Chapter 9
CHAPTER 9
RACHELLE
T he next week passes in a blur as I learn the ropes at the newspaper, we end up with Mrs. Hartwell as the interim headmaster, and they merge two of the English classes together in one of the auditoriums. The upheaval of the administration changes overtake the gossip mill during that time, and it’s like a breath of fresh air that I didn’t know I needed.
I spent lunch several times this week in the tower with Liliana, laughing so hard my sides hurt, and practically floating down the stairs when I head back to classes. She walks with me as often as possible simply because we enjoy each other's company, and not due to thinking I may be cutting.
I’m not. I don’t need to, and I’m not spiraling. I’m actually happy lately, something I didn’t think was possible while attending school here. My therapist did tell me that life is full of ups and downs. He suggested I prepare for the downs with the coping skills I’m learning with him, because high school is brutal.
He’s not lying.
One entire week of peace, it had to end sometime.
Walking across campus outside after school to take photos of the lacrosse team during their practice for the newspaper to excite the school for their next game. Liliana is going hard on team spirit with the news team, and said that attendance at games recently for the lacrosse team has been down. I’m off to be a good girl and fix that.
My lips twitch at the way she sent me off with a kiss on the cheek, making them heat.
“You’re way too happy these days, Little Mouse,” Elijah says, falling into step with me.
I’m an idiot. I didn’t pay enough attention to my surroundings, simply happy to be walking outside. It’s not raining, the air is cool, but the fields are a trek from my side of the school.
“Go away,” I murmur, my hands at my side. My stun gun is still in my pocket, which helps me keep calm.
“Do you even know who I am?” he asks.
I know, I’m simply not in the mood to play his games.
“One of the Kings,” I say instead. “You all tend to meld into one, and I try to stay away from you.”
“You know Jared and Nacio,” he accuses me, his arm pulling me tightly to his long body.
Elijah is tall and muscular, but seems as if he’d do well in a sport where he needs to be fast on his feet. I haven’t paid enough attention to any of their interests, I’m not obsessed with them the way the rest of the high school is. His brown eyes are calculating and cold, his lips twisted in humor only he can see. His jacket is missing, white shirt rolled up his forearms to expose beautiful skulls and flowers. I didn’t think skulls could be pretty.
He looks too comfortable walking next to me, which makes me feel the exact opposite. Elijah seems like someone who enjoys working in the background.
“I live with Ignacio, and Jared made quite the impression on my first day,” I say softly.
“Do you need to lick my boots to remember my name, then?” he asks dangerously.
“I think I would make myself forget it on purpose if you did that,” I sass him. “I’m not interested in whatever fuckery you have planned today. Go away.”
“There’s so much fire inside you today,” Elijah grunts, grabbing my hand and rocking it over his hard cock. “Why don’t you get on your knees and take care of that like the good little slut you are?”
“You need to have sex that’s not forced in order to be a slut, don’t you?” I ask him, as if I actually care what he thinks.
His arm drops from my shoulders and he lets go of my hand as he twists to look at me as he walks backward.
“Seriously?” he asks. “As in, you’ve never had sex that wasn’t…”
“Rape? No, I would still be a virgin otherwise,” I say. “Taking one of the worst moments of my life and turning it into entertainment is really fucked up, Elijah.”
His foot slips in the wet grass as I say his name, but he manages to catch himself from the surprise.
“One of us ran with the information, and did whatever was necessary,” he says. “It’s simply what we do.”
“I’m not the enemy,” I remind him. “I’m just a girl.”
Moving around Elijah, I attempt to walk ahead of him, but his damn long legs won’t let me.
His fingers wrap around in my hair until he fists it, pulling my head back sharply.
“You’re a girl who doesn’t belong here,” he rasps, lips almost touching my skin as he pulls me roughly against his chest. “You should be in a trailer park with your mother, or at the public school doing crack.”
“Crack?” I ask, a laugh bubbling up inside of me. It’s inappropriate, but I can’t help it. The idea of doing something so preposterous makes me laugh even harder. I’ve never done any drugs, and my doctor isn’t even sure if prescription drugs are something I should consider for my mental health.
God, these guys. Fucking crack is what he comes up with.
“Is that what you think poor people do? Huddle together to randomly smoke crack?” I chortle. “That’s a little extreme, Elijah.”
