Chapter 27
I run past him into Braden’s room. It’s empty. I check his walk-in closet. It’s empty too.
I go back into the hallway. “Where’d she go?”
“Nowhere. She was never here.” Trystan shuts Braden’s door, then his own. “I’m going downstairs. I need to eat before I go to the gym.”
I follow him down there, checking the living room, then the kitchen. I check the entire house, but she’s not there. Where did she go? Her car’s not in the driveway, but I don’t know if she drove here or if Braden picked her up.
When I’m back in my room, Jackson calls.
“Did you see my text?” I ask.
“Yeah. I can only talk for a minute. What do you mean Kristen’s there?”
“She was here. Kissing Braden. Acting like they were a couple. Braden left for practice, so Kristen went up to his room to wait for him, but then she was gone.”
“You saw her leave?”
“No. I told Trystan she was there, but he didn’t believe me, so he went in Braden’s room and she was gone.
I know you want to believe Kristen but I’m telling you, Jackson, she’s lying.
I don’t know what she’s up to, but whatever it is, you don’t want to be involved.
You can’t let her stay with you anymore. ”
“Yeah, I know,” he says with a sigh. “I’ll tell her to stop coming over.”
“You have to do more than that. You have to get your key back, or change all the locks so she can’t get in.”
“I’ll deal with it later. I gotta get back to practice.”
“Okay, bye.”
A few hours later, Braden gets home. I find him in the kitchen, mixing up his protein shake.
“Hey,” I say, going past him to the fridge. “How was practice?”
“Fucking awesome. Tomorrow’s game will be another blowout.”
I open the fridge, then close it and turn to Braden. “Hey, was some girl over here earlier? I thought I heard you talking to someone.”
“She had to leave.” He smirks. “She’ll be back. They always are.”
“Who was it?”
“None of your damn business.” He gulps down the rest of his protein drink and chucks the container in the sink, then walks off and goes upstairs.
She had to leave? Does that mean she changed her mind about Braden?
Back in my room, I try to do my homework, starting with English, knowing Ms. Pruitt’s going to call on me again. The first page I flip to in the book is about dangling participles. I try to read what they are, but I’m too distracted to stay focused.
Picking up my phone, I call Shayla. I haven’t talked to her since she took me to the beach to meet up with Jackson.
“Hey, Rumor,” she says in a cheerful tone. “Are we still dating?”
I laugh. “Only if Principal Edwards asks. Or anyone at Twisted Pine.”
“He told everyone?”
“He told Kristen, and she told everyone.”
“Why? She knows it’s not true.”
“Yeah, but she hates me. It doesn’t matter. I don’t think anyone believed her. Braden’s friends are still flirting with me.”
“It better not get back to anyone at Legion. I have a hard enough time getting dates.”
“I thought you just had a date.”
“I did, but it didn’t go anywhere.”
“Speaking of dates, is there any way you’d consider taking me to meet Jackson tomorrow? I could pay you.”
“Rumor, we’re friends. I don’t want you paying me.”
“Yeah, sorry. If you can’t do it, I understand. I just really want to see him.”
“I’m going to a party after the game. It’s a football party so Jackson will be there. I could pick you up on my way and you could meet him there.”
“I don’t know. Someone might see us.”
“Only Legion people. They don’t know you, and they won’t know you’re from Twisted Pine. You wouldn’t have to stay. You could meet up with Jackson and leave.”
“Maybe. I’ll check with Jackson and let you know.”
“Rumor, I’d love to talk more but I really need to study. I have a test tomorrow.”
“Okay, I’ll talk to you later.”
As I’m setting the phone down, Jackson calls.
“Hey,” I answer. “Are you home yet?”
“Yeah, and guess who’s here?”
“Kristen.”
“She let herself in. I told her she couldn’t come here anymore and made her give me the key.”
“Do you think she made a copy?”
“Probably. She keeps insisting Steven is dangerous. She was crying, saying she’s afraid to go to sleep at night.”
I roll my eyes. “You didn’t believe her, did you?”
“I don’t know what to believe. I don’t trust either one of them. Anyway, did you talk to Shayla about tomorrow?”
“Yeah. She’s going to the Legion party. She could take me with her, and I could meet you there.”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”
“I thought the same thing. But if she dropped me off by your car and I just waited there for you, nobody will see us.”
“Yeah, that’d probably work. But I can’t drop you off at your house later.”
“Drop me at the corner and I’ll walk home.”
“I’m really sick of sneaking around like this.”
“Me too, but I need to see you. I don’t want to wait.”
“You going to the game tomorrow?”
