by Eden O'Neill
It just made my paranoia worse.
I’d felt like I had a target on my head before, but now, I was simply waiting for the act of revenge. I’d made my statement with that pregnancy test pretty vocal. I’d drawn the line in the sand. I’d hit back when I had a feeling most didn’t bother.
No one else had been dumb enough to try.
That sinking feeling of dread followed into the first games of the Windsor Prep football season my brother actually got to play in. He didn’t at first. I figured that was because he was new out there, but once they had him on the field, he played quite a bit. He was out there with Dorian, Wells, Thatcher, and Ares, and shit did I get Ares’s nickname after watching that barbarian play. He bowled down players like a madman, howling into the air after every successful play. The amount of fear he struck into the opposing team’s eyes had been crazy. People merely got out of his way and didn’t bother to do anything else.
He protected my brother out there. He did as his teammate, and the other boys did the same. They were the supporting force for Dorian being quarterback, but all these boys had each other’s backs. They came at the other team like an unstoppable force of power and speed, and at the center was the dark prince himself.
I tried not to watch Dorian as he sped down the field during the games, think about him and what he’d done to me on the very bleachers I sat. He frequented my thoughts like a matinee quite often, all power out there on the field like he’d been above me that day. He caught passes with ease, a strong leader to his team. They all loved and respected him out there, and the fans went wild for him.
He led the team into yet another victory at today’s game, and I’d seen a few.
I came to them all.
I did to support my brother, even though he never saw me in the crazy crowds. After today’s game, though, I decided to stay and give him a shout-out. The coaches had let him play nearly the entire game, and he’d done a good job.
My brother didn’t come out of the locker room by himself.
He was tucked between Thatcher and Wells, the guys hitting his chest, and Ares sprinted backward in front of them. I heard the words “Good job” from Ares, and Dorian came up behind my brother.
“You killed it out there today, bro,” Dorian said, strong-arming him like an actual bro. Wells broke away so Dorian could sling his meaty arm around my brother. Dorian grinned. “Didn’t I tell you you’d rock that shit out there?”
“Yeah, man. You did,” Bru said, being modest. I knew because a bunch of red crept up his neck. He never liked being acknowledged. Not even when it came to academics, which he’d always rocked at in the past. Bru shrugged. “I did okay.”
“More than.” Dorian tapped his chest. “Coach will have you playing in every game now.”
“Yeah, man. You really brought it today.”
That one came from Ares, really surprising me. He was obviously the most vicious out of all of them.
But not only was he acknowledging my brother, he got in on the bro fest too. Thatcher made room for him to get in, my brother now tucked between Dorian Prinze and Ares Mallick. These guys actually looked like his friends.
“Bru?”
My brother glanced in my direction when I ventured out of the shadows, and my appearance put an ice bath on the moment like I’d never seen.
The guys dropped their arms from around my brother, Dorian stopping in his tracks. He stared right at me, full on, and I didn’t know what to do. I’d managed to escape those dark brown eyes in recent days. He’d been all but ignoring me since the “incident.”
He wasn’t now.
Those ebony pools charged black like hot coals. His chin lifted in my direction. Honestly, with that heated look, I wasn’t sure whether he wanted to strike me or kiss me. It could have gone either way.
But the thought of the latter…
Truly, it made me uncomfortable. How my thoughts could even go there after what had happened between us and what I’d ended up doing. It was like he’d brought me down to my knees again.
And the others noticed.
Most especially Ares. He passed a glance between us, his arm coming around his buddy. That one move blinked Dorian out of whatever trance he’d been in, and I took the opportunity to approach my brother.
“Good job today,” I said to him, noticing his teammates backing off. Ares kept Dorian real close, and suddenly, Dorian was on his phone. Apparently, my appearance really meant nothing to the dark prince. After what had happened, I was beneath him, hate or otherwise.
Why I felt anything about that I didn’t know.
My brother nodded at me.
“Thanks,” Bru mumbled, gazing back to his friends. The Legacy boys had moved on to their fangirls. They and the other football guys had groupies who stayed after the game to see the players. I knew because I saw them whenever I came to a game.
The groupie bitches had called me all kinds of things when I waited today, joking that I’d been waiting for Dorian to give him another pregnancy test. I put up with it so I could see my brother.
Deciding to speed this little visit up, I reached into my pocket and gave my brother the gift I’d gotten for him. I had told myself I’d give it to him once they really started to let him play.
“It’s not much,” I said, referring to the football key chain I ordered a couple weeks ago. I shrugged. “It’s to go on your key ring for your car.”
It really wasn’t much, just a little football with his initials: BHS. His middle name was Henry.
He smiled a little, the chain on his finger. “You didn’t have to do that.”
“I hoped for an olive branch, idiot,” I said, tapping his shoulder with my fist. It made him laugh a little, which was good. I shrugged. “And maybe dinner. We could go someplace and celebrate.”
His smile fell a little. He pointed his thumb back. “Actually, the team and I were going to go to Jax’s. It’s a burger place in town.”
I’d seen them but had never gone there.
Bruno stared at me. “I mean, you probably could come. If you want.”
