by Ruby Vincent
“I’ll call her on the way to breakfast.” I flapped a hand at him. “Close your eyes. I’m going to change.”
Adam clapped a hand over his eyes and I quickly got dressed. We left after he was ready and I made good on my promise to call my cousin.
“It’s about time,” she said. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been waiting to hear the details?”
“Details about what?”
“Don’t try that mess. I know you’ve been getting hot and dirty with one of those Breakbattle boys.”
My eyes bugged out.
“And you said you weren’t interested in manflesh,” said Jordan.
I whipped around. “Adam Moon!”
Cackling, he burst into a run and expertly dodge my swat. I huffed as he disappeared through the door.
“What exactly did my ex-best friend tell you?”
“Who cares. I want to hear it from you. I also want to know why you didn’t tell me sooner.”
“Because I didn’t know what to say. It was”—I glanced around to make sure no one was listening—“Landon.”
“Oh.”
With that one “oh” I knew she understood.
“How far did you take it?” she asked.
“Not too far. I stopped it before that.”
“But still, you did things with him, right? I know I said I was on board with this plan, but don’t make choices you’re going to regret.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
“Do you? You had feelings for him. You can’t just turn those off and things can get pretty blurry when clothes are falling on the floor.”
“It won’t get blurry. Those feelings are gone.”
“Really?” She did not sound convinced.
“I may be attracted to him physically but... that’s... it...” I trailed off as I rounded the corner.
A group of B boys blocked my path, shuffling and yawning as they took up the hallway.
“Are you trying to convince yourself or me?” asked Jordan.
“Hold on.” I rose on tiptoe to peer over their heads. The line continued down the hallway and stretched around the corner. “Jordan, I have to go. I’ll call you back.”
“You better because now that I’ve imparted my wisdom, I can hear every detail and squeal without shame.”
“Got it.”
I hung up and pushed through the crowd, looking for Adam. I spotted his curly mop of hair halfway down the hall. He was speaking to his mom.
“Adam. Miss Val. What’s going on?”
Miss Val brushed Adam’s hair back. “That’s what I came to say. Go and get your things, baby. You’re going to come with me.”
“Okay.”
She clapped. “Attention, everyone. Listen up.” The noise dropped to a dull roar. “The dining room is closed. I repeat, the dining room is closed. Breakfast will be served in the basketball and wrestling gyms. Boys will go to the wrestling gym.”
The hallway began to empty out as the boys trudged off with no questioning. I had a few questions.
“Why are we having breakfast in the gym?”
Miss Val gave me a look I couldn’t decipher. “Wait until they’ve gone.”
By the time everyone left, Adam returned. Miss Val grabbed our shoulders and led us to the side. “There was another prank.”
“Another prank?” Adam said. “What happened?”
“Someone got into the kitchen last night and unplugged the fridges. We can’t serve food to students that hasn’t been properly stored. It all has to be thrown out and now the staff is scrambling to serve up something else.”
“But why can’t we go into the dining room?”
“Because whoever did it spray painted an upside-down A over the head table.”
Adam and I shared a look.
“What?” Miss Val asked. “Do you know something about this?”
“No,” I said. “But I don’t get it. What does Cameron have to gain by spoiling breakfast?”
“Something that we can’t see yet,” Adam said. “Like with you.”
“Maybe.”
Miss Val sighed. “I’ve spoken to Cameron Dupre twice and he maintains his innocence. We can’t prove he committed those acts last year or today. No one saw anything and they wouldn’t. We don’t have cameras or guards patrolling the hallways. I’m going to speak with the principal and vice principal again because this can’t go on.”
She kissed Adam’s cheek. “But for now, you’ll eat with me until the cafeteria opens. The perks of having a mom on staff.”
I mumbled goodbye and walked off. My mind was spinning. I didn’t know what was going on, but something did not feel right.
I stepped outside and a shadow fell over me.
“I want to make things right, Zee.”
Stiffening, I didn’t turn around. “Then you know what to do.”
“I can’t lose on purpose.”
“That’s your choice, Michael. You have a track meet after break. I’ll be there. You decide.”
I walked off. Michael didn’t follow me.
Chapter Eight
By some miracle, I got through finals. By an even bigger miracle, I walked away from them with a straight A average.
I smirked at Cole all through our last day of the semester. He got all As too, so technically we were tied, but it didn’t stop him looking fit to throw a table.
“How’d you do, Cole?” I sidled up to him as he headed for lunch. Yes, I waited for him to come down.
“Fuck off.”
I tsked. “This has not been your year, has it? Lost the presidency, lost the captaincy, and I beat you for highest average.”
“You didn’t beat me,” he snapped. “We tied.”
“Oh?” I quirked an eyebrow. “How would you know that? Did you check up on a lowly F’s grades?”
The muscles in his neck bulged with the effort of holding himself back.
“I didn’t know you cared that much.”
“I don’t care.”
Cole picked up the pace and I was practically running to keep up with him.
“But that’s the problem, isn’t it, Cole?” I said in his ear. “You don’t care about anyone but yourself. But what you’re feeling right now—that feeling like no matter what you do or how hard you work you can’t get what you want. You care about that, and I’ll make sure you feel this way until you’ve learned something.”
