WITSEC

Chapter 6

Chapter Six

I walked into my art class and picked an empty table to sit at. There were two chairs per table. I was digging through my bag for my notebook when the other chair at my table was pulled out and someone took a seat. I looked up with a smile, getting ready to greet whoever it was, and saw Creed.

Colt had said he was in my art class.

My smile dimmed a little. “Hi.”

He studied my face with a frown. “Disappointed that I’m not Colt?”

I tucked some hair behind my ear. “No. Surprised. As someone who feels indifferent about me, I didn’t expect that you’d want to sit by me.”

“Colt asked me to look after you.”

“Oh.” I was strangely disappointed by that.

The corner of his mouth lifted. “Besides, how can I decide if I like you or not if I don’t spend time with you?”

I leaned back in my chair and crossed my left leg over the right, revealing a little bit of thigh between the end of my dress and the top of my black thigh highs. The movement drew his attention there. I watched as his eyes slowly made their way back up to mine.

I cleared my throat. “What if I’ve already determined how I feel about you?”

The cocksure smirk that adorned his face made my heart race. “I’d call your bluff.”

I smiled despite myself. I didn’t know if it was because we were alone, but he seemed different. Not any less intense. His demeanor was more relaxed, and he let other parts of his personality surface. He still made me nervous and I still couldn’t determine whether I liked that or not.

Physical education, or gym as they called it, had planted a seed of dread in my stomach that had been growing with each passing hour.

It wasn’t that I didn’t like to get physical…uh, I meant exercise. That came out wrong. I was still a virgin and I foresaw being one for a long time. I was the type who wanted to love and trust the person before giving up that piece of myself. Seeing how I was in no way seeking to date, it was looking like I was going to be the next forty-year-old virgin. It was okay, though. There was no rush.

As I walked into the girls’ locker room, my stomach was a knotted mess of anxiety. I was wearing a white under-shirt beneath my dress. At least some of my nastiest scars would be covered. The gym uniforms were black basketball shorts and short-sleeved gray T-shirts with dark blue lettering on them. My ankles and wrists, not to mention the long scar on my inner right arm, were going to be on display. I did have a dark blue zip- up hoodie in my bag. With it being one hundred degrees out, people were going to notice. I guessed it was better to be the freak wearing a sweatshirt in the summer than the freak with the scars.

I picked a locker in an area that didn’t already have a bunch of girls changing and began stripping as fast as I could. A few girls showed up just before the final bell rang and snagged a few lockers near mine. I gave them my back as I finished changing. There was nothing I could do to hide the scars on my ankles because my ankle socks and tennis shoes didn’t cover them, and I wasn’t going to wear my thigh highs. I drew the line there. Leaving my hoodie unzipped over my uniform, I pulled my hair into a messy bun as I made my way into the gym. A few girls but mostly guys were already seated on the indoor gymnasium’s wooden bleachers.

A waving hand caught my attention. Sitting at the top were Colt, Creed, Ethan, and a few of their other friends. I made my way up. Once at the top, Colt stood so I could sit between him and Creed. They both eyed my hoodie. Colt politely didn’t comment on it. Creed, on the other hand, was a different story.

“You know it’s a hundred degrees out, right?”

“Believe me, I noticed,” I mumbled.

“You’re going to get heatstroke if you keep that on when the coaches send us outside,” he argued, drawing the attention of the others.

Why did he care?

“Creed,” Colt said with a tone.

“Aren’t you her friend or something? It should be you telling her this, not me,” Creed grumbled.

Anxiously, I chewed on my bottom lip. Ethan and the student sitting in front of me turned to look at us. I shifted on the bench to face Creed and leaned in close. His masculine scent filled my nose. Like citrus and smoky cedar. It was a heady combination. Focus, Shi. “If I promise to explain my legitimate reason for wearing a sweatshirt later, will you please let it go?”

I didn’t know if it was the desperation in my voice or the pleading in my eyes, but he nodded.

More students continued to trickle in from the locker rooms. Cassy and her squad were the last to join the rest of the class as they walked from the locker room arm in arm.

Ethan turned to get the twins’ attention. “When’s your first swim meet?”

“Next week,” Colt answered.

“You’re on the swim team?” I asked.

Ethan snickered. “Because of these fools, our swim team has gone to state for the past three years. Our school’s swim team is almost as big of a deal as our football team. Almost.”

Colt and Creed rolled their eyes at their friend.

“What about you?” Ethan asked me. “Are you going to try out for a sport or were you on a team at your old school?”

I shook my head. “No. I’m the nerd in the family. Sports was my sister’s domain. She was a cheerleader and did gymnastics.” I grimaced, looking down. Why did I just say that?

“You have a sister? Does she go here too?” Ethan asked. I could feel the twins’ eyes on me. “No,” I replied simply.

“Darn, that just ruined my fantasy of seeing a Pierce sister dressed like a cheerleader,” Ethan teased.

