Chapter 15
CHAPTER
FIFTEEN
LAINEY
Have you ever had a plan backfire? Like in a major way?
Well, that is exactly what happened.
I went out with Drayton Lewis, intending to piss off Nash, because just the thought of someone from Legacy betraying him would set him off.
I didn’t expect to actually like him.
But I do.
I like him.
I listen to my Spanish teacher ramble on about something I don’t understand as I check my phone under my desk.
Drayton
So about last night.
Lainey
What about it?
Drayton
When can I see you again?
Ugh. I opened up too much with him. I gave him access to things I shouldn’t have and let him in.
Not much but enough. Enough to scare me.
Truthfully, I can’t stop thinking about him.
How sweet he was, how he gently held my hand and kissed the top of my head on my doorstep.
I want to see him again, and that is scary.
Lainey
I don’t know if that is a good idea.
Drayton
Funny, I can’t think of a better idea.
Lainey
I just don’t want to make things harder for you.
Drayton
Nash is going to hate me no matter what. I’ll take my chances.
Lainey
Legacy parking lot then, I get out at 3.
Drayton
How convenient is it that I get out at 2:40 and we don’t have baseball today?
Lainey
Lucky you.
Be prepared for war.
I slip my phone back into my bag, Madden’s eyes finding mine. He mouths, “you okay,” and I nod, letting him know everything is fine. Well, it is for now, but it won’t be when Drayton shows up after school.
I know I need to worry about the fallout with Nash, but I push it away. A whisper next to me jerks my attention, a loud choking cough escaping when I really comprehend what is being said.
“Nash literally stood up and said she was his. She’s so lucky.”
I turn in my chair to the girl, whom I don’t know, “Who?”
“The new girl. The really pretty one.”
“Cori?” I question, but I’m not really asking the girl. I’m asking myself.
“I don’t know,” she whines. “Corinne, maybe?”
I stumble out of my desk, fishing my phone back out of my bag. Madden senses my urgency and stands quickly to follow me out of the room. The teacher starts to open her mouth to stop us, but Madden raises his hand to stop her, and she lets us go. Damn these baseball boys and their pull around here.
I send Cori several SOS messages, telling her to meet me at our spot outside by the brick wall. Madden’s voice cuts the silence as we wait.
“What’s going on?” he asks, lighting up a cigarette.
“I heard the sophomore girls whispering about Nash and Cori.”
Madden’s face twists, “So?”
I jerk around to him, “So, we can’t let her get her heartbroken. Nash doesn’t date, and something is up.”
“Or maybe he likes her? Maybe she likes him?”
I laugh as I see Cori pushing the glass door open and filling the space next to Madden on the wall.
“Hey, guys, what’s up?”
Madden rolls his eyes offering her his cigarette, “Lainey thinks she needs to protect you from Nash.”
Cori laughs, dropping her bag on the ground, the zipper is not closed all the way, and it falls open a little bit. When I see the red, my stomach turns to knots. I’d know that particular shade of crimson anywhere. That’s a Shark hoodie.
“I’m not afraid of Nash,” she sighs, flipping her wavy hair out of her face.
“Well, you should be,” I deadpan. “He’s a monster.”
“He can’t be that bad,” she says. “He’s only sixteen.”
Madden finally stops blowing off the severity of the situation, “Listen, Chicago. I don’t wanna be the one to burst your bubble, but nothing good ever comes from messing with Nash. Just ask all the girls with blonde hair and a cheer skirt.”
She rolls her eyes, cramming the red sleeve back into her backpack, zipping it up quickly. “Good thing I’m not a cheerleader or a blonde. Everything he’s done just makes himself look weak. I wouldn’t worry too much because the last thing I want is to mingle with sharks.”
Just wear their clothes, I think to myself, staring at the bag with the hoodie inside.
Cori jumps off the wall, “Thanks for the intervention, guys, but really. You don’t need to worry about me.”
Madden spares me a glance, “You guys want to hang out after practice?”
The bell rings, signaling the end of the day, and the crowd becomes thicker. Cori hangs around, waiting for my response.
“Drayton is picking me up,” I whisper, Madden’s face dropping.
“What?” Cori squeals, wrapping her arm in mine. “Tell me everything!”
Madden turns in the opposite direction, walking away.
It breaks my heart a little, but I just wish he’d stand behind me on this.
He doesn’t have to like Drayton, but he could stop acting like a jealous asshole.
I know he just wants to protect me. I mean, I can’t blame him.
It’s become second nature to him, and I let it happen because I like Madden being there.
He’s the only guy I’ve ever had in my corner. Not my dad, that’s for sure.
“Text me later. You can crash at my house and I’ll tell you everything.”
Cori smiles, “Okay. Sounds good.”
