Chapter Twenty-Five
Cal
I need to get to work, but I can’t leave. Not now. Not when Trey is finally making progress. Yesterday, after I bailed from Charlotte’s bed, I spent all day at the hospital. My boy struggled hard coming to terms with what had happened. Trying to make sense of who he was and who we were. Slowly, recognition of Rose, Sonya, and myself came back, but he couldn’t remember the accident itself. The physical therapists worked with him, having him do small exercises, but today they plan to try and get him up and walking some.
Because the accident crushed in part of his skull, they had to perform a decompressive craniectomy. After they removed a bone flap, they refrigerated that shit for months while the swelling went down. Once it did, they performed a cranioplasty to replace it a few weeks ago.
Now that he’s awake, he’ll endure more therapies, including occupational therapy, speech therapy, and he’ll have to see a neuropsychologist. All just to get him to function like before.
Glancing over at the clock, I decide I can chill with T for fifteen more minutes before I have to leave. He eats his breakfast slowly, a permanent scowl on his face. I try not to stare at the scarring on his head. It’s something that was so easily overlooked when he was attached to all the machines. Now, they glow like neon signs, reminding me he almost died.
Time passes silently. I’m afraid to speak. Yesterday when I tried, he yelled at me. He yelled at everyone. I know he’s not himself, but I hope he’ll come back to us soon.
“All right, man,” I mutter, rising to my feet. “I have to head to class.”
He blinks, ignoring me as he chews his eggs.
“I got a job. A fuckin’ teacher.” I let out a snort of disbelief. “I’d love to tell you it sucks, but it doesn’t. I like it. Pre-Calculus.”
Great, I’m fucking rambling.
His brown eyes travel my way. One eye droops slightly and I’m too afraid to ask the doctor if it’s permanent.
“Bitches are all over my nuts of course,” I continue, sounding like an idiot. “I can’t help it. I mean I’m already hot as fuck. But make me wear a tie? They never had a chance.”
Trey blinks hard, studying my clothes. His brows pinch together and I can’t tell if it’s because he’s thinking or in pain. He picks up a carton of apple juice and sucks on the straw.
“I’ll see you after school.” I pick up his phone that’s charging beside the bed. “Text me if you need anything. Your grandma will be here soon.”
I give him a stupid wave that he doesn’t return.
Fuck.
I want my best friend back.
I’m in a pissy ass mood by the time I drop down into my desk chair just in time for first hour to begin. Kids are filing in, filling the room with incessant chattering. Heidi walks by, her hazel eyes immediately finding mine. She sets her stuff down and bounces over to my desk. Today she’s wearing jeans that may as well be painted on and a tight T-shirt that you can see her nipples through. I don’t have the energy for this girl today.
“I had a question on the homework,” she says, her voice too sweet and rehearsed.
“What?”
She doesn’t bristle at my tone. Instead, she stands closer to me, leaning in to show me something on her Chromebook. I glance over the problem and immediately find the error. Begrudgingly, I explain to her what she did wrong and how to fix it. Once we finish, she touches my shoulder.
“Thank you,” she murmurs. “And sorry about…you know. All the crap from before. I’ve just been going through some stuff.”
Aren’t we all?
“It’s fine,” I grunt out. “Take a seat. Bell’s about to ring.”
As she makes her way back to her seat, I glance over at Charlotte, expecting to see jealousy in her blue eyes. She’s not angry. No, my fucking girl is smiling at her phone as she texts.
Irritation slides through my veins like an infection, tainting every cell of my being. I had the worst weekend of my life and she’s happy.
I crack my neck and rise to my feet. The class grows quiet when I start writing on the board. My words come out clipped and angry as I explain a few problems. I eventually give them an assignment to work on while I stew on my anger.
My laptop dings with Charlotte’s submitted work. Of course it’s all correct. She’s back to texting. For a brief, irrational moment, I think of Wes.
Pervert fucking Wes.
She wouldn’t text with him. Fuck no.
Heidi raises her hand. I nod at her to approach. She makes her way back over to me, but my eyes are locked on Charlotte. I hate how fucking beautiful she is. It’s effortless. Like today, she’s wearing a light pink V-neck T-shirt that shows off her fine-ass tits and a pair of black yoga pants. Her blond hair is in messy beach waves that beg to be pulled and touched. It’s her lips I can’t seem to look away from. Pink and glossy. Full and juicy. Smiling. Sweet. Sexy.
