it. “Ashton.”
Hesitantly, I strode forward. I suppose it was better than the alternative, but it still felt weird as hell to be on her boyfriend’s team. Well, technically we were all on the same team. He held out his knuckles, like he actually expected me to give him a fist bump. I snorted with an eye roll before slipping behind him. Just because he let me sit with them at lunch earlier didn’t make us friends.
Briley caught my eye, confusion twisting her features as she slowly put the pieces together.
“Alex,” Everleigh called out.
Their voices faded into the background as they continued to choose people for their teams. At my old college, I was the popular one. Girls were at my fucking disposal. Guys jumped at the chance of being friends with me. Maybe what I really needed to do was knock the crown off Everleigh’s pretty little head. That way she had nothing. I’d take her popularity, ruin her relationship, turn her family against her as she had done mine, and make it to where she had nowhere to go—no one to trust.
Baby steps.
I’d start with Amber, and the party this weekend sounded like a golden opportunity to do just that.
Lucas turned to us, his stance wide with his hands on his hips. “I play center midfield for those of you who don’t know. As of right now, any other position is up for grabs.” His gaze fell on me. “We’ll start with you.”
“Left offender.”
He nodded thoughtfully. “You’ll be going up against Everleigh, then. She’s right defender.”
Of course she is. That didn’t deter me, though. Chick or not, if she got in my way on the field, I’d treat her how I’d treat anyone else. He took note of everyone else’s positions before sending us on the field. I took my spot on the left, a cool breeze brushing against me. My eyes fluttered closed for a moment, reveling in the way the sun warmed my skin. It’s been a while since I played. A few months to be exact. It would be easier to enjoy this if my cunt of an ex wasn’t here, too.
Rage licked through my veins, reminding me just how much I wanted to hurt her—to make her pay. My eyes snapped open, landing on her across the field where she stood. Her hands were planted on her wide hips, her weight shifted to one side like she owned the place. Maybe she had before, but not anymore.
As soon as the kick-off happened, the ball was flying through the air. Lucas caught it with his chest, allowing it to fall to his knee where it bounced a few times. He drug his foot over the top of the ball, sliding it to the right to dodge Alex. I took off backwards, trying to keep my eye on who had possession. Briley and some other chick on the opposing team, gained on him with wide stances in an attempt to make themselves bigger to prevent him from getting past them. Lucas glanced around the field for a moment, his eyes landing on me. Without a warning, he kicked the ball in my direction after realizing I was his best bet at the moment.
I stopped the object with my foot once it was in reach and dribbled down the field. The opposing midfielders rounded on me, trying to keep me from scoring. But I’d been playing this game a long time. I knew what to look for, what to expect when they tried to sike me out. The wind whipped through my dark hair as I moved up field, passing their midfielders and making a beeline toward their defense.
My gaze landed on Everleigh. Her legs were parted, even with her shoulders and her hands were out. My stomach twisted into knots for a single moment, a wave of nostalgia hitting me. We’d never been on the same team, but we would often scrimmage in high school. Back then, she’d been a midfielder. As if sensing where my train of thought had gone, a look of uncertainty passed her features. So, I took advantage of it. I ran up field, but she snapped out of it quickly, gaining on me. Her strong scent captured my senses. It didn’t matter that I towered over her. She knew how to work that to her advantage. She was fast, small, easy to miss. I didn’t want to play this game with her. Didn’t want to act like everything was fine when it wasn’t. Maybe it was in my head, because the two of us both knew we were far from okay. It just felt too much like how things used to be. When we used to play, I’d allow my fingertips to graze her chest. I’d put intentional pressure on her back under the guise of trying to make her lose the ball, when really, I’d just wanted to touch her.
Anger flared deep inside of me when she took the ball, jerking it beneath her foot, and turning her back to separate me from the orange and black object. If it had been any other opponent, I would have pressed up against them to add pressure, to make them nervous so they’d fumble it. But I didn’t want to give her any ideas about what this was.
Just when she turned, ready to pass it along the field, I stuck my foot out, blocking it with ease. She reeled it back in, glancing around at her teammates for an opening. But no one was available. Her other defender had one of my teammates in front of her, blocking her as a pass. The only way out was through me.
Everleigh narrowed her eyes, a flash of determination slithering through her features. She’d always been competitive. She didn’t want me to score with her as my only obstacle, because in her eyes, that would prove I was better than her. Which I was, but she was too proud to accept it. She twisted quickly, darting to the right with the ball in tow. It only took me a second to catch up to what was happening, but then I was on her. I leaned my weight against her, the heat of her body radiating through my clothes.
Fuck this.
I added more pressure, making her stumble before pulling the ball back with my foot. I didn’t even have to think about it. When revenge entered my mind upon seeing her this morning, physical pain hadn’t so much as come up. But she deserved to hurt. So, I kicked the ball as hard as I could. It spiraled through the air hitting its target. My chest pounded violently as I watched her hands move to her face as she crumpled to the ground. I meant to hit her with it. Just not directly in the face. Blood poured through her fingers, snaking down her wrist.
“What the fuck, dude?” Lucas demanded, jogging over. He grabbed her by the arms and helped her to her feet. Her watery brown eyes darted in my direction, a look of confusion and disbelief passing her expression as she clutched her nose, trying to keep it from gushing.
“It was an accident.” I shrugged, even though my chest was constricting with regret. I shouldn’t have done that.
Lucas nodded, seeming to believe my lie. “It’s all good, man. Shit happens. This game can get intense from time to time.” He steered her off the field and onto the sidelines where Coach started to help her get cleaned up.
The game was back in motion as soon as Lucas returned, but for once, I didn’t even feel the urge to play anymore. My head was spinning with confusion. I’d wanted to hurt her, and I did. But maybe it shouldn’t have been like that. I’d never been a woman beater or wanted to intentionally make someone smaller than me bleed like that—especially a girl. It didn’t matter what she’d done. It was a weak shot, and I knew it. From now on, I needed to target her emotionally. Not that I’d never do anything physical to hurt her, but not like this. She deserved to hurt, to cry, to pay, to feel regret, and I intended on making that happen. One day at a time until she had nothing left.