Chapter Seven
Hollis
M y phone buzzes in my pocket as I pull into the school parking lot. This time, I avoid parking next to the Ford Explorer and choose a spot several rows back. Of course, in the empty lot, I stick out like a sore thumb. With an annoyed sigh, I swipe open my phone.
Lucas: Saw your dad last night. He looks like shit.
I’m irritated that when I finally get a message from Lucas, it’s referring to my father, not catching up.
Me: Yeah? Why?
Lucas: I don’t know. Just looked tired and angry.
Me: That’s his signature look. How are you doing? How’re Jamie and Wendell?
I know I sound fucking desperate, but I ache for my old life. When it was filled with friendship and laughter. Where Lucas and I would flirt all the time and most everyone chalked it up to a bromance. How we’d sneak off and make out, sometimes jacking each other off within earshot of our teammates.
Lucas: Jamie’s still a dumbass. Wendell’s out for the season. Broke his ankle.
I wince, knowing how much this hurts the team. Wendell was one of the best.
Me: Fuck. That sucks.
The reply back is instant, but it takes me a second to realize it’s not him.
Roan: You too good to park next to Jordy?
I lift my gaze to see Roan leaned against the back of Jordy’s Ford Explorer as Jordy stalks my way. My heart rate stammers wildly as I wonder why in the hell this guy is headed my way like I’ve done something to him.
He walks right up to my door and flings it open, his body tight with barely contained rage. This dude has serious anger issues.
“You got a fuckin’ problem with me, rat?” he snarls, cracking his thick neck.
Jesus, now they’re both calling me that shitty nickname.
“Nope,” I grumble.
“Get out of your car.” He thrums with violence.
“Nah, I’m good right here.”
The fucker pounces on me, yanking me out of the car. I drop my phone in the process. Jordy shoves me to the dirty, snowy pavement. The wet, cold slop saturates through my jeans before I manage to jump to my feet.
“He’s not worth it,” Roan calls out to his friend, approaching the two of us. “You’d hit him and he’d break. Little porcelain doll.”
Jordy’s lip curls up. “You thought my piece of shit was going to door ding your gay-ass purple car?”
I try not to flinch at the word “gay,” but it’s too late. I’ve done it and Roan zeroes in on it with narrowed eyes. I’m not ashamed of being gay, but it’s times like these that people make it really fucking difficult.
“I just wanted to avoid this,” I hiss, waving between us. “A stupid altercation over nothing.”
Jordy charges for me, shoving me again. I don’t fall down this time and fist my hands. Sure, I’ve never fought, but that doesn’t mean I won’t go down without swinging at his psycho ass.
“Let’s go,” Roan grumbles. “You’ll get your ass expelled, Jordy.”
“And I give a fuck, why?” Jordy throws back.
Roan grabs his jaw, turning him so they can face off. “I need you. Roux and I both do.”
This seems to dismantle the bomb. I guess underneath all Jordy’s psychopathic tendencies, he has a conscience. Carting around his best friend and his little sister are what gives him purpose, it would seem.
I’m thinking I’ve managed to go unscathed when a loud, big black truck whips into the parking lot. The dual exhaust is obnoxious and deafening. Thankfully it cuts off as he parks crookedly right beside my car. The three of us have to step close to my car to avoid getting run over. At least there is distance between me and Jordy. He’s near the hood of my car with Roan and I’m closer to the trunk. The driver of the big truck flings his door open with no regard to my car.
Thunk.
“What the hell?” I grind out, rushing over to inspect the damage.
A big ass guy steps out of the truck and slams the door shut. Someone shuts the door on the other side, but I can’t see over the vehicle. I stare up at a guy taller than either Roan or Jordy. The guy has a baseball cap on, flipped backward, and his big green eyes burn into me. He’d be cute in a country boy kind of way if he didn’t have the same mean look to him that Roan and Jordy do.
“Oops.” He smirks unkindly at me. “My bad.”
“Fuckin’ Cal,” Jordy says with a snort from behind him.
Our eyes travel together to the dent in the top of the upper doorframe that takes up the entire three-inch width. Unbelievable. I’m about to go off on this asshole when I feel a presence behind me. A quick glance behind me and I realize it’s Roan’s friend I saw briefly leaving Aunt Karen’s office yesterday. Fucking wonderful. Four assholes all present and accounted for, ready to kick my ass for no goddamn reason.
And, on cue, my stomach decides to choose this moment to give me problems. Nausea burns up my esophagus, making me feel like I’m going to puke. Dizziness washes over me and blackness eats at the edge of my vision.
I’m going to pass out.
I start to collapse, falling toward Cal. He shoves me right into the guy behind me. That guy pushes me to the asphalt. Protecting my face, I curl into myself, waiting for the abuse. I don’t know what to expect, but with four of them, it can’t be good. I’m groaning, trying hard not to throw up, when a foot nudges me.
“Get up.” Roan. “Now.”
I blink back the dizziness, wishing like hell I wouldn’t have turned my nose up to biscuits and gravy this morning. I should have eaten.
“Rat,” Roan snaps, a little more forcefully. “I said get the fuck up.”