His teammates behind him maybe had girls in the distance, but I was well aware I wasn’t invited to this shindig.
And Dorian stared at me again.
His inky-dark pools eased away from his cell phone, almost a dare in his eyes. Like he dared me to come and possibly get in his way again. I really didn’t know what this guy’s problem was. What I’d done so badly by simply existing, but I didn’t want to make more trouble for Bru than I already had. I did care about him, and his happiness far outweighed mine. That was just how it was. I was his sister.
“Actually, that’s okay. You go ahead and have a fun night,” I said, facing him. “You know how I bury myself in my work.”
Whenever he found me, I was in my art room Callum had arranged for me. I was a frequent flier since I had zero social life since coming to this town.
Bru nodded. Though, he had actually looked a little disappointed. That made me feel like maybe we were getting somewhere, that maybe we could get back to being Sloane and Bru. Not just brother and sister, but friends.
Rather than make this whole thing more awkward than it already was, I let my brother go and headed to the parking lot.
As I made it to the Chevelle, my cell phone rang, and I was surprised to see Callum’s number on the front. I didn’t go out of my way to call him. He checked in, of course, but not often. He really was leaving Bru and me to our own devices here, which was something I appreciated. Callum had promised me he’d only be our guardian on paper, and he’d been keeping to that promise about letting my brother and me live our lives.
“How have you been, Sloane?” he asked after I picked up. I leaned against my car to take the call. “Bru tells me he just won the game tonight.”
Which meant Bru either called him in the locker room or after he just spoke to me. Odds were, it was the former.
The fact my brother was obviously talking more to a virtual stranger than m
e didn’t necessarily make me feel good. But with as turbulent as our weeks here in Maywood Heights had been, I supposed I wasn’t surprised. My brother and I had basically been strangers ourselves with the exception of a few moments ago.
I pushed my hair out of my face. “Yeah, I just saw him. He’s doing well.”
“Sounds like really well,” Callum said. “Seems like a future in football may be for him.”
That shocked me, that maybe Bru was even telling him that when he clearly hadn’t been talking to me.
What’s happened with us?
We were acting like we weren’t even siblings anymore. The kid used to be my best friend, my good friend.
“I wouldn’t know,” I passed off, more so in my own thoughts. I obviously said it out loud, though. I shook my head. “I just mean he’s been really busy. We haven’t talked a lot. You know, his football and stuff.”
I obviously downplayed what was going on. I mean, I still didn’t know Callum. Not really. He was keeping me alive and well, that was where it ended.
“He asked about football camp,” Callum stated, again surprising me. “He says it’s over the summer. Sounds like he’s making plans.”
My chest hurt. What the fuck?
“Yeah?” I rubbed my face, ignoring what suddenly felt like a gaping wound in my chest. “That’s awesome. He’s really good. You should see him play.”
I managed to make it come out like my brother’s absence in my life didn’t hurt. Like I didn’t completely not know him anymore.
I didn’t know how good I managed to do that, but Callum did move the conversation on.
“I plan to see him play before the end of the season,” he said. “Promised him that.”
“Good. I’m sure he’d like that.” I knew my brother had taken a liking to him, and Callum had been kind to us. Really, he was the only decent break I’d had in the last few months, his kindness.
Though, he had brought me to this stupid town.
My life going completely belly up wasn’t Callum’s problem, though. He hadn’t started a fight in the parking lot and egged on the popular clique. He hadn’t made himself an enemy to Legacy, which led to making the entire school hate me. Callum also hadn’t sent an innocent woman (Dorian’s mother) a used pregnancy test claiming her son had knocked up someone. Even if her son had been a complete dick. No, Callum hadn’t done that.
You did.
“You never said how you were, Sloane,” Callum chimed during my thoughts. “Every time I call you, though, it sounds like you’re in your art studio, keeping busy. I’m glad you’ve been able to utilize it.”
I had, cupping my arm. “I really thank you for that. It’s been nice.”
“And how are classes, school?” It sounded like he was moving around somewhere. Maybe outside and going into a car. “I haven’t really heard anything outside of your art.”
That was because I hadn’t said anything. I’d promised Callum we’d be okay out here on our own, so he wouldn’t need to disrupt his life to take care of us.
He was already doing so much.
Knowing I had a safe haven outside of the hellhole that was school told me that. Callum’s shelter and luxury had been the one thing I had to escape it. How ironic since I’d been so resistant to it at first, the changes.
“It’s been fine,” I said, but even I didn’t believe it. “School’s school, you know? Been to a lot of schools. It’s all the same thing after a while.”
“I know you have,” he said. “You know, I did see your records before I had them sent to the academy. I know about your and Bru’s history. All your different schools and moving.” My lips parted. “Your, um, fighting. Heard about that too.”
I closed my eyes. “Well, my brother and I have been to a lot of schools.” I shrugged. “Bullies come with that. People don’t always like the new kid.”
And Bru was right. It made me a little combative. I tried to get in people’s faces before they got in mine, the best way to make sure Bru and I were taken care of. It hadn’t mattered since we had moved all the time with Dad’s job situation. If one person handled me, it didn’t matter if I pushed back. I’d be gone soon and moving on to the next.
