“Tucker got a new girlfriend or something?” Banks snickers, as we watch Tucker reach across the table toward new girl. He’s all doe-eyes and innocence, but he’s a piece of shit that knows to stay the hell away from me.
“I couldn’t give a fuck who or what he does.”
Banks just laughs off my comment, but as I catch the new girl fleeing Tucker and standing in line, I can’t help but snicker at the poor fuck looking like she kicked his puppy. I nudge Austin when I notice him sitting beside me staring at his phone.
“What’s got your tongue today? You hoping Mercedes wants to go for another round?” I tease, earning a death glare from him.
“Nothing,” Austin huffs, stuffing his phone in his pocket and shoving his hand through his hair. He’s been in a mood all day, and I can’t be fucked asking why. I know he’ll tell me when he’s ready.
“Oooh this should be interesting…” Banks sniggers, rubbing his palms together.
I watch in bored silence as Amber and Casey start harassing the new girl. I roll my eyes. It’s something I’ve witnessed so many times over the years, and it always ends the same. The new girl gets rattled, becomes their slave here for a while, just hoping the girls will either leave them alone or become their friend – then they leave. Kids who’ve grown up with kind hearts and families, don’t last a week in this place with these savages. We are impeccable on the outside, and utter despicable on the inside. It’s the way we were raised. Bred. Just like our rotten fathers. I glance up again and can’t see new girls head behind the girls, as Amber easily towers a foot above her. But I see the girl take a steady step toward her instead of the usual retreat which I can’t help but find rather interesting….
“Woah, new girls got balls,” Banks commentates like it’s his lunchtime entertainment. And by the fist balling on the side of her tray, I’d have to say, it’s the first thing in a long time that’s caught my attention too.
More words are exchanged between them, before in slow-motion I see the heel of Ambers shoe, before new girl topples head first to the floor. The entire cafeteria erupts in laughter. Her shirt is a mess, but she stands as Tucker comes to her rescue, like the knight he fucking thinks he is. But as the girls head back towards us, I finally catch a glimpse of new girl’s face, and I’m struck speechless as I can do nothing but stare at her. Her hazel eyes widen in surprise, and it’s like I can literally feel them burn me from the inside out. When she pulls her gaze away from me, I’m equally annoyed and cold, as the warmth inside my chest starts to fizzle out along with her eyes. They take in stock of the rest of the table, and it’s not until they finally reach me again, that the fire starts burning inside me once more. This girl radiates fierceness and strength. It’s just oozing out of her that I can almost feel her daring me to look away. But I never back down. And I don’t have to, as the heat soars angrily as Tuckers hand comes around her waist and tugs her away. My eyes narrow unconsciously, thinking that the first strong girl who waltzes into this place will definitely not become one of Tuckers new toys. I may be a bastard, but Tucker is a phony who you can’t trust with a ten-foot pole. I clench my fists as my eyes track their movements, and it’s not until I see Lucy and Tucker take the new girl outside, that I feel Ambers arms wrapped around me. I shrug her off, getting a small satisfaction from her annoyed squeal, but disappointed she didn’t fall on her ass.
“Paxy… what was that for?” she whines, instantly giving me a headache.
“Stop touching what’s not yours to touch Amber, and we won’t have a fucking problem,” I bite irritated.
“I swear you are such an asshole. You can’t keep treating me this way.”
“As opposed to how you treat everyone else you mean?”
I hear Banks snicker beside me, as he knows I’m almost at my limit with her today.
“And why do you care how we treat the charity cases? I mean she’s a disaster. She’s probably ridden with disease or something, I mean did you see how sad she looked in our uniform?” She tries to wiggle her tiny ass between me and Austin, but I slide over so even her size-zero figure can’t fit there.
“As opposed to how much disease you have from all you’ve ridden Amber?” Banks smarts.
“Like you would know? I’d never let you touch me, so I should be safe from catching anything.”
“Ooh burn girl. You wound me,” he teases, clutching his chest playfully and earning him a dramatic squeal before she tugs her girls away from us.
“Those girls’ man, I don’t think I can handle them this year,” River mumbles quietly, as he pokes his food around his plate.
“When do we ever like handling them? They’re only good for one thing.”
“Banks don’t you think about anything else?”
Banks throws his arm around Rivers shoulders, in ponder before adding, “Nope. Never.”
I glance toward the table that Lucy and Tucker sat, seeing Gabe and Mercedes deep in conversation. Her eyes glancing toward our table, causing me to look at Austin quietly sitting beside me.
“Your girl over there keeps looking at you.”
“She’s not my girl. At all okay. Lapse in judgement,” Austin fires at me, causing me to raise my hands in front of my face in surrender.
“Hey I was only messing with you.”
The teasing comment isn’t something unusual, but what is unusual is Austin’s reaction. He shoves his tray away and stalks out of the cafeteria, with Banks shouting after him, and me wondering what the fuck just happened. But one things’ for sure. When my eyes automatically go toward the door that new girl had just exited, I can’t help but feel sorry for her. It’s one thing to intrigue me, but it’s something she will wish had never caught my attention.
