Is Chelsea right? Will the squad want me as their next captain, and if they do, who is going to replace the seniors? Harley and Stella are obvious choices, but the rest of the JV team, they’re going to need some work.
Hopefully, summer camp will help sort them out, help them see the mountain that they’ve got to climb if they want to match our success from the weekend, let alone exceed it.
I’ve no idea how much time passes while I sit there contemplating my future.
Ashton keeps trying to force his way into my thoughts, but every time his face pops into my mind, I shake it out. He’s consumed enough of my time the past few weeks. I’m done with it. With him.
Eventually, the door opening behind me drags me from my thoughts. Looking over my shoulder, I find Chelsea walking in.
“Couldn’t sleep either, huh?” she asks, correctly guessing why I’m sitting here like an idiot.
“Nope. You’ve ruined sleeping in for me,” I joke.
“Sorry, about that. It was worth it though.” She dumps her bag by the wall and walks over, before dropping down beside me.
“Yeah, it was,” I say with a smile.
“How are... things?”
“I haven’t seen him,” I admit. “But he’s starting here today, so I think my avoidance tactics are going to come to an abrupt end.”
“You need to talk to him,” she says, confirming what I already know.
“I know,” I sigh. “He just makes me a little crazy when we’re close.”
She chuckles to herself. “I know what that’s like.” Her hand rubs over her bump.
“How did you get over it?”
She shrugs and leans back on her palms. “I didn’t, I got under it.”
I can’t help but snort a laugh. “Your advice is for me to sleep with him again?”
“No, no. Honestly, I don’t know, Rubes. I’ve barely met him. I’m not sure those few angry minutes I witnessed in the arena really showed him at his best. But I saw the way he looked at you. It wasn’t a look of a guy who hates you, Rubes. Maybe just hear him out. He’s been through a lot. Maybe something has changed since you left him in Seattle.”
“Hmm... maybe.”
“At the end of the day, Ruby. You won’t ever find out if you spend your time hiding in your bedroom or in here. If he’s going to end up on the team, as you suspect, you’re going to need to be able to stand to be in the same room as each other. And you might need to do it fast because if he fits right in then you know he’ll be at Justin’s party this weekend.”
I groan, thinking about the congratulation party the guys are throwing for the squad.
“I’m never going to escape his ass, am I?”
“Nope, which is why you may as well make the best of the situation.” She laughs. “What’s the worst that could happen?”
We sit chatting until the sound of students descending around us fills the gym and a few teachers poke their heads in to check on us.
“We should probably head out.”
“It feels weird not practicing.”
“You’ve only got a week off, make the most of it.”
I stand from the floor before holding a hand out to help Chelsea up before we head out to join the others at the team benches.
I was hoping to get through at least an hour without having to see him, but it seems luck isn’t on my side this morning because not twenty minutes into first period does he come marching into my chemistry class.
“Fucking hell,” I mutter under my breath, much to Harley’s amusement who’s sitting beside me.
As if he can feel my stare, his eyes almost immediately find mine and my heart jumps into my throat.
Maybe this is going to be even harder than I expected.
My eyes don’t leave him the entire time he talks to Miss Harris. I know I need to look down, look anywhere, but I can’t.
By the time he turns my way, I’m in a total daze and unable to do anything but stare at him.
“Here, take my seat.” Harley’s words drag me back to reality.
“What?” I snap at her, in total disbelief that she’d even consider doing this to me.
“What?” she asks innocently, gathering her books and standing from her seat. “I’m doing an experiment. A chemistry experiment.”
I growl at her and she bursts out laughing as she makes her way to the back of the room and to a spare chair.
She locks eyes on me as she lowers down and smiles sweetly.
“I hate you,” I mouth, but all she does is shrug before going back to arranging her books.
“So… this is cozy,” Ashton whispers as he sits his ass beside me.
“Is it?” I mutter, crossing my arms over my chest and letting out a huff of frustration. So much for staying out of his way.
Refusing to look at him, I keep my eyes on Miss Harris who quickly picks up where she left off, completely oblivious to the tension that’s suddenly filled the room.
“Safe to say, my morning keeps getting better and better.” His arm rests on the back of my chair, his thumb grazing my shoulder blade and sending tingles down my spine.
“Do you mind?” I snap, shooting forward away from his touch.
“No, little one. Not really.”
“Well, I do. Keep your hands off me.”
“Is that what you really want?” he all but growls.
It’s so low and deep that I know no one else would have heard him and damn him because it affects me exactly as he was expecting it to. Heat floods my body and I’m immediately taken back to his room in Seattle where he growled all kinds of dirty things in my ear.
He leans forward with me, his fingertips skating down my spine and I jump up.
“Ruby, is everything okay?”
“Y-yes. I just need the bathroom. Do you mind?”
Miss Harris sighs at me and rolls her eyes. “Be quick.”
I dart out of that classroom like someone set my ass on fire.
“Fucking hell,” I mutter, falling back against the bathroom door and tipping my face to the ceiling.
We’re not even an hour into the day and he’s already driving me insane.