That obviously wasn’t the case here.
“I see.” The movement had stopped in the background, and I assumed he was driving at this point. “It’s been a while since I’ve been in school, but I imagine that would be hard. I’m aware my old friend, your dad, had a lot of issues. Having problems both finding and keeping a job. I’m sure that was hard too, all that moving around.”
He put that mildly. I said nothing.
“That was a big concern for me regarding you children. You’ve both been dealt a pretty tough hand. I hoped coming to a new place would help. Has that not been the case?”
The last thing I needed was for him to hop on a plane and decide to take the reins out here. Especially since Bru had been okay.
“It’s been a change but a good one,” I said, hoping he believed me. “As you heard, Bru’s thriving. Me too.”
Please believe me.
I wasn’t sure if he did, and in that moment, my attention was distracted.
Whispering.
It came from my right, a few cars over in the parking lot. I noticed red hair, a woman.
Principal Mayberry.
She was talking to someone, some guy who looked sketchy as hell actually. She kept looking around, her head low, and suddenly, he was handing something to her. I couldn’t see what he handed her, but she handed him something as well. She kept it concealed under her handbag.
What the fuck?
“Well, that’s good, Sloane. Very good,” Callum informed, and apparently, I’d been pretty good at fibbing. “Things are actually wrapping up around here with this deal, so I plan to visit you both in person real soon. I blocked off some time, and I hope, once summer hits, you’ll consider a trip. I’d like to gift you with a holiday to Paris for graduation.”
My lips parted. “Paris?”
He laughed lightly into the phone. “Once I found out you were an artist, I couldn’t help myself. Of course, if that’s not where you want to go, we can negotiate. We can talk about it more when I come to town.”
Murmuring in the background sounded. Callum was obviously busy. He must have called me on the fly.
“Anyway, be sure to check in,” he said. “And tell Bru good job for me again.”
“I will, Callum, and thank you.” I mean, what else could I say? Paris? Wild.
I never would have dreamed to be able to take such of trip. I’d never had the option. Bru and I were just two poor kids.
Who apparently suddenly had a fairy godfather.
I didn’t know Callum to have a family of his own, so maybe, with his obviously lavish life, he just wanted to help out his old friend, my father. He was giving my brother and me more than we could ever ask, and after I let him go, I nearly forgot the fact my headmaster was across the parking lot.
What’s she doing?
Principal Mayberry was doing something that was for sure and whatever she gave the sketchy guy, he didn’t seem satisfied with.
“That’s not enough, bitch,” he growled at her, looking around. “You still owe me from last week.”
“I’ll get it to you,” she whispered. The woman actually looked kind of all over the place, hair disheveled and bags under her eyes. “I’m good for it.”
“Mmm. You better be,” he said, but some shuffling took both their attention.
“I said back off,” came from my other side, Bow Reed, but she wasn’t by herself. Two dudes flanked her, one wearing a letterman jacket, but neither were on the football team. Since I watched enough games, I knew who ran the field. The guy must have played some other kind of sport.
The guys surrounded Bow, cutting her off in the lot. One of them smirked. “Don’t act like you’re too good for us. You should be fucking lucky.”
The second guy tugged the other. “Back off, she could go
tell her brother.”
The boy growled. “That motherfucker and his boys got me cut from the team so that Sloane kid could join.” He faced Bow. “This is nothing but revenge.”
What the hell?
The guys continued to surround her, and the guy with Principal Mayberry hushed.
“Someone’s fucking coming,” the sketchy guy growled, going one way, and Principal Mayberry went another. I had no time to figure out what they were doing.
Those guys continued to follow Bow deeper into the lot, and shaking my head, I headed toward the back of my dad’s Chevelle. Apparently, this old bat was really getting some use since coming to Maywood Heights.
Safe town my ass.
Principal Mayberry looked like she was in the middle of some drug deal and now two creeps were going after the little rabbit.
Bat in hand, I ran toward the scene.
“I said back off,” Bow said, and one of them attempted to grab at her hand. She shoved him. “Leave me alone.”
“Her brother, man,” one of the guys started to say, the same one who appeared to be the voice of reason before.
The guy in the letterman jacket waved his friend off. “You go and be a little bitch, then,” he gritted. “I’m going to get mine.”
His friend lifted his hands. “Fuck this, man.”
The guy ran off, hands in his pockets, and that made me feel a little better as I ran up on the other guy with Bow. Dealing with one asshole would be easier than two.
Bow had her hair up, spirit paint on her face. She must have gone to tonight’s game. “I said leave me alone!”
The guy didn’t listen, backing her up against the car. He grabbed for her, and she screamed, kicking at him.
“Back off,” I yelled, the guy whirling around. I readied my bat in the air. “Get away from her or I’ll knock your fucking head off. I swear to God.”
I had confidence since this tactic worked the first time, but what I hadn’t expected was the guy to wield a knife.
Which he did.
He flicked a long blade out, coming at me. “Well, if it ain’t the Legacy bitch.” He grinned. “I ain’t Legacy, but I’ll make you mine.”