“Hang ten, Tobias.” Mr. Mitchell said as he rounded his desk and perched himself on the edge. “Where everyone is currently seated, take note. These will be your assigned tables for the rest of the semester and whoever you happen to be seated next to will be your lab partner.”
A few hushed yes’s floated around the room along with a few more obligatory groans.
“Hold tight, happy campers, I wasn’t finished.” More groans. “All but two shall remain as is.”
Rubbing his hands together maniacally, he turned to Tobias. “Mr. Turner, you will be seated next to the lovely Miss Cooper.” He pointed to where I was sitting, and Tobias made his way over, taking the seat next to me with a relieved thump.
Everyone waited while Mr. Mitchell hummed, finally pointing his finger to where Meekai and chatty Kathy were sitting.
“Ahh, Miss Reign Beckett, you will have the privilege of partnering up with Tobias. Miss Cooper, if you’d grab your belongings and take your seat next to Mr. Lannister, we can get this year officially started.”
What? Reign Beckett? Linc had a sister? Cousin? Really Radley, that’s where your mind decides to go hide? Fuck. Breathe. “Miss Cooper, if you’d grab your belongings and take your seat next to Mr. Lannister . . .”
As I looked straight ahead refusing to meet Meekai’s eyes, I stiffly maneuvered myself to pick up my backpack and make my way over, when I heard a disgruntled huff from Miss Chatty Kathy, who, as I ventured to look over, looked a shitload like Linc.
“Mr. Mitchell, with all due respect I . . .”
“Let me stop you right there, Reign. The last time you were seated with a friend you were lucky to push a C grade. Please pick up your belongings and make your way over to Mr. Turner. This isn’t a discussion. My job is to get you functioning at one hundred percent. This isn’t a social club, it’s a learning institution that the rest of the world trusts to teach the future leaders of tomorrow. Move.”
The smile left Mr. Mitchell’s face as he stood, pushed off the desk and moved to take his seat. A few people applauded his strip down of Reign, while the rest whispered amongst themselves.
I took a deep breath and moved myself the rest of the way out from behind my table. I was trying to look as unaffected as humanly possible, but my heart decided to go rogue and drum to a beat that could rival the beginning of You Could Be Mine by Guns and Roses. Fast as fuck!
I looked everywhere but at Meekai as I took the seat next to him. In my peripheral, I could see that my presence had no effect on him as he casually removed his backpack from the top of the lab table positioning it underneath.
I unzipped the front compartment of my bag and removed a few pens, placing them neatly in front of me. I felt hot, weird, unsure and stupid as I sat and said nothing.
It was a standoff I couldn’t continue, so I took in as much air as my lungs could contain and without looking at him, I offered up, “Hey.” It was all I could give and it was only then that I felt it; I felt his eyes on me.
Gathering the little courage I had, I threw caution to the wind. I put on a forced but needed fuck it attitude, and turned to look at him. Our eyes took one another in. I was unwavering. I wasn’t looking away until he acknowledged me.
He came at me hard and fast in Adalita and on Monday. I wasn’t letting him get away with the fact that he turned my senses inside out and made me question myself. He couldn’t approach me with force and then confuse me with his silence.
He looked at me with little emotion, and on a whisper, he replied with, “Hey,” in return.
It was only then that I turned away. I had no idea what his damage was, but being ignored or treated like a stone in someone’s shoe wasn’t new to me.
Theo finally made his way to our table and passed us each the pop quiz as Mr. Mitchell told us that we had the next hour to complete the multiple-choice questions.
“Don’t stress if you don’t finish it. This isn’t a race, this is strictly information for me to structure your senior year around, making sure you get the best possible results before you graduate.”
As he finished his speech, he instructed us to begin.
As with most tests, it was over before it began. Time always had a habit of getting eaten up when you needed it the most.
The bell sounded and Mr. Mitchell instructed the students at the back to pass their tests to the students in front of them until they got to the very front lab tables.
“I don’t care which one of you does it, but one student from each table, please bring the pop quizzes to me for correction.” As Mr. Mitchell collected the tests and began to neatly pile them together, he addressed us again. “Before I forget, class, please make sure you get the cell phone number of your partners. You’ll need access to one another for future projects and I want no excuses about you not being able to contact one another. Once you’ve done that, you’re free to leave for the day.”
The day just kept getting better. Now I had to hand over my number; to speak to him and probably get another disinterested response? Maybe I wouldn’t even get that.
I unzipped my backpack and put my pens away before I removed my cell phone. I turned my body towards Meekai, offering it to him as I held out my hand. He was already facing me, arms crossed, waiting, his typical smirk in place, mocking me.
He uncrossed his arms and leaned down. He picked up his backpack not breaking eye contact as he unzipped his bag and dropped his pen into the compartment in slow motion. Then he placed his arm in until he was elbow deep, dramatically rummaging around for his phone.
My hand holding my cell out in offering ached, but I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of moving. He raised his finger in a hang on gesture and I quirked a brow. He said nothing as he slowly zipped his bag shut, no cell in hand. After all that. Nothing. I wish I had my mace.