“What about going out for track? Don’t you like to run?” Colt asked. In that moment, I could have hugged him for changing the subject. “Running is more of an escape for me. I don’t want to turn it into a sport.”

“You should still show your team spirit and come cheer for us from the stands. I have a home game next week, too,” Ethan said.

“Sure. I’ll come dressed in a skimpy cheerleader outfit and hold up a glittery poster board that says, ‘Go Team Go!’”

I’d been teasing, but Ethan took it even further. “Now we’re talking. Make sure the skimpy uniform is in our school colors and instead of ‘Go Team Go!’ I’d write out ‘Football God.’ Just a suggestion, though.”

I caught a gleam of mirth in his eye and I fought not to smile. “I think I’ll wear my hair in pigtails.”

“Add high heels and glasses and you’ve completed the ensemble,” he added.

Attempting not to laugh, I snorted. “I think you’re envisioning a naughty schoolgirl, not a cheerleader.”

Ethan shrugged. “Cheer me on as either.”

I shook my head at him. “You know I’ll be going in sweats now, right?”

He playfully pouted. “I figured as much.”

With a big smile on my face, I glanced at Colt and Creed and saw that they were staring at me. “What?”

Ethan smiled at his friends. “I think we painted a sexy picture in their heads.”

My cheeks turned hot and I looked away. The sound of Ethan grunting drew my eyes back to them. He was hugging his stomach while both Colt and Creed glared at him.

“Ignore him,” Colt said.

The coaches came into the gym and called everyone’s attention. Attendance was taken before exceptions, rules, yada yada were gone over. Then, we were all ushered outside to run the track for the remainder of class.

The guys stretched next to me. “Shall we make this interesting?” Creed grinned at Colt and Ethan, who looked at him with intrigue.

“What did you have in mind?” Colt asked him.

Creed turned to me and I cocked a brow at him. I guessed I was expected to join in on whatever he had in mind. “First one to complete twenty laps?—”

“We’re going to be worn out for swim practice,” Colt interrupted his brother.

“Pussy,” Ethan teased and then he caught me frowning at him. “Sorry.”

“It’s just practice,” Creed said.

“And what do I win when I beat you three?” I asked. Zipping up my jacket, I bent over to stretch. “I don’t think any of you have anything I want.”

Colt tilted his head toward Creed. “You could force him to be nice.”

That was tempting. I glanced at Creed, who was wearing a scowl. “If I win, you’re to be at my beck and call for the semester. If I need a favor, you have to drop what you’re doing. Within reason, of course. If I want someone to go shopping with, you have to come. If I want a gym buddy or want to go get mani-pedis, you’re who I’m calling to come with me.”

Creed didn’t hide his irritation. “You want a boyfriend.”

I scrunched my nose and shook my head at him. “No.” I stood up straight from stretching. “I want you to actually feel the sting of losing.” I turned to Colt. “That pretty blue Charger is yours, right?”

He became apprehensive. “Yeah.”

“We swap cars for two weeks.”

“A man’s car is his baby,” Colt said, looking nervous.

I put my hands on my hips. “Yeah, and my 4Runner’s mine. It has all the bells and whistles. Not to mention the interior is all custom. But before I decided to buy it, I was torn between a candy apple red Charger or my 4Runner. Practicality won. An SUV can provide more. I want to enjoy what I’m missing. Even if it’s just for a short time.”

“Okay,” Colt agreed.

I turned an evil smile on Ethan. “You have to go a whole month without flirting.”

He put his hands on his hips with a serious expression. “I don’t know if that’s possible. It’s kind of woven into my DNA.”

“I think you can do it,” I insisted.

His brows rose. “Fine. If I win, I want you to come to their meets and my games dressed as a cheerleader.”

Both Creed and Colt smiled and exchanged a look that was unsettling.

My evil smile dropped. “I’m not wearing a cheerleading outfit or high heels.”

Ethan thought about it for a moment. “You’ll have to wear school colors, accessorize showing team spirit, and wear pigtails.”

“Fine,” I grumbled and looked to the twins.

Creed went first. “If I win, I get ten questions of anything I want to know about you answered honestly.” My heart rate picked up. I didn’t know what he wanted to know, but there were some things I couldn’t answer. For one, it was for my safety and two, depending on what he asked, I didn’t know if I could emotionally handle it. “Three questions,” I countered.

“You want me to be your bitch for an entire semester. That’s not worth three questions. Five questions.”

I shuffled from one foot to the other. Was I confident I could beat him? Maybe. “Alright. Five questions.”

Everyone looked to Colt.

“I want the same,” he said.

I had to take a calming breath. If they both beat me, I could owe ten questions total. I suddenly didn’t feel as confident as I had a minute ago. I nodded, reluctantly. The twins bet chores at home if they beat each other and when it came to the stakes with Ethan, losers had to be the designated driver at the next few parties.

The four of us lined up, counted down, and took off. I paced myself as I knocked out one lap after another and to my surprise the guys did the same. As we passed other students, it seemed we were the only ones who were actually taking running the track seriously. Pretty much everyone else was walking.

