Chapter 12
CHAPTER TWELVE
ASTRID
“Don’t you usually meet The Crew in the mornings?” I asked, walking with Cairo into Redwood Academy.
It was ten minutes before the first bell, and normally, the halls were dead until five of seven, but not today.
Students were bustling in the corridors, chatting with each other about the baseball game tonight. Baseball wasn’t huge in our school, but we were playing against our rival, and usually, the entire senior class got wasted on game days.
“Sometimes,” Cairo said, glancing around—back to his nervous, shy self. “Not today.”
“Why not? You’re all—”
Before I could say another word, ask another question, or let him answer anything for me, my gaze landed on Calix down the hallway. He was leaning against a set of lockers, his gaze on his ex-girlfriend.
This was why they hadn’t hung out this morning, wasn’t it?
I gritted my teeth and stared at Mira. That bitch had once been in our friend group until she went crazy and began fucking Calix. My gaze shifted back and forth between them for a moment, and I balled my hand into a fist.
How could he be with her? Why was he with her? They had broken up so long ago, and as soon as we had gotten together, they were suddenly back together? No, that couldn’t be right. Something was up.
Mira wrapped her arm around his and pressed her breasts against his chest, beaming up at him. Jealousy twisted my insides, and my mouth dried.
Fuck. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her. I hate her.
As if she knew I was looking at them, she peered over at me. Calix remained still, looking down at her, but his body tensed a bit. He knew that I was watching, and this fucker didn’t care.
“Oh,” I hummed to Cairo as nonchalantly as I could, “Mira and Calix are back together?”
Cairo scratched the back of his neck. “Oh, yeah …”
My heart dropped, and I dug my nails so deep into my palms that I swore I drew blood. Really? Was this all just to make me jealous? It didn’t matter because all we had done was fuck. That was all. Nothing else.
After tearing my glare away from him, I continued with Cairo through Redwood’s halls. Students were laughing, fighting, screaming, and shouting at each other, but I kept my lips pressed tightly together and didn’t say a word.
I don’t care what Calix does.
Down the hall, I spotted Frasier with his arm wrapped around some pretty cheerleader’s waist, and I paused for a moment.
What the fuck was wrong with me? Why did I care what The Crew did? I couldn’t. I didn’t.
Frasier was a man-whore, so I expected nothing less from him, even after our time in his car Friday morning. He wasn’t someone who could only be with one woman. Never mind with me. I was just that nerdy girl he used.
But why did it sting so badly to see my best friend’s brother with another girl? Why was I this furious? Fuck. No, I wasn’t catching feelings. I couldn’t catch feelings. I had already promised Diya that I would never betray her like Mira had.
I’d vowed never to do that. She didn’t deserve it. She was too sweet.
Rush shouldered me from behind, shoving me into the locker and storming down the hall. His fists were clenched by his sides, and I honestly didn’t think that he realized what he had just done. Still though, that shit pissed me off.
“What’s Rush’s problem?” I asked Cairo, straightening myself out.
“You know Rush … he’s always like that.”
“Why? Why is he always grumpy?”
Cairo paused for a long moment, looking over at Rush about to turn the corner. The muscles in his back were flexing against his gray T-shirt that hugged his body, and all I wanted to do was drag my nails down his—
No, Astrid, we’re done fucking these guys. Everyone except maybe Cairo …
I wouldn’t catch feelings for Cairo. Not at all. He wasn’t my type. Not even a little bit.
The bell rang, and Cairo shuffled backward. “I got to get to class. I have an exam.”
“Okay.” I waved. “I guess I’ll see you in Physics.”
He scurried away, and while he was a bit scrawnier than the others—God—this morning had been so fucking sexy.
I hadn’t thought that sweet and shy Cairo had it in him to be that …
dominant. And what had he meant about getting in his bed?
Was he more dominant there than this morning? I pressed my thighs together.
I would do anything to find myself in his bed. I turned on my heel. Anything—
“Hellcat,” Arch murmured as I bumped straight into his hard chest. I craned my head up to look into those dark and vicious eyes. His lips were curled into a smirk, and he snatched my upper arm. “We have to talk.”
“Get off me,” I said, trying to push him away. “I have to get to first period.”
“Oh, I don’t think you’re going to make it to class today.”