6. The Project
The Project
Harper
Mrs. Lee:
He’s out of surgery and doing fine
Taking him home
He’ll text this afternoon
Releasing my breath, I sit down in my chair for art. Nico’s been on my mind all morning as I ignored the looks from all the other students. I forgot about being nominated to the Homecoming Court for this morning at least. I pull up my text conversation with Nico.
Me:
*heart emoji*
I’d send I love you but we don’t know if anyone is reading my texts. I slide my phone into my pocket as Tanner walks in. His eyes narrow on me as he cuts across the classroom. A chill washes over me.
One of the reasons Zach is after me is because of Tanner’s revenge plot.
“I figured you’d be out this morning.” He takes the chair next to me and looks me up and down.
I’m glad I didn’t wear anything revealing. His attention is unnerving. Why the hell would he say that? Does he know what happened to my mom? Or is he just making another lewd comment? Do I even bother with a reply? No, I should just wait until Caden gets here. He’ll set Tanner right.
“When you guys didn’t show to parties this weekend, figured they were busy fucking you all weekend.” Tanner chuckles like he made a joke. “Do you enjoy being their whore, Harper?”
My cheeks heat, but I keep my attention straight forward. I’m not even going to give this creep a crumb. If this is how they plan to break me, it won’t work.
“Hey, Tanner.” Kenz stops beside me. Her warm hand rests on my shoulder. “Did you know the statute of limitation on rape is six years? Do you need the definition, or would you like me to explain to you what consent is? I have an excellent analogy to go along with the discussion.”
She tips her head and regards him like she seriously wants to know, but there’s a hardness in her eyes.
Does she know something? When Tanner showed up at my place and Caden hit him, the guys mentioned videos that include girls.
Someone said Tanner’s collection could ruin others, which is why the guys haven’t used them.
Tanner smirks and leans back like he doesn’t have a care in the world. “Do you know who my family is? The lawyers we hire? You think some of these guys charged with rape get off with a slap on the wrist? I won’t even get that.”
“You’re an asshole.” Kenz shakes her head and squeezes my shoulder before heading to the back of class.
Ms. Sullivan comes in then and stands in front of her desk with her hands folded in front of her. Everyone quiets while we wait for her to talk.
“I’m going to come around to each group today to see where you are in our project. It can be difficult to merge styles when you have such different ideas, but I want to make sure everyone is making sufficient progress.”
Angela Harris, Nico’s partner, raises her hand. “Ms. Sullivan?”
“Yes, Angela?” Ms. Sullivan gives her her full attention.
“Since Nico is out with an injury and Harper has two partners.” Angela’s eyes sweep over me dismissively. “Maybe I can get help from Caden while Nico is out?”
Oh, fuck no. I study Ms. Sullivan. She was excited to put Caden and I together as a team. That’s probably the reason Caden gave her for coming to the class. But if Angela wants Tanner, she can have him.
“I don’t know that it would be fair to split up a group at this point.” Ms. Sullivan taps her finger against her lip. “But if you’d like additional input, you could join their group or another group while Nico is healing.”
Ms. Sullivan beams.
Angela’s smile droops. That wasn’t what she wanted. What’s she playing at anyway? She wanted Nico. Does she want Caden now? Her name was on Caden’s list, and Jack’s, and Eli’s. They haven’t said if they shared her, but it could be a possibility.
My stomach rolls. I don’t even want to contemplate that. I don’t want to think about my guys with other girls. They’ve never been with a girl like me before, and that’s what I have to cling to.
I got their first I love you. They all love me. My heartbeat steadies.
Angela gives me a plastic smile before saying to Ms. Sullivan, “I could use some help.”
“Okay, but I expect you to present Nico’s and your project today.” Ms. Sullivan continues to talk about where she wants us to be and the order she’ll be going through. Ours is the last group since Caden is only in for half the class.
When Ms. Sullivan starts with Kenz and Natalie, Angela picks up her books and moves to the seat Caden always takes.
“He’ll tell you to move,” I say as nicely as possible. It’s a fair warning.
She laughs and flings her blond hair over her shoulder. “Caden lets me do what I want. He’s not bossy with me. Is he that way with you? Maybe you’re doing it wrong.”
Her look is innocent, but it makes me want to claw her eyes out.
I shrug. “Your problem.”
She smiles like she’s won, but I know Caden won’t let that stand. Until then, it’s uncomfortable being between two enemies. I mean, Angela isn’t like Tanner, but she’s still against me dating the horsemen.
“So, what have you guys been working on?” Angela smiles and flashes her cleavage, hopefully at Tanner and not me. Though I get an eyeful too. She’s wearing a low-cut tank top and pajama pants, rolled down a couple times to ride low on her hips.
I lean back out of her way, because it’s obvious she wants Tanner’s attention.
He looks her over with interest. “You got a date to Homecoming?”
Her cheeks flush, but I can’t tell if it’s embarrassment or anger. “Not yet. Corey was supposed to take me, but he backed out.”
She pouts and leans a little more into my space. Her boob brushes my arm, and I barely stop from flinching away or shoving her back. Instead, I roll my eyes.
“I have this dress that’s perfect.” She sighs and traces a finger along her neckline. “It’s cut low here and shows off my back too. It’s one of those really silky numbers that you can’t really wear panties with.”