“Yeah. Trystan’s taking me. Then after the game I’ll have to find a place to meet up with Shayla.”
“Any news on the players?”
“They’re all playing tomorrow. Two are still injured but not enough that they can’t play.”
“What about Braden’s knee?”
“He says it feels fine. He’s not limping anymore. He thinks tomorrow will be another blowout.”
“They’re playing a tough team. One of the best in the area. I doubt it’ll be a blowout.”
“Changing topics, I saw Brock when I got home from school. I almost told him I knew his secret but then changed my mind.”
“You shouldn’t tell him. Not yet.”
“I know. I just really want to find out why he did it. And how he got my mom to go along with it.”
“He may never tell you that stuff. And if he did, you wouldn’t know if he’s telling the truth.”
“True.”
“Speaking of dads, mine is planning to be in town next week.”
“In La Jolla?”
“Either here or in LA. It’s not definite yet. Depends on how his shoot goes this week.” He pauses. “Shit.”
“What?”
“My lawyer just texted. He says the cops want me to go in and talk to them next week.”
“About what?”
“Probably the same shit they asked me before. I need to call this guy back. The call could go on awhile. You want to just talk tomorrow?”
“Yeah, I’ll text you when I get to the party.”
We end the call, and I text Shayla, telling her the plan for tomorrow. After the game, I’ll walk down the road to the gas station. We’ll meet there, and she’ll take me to the party. I’m already looking forward to it. I get to see Jackson again!
* * *
The next day at school seems to drag on like it’s never going to end. When it finally does, I go home, change clothes, and ride back to school with Trystan. I skipped dinner. I wasn’t hungry. I’m too nervous that something will happen that’ll ruin my plans with Jackson later.
When I get to the game, Peyton finds me and makes me sit next to her again because Alyssa is on the field with the other cheerleaders, and Peyton didn’t want to sit alone.
She isn’t cheering tonight because she has a migraine, although if that were true, I don’t know how she could be surrounded by screaming fans.
“Go out with us after the game,” Peyton says, chomping on her gum.
“I’m tired. I’m going home after the game.”
“You’re so boring,” she says, kicking her feet up on the bleacher in front of us. “You never want to go out.”
“I do. Just not tonight.” I know she’ll keep pushing the issue if I don’t distract her with something else, so I change topics. “How’s the old guy with the sailboat? You still seeing him?”
“Yes.” She smiles and pulls her necklace out from under her sweater. “He gave me this. Isn’t it gorgeous?”
It’s a silver chain with a big diamond on it.
“Is that real?” I ask.
“Of course it’s real. He’s loaded.” She jumps up, her eyes on the field. “Shit, they just scored again.”
It’s the third quarter, and the other team is ahead. Braden keeps kicking the grass and muttering to himself. Then, when the team is in a huddle, he throws his hands in the air, probably yelling at them for screwing up.
“I heard this is a tough team,” I say.
Peyton sits back down. “How would you know? You just moved here.”
“I heard the players talking about it.”
She turns to me, smiling. “Why do you sit at their table? If you like girls, why are you sitting at the football table?”
“I don’t like girls. I mean, I like them as friends but not to date.”
“I heard you had a girlfriend.”
“Someone just made that up and it spread.”
She sits back, looking out at the field. “Then why aren’t you dating one of the players? You could have your pick. They all want you.”
“No they don’t. Half of them have girlfriends.”
“Doesn’t mean they don’t want you. So why are you holding out?”
I shrug. “I’m just not ready to date. I was with my ex for years. I’m not ready to get my heart broken again.”
“So use them for sex. You don’t have to fall in love.” She jumps up. “Yes! We finally scored! We’re tied now.”
The game continues, and Twisted Pine wins in the last few seconds, thanks to a perfect throw by Braden that’s caught in the end zone.
He’s going to be gloating about that for weeks, probably months.
And his dad wasn’t even here to see it. As much as I can’t stand Braden, I feel bad for him, knowing his dad won’t go to his games.
Brock didn’t have to stay home to prepare for his audition.
That was just an excuse. He’s probably in his sex room right now with Ana or some other woman.
After the game, I meet up with Shayla, and she takes me to a house on the other side of town. It’s a small, older house with an open field in the back, which is where the party’s going on.
“Do you know where he parked?” she asks, looking at all the cars lined up along the street and on the lawn outside the house.
“No, but I’ll find it. You can go ahead to the party.”
“You sure? Because I can wait.”
“Go ahead. I already texted him. He’s probably already out here.”
She hugs me. “Be careful. I’m still not sure about that guy.”
“I’ll be fine.” I pull away. “Go ahead to the party, then call me tomorrow and tell me all about it.”