“I’m not poor, I don’t know what your drug of choice is,” he mutters, grunting when I shove my stun gun between his legs and push down on the button to force electric pulses into his dick.
“Maybe you should do a little research before insulting me,” I say sweetly, twisting to get my hair out of his fist. Shoving my foot into his chest and pushing him away once I’m free, I shrug. “Keep your hands to yourself too.”
Elijah cups himself, groaning as he writhes, dropping onto his back.
“Come kiss it better!” he roars. “You better not have broken my dick!”
“What were you going to do with it, anyway?” I ask, my feet already stepping away as I walk backward. Oh, how the tables have turned. I can’t get cocky, though. I don’t know how high his tolerance for pain is, and he’s already made it clear he’s not above using his strength against me. “Attempt to shove it down my throat? Plot twist, I fucking bite, asshole.”
Turning away, I race toward the track, despite the fact that I hate to run. Elijah roars behind me, still on his back, but I refuse to turn back around. His presence is a reminder that I don’t belong here, this world isn’t mine, yet I’m slowly beginning to want it to be.
There are opportunities here that aren’t accessible at other schools, the classes more challenging than I’ll find at any other public school I’ve attended. I want to keep moving forward.
I just need the Kings to step back and leave me alone, or I need to make them. The problem is, I don’t think anyone has ever made them do anything they don’t want to do. They’re overprivileged, cocky fuckers with too much damn money and time.
I haven’t done anything to them except exist, which means that I need to talk to Liliana to decide how I can fight fire with fire.
* * *
LILIANA
“Ugh, Elijah,” I groan, listening to Rachelle tell me about what happened to her yesterday. We haven’t had a chance to catch up until now, and I’m driving to school with her now. “I’ve been around these guys since kindergarten, and he’s usually the one who moves in the shadows. They used to protect me when I was younger. I remember a bully messing with me, and Elijah slid behind the kid and kicked his leg out from under him in such a way that he snapped it.”
“You guys were what, five?” she asks, jaw dropping.
“Yeah,” I say, grinning. “Nacio took the blame for it, said he pushed him and Henry fell wrong. I have a feeling there have been other incidents, they just haven’t let me find out about them. As I got older, Dad taught me how to protect myself, but there’s always been a healthy respect between us. Until now.”
“Am I the reason?” Rachelle asks softly.
“Yes and no,” I grunt. “There’s something I need to tell you too. I wasn’t keeping it from you, just trying to figure out what to do.”
“Okay,” Rachelle drawls, brow raised.
Turning into a parking lot, I bite my lip when I see the time. Grabbing my phone, I call Mr. Emil. We’re going to need a little time to talk, and Rachelle’s Dad actually is my emergency contact now in my school records.
“You just left ,” Mr. Emil says sharply as he picks up. “ Where are you?”
“We’re fine, sir,” I say, sighing. “I need to talk to Rachelle about something before we get to school, and I realized that it’s going to mean that we may miss homeroom.”
“ Are you breaking up with her already?” Mr. Emil asks.
“No! God, why would you ask that? The guys are being dicks, and I’m trying to figure out a way to get them to back off,” I explain.
“ If one of them wasn’t my son, I’d just offer my help,” Mr. Emil mutters. “ I try not to get involved in high school politics unless I need to. This is getting out of hand, and she’s barely been at the school for over a week.”
“I know,” I sigh. “Will you cover for us, please?”
“ Take your time. I’ll tell them you’ll be there after first period,” Mr. Emil says. “ Just talking, no funny stuff, is that understood?”
“Are you telling me I should protect your stepdaughter’s virtue?” I ask him, enjoying the way Rachelle’s head drops into her hands as she groans. “Do you have any of these conversations with Ignacio’s girlfriends?”
“ No, but because he’s never had any,” he grunts. “ I’m not as concerned about what the guys get up to. They’ve been thick as thieves for years.”
Did he just admit that he knows his son is bisexual? I’m speechless as I blink at the phone.
“ What, nothing to say? That’s not like you,” Mr. Emil teases me. “ I know more about Nacio than he thinks. I don’t care who he loves, I just wish he’d realize his stepsister isn’t the enemy he thinks she is.”
“I should have known that you wouldn’t allow yourself to be pegged as a stereotype,” I murmur. “I don’t think Ignacio knows that though.”
“ Sounds like I’ll need to correct that. Tick, tock, Liliana ,” he says, and the line disconnects.
