27. Chapter Twenty Seven
T he blaring sound of my alarm wakes me from my slumber. I attempt to roll over to smash the fucking thing but a heavy arm draped around my middle stops me. I startle, my tired brain not having caught up to last night's events just yet.
I turn my head and come face to face with a sleeping god.
Pike.
The memories of last night come rushing back in.
The way he owned my body. The way he began to slowly pick up the fragile pieces of my broken heart and slowly mend them with his words.
God, does he know how to use his words.
Typically, it's hard to find a man that is actually comfortable to air his feelings. It took years for me to weasel my way under Noah’s defences and get him to finally talk to me. To be fair, that was for a good reason.
But the way Pike was able to slowly fix the damage he caused all those months ago has changed something in me. I hold onto his promises like they are a life raft. Everything has been chaotic these past few months. When I had finally thought I could move on and heal after months of heartache, yet another load gets thrown on my shoulders. Clinging onto something that feels right is what I need right now.
I should know better than to trust Pike. After all, his words could very well be empty again. But something tells me that won't be the case this time.
I can see it in his eyes.
That heartbreak that is all but reflected in mine.
I need him. I need him like I need air to breathe. And after his confession last night, I know that he needs me just as desperately.
I try to wiggle myself around so that I can face Pike without waking him but his eyes pop open just as I finally roll over. His hold tightens on me slightly as he ensures there’s not a single centimetre of space between us.
“Morning,” he smiles as he blinks his eyes a few times to adjust to the morning light. His voice is a hoarse rumble still laced with sleep.
My insides tighten at the sound. God, he sounds like one of those spicy audiobook narrators Grace has forced me to listen to. Not that I am complaining for a single moment. The sound is fucking music to my ears.
I finally shake myself out of my stupor, thankful that Pike is still half asleep and none the wiser to my near meltdown over the sound of his voice in the morning.
“Morning,” I whisper .
“Sorry that I stayed over. I could say that I was scared to walk out and face the music again with your brother but honestly, there was nothing that was going to make me walk out of here and leave you looking like that.”
I chuckle, moving my hands up to rest on his naked chest. “I’m glad you didn’t go. Last night was everything.” I admit without a single ounce of hesitation.
I know it wouldn’t have been easy for him to be so open and honest with me so I give him a little piece of myself in return.
His smile brightens the room, “I’m so glad, Scar. I meant every single thing I said last night. You are my girl. I want you in any capacity that you will have me. I know it's soon. I know that you have only just returned home and had this whole part of your life thrown back at you but I want to be here every step of the way. For the good, the bad and the ugly.”
I nod attempting to fight a smile but failing as it slowly spreads across my lips, “Baby steps?”
“Baby steps.” Pike smiles as he brings his lips down on mine.
I hesitate pushing him back slightly, “Morning breath,” I murmur, covering my mouth to stop him from being able to get any closer.
Pike pulls me closer towards him pulling my hands away from my mouth, he closes the distance between us leaving only a gap between our mouths. I force myself to not breathe, feeling self-conscious at how close he is and the fact that at this distance, he will be able to smell my morning breath.
“I don’t give a fuck about morning breath, Scarlett. Every fucking inch of you is perfect,” he says before his lips latch onto mine. I melt into his kiss as he licks my lips. I open, allowing our tongues to explore each other. My body takes control of the moment and I roll into him feeling every inch of his nakedness. I moan as I feel his hard length press into my stomach.
He groans in return as he slides his hands lower, grabbing my ass in his hands.
“Goddamn, you are going to make us late,” he murmurs.
I chuckle, moving away slightly from his lips, “You don't seem to be complaining.”
I feel his dick twitch against me. I clench my thighs together needing some kind of friction.
“Not at all. I think inability to get out of bed is an excellent excuse for a late pass.”
I whimper as Pike’s kisses travel down my throat. He slowly begins making his way down my chest, dotting kisses over my taunt nipples. My stomach clenches with anticipation.
My legs spread welcoming him in as he reaches the apex of my thighs. Pike takes away any care I have for being late to my second day of school.
Pike and I run through the doors of Rydell Prep like our asses are on fire. Thankfully, we only missed home room so we run straight for biology.
I’m thankful that I have Pike by my side because the chances of me not being even more late without his guidance are slim. We burst through the doors of the lab and as I look up, every eye is on us. The biology teacher whose name I can’t remember gives us a disapproving look.
“Mr Taylor and Miss Crux, thirty seconds later and you would have been late. See to it that this doesn’t become a regular occurrence,” she snides, directing us with her eyes to the two empty seats at the back of the classroom.
