Braxton
Chapter nineteen
Ididn’t want to look at the picture. Deleting it as soon as I realized what it was would’ve been the honorable thing to do.
But I didn’t.
I kept it, and looked at it countless times until finally, before going to bed last night, I deleted it.
She’s so beautiful, hell I was attracted to her just from the way her sister talked about her in the shoe store that day.
Then when she called her sister to her, I thought I’d seen heaven.
She was a vision. One I wanted to make mine.
I hate the person I’m turning into at this school.
I’d never let the pressure of fitting in keep me from treating someone with kindness before, yet being here, I’ve let the desire to be a part of the popular clique keep me from doing what’s right.
Zander is the only one of us who’s shown any compassion toward Sierra.
Walking down to breakfast, I start forming a plan. One that will show her that I intend to make her mine and fuck everyone else. My only competition will be Zander, but, hey, I saw her first, so he’s just going to have to step aside.
“What’s got you smiling this morning?” Colt asks as I step into the kitchen before he takes a big bite of cereal.
“Just doing a lot of thinking about some stuff,” I tell him.
He drops his spoon into the bowl, causing milk to splatter out on the table, “No! Don’t tell me you’re going to start chasing after her, too. I get it, she’s fucking hot, but do you really want to be ostracized at this school?”
“No, but I’m not going to turn into one of them, treating someone like shit for no reason.” Colt tries to speak, but I cut him off. “I don’t want to hear it.”
“Hear what? You don’t even know what I was going to say,” he bites back.
“Yes, I do. Look, I don’t know what went down between her and Wes, but she doesn’t seem like this cruel person he makes her out to be.
Hell, I’d say the role is reversed. He's the only cruel one I’ve seen.
Colt, just think about it. Has Wes ever told you exactly what she supposedly did?
I know I’ve asked, but he’s never told me.
I’m not going to just take his word for it, and until she proves he’s right, I'm done turning my head away when she’s treated like shit. ”
Colt just stares at me, dumbfounded. Not waiting for his response, I move over to the kitchen counter, pull a bowl from the cabinet, and make myself some cereal.
Knowing the shit that went down yesterday, if Sierra comes to school today, she’s going to need a friend, some support to help her make it through the day and I plan on being there for her to give her a shoulder to lean on.
Colt stays silent, but I can feel his eyes burning a hole right through me. I pick up my bowl and move to the table, taking a seat beside him, just as Zan walks through the door, quickly typing away on his phone with a goofy smile.
“Who are you messaging?” I’m curious about who has him smiling like that.
“Just a friend,” Zan replies, setting his phone down on the table, and moves over to the refrigerator, pulling out some juice.
Colt takes that moment to snatch his phone up and look at it. “Who the fuck is SJ? Where did you meet her? It is a her, right?” he jokes, but Zan’s face turns red with rage and he storms across the room, yanking his phone from Colt’s hands.
“None of your business,” Zan blurts out as he slides his phone into his back pocket.
“Oh, so we keep secrets now.” Colt pushes his bowl away from him and stands from his chair. “I’m going to get my stuff, and then I’m going to the car. If you’re riding with me, you’d best be ready,” he says, leaving the room.
Once he’s out of earshot, I take advantage of being alone with Zan. “Who is it?”
“Sierra,” he whispers to me.
“How is she after what happened yesterday?” I needed to know she was okay.
Zan sighs. I know he’s wondering if my concern is real. “Honestly, I don’t know how she’s doing. She didn’t know about the pictures until I told her because she didn’t have a cell phone of her own.”
Wait, what? No cell phone? Then how is he talking to her now?
He must see the confused look on my face.
“I gave her my old phone after adding time to it. She thinks it’s still on an old plan of mine.
I wanted a way to talk to her, plus we have this project together, and she doesn’t have a lot of free time between watching her sister and working.
So I lied about it still being under a plan because she didn’t want to take it.
” Zan reaches up, running his fingers through his hair.
“Can I get the number?” I ask softly, knowing this is a perfect opportunity to get close to her.
“Why? So you can harass her or better yet give it to Wes or Savannah, so they can? No fucking way, brother or not, I’m not doing it.
She’s been through enough in the short time since school started.
There’s no way in hell I’m going to give you another way to get to her.
” He turns, heading out of the kitchen, not even giving me a chance to explain that I have no intentions of doing that.
I just need to talk to Sierra, to confide in Zander. They need to see that I’m here for her now. I’m done trying to appease the masses when it seems they don’t even have a fucking clue why they’re treating her the way they are.
Zander
I love my brothers. But Colt is being a damn dick and Brax…
hell, I don’t know what he’s up to. He makes it seem like he’s interested in her, that he actually cares what happens, but where was that concern when he sat back and did nothing?
Yeah, I admit I did the same, but I quickly wised up to the reality of what was going on.
I kept sending Sierra random messages last night: jokes, ideas for our projects, and, of course, pictures of me. She never responded, not until this morning when I messaged her good morning and she messaged the same back.
I stop by the front door, long enough to pick up my book bag.
Since I didn’t have any homework, I didn’t feel the need to take it upstairs yesterday.
Colt wanting to drive this morning is a blessing, giving me more time to message Sierra.
Well, if she responds. She had only said good morning so far.
I may have been too eager last night, sending so many messages.
Letting Brax take the front, I slide in behind him and type out another message.
Me: Sierra, are you there?
It’s a few minutes before I see the message status switch to read and the bubbles pop up and down, letting me know she’s typing back.
Sierra: Yes…
Me: Want to meet in the student parking lot? I can walk inside with you.
Sierra: Why?
Me: Because of what happened yesterday. I just don’t want you to have to face everyone alone.
Sierra: That’s nice of you. But I’ll be okay. I’ve been through worse at this school, and it’s not the first time someone’s seen me naked.
Wait, what? My brain finally catches up to what I just read. What the actual fuck does she mean? Did something like this happen before?
Me: What?? Have they done this before?
Sierra: Zander, I’m a big girl, I’ll be okay. I’ve been surviving this school since long before you arrived.
What she doesn’t understand is that may be true, but that was in the past. She’ll never go through anything alone again as long as I can help it.
Me: I know you are, but now you have me. So parking lot?
Me: Just so you know, I’m not taking no for an answer ;)
Looking up, Colt has his eyes narrowed at me through the rearview mirror.
“What!?” He’s really starting to piss me off.
“Is that the mystery girl you can’t seem to tell us anything about? Either she’s dating someone already or she’s dog ugly because I know there’s no way in hell you’re messaging that bitch,” Colt growls through clenched teeth.
“Leave him alone,” Brax says, and my head snaps to him in amazement, shock. Hell, maybe both.
Colt rolls his eyes before focusing back on the road, and I get back to texting the girl I fully plan to win over.
Me: So I’m taking the silence as a yes. What time do you get to school?
Sierra: At the rate you’re texting me, the battery is going to die before I get there. It depends on the bus, or if I walk. Today I made the bus so I should get there about 8.
Me: Perfect. We’ll be there before you, so I’ll wait for you by the tree we had lunch under yesterday.
Sierra: You know it’s not going to win you any points with Wes and his merry band of followers being seen with me, don’t you?
Even after everything they do to her, she still worries about others and what will happen to them. There’s no fucking way this girl is who Wes claims her to be.
Me: Told you I didn’t care what they think.
Me: So let me worry about me and you.
Sierra: Fine, I’ll meet you there.
We go back and forth for the next fifteen minutes until we pull into the parking lot and I bolt from the car like a man on a mission, because, well; I am. Winning the heart of Sierra Jones. Something I fully intend to do.