“I didn’t expect that to be quite such a heavy conversation,” I mutter, putting my phone down. “He told me to behave and keep my hands to myself, Rachelle.”
“I’m going to crawl under a rock,” she says, her voice muffled by her hands.
“It’s fine. Come on, he’s getting us excused till after first period. Let’s take a walk,” I tell her, opening my car door.
Blowing out a breath, Rachelle drops her hands, and I marvel at how her cheeks are blushing. I want to play with her hair, kiss her lips, and see where things go, but we need to talk about Ignacio and the Kings.
They want to break us up, isolate Rachelle. I won’t let that happen, because I’m going to blow up their plan. If she and I keep telling each other the truth, no matter what, then the guys won’t be able to twist it against us.
Locking the car once she joins me outside, I link my fingers in hers and begin walking.
“Everyone knows the Carlysle Kings,” I murmur. “The seniors choose who will be their successors when they graduate, from the entering freshman class. That means, the guys chosen are fresh out of middle school. They control everything that happens, and I once heard that Ignacio and Elijah handled an issue in the seventh grade the headmaster was ignoring. Personally, I’m glad Mr. Lee is gone now.”
“He was a dick,” Rachelle agrees, shuddering.
“To say the least,” I agree. “Most of the guys don’t have a great home life outside of Ignacio, and even he hasn’t been seeing eye to eye with his father. They’re the heirs to large corporations, crime empires, and expected to take over after college. The four of them are living on borrowed time before they have to step into the future that’s already been planned for them.”
“No offense, but they have to understand that their wealth is something their families have amassed,” Rachelle says. “It doesn’t belong to them outside of fringe benefits. I’m not sure how I feel about Emil’s work situation, but wealth has strings attached. Am I expected to feel bad for the whiny little babies?”
Snorting, I shake my head. Man, she’s feisty, and I love it.
“I can only imagine their faces if you called them that,” I say, grinning. My cheeks are going to hurt if I smile much more. “The guys all have baggage, and they’ve decided you’re the enemy. I don’t agree with them at all. You’re just a girl, trying to get an education. In their minds, part of their job is to keep clear of trash.”
“And I’m the trailer trash,” Rachelle sighs. “Wonderful. Elijah told me to go smoke crack at the poor public school. I laughed in his face. The highlight of our conversation was frying his balls.”
“It’s a good reminder for him to mind his manners," I say sagely, not able to hide my smile. “Crack doesn’t seem like a gateway drug. He’s an idiot who wants your attention. Elijah doesn’t want to be in the shadows anymore, which means his feelings are hurt.”
“I know who he is,” she grumbles. “I figured his head was big enough without admitting that.”
“Their egos are inflated, but they’re also kind of lonely for a bunch of spoiled kids,” I sigh. “It’s complicated. Their stunt with the newspaper I think was to get you to distrust me, and it almost worked. So now, they’re pushing harder.”
“Does this have anything to do with the fact that you wanted to talk in the middle of the woods?” she asks, smirking.
We’re at Mt. Tabor Park, and it’s hard to believe that it’s so close to the school. It’s pretty empty right now, the perfect place to chat as I tug her toward one of the trails. The views are gorgeous here, too.
“Yes,” I reply, nodding. “So you know the guys and I all grew up together. Around middle school, I developed a crush on Ignacio.”
“I don’t doubt it. The guy has muscles where I didn’t know they existed,” she says. “Ignacio walks around shirtless a lot, and I’m not blind, Liliana.”
“Good, then we can have really good eyesight together,” I say, giggling. “Unfortunately, Ignacio knows exactly how pretty he is.”
“Is he hitting on you?” Rachelle asks, brow raised. She’s smart, something I adore about her.
“I guess stalking me in the hallway after I fell asleep in your bed last week counts as that,” I say. “I didn’t want to wake you up, but my dad was blowing up my texts. I locked your door behind me, and there was Nacio, shirtless with really low slung joggers on.”
“What time did you leave?” she asks. “I’m imagining it was late, so was he just waiting for you to come out?”
“My car was in the driveway, so he’d know I was still at the house,” I respond. “He was leaning against the wall, joked that I was doing the walk of shame.”
“Very original,” she huffs, though it could be the incline as I take her to a spot I like that overlooks the city.
