Chapter 3 #2
"The last ten minutes, I'd like for you to share with your new teams what you did over the summer." Everyone groaned and Mr. Garcia laughed. He just liked to torture us.
We rearranged ourselves into our teams, and Jax sat right next to me. I didn't have to look at him to feel his presence. With our seats in a tight circle, his shoulder nearly bumped mine with how wide they were.
I had seen him in photos without a shirt on, and he wore the swimmer's body better than anyone I had ever seen, including Olympic athletes. He had a long torso with broad, muscular shoulders and abs that were enough to get me to get back in the water.
"All right, I'll start." I moved my chair a smidgen away from Jax. "Besides the yearbook retreat, I visited ten colleges, got some reading done, and completed a level in my dance program."
"Are we allowed to ask questions?" Jax turned his body toward me so the distance I had created disappeared.
His leg touched mine, and all I could focus on was the heat permeating through my jeans. He cleared his throat after a moment and I blinked at him. "Questions?"
"Yeah, about what you did over the summer." He smirked. "Your answers aren't satisfying my curiosity."
"Is there something going on between you two?" Ashley asked with a roll of the eyes.
"No." We both answered at the same time, and the others laughed.
The last thing I wanted was for people to get the impression that something was going on with me and Jax. He was hot, but that didn't detract from the fact that he and his friends were taking a not so positive interest in me.
"Ask whatever questions you want."
"Are we talking ballet or exotic dancing?" The group laughed.
My ears felt like they were burning and I scrunched my nose. "Not that I have anything against exotic dancers, they can make a lot of money and express themselves in a way a lot of us can't, but no. I ballroom dance. I've been doing it since freshman year."
"Isn't that for old people?" Ashley was getting on my nerves. She was usually not a problem, but maybe Jax's attitude was influencing her.
"No. There are plenty of younger people who ballroom dance." Yes, I was one of the few dance students still in high school, but didn't any of them watch Dancing With the Stars or So You Think You Can Dance? "Who's next?"
"What kind of books do you read?" Ashton asked.
I didn't know how to answer that. I read a lot instead of watching television or playing video games and had discovered a whole new world through indie authors. I decided to keep it vague. "Paranormal stuff."
Ashley laughed and my face heated. She knew what I read because I had recommended several books to her last year. "Don't be shy. We're supposed to get to know one and other better. She reads reverse harem."
"Harem as in multiple partners?" Ashton's mouth hung open. "That's-"
I rolled my eyes. "The woman has three or more love interests and doesn't choose. They all love her and protect her. It's empowering to read." Jax's stare made me shift in my seat. "Jax, what did you do over the summer?"
"Swimming." We all looked at him to continue as he stared back at me. "I also volunteered my time with a non-profit organization that rehabilitates marine life affected by human negligence."
So much loathing dripped from his voice that we all reared back. He said human like he wanted to murder everyone in their sleep.
The rest of the group quickly shared before class ended. Once the bell rang, I pretended to be working on the computer until Jax left. I’d had enough confrontation for one day.
"Riley, make sure you shut the door all the way when you leave. I have a meeting." Mr. Garcia clicked off the projector and walked through the inner door that connected the classrooms in the building.
Jax walked out of the room without a glance back, and I breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank fuck."
Tory laughed. "He is something else. I guess when you have a body like that there has to be some kind of flaw to make the universe happy." She picked up her bag and turned off her screen. "See you tomorrow."
I was left alone and shut down my computer before taking a minute to put my head in my hands.
Senior year was supposed to be the best year of high school.
We were entering adulthood and making decisions that would affect our futures.
We weren't supposed to act like children.
Targeting me for something my father's company did was ridiculous.
"Riley." My head snapped up and I was face to face with Jax, who had somehow snuck back in the room without a sound. He was leaning against the door.
I put my bag over my shoulder and stood. "Stay away from me."
He laughed and held up his hands. "What do you mean? I'm not even near you." He took a step toward me and I headed for the door connecting the classrooms.
I was just about to it when he grabbed me by the back of the neck and maneuvered me to face him, crashing his lips into mine. My hands came up to shove against his chest, but instead, fisted his shirt as he backed me against the wall and pushed his tongue into my mouth.
My mind was screaming at me to push him away, but instead, I moved my tongue into his mouth and my knees weakened. If I had known kissing was so great, I would have found someone to make out with a lot sooner. Someone that wasn't paying someone to beat me up.
But maybe I was wrong and it wasn't him in particular. It seemed more like something Morgan would instigate. He was the one that was the notorious bad boy of the three.
He pulled away just enough so our lips were almost brushing. "You need to tell us where your father is."
My feelings of lust toward him evaporated and I shoved him, moving him back a few inches. "I don't know my father."
"I find that hard to believe." He crossed his arms over his chest, drawing my attention to how the button-up shirt he was wearing clung to his biceps and pecs.
He smirked and brought a hand to his mouth, rubbing a finger over his bottom lip. I was distracted for a moment at how his lips seemed swollen from our kiss. Did mine look the same?
"Why is that hard to believe?" It was a struggle to keep my voice steady as my eyes tracked his every movement. "He left before I was one."
"Does your mom work?" He unbuttoned his sleeves and rolled them up to show his muscular forearms. "How does she make a living?"
I looked away to stop myself from ogling him. "What my mom does and doesn't do is none of your fucking business."
"I never pegged you for a girl that cusses." He stepped forward again. "By the way, where is your mom, Riley?"
My eyes met his and my heart stopped. Did he know where my mom was? I wracked my brain trying to remember if I had mentioned my mom going to the Maldives during the yearbook retreat. I opened my mouth to respond and then shut it.
"Here's what's going to happen." He trailed a finger down my jawline and I flinched away. "You're going to get your dad out of hiding."
"But-"
He pressed his forefinger to my lips. "Listen." I nodded. "Once you make contact with him, you'll text me and I'll give you further direction."
Tears sprang to my eyes because I didn't have the faintest clue of how to get into contact with my estranged father. I had asked when I was younger about him and my mother had shut me down, telling me never to bring him up again.
He removed his finger and wrapped his hand around the side of my neck, bringing his forehead to mine. "Don't make this harder than it needs to be, Riley. There will be consequences."
He released me, and I sagged against the wall as he walked to the door. "Consequences? Like paying someone to jump me or putting fish in my dorm?"
He turned the door handle and paused, looking back over his shoulder. The look he gave me was enough to make me piss my pants. "You have seventy-two hours."