Chapter 4
Dina
Starting a new school year was always a drain. But starting one in a new school and being looked at weirdly as the new kid was even more emotionally tiring.
Of course, I knew a few people since the majority of my class had moved here. But since this school was so much bigger, it was easy to lose each other in the crowd. I missed my best friend. We’d been inseparable since we were little kids, had the same classes, and hung out practically every day.
But thinking about Lucy also meant thinking about him.
Michael. Lucy’s dad. I thought about him all the time; about how much I missed and wanted him—even though I was pissed at him.
Thoughts of his large hands caressing my skin violated my dreams, and I couldn’t stop thinking about the last time I saw him—and how he absolutely devoured my pussy like it was his favorite treat.
When he’d texted me out of the blue and ordered me not to date, I’d felt a flash of desire deep within me.
The hurt and anger I carried vanished at the sound of his voice.
And when he talked me through that orgasm, his deep voice groaning and growling dirty words in my ear, it had me clenching my thighs in need.
My panties needed to be changed at least three times a day.
He wanted me. He desired me. I couldn’t fucking believe it. Two years ago, he was chastising me and tattling to my momma. I was mortified and pissed off at him, determined to never show my face again at his house. At least, not when he was home.
Of course, as I grew older, I understood why he was repulsed. I begrudgingly realized what a horrible position I’d put him in, and I knew he was right when he’d given me a telling off. Not that I would ever admit that to him.
So when he’d pulled me into his bedroom and gave me pleasure that my fingers could never have given me, I’d been over the moon. Surprised and confused, but happy. Like all my Christmases had come at once.
A part of me understood why he’d panicked and run away.
If I lost Lucy over this…I didn’t want to lose her.
But this was the second time he’d ghosted.
Twice he’d seduced me and given me a bit of paradise before cruelly yanking it away.
This was his fault. Especially when I ended up canceling the date that I hadn't even wanted to go on anyway.
I was bored, heartbroken…and a little petty when I'd accepted the movie invite.
But that wasn't fair on either me or my date.
I stormed down the hallway, looking for the locker I’d finally been assigned to. I was still in my head about Michael and wasn’t paying attention when I careened right into another student.
“Oft!” She grunted. A waft of soft watermelon perfume surrounded me as I reached out to steady her.
“I’m so sorry!”
“That’s okay,” she acknowledged before brushing off the incident and moving around me.
Feeling brave, I stopped her with a hand to her arm. “Sorry, can you tell me where locker 204 is? This school is huge.”
Dazzling blue eyes looked me up and down behind wire-framed glasses. She wore a black, pleated short skirt, black tights with white skulls, and a shirt that showed a sliver of stomach. A belly ring winked at me.
“You from Koby Plains?”
I gave her a shy smile. “Yeah, I’m still trying to find my way around.”
She nodded and I noticed that her black hair had streaks of blue folded within. “C’mon, my locker number is 200. You’re right near me.”
I grinned and followed her, happy that I was potentially making a new friend. “I'm Dina.”
“Cass.” She held her hand out. “Can I see your schedule?”
“Sure.” I hurriedly produced it out of my bag before she changed her mind.
She scanned the sheet as I half jogged to keep up with her. “You have Bio with Mr Goode next. I have him, too.”
“Oh, great,” I puffed as she threaded in and out of the group of students.
“Here we are,” she announced. “We–ah, fuck.” She came to a dead stop, her expression going dark.
“What?”
She scoffed and gestured in front of her. “Well, that’s my locker except some douche is leaning on it.”
I glanced around her, instantly recognizing the tall, blond male.
It was Jordy Deacon. Popular, handsome, and the former quarterback of our pretty crappy football team.
He was the star player, but it was hard to have a good team when we barely had enough players.
Jordy was a little cocky and had a big ego, but he wasn’t outright mean.
I didn’t recognize the red-headed girl he was currently flirting with against the lockers, but it didn’t surprise me that he acclimated just fine to the new environment. He could charm the socks off a spinster.