“This is confusing,” Heidi says, pointing at the problem.
I reluctantly drag my gaze from Charlotte to help Heidi. Heidi touches my arm several times. Each time I watch to see if Charlotte notices. She doesn’t.
“Thanks, Mr. Hutton,” Heidi purrs before swaying her ass back to her seat.
No longer able to take it, I stand and stalk over to Charlotte. I hold out my palm.
“Give me your phone,” I demand.
Heidi laughs, earning a glare from Charlotte.
“Now,” I growl.
Charlotte scowls at me and slaps her phone into my hand. I walk back over to my seat to see what was so damn entertaining. I read through several recent texts between her and someone named Lo. Lo, a fucking guy, keeps sending her pictures with different styles of his hair.
Lo: What about this?
Lo: This makes me look hot, right?
Charlotte: Eh.
Lo: So hard to please, woman. Should I go green?
Charlotte: No, you’re perfect au naturel.
Lo: Black is boring.
Charlotte: Black is your hair color. Don’t change it.
Lo: You’d still love me if it were green?
Charlotte: Duh.
Lo: I miss you, baby. When are you going to leave that shit town and run away with me?
Charlotte: Tomorrow.
Lo: Fucking tease. Show me your boobs.
Charlotte: Don’t be gross.
Lo: We both know you’re the queen of nasty, baby.
My blood is boiling when I get to the end. Who the fuck is this guy? She loves him? She’s going to run away with him?
Lo: Tell me more about the hot convict sleeping in your bed.
What the actual fuck?
I type back a reply.
Charlotte: This is Charlotte’s boyfriend. Who the fuck are you, bitch?
The bell rings as the dots move. I don’t get to see what he says because Charlotte snatches her phone out of my hand.
“What is your problem?” she hisses, shoving her phone into her pocket. “You have no right.”
Heidi smirks at Charlotte and then gives me a wink before she leaves. The classroom hasn’t even emptied out, but I don’t care. I blow up like a fucking bomb.
“ My problem? Seriously, English? We fuck and it’s something goddamn special, but then you’re sexting with some punk-ass bitch?”
Joey sniggers but cowers when I glower at him. He scurries out of the room, the last to leave.
“Fuck you, Cal,” she snaps. “Don’t ever treat me like that again.”
“I want to know who the fuck—”
“He’s my friend from rehab. Gay, Cal. Back the fuck off.”
I deflate at her words. “Didn’t sound gay.”
“I don’t know what to tell you.” She jerks back her hand when I reach for it. “We had something special. You and me. Apparently you think so little of me that I’d throw it all away just like that.” She snaps her fingers. “Call me later when you’re done being an asshole.”
Rather than yanking her to me to give her an apologetic kiss, I watch her leave.
Fuck, I’m an idiot.
I feel like a creeper, watching her from the doorway of the gym, but I don’t care. I’m not leaving this school until I’ve talked to her. Which now, because she’s at cheer practice, I have to wait.
Heidi is the first to spy me. She goes from working hard, to shaking her ass like she’s flirting from afar. Charlotte frowns in confusion until she follows her stare to me.
“Can we focus?” Coach Jenner barks out.
Charlotte seems to ground herself with a deep breath and then puts everything she has into practice. In just a black sports bra and tiny-ass black shorts, she’s hot as fuck. All her sexy curves are on display. I step inside the gym and make my way over to the bleachers to take a seat on the bottom row, right in front of where she’s practicing.
Jenner runs them through a couple of practice cheers. Charlotte seems smaller than Heidi, so it surprises me that they push Heidi to the top of the pyramid while Charlotte stands nearby.
“Now, English!” Jenner yells. “Standing back full twist!”
I watch, in awe, as Charlotte essentially does a back flip from a standing position while adding in a twist halfway through. She’s flawless.
“Excellent,” Jenner praises. “And then, I want to see a back tuck punch front.”
Charlotte readies herself and then does the impossible. She does a back flip, lands on her feet, bounces, and then a front flip. For having a year off from cheerleading, she certainly still has it.