He raised both hands out to his side indicating that his cell mustn’t have been in his bag after all. He clicked his tongue in feigned confusion and couldn’t wipe the sarcastic smirk off his face. He was loving every minute of this.
He leaned forward as close as he could get without being inappropriate, and knocked my arm with his firm chest which in turn brought sweet relief to my aching arm, but no relief to my heart or the elephant thumping around in my stomach. Fuck the butterflies, this was a stampede and Dumbo wasn’t playing fair.
He reached his hand behind him and winked. Condescending dick. I could smell the leather of his jacket; I could smell him. I didn’t know what it was but it was a scent I could only describe as uniquely Meekai. His hand reappeared from the pocket of his worn jeans and held out his phone. I drew my eyes together with a healthy dose of annoyance and gave him the fire he was obviously attempting to pull from me.
I shook my head, letting him know that he was ridiculous, and we swapped phones. We both typed a message so we could fill out the details for the unknown number later.
Me: You deserve to be maced!
Once finished we pressed send at the same time, our eyes locked and refused to look away from the other as our phones buzzed with the incoming messages. I held out my hand as he held out his and we exchanged our phones back.
He placed his cell back in his pocket and stood without looking at my message. He took a step to leave, but faltered and took a step back. He looked down at me from where he stood and gave a tilted, almost shy smile before he walked away. He left a cool breeze as he left, the space where we’d sat for the last hour felt empty. I felt empty.
My phone vibrated in my hand, reminding me that I had an unread message. I turned it the right way around and tapped the phone, lighting it up. My breath caught as I read the words.
Meekai: See you at practice, violet eyes ;)
As I walked out of class, I tried to decipher what his message meant. See you at practice, violet eyes. What the hell was that supposed to mean? Did he play football with Linc? Did Linc tell him about our meeting up for coffee after practice? Was Meekai actually upset?
All of the why’s s
wirled around my head, disorientating me as I walked on autopilot. I unintentionally clipped the shoulder of someone and both our bags went hurtling into the air, their contents strewn all over the floor. A container of Gamma’s sugar cookies colored the scuffed linoleum, crushed under the feet of students as they rushed out the school doors.
“Fuck,” I cursed in rushed panic. “I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t be allowed out in public.”
I dropped to the floor and scrambled blindly, scraping together the surviving cookies, text books, pens and a lip gloss that wasn’t mine.
“Radley? Is that you?” A familiar voice questioned. I looked up with the cookie container and lip gloss in hand, meeting the familiar, stunning green eyes of Becca Summers. My only true friend outside of my family.
A wide, surprised grin took possession of my face. “Becca? No fucking way! Becca Summers?” I shouted in disbelief.
“In the flesh,” she giggled. Her blonde hair fell around her like a halo of gold. She was beautiful and had no idea how she drove the male population to insanity. The girl was built for sin but chose the side of saint.
“What are you doing here?” I questioned. “You go to Everlee Prep.”
She crouched down and met me at eye level as we both gathered our belongings.
“Not anymore, I guess,” she said as she shrugged her shoulders and began to sweep up the sorry carcasses and crumbs of the cookies. We both looked at one another, knowing there was no saving the rest of them and dusted off our hands. “I reckon the cleaners can take care of that.” Becca laughed.
“I reckon they can,” I agreed.
I couldn’t wipe the smile off my face as we gathered the last remaining items and I stood to zip up my bag. “Are you going straight home?”
“Yep, I was heading for the bus line when you rudely took me down like a line-backer,” she joked.
“How about this for a line-backer,” I said as I threw myself at her and hugged her tight. “I’ve missed you. I can’t believe you’re here,” I whispered with a lump in my throat.
“I missed you, too. Why didn’t you tell me you were coming here to live?” she asked, squeezing me tight.
“Because I wasn’t sure I was, and because we drifted apart after Mama,” I said honestly. “
Our moms were best friends and grew up together, Mama at Gamma’s and Becca’s mom, Rachel, at her parents’ dairy farm next door. Becca was barely a year old when Rachel inherited the farm from her parents after they died in a car accident, just like Mama. Our families spent every holiday together, every spare minute we could grab. It was almost poetic that Becca and I grew up part-time living next door to one another, just like our mama’s.
I was so relieved to see her face. She truly was the only true friend I’d had outside of my family, but it was hard to keep in contact after Mama’s passing. It’d been two years and it still seemed like none of us knew what to do with her gone.
We both looked at one another, our silence saying everything we couldn’t.
“Sorry for drifting away. Forgive me?” Becca asked. Tears welled in my eyes and Becca’s lip quivered. “It’s good to have you home. I’m sorry I haven’t been there for you like I should have, especially knowing what those assholes back in Adalita put you through.”
“You texted.” I wasn’t mad at her. I understood why everything had fallen apart. I knew she had guilt because she still had Rachel, and I didn’t have Mama. But that wasn’t her guilt to carry.
She scoffed as we untangled ourselves and moved to stand. “Texted? That was despicable, Rads, and you know it. We were in utero at the same time, our mamas were BFF’s.” She shook her head with disappointment.