After giving myself a little pep talk, I make my way back to class. Apologize to Miss Harris and reluctantly return to my seat.
Thankfully, Ashton had started taking notes in the few minutes I’ve been gone, and he continues long after I return.
I’m glad he’s turned his attention away from me, but irritatingly, I’m also disappointed.
I flash a glance behind me to Harley who’s watching us curiously. A smile curls up at her lips and I just shake my head at her.
The second the bell rings, I’m out of the room. A smirk pulls at my lips when Miss Harris calls Ashton back so she can give him some extra homework to catch up. Fingers crossed all his teachers do that and keep him busy for the foreseeable future.
“What the hell was that?” I bark at Harley when she steps up to me as we head to history.
“What, I was just being nice to the new student.”
“Bullshit, Har. What game are you playing?”
“Me? Actually, I wanted to see what game Ash was playing. Did you really think he’d show up here and let you ignore him?”
“I...” I’d hoped he might however I knew realistically it was never going to happen.
“He wants you, Rubes. Whether you like it or not. Which by the way, I think you do, if the way you reacted to him earlier said anything.”
“What? I didn’t—”
“Really?” she asks with a laugh.
“You need to talk to him.”
“I really, really—”
She pins me with a look just before we get to our next class. “You really, really do. You don’t want this? Tell him and stay strong. You decide you do want it? Stop playing games. It’ll only end up with you being hurt worse.”
Harley’s words ring out in my head throughout the rest of my morning classes.
He hurt me. Walking away f
rom me that morning in Seattle after everything that had happened between us. Doing whatever he did after we left. All of it hurt, it still hurts.
Can I just forgive him for all that?
I know he was—is—in a bad place. His mom had died, but that’s no excuse to take it out on me, rip my heart out and stomp all over it.
I recall his touch this morning. How it burned, how it set my blood on fire.
I want that again, I’m not even going to try to deny that. But is it worth it? Or are we destined to destroy each other?
I don’t see Harley after history, and thankfully I don’t see Ashton again, well not until I walk into the cafeteria for lunch. The second I’m in the doorway, I see him.
He’s standing with the team, Jake by his side, as I assume he introduces Ash to everyone.
My stomach turns over. This is really happening. He’s inserting himself into every aspect of my life and there’s shit all I can do about it.
Everywhere I turn—at home, at school—he’s going to be right there, taunting me, reminding me, tempting me.
“Uh oh, skank, two o’clock,” Harley says in my ear as she appears at my side.
Ripping my eyes away from Ashton, I find Krissy, Aria, and Victoria heading straight for him.
“Did she really suck him off at Ethan’s party?”
A growl rumbles up my throat at her words.
“Alright, no need to go all cavewoman on me, I was merely inquiring as to what went down.”
“I don’t know. I didn’t ask.” But as we stand there continuing to watch the show, I think we get our answer because Krissy walks right up to him, the length of her body presses against his, absolutely zero hesitation and no shame, as she runs her palms up his chest.
“Wow, someone’s about to get her eyes gouged out with your nails,” Poppy mutters, joining the two of us and watching the show.
“I don’t care. She can touch him all she likes.” As I say this, he looks up, his eyes immediately finding mine.
“I’ve lost my appetite. I’ll see you both later.”
I don’t waste another second of my time watching as Krissy shamelessly grinds up against him as if she fucking owns him and I storm off, ready to go and hide and try to forget everything about this day.
Tears burn my eyes as I fly down the hallways, my heart pounds and my hands shake as I try to contain everything that’s threatening to burst out of me. The anger, the devastation, the regret.
I fly through the gym doors and find it as empty as it was first thing this morning before I push through the hidden office door around the corner.
As I expected, it’s empty. Miss Kelly is nowhere to be seen as usual. I slam the door behind me but despite the bang being loud, it does little to make me feel any better.
33
Ashton
Before I get a chance to push Krissy off me, a voice rings out through the team.
“Put the new boy down, Krissy. You don’t know where he’s been,” the pregnant cheerleader barks, coming to stand in front of me.
She wraps her fingers around Krissy’s upper arm and all but drags her from me.
“You,” she says, pointing right in my face. “You are playing a very dangerous game.”
My chin drops as silence surrounds us. I swear to God, the entire cafeteria is holding their breath to see what is going to happen next.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t I?” she asks as Ruby’s two friends come to stand beside her. “So, Ruby didn’t just run out of here because this slut decided you belong to her?”
I glance at Krissy, who doesn’t even react to the insult.
“You don’t know shit about me and Ruby.”
The team moves over behind their girls, showing where their loyalty lies, not that I thought for a million years they’d stand with me when they’ve just met me, but it makes me wonder if becoming one of them is going to be a bigger mountain to climb than I first thought.
“Claim her, or let her go,” she warns, her eyes boring into mine, ensuring that I’m unable to look away. “But if you hurt her, you can bet your ass we’re all coming for you.”
Tension crackles around us as our stare holds.
Who the hell is this bitch?