Shakily, I sit up. The world spins around me. Roan, who’s now squatted in front of me, seems to go around and around like I’m on a merry go round. I reach out, grabbing his shoulder, to steady myself. Surprisingly, he doesn’t shake me away and hauls me to my feet. I lean against my car, praying like hell I don’t pass out. That was too close.
“What’s your problem?” he demands. “Are you sick?”
“You saw what he did to my car,” I spit out. “You’d be sick too.”
“Poor, spoiled baby. You have a dent in your precious car. I bet the world feels like it’s fucking end—”
Everything goes black.
“Whoa, man, why are you so pale?”
I’m vaguely aware of being manhandled back into my front seat. My clothes are wet and dirty, but all I can worry about is making the world stop spinning.
I close my eyes, willing the episode to pass.
“Hollis? Are you okay?”
I blink my eyes open in confusion to see Aunt Karen standing in front of my open car door. How much time has gone by?
“Aunt Karen?”
“You’re white as a ghost, honey,” she says, reaching in to run her palm over my forehead. “Clammy too. I’m going to run you home. I’ll call Kels—”
“No!” I bark out. “Mom just started her job. Please don’t make her feel like she has to leave to come deal with me.” I let out a heavy sigh. “I didn’t eat anything.”
“Hollis Nathaniel English,” she chides. “You know better than that.”
“Sorry. I just…maybe I can sit here until it passes.”
“I’ll grab you a soda and some crackers. Sit tight.” Then, to Roan who’s hovering nearby, she says, “Please stay with him until I get back. I’ll write you a pass.”
“Happy to help,” he says with false cheer.
“Don’t look so eager to get out of class,” she grumbles.
As soon as she disappears, Roan opens the passenger side door and sits down like we’re best fucking pals. I groan and try to ignore him.
“You look like shit, rat.”
“Fuck off.”
“You dropped this,” he says, handing me my phone with a now cracked screen back. “Your boyfriend has been blowing up your phone.”
I see several missed texts from Lucas, one of which he admits he misses me. Knowing Roan has seen this causes anger to spark inside of me, chasing away the ill feeling.
“Is this the same guy you were kissing in the picture?” he probes, his voice low and demanding. “Or a different one? How many guys do you have exactly?”
I turn my head to look at him. He’s wearing me out. Instead of responding to his stupid questions, I stare at him. Dark shadows beneath his eyes that weren’t there before now stand out, showing me he isn’t the only one having a bad day. It makes me wonder what kept him up so late. Sure as hell wasn’t studying. I don’t know much about the guy, but I can deduce he’s not a studier.
“If you hate school, what do you plan to do after this?” I ask, voicing my question.
It catches him off guard because for a second, he seems scared and unsure. And that’s not right because he’s fucking Roan. A prick who’s quite sure of himself.
“We’re not friends,” he reminds me.
“So?”
“So I’m not giving you my life story.”
“I was just asking for your future.”
Our eyes meet and his amber ones blaze with intensity. It’s a shame he’s such an asshole. He’s hot. Really hot. Distractingly so. I crave to push away the overgrown fallen lock of hair that hangs over one brow that I know is pierced. I want to see the piercing up close and wonder if he’s pierced elsewhere. This guy is a dick, and yet I still want to touch him.
“I want to be a fireman.”
I’m so stunned he responded, all I can do is gape. “For real?”
Anger flashes over his features. “I didn’t say it would fucking happen. You just asked what I wanted. Whatever, man.”
“Don’t be so sensitive,” I grumble back. “It was just a question.”
His body relaxes. “I know this guy Mike. He’s a fireman. Cool as hell. Loves his job.”
Imagining Roan all decked out and sweaty in fireman gear is enough to make me want to faint all over again. Rather than embarrass myself, I close my eyes.
“I used to want to be a doctor.”
“Used to?” His voice is gruff.
“My dad’s a doctor. We’re not speaking anymore. Trying to figure out what I want to do now.”
“You look more like a substitute teacher if you ask me.”
And you look like an angry underwear model.
“No one asked,” I say instead.
Roan’s not so bad when he’s not under the influence of his friends.
“What are you doing after school?” he asks, his voice tight with some sort of hidden emotion.
“Going home.”
“Nope. Pick up Charlotte and bring her to basketball practice. Roux never has anyone to talk to.” He starts to get out of the car as Aunt Karen makes her way toward the parking lot from the building. I grab his arm to stop him.
“I’m not an errand boy.” I huff. “Besides, what would I do?”
“Play ball with us.” He shrugs. “I saw your jersey in the picture. Figured you played.”
“And snooped in my texts,” I grit out. “How did you even get into my phone anyway?”
“Face ID. Yours.”
“You seriously broke into my phone using my face while I was passed out?”
“Yep. Held your eyes open for you and everything.”
“Unbelievable.”
“Believe it, rat.”
“Fine.”
“Fine, what?”
“I’ll pick Charlotte up and bring her to the gymnasium. Penny has to come too, though.”
He smiles—real and beautiful. “I like that broody kid.”
“Are we…is this a truce?”
His features darken. “No. It’s you helping my fucking sister be happy because it’s the right thing to do.”
“Which makes you happy,” I bite back. “What the hell do I get out of it?”
“You keep from getting your ass kicked. I’ll call off the dogs.”
“For how long?”
“Depends on how long your sister stays friends with Roux.”
“Feels like blackmail.”
“Feels like the truth.”