“Anyway, Ignacio crowded my space, pushed me against the wall, and told me he’d fuck me as long as I was loud enough to wake you up,” I say quickly, wincing as I realize it sounds even worse out loud.
“That asshole!” she yells, pulling away from me to throw up her hands. “Why are they all such filthy dickheads?”
“Probably because of the appendage that swings between their legs,” I say drolly. “I may have accidentally seen Nacio’s dick.”
“Um, okay,” she says, looking confused.
“I was pissed at him,” I explain. “Annoyed that he was trying to use any kind of attraction I have for him to fuck with what you and I have. So, I pulled his joggers down while I grabbed my knife, making him think he had me wrapped around his finger.”
“In a perfect world, he wouldn’t be such a jerk,” she mutters, her hand finding mine again as we walk.
In a perfect world, we could both have him and each other.
“So, what happened next?” Rachelle asks.
“I made sure he could feel my blade against the base of his cock,” I say flippantly. “I also cut him a little, to show I wouldn’t hesitate to slice it off and ruin any chances of having babies.”
“Well done,” she says, lips pressed together to hold back her smile.
“We fought a little bit, while he picked me up when I moved my knife to his throat instead,” I say, shrugging. “That’s all that happened, even though I have to admit I was a little turned on by the fucker.”
“It was the muscles and big dick, huh?” she teases me, chuckling.
“Unfortunately,” I admit, smiling. “They’re not going to stop pushing, finding a way to make the other one of us think we’re cheating.”
“Is that why this conversation is happening?” she asks. “You’re putting everything on the table, so to speak?”
“I am, and I want to tell you about something else, too,” I say. “They’re going to get more aggressive, push harder. I want to play their game against them. They’re fiercely loyal, even if it doesn’t seem like it.”
“They use sex like a weapon,” she grumbles.
“They do,” I agree. “So what if we use it against them?”
“Are you suggesting I have sex with them?” Rachelle asks, lips curving in amusement.
“Ah, only if you want to?” I squeak, blushing. “I want them to catch feelings, Rachelle, and rethink this vendetta they’ve convinced themselves is not only normal, but necessary.”
“Keep talking,” she says, brows drawn down. “We’re dating, but you want me to do exactly what with them? I need it laid out, Liliana.”
“Elijah is having a birthday party in a couple of weeks,” I say, lips pursed in thought. “I’m saying flirt with the Kings, talk to them, make them see who you are. I could tell within seconds how special you are, baby. Make them think they’re winning, and then pull the rug out from under them.”
“And this isn’t going to mess with whatever you and I have going on?” she asks tentatively.
The trail is inclining as we climb, and Rachelle’s cheeks are flushing with exertion. Maybe I need to get her to come running with me. It’s a good excuse to see her out of her school uniform.
“Nope, it doesn’t,” I say vehemently. “If I need to pee on you, I will.”
Shaking her head, I love the sound she makes as she gives a little screech.
“I’m not very experienced, but I don’t think that’s my kink,” she says.
“Do you know what are?” I ask her, interested.
“I picked up a few books on my e-reader, and I’m working my way up to more smutty books. I’m starting with a sapphic romance for now,” she says, biting her lip.
“Is this your idea of homework?” I ask, loving the way she nods. “Are you going to share what you learn, baby?”
Rachelle ducks her head, making me chuckle.
“God, you’re so cute,” I tell her. “Can we read a book together soon?”
“Really?” she asks. Unable to see her face, I push her hair over her ear.
“Mmhmm,” I say. “I want to see how cute and bothered you are when we get to a spicy scene. Why don’t you come over Friday so we can hang out and I can make you dinner.”
“You want to do that?”
“Yes. I’ve been dying to take you out on a date, but school has been ridiculously busy. The house will be quiet, I don’t have pesky siblings, and it’ll just be us,” I say. “You also don’t have to do this whole seduction of the Kings thing if you don’t feel comfortable, Rachelle. I just don’t know what else to do.”
“I’ll do it,” she says with a nod. “I’m totally outside of my comfort zone, and have no idea what I’m doing, but I’m game. I just want to make sure that it won’t mess up what we have.”
“It won’t,” I promise her. “We’re too young to say there won’t ever be anyone else that we’re attracted to, Rachelle. If we both decide that we want to add someone else, then we talk and figure it out.”
“Just like that,” Rachelle says softly.