Cole lengthened his strides and finally got away from me. I let him go.
My family would be here in minutes to pick me up for two weeks of Christmas cookies, presents, music, and complete freedom from the world of Breakbattle. Words couldn’t convey how much I was looking forward to it.
I ran out the gates at two o’clock on the dot. Jordan pounded the horn, screaming her head off, while Mom waved from the driver’s seat.
We drove home with the music blasting and us singing along at the top of our lungs. Jordan and I did the singing. That Mom let us do it showed what a good mood she was in.
Christmas break was everything I wanted and more. We baked those cookies, opened dozens of presents, and Adam invited us to his annual Christmas Eve party where I stole baby Jessie and narrowly escaped a beating from Esme.
A huge part of me did not want to go back to Breakbattle when the day finally came for Mom to drive me back to school. It was hard to kiss her goodbye in front of the gates, but there were some perks to being back.
I pulled away, leaning back onto the headboard.
“Where are you going?” Landon snaked an arm around my waist and drew me in.
I pressed my swollen lips to his throat so he couldn’t claim them again. “You were saying something and I interrupted you. Finish telling me.”
His chuckle rumbled against my lips. “I didn’t mind the interruption.”
I wasn’t too proud to admit keeping my hands off of Landon was impossible, and he knew it. We were a few days into the first week and had been all over each other. The guy told me a story
about his winter break while slowly removing his uniform to change. I jumped him before he got his pants all the way up.
Twisting around, I glanced at the clock.
Thirty minutes making out. Eight minutes talking. Zero minutes studying. Doing great, Zela.
“I’m serious,” I said. “I want to hear the rest.”
He sighed. “It’s not that interesting. I spent the last week in Europe with Declan. I modeled for him. Did a few photo shoots.”
“That doesn’t sound boring to me.”
“It is.” Landon leaned back and took me with him. He enfolded me into his side, draping his arm around my waist. “Declan works the whole time but he doesn’t trust me to walk the city alone, so he makes me stay in the hotel. When I’m not being shouted at by photographers, I’m sitting in my room all day watching Netflix.”
“Oh.” I rested my head on his chest. His heart beat in my ear, steady and soothing. “Well, it’s sweet that he wants his son to be a part of his work.”
“Only because I fit his brand. Henrietta has no use for a boy since she sells makeup, so her total number of bring-your-kid-to-work-days are zero. If I’m ever horribly mangled in an accident, Declan won’t have use for me either.”
I raised my head to meet his eyes. “Does that upset you?” I was genuinely asking. Landon sounded so matter-of-fact it was hard to tell.
“Nope.” He shifted to smile at me. “I bitch a lot, but they’re decent parents. They don’t let me wander around strange cities, but when I’m home they let me do whatever I want. There’s always food in the fridge, money in my account, and they didn’t blink when I came out. Can’t ask for much more.”
I think you could ask for a little more, I thought, but I didn’t say it out loud.
“My mom and I have a weird relationship too,” I said. “I know she loves me, but she puts a lot of pressure on me. Like she gave up a lot to raise me and I have to prove I’m worth it.”
Landon’s finger skated along my skin as he brushed a strand of hair behind my ear. “You’re worth it.”
Breath catching, my heart fluttered. My internal voice shouted a warning but it faded in the background as our lips met. This wasn’t our usual passionate tongue battles. Landon kissed me slow and sweet. The opposite of the wild pounding in my chest. We broke apart and Landon dropped little kisses along my jaw.
“I have a question.” His hot breath warmed my ear, making me shiver. “Are you going on the spring break field trip?”
“What... field trip?” I whispered.
Landon kept kissing me, leaving a burning trail down my neck. “After finals, Elites and As are going on a field trip to Orlando. Water parks, amusement parks, five nights in a hotel.” Landon reached the strap of my tank top and slowly pulled it down. “I want you to come.”
“I... don’t know.” I bit my lip hard as Landon moved to the other strap. I was highly aware of his hand on my hip, his thigh between my legs, his sweet scent, and his lips pressed to my skin. He was overloading my senses and my brain worked overtime attempting to supply me with words.
“Even if I win a spot,” I continued. “I’d have to pay for it. A trip like that... sounds expensive. My mom might not go for it.”
“Convince her.” He was teasing me now. Landon dropped kisses on my collarbone instead of going where I expected him to go.
“I can’t convince my mom to do anything she doesn’t want to do.”
He chuckled. “It’ll be worth it to try. We’ll have fun, ride the rides, stuff our faces, and we could even break a few rules.”
I formed my lips to ask what rules until Landon raised his head. He gazed at me through heavy-lidded eyes and my pulse quickened.
“Come on, my sweet, sexy genius. Find a way to be with me.”
This is just a physical attraction. The feelings I had for the strong, funny guy with the jelly bean eyes don’t exist anymore. He means nothing to me. All I care about is making him feel the pain I felt. Nothing else.
I grabbed his face and pulled him in for a kiss that had us both panting when I pulled back.