Chapter Five
Hendrix
Lucy was kind enough to bring me to her dorm which oddly enough was in the same West Wing I was, but on the sixth floor with the rest of the hierarchy freshman. Apparently, the floor between us is the entertainment floor, meaning they have access to a lounge, cinema room and elaborate kitchen with their very own chef. And despite me thinking my single room was rather lavish, after seeing hers – I can see how I’m definitely in lower class housing that what she is.
“Here, this should fit you.”
Lucy hands over a white button-down with the same school emblem on it. The sleeves are definitely a bit too big, and the shirt reaches below my butt, but after she ties the bottom at my waist it at least doesn’t make me look like I’m wearing a sack.
“Thanks Lucy.”
“Hendrix, what did I tell you? It’s Luce.” She smiles at me as she taps my nose and sits on the edge of her bed.
“Right. Thanks. I mean it,” I add, patting the shirt down my waist nervously. “It’s weird isn’t it? Having to wear a uniform like some reform school? I’ve never had to wear one before.”
She shrugs, eyeing her nails as she grasps her phone tight in her hand. “I guess we’re used to it. Arthur Grammar had uniforms, and the board saw no reason that it should stop when we came here. I mean, in my fathers’ eyes it’s just another way we all have to conform to his word, being ‘Head of the Board’ and all.” She rolls her eyes and shudders. “It is what it is. It’s more important to pick your battles in our world, and what we wear to classes isn’t the first thing I’d fight him on.”
I nod slowly, seeing a way deeper meaning behind her words, but offer a casual ‘noted’ instead.
“Don’t sweat it.”
I stand awkwardly in the middle of her large room, watching as she types furiously on her phone. Although I’ve only known her a short time, she seems really invested in that thing that’s for sure. I never really understood the fascination with technology, but I guess that’s easy to say when you never had a phone because you never had anyone to call anyway.
After steering Lucy away from her phone long enough for her to give me directions to my next class, I was almost certain I’d be late. And a quick scan of the campus grounds which was clear
of any person in sight, was a pretty sure sign too. First day - missed first class, late for second, yeah… late for the last class of my first day was just awesome. I jogged toward the main building, jerked open the main doors before slamming into something solid on the other side.
“Damn it!” My ratty backpack flings across the polished floor, and I adjust my glasses before they too, join the fallout. “I’m sorry, I’m running late on my first day. Again,” I mutter from my knees on the floor, thankful that my bag didn’t break in the fall too. When my eyes travel up a pair of solid thighs decked in grey trousers, all the way up to the open collared shirt, and maroon blazer that fits too snug across the broadest shoulders that could easily swallow my much smaller-frame whole. I’m completely in shadow from the formidable force towering over me. The pale pink lips, narrowed into a scowl on a square, masculine jaw, to tan cheeks set-off by a pair of piercing dark brown eyes with a slight gold tinge in them; and those too, were narrowed down in my direction. It’s that one from the Arthur Elite table.
“You,” he all but bites in a deep, husky voice. A voice that seems to vibrate right through me.
I offer an uneasy smile. “Ah yeah. Like I said I’m running late and I….” I shake my head, carefully touching my glasses again, before awkwardly standing. “I’m Hendrix.”
The guy just stares at me. Like stares right through me. Almost steaming from the nose like a bull about to charge. My brows raise above my glasses as I stare at this massive beast of a guy before me, who, by his silence, is clearly not going to talk to me, or take my outstretched hand in greeting.
“So…. I’ll just be moving along now.” I lower my hand and sidestep passed him, half-expecting him to step in front of me like his blonde girlfriend had earlier, but surprisingly he doesn’t move. I grab my backpack off the floor and continue to walk, albeit a little more slowly away before he calls, “Hey new girl!”
I don’t know why, but his voice speaks to me as an almost command. Like I could keep walking away quite easily, but I’m almost too curious that I just have to stop. I pause mid-step and turn to face him, but all he gives me is his profile as he half glances across his shoulder toward me.
“Be careful who you’ll want to collide with next time.”
Before I can comment, he stalks away angrily out the door and I wonder what the deal is with all these people. When I remember I was already running late for class, I run to the door shoving all thoughts of the encounter way down, only to see it’s actually been closed. Sighing, I have two options, I can walk in late and face everyone after my little run in at lunch, or I can sign off for the day and start all over again tomorrow.
“Nice of you to join us, Miss James is it? You’ll do well not to be late to my class again.”
Obviously, I chose the first option. I’m not a quitter. Besides, despite the fact that the entire freshman class was now staring at me as I made my way to the back of the room, and despite me hearing the sneers and gossip about my display with princess barbie earlier, it’s still not the worst thing that’s ever happened to me. Not by a longshot.
And that. That makes the day pretty okay.
It’s well after eight, when there’s a knock on my dorm door. I tuck my book beneath my pillow and flatten my braid down my shoulder before carefully cracking it open.