“Yes,” I state. “Uhm, maybe we can ease you into books with more than one person involved. Rachelle, you had a really shitty thing happen to you last year. I want you to experience everything that you want. If you find yourself pulled to a guy, then we talk about it.”
“I don’t know what to say,” she whispers as I tug her toward a bench that’ll overlook the city.
“Look over there,” I demand, watching her face change as she takes in the morning light and the beauty of the mountain as it towers over everything. “You deserve everything that’s good in the world, baby. I think you can fall in love with more than one person, too. It just means open communication, figuring out what works or doesn’t, okay?”
“This wasn’t how I expected this conversation to go,” she says as I sit down and tug her over to straddle my lap.
“I like to believe I’m not boring,” I murmur with a smirk, my fingers sliding through her hair to pull her lips to mine.
Her little moan is everything as her hands move to my waist, unsure where to go. Deepening the kiss, I leave her to find her confidence by just doing what feels right. If I need to show her, I will, but as I expect, it doesn’t take long for her hands to slide up my torso slowly.
God, it’s almost too slow, she’s torturing me. Whimpering, I slant her head to the side, begging her to open her mouth. Rachelle is such a good girl, doing exactly that, her hands moving up my open jacket to squeeze my breasts harder than I’d expect.
“Yes,” I gasp, ripping my lips away from her. “I wish we were farther up the trail after that. Please don’t stop.”
“Feel good?” she whispers, her eyes searching mine.
“Yes. I like it kind of rough like that,” I admit, biting my lip as I wait for her response.
“Okay,” Rachelle murmurs, moving to kiss me again. I’m usually the one that initiates, and I sigh against her lips as she unbuttons my shirt enough to fit one of her small hands inside, squeezing and rolling my nipple between her fingers.
My body feels like it’s on fire in the best ways, and my hands move to her legs, following her suspender tights to squeeze her plump ass. I love being able to touch her like this, her hips rocking over me as she moans.
“Your skin is so soft,” I whisper against her lips, softening my kiss. We’re going to need to go soon, which means I can’t enjoy her the way I want.
“You feel so good,” she sighs, leaning her forehead against mine. “I feel really warm and kind of needy.”
“Mmm, good girl. I’ll have to take care of that with my face in between your thighs while you read me something smutty,” I whisper.
Rachelle’s beautiful blue-green eyes widen, making me smile wide. “You want to do that?” she gasps.
“I really do. All I can think about is kissing and licking your pussy, baby,” I confess.
“Have you ever… I’m hoping at least one of us has some experience at this,” she says with a giggle that makes everything clench inside of me.
This girl is going to make me fall so damn hard for her. I can already tell.
“Once, at a party,” I admit to her. “She was a junior, and we were both really tipsy at the beginning of the year. The girl ghosted me after.”
“That’s rude,” she murmurs. “I promise not to ghost you.”
The cheeky little brat says it with a straight face until I tickle her behind her thighs, her shrieks echoing around us. Her arms move around my back as she buries her face in my throat, squirming.
“Ah! Liliana!” she yells, laughing. “Please!”
“Fine,” I murmur. “I’m glad you won’t ghost me. We should get to school.”
Fixing my shirt and buttoning my jacket so it lays properly, I help Rachelle stand up. Following her, I start walking back toward the trail.
“It’s so pretty here,” she murmurs as she looks up at the tall trees. Douglas firs tower over our heads, standing majestically.
Portland is so much more than rainy days and cold weather, and I want her to experience it all.
“It really is,” I murmur, gazing at her before looking away so she won’t realize what I really mean. “We can explore more another day if you want.”
“Yes, please,” she says, her lips puffy from being kissed.
Anyone who looks at her will know how she’s spent part of her morning, and I don’t even care. Rachelle looks happy and relaxed, all I can hope for is that the rest of the day is this good.
Everything about the way the Kings are acting says that they’re ramping up their taunts and mistreatments toward Rachelle, and I want to cut them off at the knees.
“Want to crash Elijah’s party with me?” I ask her. “Wear something sexy, dance all night, and see where it goes?”
Grinning, Rachelle nods. “I’d love to,” she says.
The trust in her eyes makes my heart beat harder, knowing this isn’t something she does. Rachelle kept holding herself back until the cutting incident. I know it’s fast, but sometimes that’s what happens when you’re around each other all the time.
Maybe I can convince her to spend the night with me this weekend. Every time I have to leave her house, it gets even harder to go.