The four of us were evenly matched. As the last couple of laps came upon us, I picked up my speed. Creed and I battled back and forth over first place. With the finish line in view, I pushed my muscles until they burned. Breathing heavily, sweating profusely, I ran with all my might. To both mine and Creed’s surprise, Ethan zoomed past us, then Colt. Ethan took first place, Colt following in second. Creed and I…well, we tied in last place. The upside to that was at least our bets to each other were voided.

“Crap,” I puffed with my hands on my hips. I was pacing back and forth, trying to cool down. Colt and Ethan were lying in the grass off to the side of the track. Creed was breathing heavily while bent over with his hands on his knees. “It’s so freaking hot,” I growled as I unzipped my sweatshirt and fanned it open and closed.

“You need to take off your stupid sweatshirt before you pass out,” Creed snapped.

My eyes traveled around us. The rest of the students were heading back to the locker rooms, leaving the four of us behind.

Creed watched me and clearly picked up on my nervous behavior. “It’s the end of class. Everyone is heading in if that’s the reason you won’t take it off.”

I debated for a moment. It was unbearably hot out. I didn’t think they’d tease me about my scars. That didn’t mean they wouldn’t ask about them. I didn’t have to answer Creed or Ethan if they asked. However, if Colt decided to use one of his questions… Maybe I could be vague .

With my mind set, I shrugged off my sweatshirt and tied it around my waist. I held my arms out wrists up so Creed could look his fill. It was better to get it out of the way now versus them sneaking glances. “This is why I’m wearing a sweatshirt.”

Creed stared down at my scars, without saying anything. Colt and Ethan sat up, squinted at my arms, then got to their feet. As they approached, I dropped my eyes to the ground. I was past the point of no return now. I hoped I wouldn’t regret it.

Colt took hold of my arm that had the long, jagged scar. Very delicately he flipped my hand over, seeing that the scar around my wrist went full circle. “Your wrists match your ankles,” he murmured as his thumb lightly brushed over my inner wrist, right along my scar. Creed and Ethan stepped back to look down at my ankles. “You look like you were tied up,” Ethan blurted, and Colt glared at him. Ethan winced. “Sorry.”

I didn’t confirm or deny. Instead, I worried my lip. When I couldn’t take their stares any longer, I pulled my arms away to cross them over my chest.

“Please, don’t make fun of me because of this. People, especially girls, can be mean, and I could really do without the teasing and assumptions,” I said, pleadingly.

For the first time since I’d met him, Colt’s eyes turned cold and angry. “Why would we make fun of you? If anyone did, that just shows their shitty character, not because anything is wrong with you. Everyone has scars.”

Not like these, I wanted to say.

“This is why you were nervous about gym? You were worried about changing in front of the other girls?” Creed stuffed his hands into his black basketball shorts’ pockets as he stared down at me for confirmation. I guessed he’d been listening to Colt and me talk in the lunch line.

I nodded. Looking at the three of them, I could see the question they were itching to ask. How? How did I get these scars? I thought for sure Colt would use one of his questions to ask, but the question never came.

“We better head inside and change. School is about to end, and we have to get to practice,” Creed said to Colt. The four of us started in the direction of the locker rooms.

“I forgot when I had registered, they’d mentioned there was a pool on campus. It’s in that building, right?” I asked, pointing to the square building with a bunch of windows next to the gym.

Colt looked in the direction I was pointing. “Yup. You haven’t been in there yet?”

I shook my head.

“You should come watch us practice.”

“Can I come another time? I have a few errands to run right after school. I also didn’t go for a real run this morning and planned on going to the gym, too.” A run in the air conditioning sounded a lot better than running in this heat.

“What gym are you a member of?” Creed asked.

I looked from Colt to him. “Desert Stone Fitness.”

Ethan snorted and Creed and Colt glanced at each other.

“What?” I asked, looking at the three of them. “Should I not go there? It had a lot of good reviews online and it’s really nice inside.”

The three of them just stared at me. Colt gave me that pensive look again, while Creed narrowed his eyes at me, which honestly was the same look as his brother, just a little harsher and could be mistaken for a glare. Ethan looked like he was about to combust with laughter.

“You don’t know, do you?” Creed asked.

“If it’s a shady place, please tell me and I’ll go somewhere else,” I snapped. What the heck was going on? I kind of loved Desert Stone. It was perfect with its air-conditioned track and I was thinking about signing up for a self-defense class. I wondered how I’d fare from what Logan had taught me.

Colt looked to Creed again before his pretty aqua eyes returned to me. “No. It’s a very good gym. We work there. We just haven’t seen you around.”

Ethan glanced at the twins with what looked like surprise elevating his brows.

“Oh, I signed up last week and I’ve only been there twice. Then again, I wasn’t looking at anyone. I just beelined for the track upstairs.”

“Of course you did,” Creed muttered, then shoved his brother toward the boys’ locker room. “Let’s go get changed.”