“Lucy?”
She rolls her eyes and struts past me into my room.
“How many times Hendrix? It’s Luce! Cute pjs by the way. Who knew you had that rockin figure beneath that dress you had on when you got here!”
I glance down at my pale-pink plaid tights and self-consciously fold my arms across my braless, tank-topped chest. “Ah, what are you doing here?”
She plonks on the end of my bed, glancing around my room probably realising how different ours are like I had. “Well, I’m inviting you to a party.”
“A party? It’s a Monday night.” I gulp realising how that sounded out loud. I mean, I’m not a total nerd. Like I’d been to parties in high school, when I was guaranteed not to get caught. My parents were…. Protective of me, I guess. They hated me spending time with other people that weren’t them. Although I know now it’s more about me keeping their secrets for them, which meant they didn’t like me getting too close to anyone. But I’m not here for a social life. I’m here to get the diplomas I need, and the doors opened for my new life to start. I can’t afford to fail here and then be forced back to where I came from. I can’t.
“Well yeah, but it’s Monday Margarita night. They are so fun, please you have to come with,” she pleads.
“Didn’t you only start last week? How is it you know all about theme nights already?” I start, doing my best to divert any question about me going with her.
“Well when you’re queen-bee (like moi) of the grammar school you can’t help but know all about these things. And besides, my brothers been going to these things for years now, so I mayyyyy have snuck in a time or two in high school,” she winks. I hesitate, fumbling my hands against my uneasy stomach. “Come on Hendrix! Seriously, come with me!”
I twist my fingers in the hem of my tank top. “I’m kind of tired. It’s been a long day…”
“We can come back whenever you want,” she interrupts eagerly.
“And curfew is 9pm,” I add, glancing at my clock which showed it was already 8pm.
“Curfew is only for the fourth floor. The scholarships... Which means, you can crash in my room. Please come with us!” Her huge brown eyes plead with me eagerly, and not having had people in my life before who were so eager to spend time with me, was something I wasn’t used to. It was also in my DNA not to want to disappoint people either – for fear of what used to happen when I did - so I was losing this battle real fast despite me feeling so conflicted.
“Look, Monday Margarita is the biggest party on the social calendar. Everyone from Sophomore’s to Juniors go, so it’s a huge privilege that we are even invited. And given I am basically the top tier of freshman, I need to make an appearance, and you as my friend – need to make an appearance. So…? I mean, we can’t shift the balance of the order.”
At the mention of Juniors, to me that meant a certain group of four would be there, well, one in particular along with his plastic-fantastic arm candy as well. It definitely wasn’t the kind of drama I was looking for on my first night that’s for sure. My thoughts must have shown on my face, because Lucy stood before me with her hands lightly on my shoulders.
“I know what you’re thinking okay. Yes, Amber and her crew will be there but there are so many other people at these parties Hendrix, that it’s a rite of passage for us to go. I’ll be with you all night, and I won’t let those ass-hats say a damn word to you okay? Please, please come with me?”
Lucy could do this all night, and despite me really not wanting to go, I could feel the give-in before it came out of my mouth. And apparently so did Lucy.
“I knew you would come around. Get dressed, and let’s go!”
That would be my next problem, that I really didn’t have anything to wear that would look like her tight short skirt, and skimpy bodysuit she wore. How she made it look sexy and not trashy was a feat in itself. She looked gorgeous. I slipped behind my closet door and tugged on my black jeans, before coming back to the dresser about to grab a t-shirt when I felt Lucy just behind me.
“Leave the tank on, you look hot.”
I glance down and all I could see was my braless boobs on display saying hello. No way in hell I was wearing that to some kind of kegger.
“Yeah hot, like you can see my boobs.”
“Here, wear this with it. Now throw this on and let’s go already!”
She sashays out of my room, leaving me with the pale-pink, lace bra she dug out of my drawer. I throw it on, before quickly glancing at myself in the mirror; relieved at least that you couldn’t see any of my scars through the thin cotton. Not all of them were internal. I turned side to side anxiously, my reflection showing how much I was changing alrea
dy. Never would I have dared wear clothing that showed so much of my skin. I was never allowed to growing up, because of the wounds I always had there. Most of the bruises and marks faded over time, but there were some that would never heal. My parents demanded I keep myself covered up. I can’t even remember the excuses they used to tell me, but looking back, it became clearer as I got older and understood everything I went through - wasn’t normal. I never had the normal that most other kids had. It took me awhile to get used to being out of my comfort zone, but the image before me, makes me hold my head up with pride. I did it. I got out. I’m a new person now, living a new life and pushing forward to make myself an actual future. A future I decide.
My eyes scan the outfit once more, my eyes lingering on the pink bra that you can see through the tank. But I sigh in defeat. The sooner I get to this thing with Lucy, the sooner I can get back to bed. I mean it’s a party, how hard could it be?
Broken Wing (Arthur Academy Book 1) Page 4