“Okay. I’ll be there.”
FOR A RELATIONSHIP that wasn’t really a relationship, it looked a lot like one.
Landon walked me to class every morning and waited outside for me at the end of the day. We went back to wrestling together and he joined me on my run most nights. He sat with me for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and at night, breached the edges of the rules when we should have been studying. A week of this and it got hard to remember a time that wasn’t Landon, Landon, Landon.
I pulled in my chair and picked up my chocolate chip muffin. I dropped it on Derek’s plate. “Here you go.”
He grunted a thanks.
“What are you doing tonight? I feel like it’s been forever since we hung out.”
“I’m busy,” he clipped.
“Really?” I hooked my arm through his and gave him a little shake. “But I thought we could go back to your room after the meet and watch a movie. We can do a short one.”
“I said I’m busy.” Derek slipped his arm out of mine. “I’ve got mentor stuff with Hunter.”
“Tomorrow?”
“We’ll see.”
I frowned. Derek didn’t make eye contact with me throughout the whole exchange. “Are you okay?”
“Yep.”
“Then why don’t you want to hang out? We don’t have to watch a movie. We can just sit on your bed and read.”
Derek finally turned to me. The look on his face made me reel back. “My door isn’t fucking open whenever you can be bothered to remember I exist.”
“What are you talking about?”
His eyes drifted over my head. “Besides, I think you’re busy tonight too.”
“Hey, baby.” An arm snaked around my neck. Landon took hold of my chin and tilted it to receive his kiss. When he let go, Derek was gone.
“Derek? Derek?” I twisted around and spotted his retreating back as he walked out of the dining room. I made to stand up.
“Where are you going?”
“I have to go after him.” I tugged at his arm to get free. “I think Derek is mad at me.”
Landon heaved a sigh. “What’s he got to be mad about? You’re the only one who tolerates his bullshit. He should be running after you.”
“Landon, I have to go.”
“Leave him.” He sat me firmly back down. “If he’s really mad, he needs time to cool off. Catch him at the meet. You’re going, right?”
“Yes.” Reluctantly, I sat down. Landon had a point. It was always better to approach Derek when he was calm.
“Good.” Landon buried his nose in my neck. His breath tickled as he spoke. “I’ll save you a seat. Afterward, we’ll go up to my room to study.”
“Only if we actually study,” I said. “I got among the top grade point averages last semester. This year, I’ll be number one. No ties.”
“You have strong competition, Zee.”
He kissed my neck and a shiver thrummed my spine.
How do I make that stop happening? Why does he have this power over my body?
“Cole says he’s gunning hard for it. First week back and he spends every spare minute in the library.”
And it won’t be enough.
I gazed across the room at Michael and Cole. Landon still hung with them, although they sat at their table alone these days. Every now and then, I’d look up and find one or both of them staring at me, or staring at me and Landon.
“You guys are so cute,” Melody spoke up from the circle of Adam’s arms, but she was one to talk. She and Adam had been all over each other since the dance. Adam couldn’t sneak into her room as easily as I could go into Landon’s, but he went somewhere every night. My best friend had a permanent goofy smile on these days.
“Adam said you were planning to go on the field trip,” Melody went on. She leaned her head back and gazed up at Adam. “You should come too. The four of us can hang out.”
; “Perfect,” Landon replied. He squeezed me tighter. “Tell me you got your mom to agree. I don’t want to go if you’re not there.”
“She called me back this morning. She said yes.”
Landon stole a kiss and I could feel him smiling through it. His excitement bubbled over and engulfed me, filling me with an emotion that had been plaguing me since that night in his room.
He’s so happy just at the thought of spending time with me.
Good, said another voice. That’s what we want. He has to fall hard for you, so letting him go will break him. This is what we want.
I returned his kiss without holding back.
This is what I want.
OUR GROUP TRUDGED ACROSS the grass behind the people leading the way to the stands. It was time for the track meet against Chesterfield High and a few other high schools. I wished Jordan was here. I wished I wasn’t. Michael wasn’t going to throw the race. His reasons for running were bigger than me—bigger than our brief friendship. As much guilt as he may have felt, he did not care about me enough to sacrifice this. Today would only prove it.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine, Nico.”
“We can bail if you want.”
I shook my head. “I said I would be here. I have to see this through.”
“Whatever, man.”
The stands were beginning to fill up. Most of the seats were taken except for the one next to Landon... and Cole.
“I’m going to sit with Melody,” Adam said before taking off.
Tanner waved at someone in the stands. “I’ll sit with the team.”
Nico’s face fell as his best friend took off. “I’ll sit in the back and wonder how I became the pathetic one with no boyfriend, girlfriend, or friends at all.”
Laughing, I snagged his collar as he tried to take off. “You’re sitting with me, Nico, and you’ll like it.”
He beamed. “I’m cool with that.”
I spotted the boys in the second row. Cole scowled when we approached. “Sit somewhere else.”
Nico turned around.
“Not you, Kazan.” Cole narrowed his eyes on me. “You.”
“Zee isn’t going anywhere,” Landon said. “I told you about this. We’re together. Get over it.”