“I’m Chelsea, by the way,” she says with a smirk as if she can read my mind. “And we,” she says, gesturing to herself and everyone around her. “Own this place. You make one wrong move, and you are done. Family or not. Ruby is one of us, you never have to be.”
I want to laugh at her threats. Compared to what I’ve lived through in Seattle, they are child’s play. I’m used to guys—and girls—having knives and guns and not being afraid to use them.
But something about how she narrows her eyes at me hits deeper than having any weapon waved in my face and I know it’s got everything to do with the girl they’re warning me about.
“Where is she?” I ask, assuming that they’re going to tell me to go to hell and leave her alone.
“I don’t know for sure, but I can make a good guess. Follow me.”
“Baby,” one of the guys from the team calls out before walking around the others and pulling her into his side. “I’m so fucking hot for you right now,” he whispers not so quietly in her ear.
“Really? Can you just fucking lead the way?”
They both turn on me, eyes narrowed.
“Thin fucking ice,” Chelsea growls. “Thin fucking ice.” Before she takes the guy’s hand and starts marching out of the cafeteria and expecting me to follow. Which of course I do because she’s about to lead me to Ruby.
“So this is where the magic happens then?” I ask as we step into the gym who is covered in cheerleading paraphernalia.
“Ashton,” Chelsea growls. “I might be taking you to her right now, but don’t be under any illusion that it’s because I like you, because I don’t. You hurt her and until you make it right, we’ll never be friends whether you get your ass on the team or not. My girls are my priority, and my future captain is top of that list.”
A little bit of pride washes through me as Chelsea insinuates that Ruby is going to step into her shoes in the coming months. Having watched her up on that stage over the weekend and her passion when things didn’t go their way, I have no doubt that she’ll be incredible.
Chelsea pokes her head around the corner and then nods at me.
“She’s in there. Can we trust you with her?”
“I’d never hurt her.”
Chelsea places one hand on her waist and juts her hip out.
“Not physically.” I can’t promise that whatever comes out of our mouths might not sting because we have a way of cutting each other down with words.
“We’ll be out here.”
“You don’t have to babysit us.”
“No, but we might need to beat your ass.”
I roll my eyes at her, briefly glance at her boyfriend who mostly just looks amused and turned on by her being all fired up and I turn away from them.
The second the window to the office comes into view, I see her curled up on the office chair, hugging her legs to her chest with her head on her knees.
She looks so tiny and helpless and all I want to do is pull her into my arms and tell her that everything is going to be okay.
The click of the door opening startles her, her entire body flinches as I step inside.
“Please, just leave me alone. I’m fine.”
I stare at her for a few more seconds as guilt swamps me.
I did this.
I blow out a breath as I prepare to say the words I need to say to her.
“I’m sorry, little one.”
Her head snaps up so fast I’m surprised she doesn’t hurt herself.
“Get out,” she seethes, her eyes narrowing as she looks at me.
“No, not until we’ve talked.” I close the door at my back to make a point. We’re not leaving this office until we’ve either sorted things out or kil
led each other. I guess only time will tell which comes first.
“I’ve got nothing to say to you, so I suggest you walk straight back out and go and find your little slut.”
“I don’t want her, Ruby.”
“Just like you didn’t want Nat? You had a funny way of showing that too.”
“I don’t...” I sigh, my hands coming up to my head.
“Nothing happened with Nat.”
“Aside from what I saw.” She raises a brow at me, uncurling herself from the chair and standing to her feet, preparing to fight.
“Y-yeah, aside from that. I made a mistake, Ruby. I was... I was lost and needed someone.”
“You had me, Ash. I was right there with you through all of it, and you pushed me away when you needed me most. You never even needed to be anywhere near her. You could have got in that car with me and we could have gone anywhere.”
“I know. I fucked up,” I admit, holding her gaze so she knows how serious I am.
I can make all the excuses I want about my state of mind that day, but at the end of the day, I fucked up. I sent away the one good thing in my life and fell back into old habits to drown out my bullshit.
“That’s all you do, Ash. You fuck up. All you’ve done since we met is hurt me. I know you hate me, and I understand it, I do, but fuck, it’s time to give it up. We’re fucking stuck with each other now whether we like it or not.”
“I don’t want to hurt you, Ruby.”
“Well, you’re fucking good at it.” She marches toward me, stopping before we’re in touching distance. “Excuse me.”
“No.”
“No? You’re going to keep me locked in here?”
“Until you hear me out, yeah, if that’s what it takes. I don’t want to fight with you, Rubes.”
“That’s all we’re capable of, haven’t you realized? We’re toxic, Ash. A disaster waiting to happen. All we do is hurt each other, our parents are fighting. It’s just...” She throws her arms out from her sides. “It’s pointless, Ash. Now get out of my way and let me get on with my life.”
“What if I don’t want to?”
“I don’t really give a shit what you want right now. I gave you what I thought you needed in Seattle, and all you did was throw it back in my face. So go and find Krissy, or one of the others, I’m sure they’d happily be your little toy until you get bored of them.”
FURY: A Dark High School Bully Romance (Rosewood High Book 6) Page 27