The girls in the pyramid toss Heidi around, which is also impressive, but I’m fixated on Charlotte. Her face glistens with a light sheen of sweat and she breathes heavily, making her breasts bounce with the movement.
They start a cheer and Charlotte can be heard over everyone. Her smile is the perkiest and her movements are the tightest. I don’t know much about this sport, but I’m smart enough to know she’s the best one on her team. Her fake smile falters when she glances back at the gym door.
I follow her stare.
Fucking Wes.
He’s grinning at her like they’re a fucking item and even waves. I’m already rising to my feet to go beat his ass when he notices me. The perv flees.
“Cal,” Charlotte calls out, trotting over to me. “Don’t. Just sit. Please stay with me.”
I relax and give her a nod. I’m tense as fuck, but I remain sitting for the duration of practice. Once Jenner calls practice over, Charlotte grabs her bag and plops down next to me.
Her sweet, sweaty scent makes me want to strip her down and lick every inch of her.
“You looked good out there,” I praise, running my fingertips down her sweaty spine.
“Thanks.” She pulls her water bottle from her bag and guzzles it. “Why are you here?”
“I fucked up, okay?” I grumble. “I’m sorry.”
She searches my eyes, frowning. Several girls whisper and Heidi shoots Charlotte a venomous look, but they eventually clear out, leaving us alone.
“What are we?” Charlotte asks, blue eyes shining with emotion.
I grab her hips, hauling her into my lap so she’s straddling me. “What do you want us to be?”
“Something real. Legitimate. If you think we’re just fucking—”
“We’re not just fucking ,” I growl, cutting her off. “We’re so much more than that. We’re whatever you call it when a beautiful, maddening girl carves a hole inside you and decides to live there. That’s what we are. You’re a parasite on my soul.”
“Wow,” she says, her blond brow arched high. “You should consider writing romance novels if this whole teacher gig falls through. Instant bestseller with those sweet words.”
I smack her ass. “Don’t be a brat.”
Her fingers thread into my hair and she leans forward to kiss me. I figure this must be her accepting my apology. Her taste is salty and addictive. I’m considering peeling off her tiny shorts so I can lick her sweaty cunt when her phone buzzes in her bag.
“Just a friend,” she reminds me in a sassy tone.
I roll my eyes. “As long as your friend knows you’re my fucking girl , we’re good.”
Her smile is sweet until she reads her text. The sharp suck of breath and instant paling of her flushed cheeks tells me whatever it is, isn’t good. I grip her wrist, angling the phone toward me, so I can peek at the message.
Unknown Number: I have thirty more burner phones all with your number programmed in. You can be a bitch all you want, but I’ll still find a way to reach you.
“What the fuck?” I bark out, making her jump.
“It’s just Ryan being his usual self.” She sighs, scowling at her phone.
Unknown Number: Grayson says you’re in the gym right now with that asshole.
Oh. Fuck. No.
I lift Charlotte off my lap, exploding with rage, and run to the gym door that leads outside. As soon as I burst through the doors, two guys take one look at me and take off running. I start for them, but Charlotte grabs my arm, stopping me.
“Just leave it be,” she orders. “I’ve got it handled.”
Her phone buzzes again. I snatch it from her.
Unknown Number: If you’re fucking him, you’re going to regret it, baby.
“I’m going to kill him,” I growl.
She takes the phone back and then blocks the number. “There. Problem solved. Can we drop it?”
“No,” I snarl. “We can’t just drop it.”
“I need a shower. I can’t deal with this right now. Go, Cal. I’ve had enough of you today.”
“Oh come the fuck on.” I throw my hands up in the air. “I’m supposed to stand around and let this psycho terrorize my fucking girl ?”
“Maybe your fucking girl doesn’t want to talk about it!”
“Too damn bad!”
We’re both glowering at each other, breathing heavily when someone walks up behind me.
“You should go,” Penny says. “Go cool off. I’ll take Charlotte home.”
I want to argue, but I’m too pissed.
“Call me when you’re done acting like this, parasite,” I toss out at her, fury dripping from my words.
Charlotte gives me an exaggerated thumbs-up that pisses me right the fuck off before she storms back into the gym. I start forward and Penny pats my chest, shaking her head.
“Bye, Hornet. She’ll call you later.”