We collapse down in our seats, breathing heavy in an attempt to catch our breath. Pike turns a shit-eating grin my way and I can’t help but return it.
I finally look around the classroom and my eyes land directly on dark blue orbs that suck me in.
Dacre.
He mouths a good morning to me before dazzling me with a smile that I have missed these past nine months before turning back around to face the front.
The next set of eyes I meet are furious.
Dawson.
How fucking typical.
I don’t give him another second of my attention. I stop short when I meet Rhodes’ stare. Similar to Dawson, he seems to have not quite gotten the message.
Fury from his bullshit last night comes roaring back inside of me.
Who the fuck does he think he is calling me a slut? By the looks of the attention he gets from the female population, he's the last person that should be judging me.
I’m disappointed that the one person who I didn’t think would judge me has been one of my harshest critics.
While I expect that kind of shit from Dawson, I didn’t expect it from my brother.
He must see the blinding rage I feel towards him reflected in my eyes as he quickly turns, giving me his back. It doesn’t stop me from glaring daggers into the back of his head.
Biology goes quickly. I don’t retain a single lick of information during the entire class. My thoughts are a mix of flashes of last night. The feeling of Pike still covers me and sitting this close to him, it's taking everything in me not to rip his clothes off and ride him in the middle of class.
The other part of the lesson is filled with making up scenarios in my head of how I plan on confronting Rhodes. He needs to know his place. He either stands beside me or not at all.
The bell rings signalling the end of class. I’m quick to pack away the books that were left unopened on my desk, shoving them in my bag as quickly as possible.
Rhodes must be able to sense the direction of my thoughts, like some kind of twin telepathy as he legs it out of the room.
I grunt as I watch his retreating back .
“Come on Princess, I’m lucky enough to have you to myself all day,” Pike whispers in my ear but it’s loud enough that Nicky hears.
Nicky body-checks Pike, sending him into one of the tables.
Swinging an arm around my shoulder, Nicky turns to a frowning Pike. “Not for long, Pikey boy. Scarlett is mine even if it's just for English.” His voice is triumphant as he walks us both out of the room. I turn back and give an apologetic look to Pike who just smiles and shrugs his shoulders.
“Morning, baby girl,” Nicky whispers in my ear, sending shivers down my spine as he kisses the top of my head.
I slam my elbow into his stomach but grown as pain shoots up my arm, “Fuck you, you over overgrown oaf. Is your stomach plated with fucking iron or something?” I growl, clutching my elbow in my hand.
Nicky chuckles lifting his shirt up, exposing his chiselled mid section. He lifts an eyebrow at me as I hear a wolf whistle from one of the groups of girls in the hallway. His eyes don't stray from mine as he looks at me. That shit-eating grin firmly on his face. I slap the exposed skin with my uninjured hand. He grunts, dropping his shirt as I take a step away from him. Before I can get any further, one of his hands snakes around my stomach and he spins me so I’m facing him. Cradling my face in his hands, he closes the distance between us.
“I hope he treated you right last night. Not like that bullshit with my brother. You don’t deserve that kind of treatment, Scar. I don’t know if he was dropped on his head or what as a child but I won’t stand by him and his bullshit. Don’t think for a second any of us do.”
Nicky's expression is completely serious as he reprimands the actions of his brother. I hate that Dawson seems to be involved in every conversation I have with them lately .
“Fuck him,” I say with resolve.
Nicky’s lip quirks, “Fuck him.”
“He doesn’t get to treat me like shit just because he is running scared. This is my life. I was built for this.”
Nicky’s features give away everything he feels.
Pride. Admiration. Lust. I also note a hint of fear.
I don't understand fully why that is but I don’t bother trying to decipher it.
Nicky nods, “Come on, we don’t want to make you late again for class.”
I chuckle, rolling my eyes.
It's not until lunch that I finally catch up with Rhodes. Slamming my hand on his shoulder, he jumps as he turns around, his eyes wide as he stares up at me.
“Scarlett,” he chokes as he places his burger down on his tray.
“Baby brother,” I smile at him but it's all malice. I feed every pissed off emotion since he spewed his bullshit to me last night into my glare.
Rhodes sighs knowing he's already lost the battle. He nods at the seat next to him. I don’t take a seat nor do I let my eyes move from him.