Oh my god, is he buying any of this? I mean, he’s a teenage boy, so of course he is.
“I could take you.” He smirks, practically drooling over her cleavage.
Apparently she didn’t hear Kenz call him a rapist or she just doesn’t care. Maybe his videos are of willing participants, just taken without their knowledge. I’m going to have to ask Jack.
“Would you?” She acts surprised and clasps her hands together, deepening her cleavage. “That would be amazing. I wasn’t sure you would go because of everything that happened last year.”
“Things are changing for the better.” Tanner’s chuckle is dark and his cold blue eyes lock on mine. “I wouldn’t miss it.”
Yeah, I’m not touching that with a ten-foot pole. I’m all for the plan to bring them down before we get to Homecoming. Maybe if we push on the drug angle. Though it didn’t seem to affect Tanner all that much.
I pull out my sketch pad and work on the drawing while the two of them continue to flirt and trade numbers. I hope they end up together. Maybe Angela is the one who will make him happy, or maybe they’ll scheme together to try to break us up.
“Move.”
Caden’s voice makes me lift my head, and all the anxiety that had been swelling since Tanner sat beside me dies down from a roar to a low hum.
Angela giggles. “Caden, I’m already sitting here.”
He shakes his head and lifts the chair with her in it. She shrieks, but he sets her on the other side of the table before grabbing a chair and setting it next to me.
Ms. Sullivan watches with an indulgent smile like he’s a little boy misbehaving. I really don’t understand the adults in this school.
Caden hooks his foot on my chair leg and drags me away from Tanner and closer to him. He slides his hand possessively on the back of my chair, and a little shiver rushes through me as he brushes my back.
“Why are you here?” His question is directed at Angela.
She swallows but forces a smile and bats her eyes. “Nico isn’t here, so I asked Ms. Sullivan if you could help me.”
“Why would I do that?” Caden slouches in his chair and slides his fingers up and down my neck. Little tingles chase after his touch, cascading throughout me.
“You and I always have a good time together.” She leans forward so he can view her cleavage, but he never takes his gaze from her eyes.
“You also know Harper is my girlfriend. So again, I’ll ask you, and I want a straight answer this time.” He leans on the desk and narrows his eyes on her. “Why would I help you?”
Her mouth opens and closes, and she withdraws a little. I’m sure she’s just rallying for the next attack.
Caden takes his eyes off her and gives a hard look at Tanner, who gives it right back. When Caden’s green eyes stop on me, they soften and so do my insides.
“What’s on the agenda today?” Even his tone is softer, and I melt. Like seriously, I’m a puddle on the floor.
“She’s going around and checking each team’s progress.”
His leg bumps against mine under the table and stays there. “Okay, enough fucking around then. Where are we?”
For the next few minutes, we all discuss our project. Angela chimes in with where she and Nico are. Tanner gives her a flirtatious smile, and I want to gag. But otherwise, we’re where we’re supposed to be at this point.
“Mostly because of you,” Caden says. He catches a strand of my hair and tucks it behind my ear.
I smile, but I really want to say it’s because of him.
If he hadn’t come in here, Tanner would have continued to sabotage my efforts to complete this project.
He would have made me so mad or flustered that we would have had to take Ms. Sullivan up on working after school, which was probably his plan all along.
Get me alone when the guys were busy with football practice.
Ms. Sullivan stops at our table. “Angela, why don’t you join me at your desk to discuss your project?”
They walk over to the other table.
Caden tips my chin his way. “How’s Nico?”
I felt my phone vibrate earlier but I haven’t dug it out. “He’s out of surgery and should be home by now.”
“Good.” He glances toward Tanner, who is busy writing something. “You going to his place after school?”
“Kenz is coming with me.”
“Good.” He rubs his thumb over my chin and for a moment, his eyes flare hot.
My insides respond to his heat like they always do.
“Okay, last group.” Ms. Sullivan smiles and sits across from us.
Caden draws away from me reluctantly, and I resist fanning myself to cool off.
“I’m excited to hear what you have for me.” Ms. Sullivan clasps her hands.
Tanner leans back in his chair. Yeah, I kind of figured I’d be the one doing this part.
“We each have different styles. Mine is more realism. Caden’s is more geometric abstraction. Tanner’s is more—” I cut myself off from saying asshole-ish. Not sure Ms. Sullivan would appreciate that.
“Impressionism.” Caden draws the folder in front of him. “The hard part is deciding on a subject matter and then the composition style. But we decided to blend in a little of everything. Obviously, I can’t use my usual medium, but we can pull in metallic colors and clean, crisp lines.”
He shows Ms. Sullivan the work I’ve done.
“For the background, we’ll use subtle shapes to convey the image.” He draws out another paper. “We’ll build ours around Harper’s drawing. She’ll have bold, vibrant colors and details. The colors will all flow together and be reflections of each other, making the piece cohesive.”
Ms. Sullivan grins. “Thank you so much for joining us, Caden. I know Harper put in most of the groundwork with Tanner, but you always make a project sing. I wish you’d reconsider my recommendation for art school.”
Tanner snorts but doesn’t say anything.
Caden gives her a smile. “My parents want me to pursue business.”
“Well, I hope you keep art in your life somehow. Even if it’s a hobby.” Ms. Sullivan stands and claps her hands. “All right class. Continue working on your projects. I can’t wait to see how this turns out.”