We round the last corner before the main entrance doors, and Cori spots Crew at his locker, grabbing his baseball equipment.
“Hang on,” she instructs, walking over to him. “Hey, can I borrow your English notes from last week?”
He does a quick scan of the crowd around him, not acknowledging her.
“Crew?” Cori repeats, waving her hand in front of his face. Crew’s gaze lifts upward, and his eyes darken before turning the opposite direction, leaving Cori standing there like a fool.
Her head yanks around and spots Nash. His bat bag is slung over his shoulder, and a cocky smirk has taken over his face. He walks out the door, and being the spitfire she is, Cori takes off after him.
I follow closely behind, ready to back her up if she needs it. Visually though, she holds her own. She whips Nash around by his backpack, causing most of the heads in the parking lot to turn their way.
“So you told your friends they can’t speak to me?”
He laughs, bending a little to her level, “No, Corinne. I told the entire school that Corinne Cecilia Clark belongs to me.”
She lets out an exasperated laugh, “As if. I wouldn’t belong to you if you were the last guy on planet Earth and the human race depended on us.”
He smiles that cocky bad boy grin that every girl in school has dreams about and forces his lips to hers. Sealing the deal.
She yanks away, tears threatening her eyes. Her teeth clench together, “Get the hell away from me.”
He leans in, his lips against her neck, everyone still staring at the two of them, “You’ll never make friends here, and next time you use my ladder, make sure you put it back.”
Cori stumbles back in shock. What is he even talking about? He’s insane.
Drayton whips up in his Jeep, causing Nash’s attention to pull in his direction. Cori’s too.
“Hey,” he smiles, jumping from the driver’s seat to open the passenger door for me.
Nash’s confidence diminishes. It’s amusing, really, that just the presence of Drayton Lewis makes Nash appear empty.
“You ready,” he beams, pulling the door open and planting a soft kiss on my cheek.
Nash is furious as he positions himself between the Jeep and me. “No. No way. Get lost, Lewis. You don’t belong here.”
Drayton dips down, kissing my lips, “Oh, but I do.”
I feel almost giddy as he pulls away. It’s been years since I’ve felt like this. Since I’ve had something, hell, anything to look forward to. I look up and see Nash, his murderous glare a clear warning.
“Nash, please get out of my way. Drayton is just here to pick me up. Leave him alone. I’m sure he’ll offer you the same courtesy,” I’m basically begging at this point because I don’t want to see Drayton get into a fight. Especially not because of me.
I glance back at Cori. Nash’s knuckles are white against the straps of his backpack from gripping them so tightly.
“You okay? You got a ride?” I ask Cori.
Dray grins, pointing his thumb over his shoulder, “We can give you a ride home if you—”
“No,” Nash quips, grabbing Cori’s hand possessively.
She yanks it away, “You guys go, I’m good.” She glances at Nash, “I can get myself home.”
“Text me,” I remind Cori and slip into Drayton’s Jeep.
She nods, and I watch a few more unpleasant interactions between her and Nash in the side mirror before he finally stalks off.
“I’m glad you let me pick you up,” Dray acknowledges, sliding into his seat. My mind is still running a hundred miles an hour, trying to catch up with the whole Cori and Nash situation.
“You okay?” he asks.
“Oh, yeah. He’s just,” I trail off. “A piece of work.”
Drayton pushes my silver hair back out of my face, willing it to turn to him, “Don’t worry about him.”
“Oh, I’m not. He’s up to something, though. It makes my skin crawl.”
“With your friend?” he questions.
“With everyone. He’s the alpha Shark.”
Drayton laughs, “Is that even a thing?”
I shake my head, a smile forming on my lips. “I don’t know, but it’s a thing here at Legacy.”
“Sharks are actually pretty lone creatures,” he starts, pulling from the Legacy parking lot. “They typically hunt and travel alone.”
He makes me smile, “How do you know that? Are you a shark expert?”
His rigid jawline tips toward me, taking his eyes off the road, “Discovery channel is very informative.”
I bust out laughing, “I can’t picture you sitting at home watching shark week.”
“Oh yeah? What do you see me doing?”
I look at him, smiling, “I don’t know, just not that.”
“I think you’ll be surprised by a lot of things you don’t know about me.”
What the hell is that supposed to mean? He must realize how cryptic that sounds because he circles back, “I mean. I’m not just a guy who can throw a ball into a glove.”
“Stop the car then,” I tease. “Because that’s exactly what I thought I was getting.”
He hides his smile, placing his hand on my thigh as we pull into what must be his driveway, and I can’t even focus on the house or where exactly we are because my leg is on fire from his touch.
“Is this your house?”
“Yeah, is that okay?” he questions, shifting the Jeep into park.
“I mean, yeah. Is it okay with your mom?”