“Excuse me,” Cass huffed in annoyance.
When Jordy made no acknowledgement that he’d heard her, I stepped forward.
“Hey, Jordy?” My hand landed on his shoulder.
He jumped and glanced behind him, his brows jumping up in recognition. “Oh, hey. Ah…um.”
Seriously? There were barely twenty people in our class, and he couldn’t remember my name?
“Dina.”
“Right,” he nodded, his cheeks heating in shame. “Dee, how are ya? Settling in okay?”
“Look, can you have this reunion some other time?” Cass cut in. “You’re leaning on my locker.”
The other girl rolled her eyes and fluffed her hair. “Chill out, Cassandra. Maybe if you stopped dressing like the corpse bride you’d have a reason to lean against a locker,” she snickered.
“Leave,” Jordy snapped.
The girl smirked, but when she realized Jordy was talking to her she stood up straight. “Wait, what? Seriously?”
“Yeah.” He tipped his head. “Beat it.”
Her face grew red, and she stomped away, but not before muttering, “Fucking asshole.”
Jordy flashed Cass a wide smile. “I’m so sorry. Cassandra, was it?”
“Cass,” she flatly corrected.
“Cass.” He moved closer to her. “That suits you better. I’m Jordy.” He held his hand out to her, his smile wide and charming.
“Jordy, can you move away from my locker and, I dunno, lean against your own?”
His smile grew. “Is that an invitation?”
Cass’s lip curled in disgust before she gave a big sigh and moved around him. She began flipping in her combination. “Your locker’s down there.” She nodded to her right.
“Thanks, Cass.” I used my combination, dumped my bag in my locker, then took out my bio book and zipped it up.
I watched Cass out of the corner of my eye, hoping she would wait for me and not take the fact that I knew Jordy against me—even if he clearly did not remember me.
I timed my locker to close a second after she closed hers.
“Did you–oh!” My voice filtered out when I spied Jordy standing mere feet away from Cass, staring intently at her. “You all right, Jordy?”
“Yeah.” His gaze never left Cass. “Yeah. You guys sit at the cafeteria for lunch?”
“I don’t,” was all Cass said. She clutched her books and swivelled her head towards me. “C’mon, Dina, or we’ll be late.”
I hid a smile, relieved that she was taking me under her wing. We skated past an open-mouthed Jordy and walked off towards
our next class.
“You gotta help me get Cass.”
I jumped in my seat as Jordy slid in across from me.
The sandwich I held slowly came down.
“Uhh…hello to you, too.”
“Hi. You gotta help me get Cass.”
The Jordy I knew had always been cool, calm and collected. Ready to have a laugh and always up to joke around. He had a permanent smirk on his lips and a swagger in his personality.
I did not recognize the guy in front of me with his wild eyes, clenched jaw and hair that looked like fingers had been combed through the strands repeatedly.
I sighed as I dusted my hands off. “Sorry to break it to you, Jordy, but I don’t think you’re her type.”
“So what does she go for? Like those emo guys in My Chemical Romance? I can grow my hair out. And black looks good on me.”
“Do you know who Cass’s last boyfriend was?”
She and I had a lot of time to talk in between classes. She was a pretty cool chick with a colorful life.
Jordy’s face darkened. “I don’t want to know.”
“He goes to a liberal arts college and has done a minor in women’s studies. That’s the kind of guy she likes.”
His face fell. “I’m planning on studying sports medicine.”
I patted his hand. “It’s not about what you’re studying. It’s the kind of person you are. We had less than 20 kids in our class, and you didn’t even remember my name. You’re kind of a dick.”
He reared his head back. “I knew your name! I just–it’s ‘cos there’s been so many new kids lately–”
“We’ve also been in the same class since we were five. You’re not a nasty asshole or anything, but you’re oblivious to everyone else who’s not in your circle.”
He nodded solemnly, his face pensive. “So will you help me get Cass?”
I sighed. “Jordy. It’s never gonna happen.”
His mouth tightened, and he stood up. “We’ll see.”