“I don’t give a flying fuck who you are to me, Rhodes. If you spew any of that bullshit to me that you did last night, I won’t be so forgiving. You have no right. If you can’t stand by my side through my choices than you don’t deserve to be there at all”
Rhodes at least has the decency to look sheepish, “I’m sorry, Scar. It just infuriates me. They fucking hurt you. You didn’t see the way they’ve acted these past few months. I can’t just stand by and let them hurt you. You are my sister. A sister that I have missed with every faucet of my being. I can’t let anything hurt you again. I don’t know if I could survive it another time.”
I war with myself as the fight completely drains out of me as I see the broken expression on Rhodes’ face. I sigh as I take a seat next to him.
“Rhodes…” I trail off as I take in his haunted expression.
“I can’t lose you again. I can’t. If pissing you off is the only way that I can protect you, then so be it. No one fucking deserves you. Not them. No one will ever be good enough.”
I sniffle as his words crack through my heart. I engulf my brother in a hug. “You make it hard to stay mad at you.”
He chuckles as he wraps his arms around my middle, “That’s always been the way with us.” I lean back, letting my arms drop as I look at him. He smiles as memories of the past drift back in.
“You would get so mad your face would turn beet red. I’d cower because you were fierce, even back then. But then you would come back to me, snide at me for whatever bullshit I pulled but you always gave me this look,” he smiles as he looks at me, “Just like the one you are giving me now.”
We laugh together. It doesn’t stop the stab of pain that goes through me. Even though I love listening to these memories from my past, I have to admit that it hurts. It hurts to not have a memory of someone that was such a critical part of my childhood.
Once our laughter settles in our chests, I look at Rhodes, “Please trust that I have this aspect of my life under control. If I need someone to kick some guy’s ass, you will be the first person I call.”
Rhodes laughs, “Something tells me that the thing you would be calling me for would be a clean up crew.”
Sonny insists on walking me to Music. He hits me with those puppy dog eyes of his and it's all over for me. The smirk he gives me as I relent tells me everything I need to know. He knows that that look is a weakness of mine.
The teacher pairs us off. I internally groan as I’m placed with Dawson. And to find out we will be paired off until the end of the year?
Kill. Me. Now.
Dawson must see the look written all over my face, “Come on Vixen, it won't be that bad. You certainly weren't complaining when you rode me yesterday.”
“If I knew you were a fucking coward, I would have left you high and dry,” I snap, watching as all of Dawson’s bravado falls from his face.
He doesn’t bother with a reply, just grumbles and leaves me to pick a song for our duet. That’s right. Our first assignment, a duet to be performed in front of the school.
Like I said, fucking kill me now.
The only thing that I feel works in my favour is the fact that I know Dawson can actually sing. A memory of us belting songs on the way to the airport brings a smile to the face. But then the hours, days and months that followed my last happy memory of the asshole dissipates any happy feeling that memory brings me.
I scroll through Spotify in an attempt to find a song suited to us. Each suggestion comes with a grumble or a grunt. Some don’t even get awarded a response apart from a sharp glare.
One song out of the list finally stands out to me. A song that feels right. One Day The Only Butterflies Left Will Be In Your Chest As You March Towards Your Death comes over my speakers as I hit play.
I don’t bother looking towards Dawson. Instead, I allow the haunting lyrics to flow from me. I take a breath as the chorus ends, just as the next verse is about to start Dawson’s voice over-powers mine.
My words fall short as my head snaps in his direction. His eyes remain on me, captivating me as the lyrics pour from him. I nearly melt as he screams some of the lyrics. Tears well in my eyes as I watch him. I join in, my voice following alongside his as the chorus starts. His eyes heat as our voices melt together in perfect symphony.
We remain locked in some kind of heartbreaking staring contest. Emotions pour from our chests as if these lyrics were written specifically for us.
The song fades but we don’t drop eye contact. His eyes tell me everything. His emotions are raw and right now I can see the man I fell in love with all those months ago. The man that promised me the world. I know that he was right. It was only just the beginning. Our story won’t end yet. There is still so much left untold. But I don’t know if I can wait for it. I don’t know if I can continue to sit by as each of his words pierce my soul.
The room around us erupts in a cheer. I look around, catching the eyes of Sonny, Dacre, Nicky and Pike who are each looking at me with wonder. My sight blurs as tears slowly flood my vision. I feel like I have been flayed open yet again. My emotions are ripe for the picking.
I can’t be here. Panic seeps into my chest as I shoot up out of my seat, grabbing my bag, rushing out of the room.
I don’t stop until the gates of my house come into my view.
I don’t leave my bedroom until the next morning.