“It’s all we could handle, and you know it,” I reassured her. “I can’t believe you’re here though. It’s kinda like kismet.” I smiled.
“Just like our mamas, you and me were destined to be together one day. I missed you, Radley,” she drew me in for another hug. “Let’s make this a new start for both of us.” She pulled away and took my hand in hers. “You need me, and I definitely need you. Having to leave Everlee Prep was hard. Starting again at a new school? Torture. Mama and Daddy couldn’t afford it. The farm isn’t doing so good.”
My stomach sunk at her confession; the fact that I had no idea she was suffering, too. Why did we always pull away from someone when we needed them the most?
“I didn’t know about the farm. Gamma never . . . I should’ve known,” I told her as my own guilt latched on tight. “Is that why you’re finishing senior year here?”
“Yep, and I’m not sorry about it. I can’t believe we get to do senior year together. You’re meant to be here, Radley. So am I.” She perked up with a mischievous grin. “Now we get to live in one another’s pockets all the time, so let’s make our mamas proud and be as irresponsible as they were at our age. Avoiding the whole teenage pregnancy thing.” She laughed.
My body stiffened. All the things she didn’t know. She used to know everything. How could I tell her about him; about the last few months?
“Are you okay?” Becca asked, the tension obvious.
“No, it’s all good. Just overwhelming,” I said as I tried to relax my shoulders and redirect the conversation. “I can’t believe I missed you today. How did we not see each other until now? This isn’t a huge school.”
“No idea.” She giggled. “I think we were probably walking around just as lost as one another, but that’s cool. We found each other eventually,” she said with a contented smile.
“Yep, we’re right where we belong. I think Mama would be throwin’ a total cheese grin right now. She was always saying how she wished we got to grow up together like her and Rachel. I called in the day I arrived, but you and the parentals weren’t home.”
“Yeah, Daddy decided to ship me and Mama off to Florida to Gramps and Nanna’s for the last few days of summer break. Mama needed a break from the farm, and I needed a break from everything.” She groaned with an eye roll.
I cocked a hip as an idea began to form. “So, you’re catching the bus to and from school?” I asked.
“Sure am. The big yellow bird for me.” She frowned.
“I have a proposition for you, Becca Summers. Wanna entertain me and come hang out in the library for a while? I could use the company, and I promise you’ll get home.”
Her lips curled into a curious grin as she tilted her head and crossed her arms. “Do you promise that I can have at least one of the surviving famous Gamma Milly sugar cookies if I follow you into the proverbial van with blackout windows, cable ties, electrical tape, shovel . . .?” she trailed off.
I burst out laughing. “I’m not a sexual predator or serial killer, Becca, jeez. You’re the one scoping out the cookie container. But yes, I promise you’ll get home and you can leave whenever you want. I think there’s two surviving cookies that didn’t roll around on the filthy floor, so I guess the deal’s solid, don’t you?”
She uncrossed her arms and set her messenger bag over her shoulder as she huffed out a dramatic sigh. “I suppose I can come hang with my Boo.” She gestured with her shoulder to follow her towards the library, but I stood frozen in place.
“Radley? Are you ok?” She took a few steps back toward me, concern reflected in her eyes.
“Becca, can you please keep the Boo thing to yourself. Only Dad, Gams and Wyatt get away with that now. Can you just call me Radley and never mention that name out loud again?”
Becca looked at me, brows cinched with what looked like a million questions, but she reassured me nonetheless. “Of course, Radley, don’t sweat it. I’ll lock that one in the vault, okay? It’ll be as if it never existed.”
“Thank you,” I replied with relief. “Let’s go, I’ll proposition you in the library.” I wiggled my brows at her and she followed behind laughing like a loon. God, it was good to have her here.
7
Radley
“So, what,” Becca questioned in fascination. “You meet Meekai at thi
s party, never think you’re gonna see him again and BAM!” Her hands mimicked her mind being blown before continuing her line of questioning, “A week later, you come face to face with him? That kinda stuff is like the universe telling you to wake up, Radley.” She leaned in; her face nestled in the palms of her hands. “Meekai is a bit of a manwhore, sure, but he’s also been through a lot over the last year. He dropped out of senior year to look after his mama.”
“So, wait,” I say as I cut in. “How old is he?
“He’s nineteen now, which is kinda hysterical. You should hear the girls squawk over him. It’s a race to see who can get impregnated first. It’s sad.” She shook her head with disapproval. “I don’t know him that well. It’s more knowing of him, but he was the quarterback before he left. The school year had just begun, and then he had to leave. It would have been heartbreaking for him, he was really good. Like scholarship, being scouted good. After his mama passed, his sister got handed over to his father in Adalita, which is why you saw him there I’m guessing. He must have been visiting her. It’s such a small world, I can’t believe you met him there, and now you’re here.”
I felt horrible as my mind worked over the words that I never really heard until now. “If it helps, my mama used to call me Kai.” Used to. Past tense.
“I’m such a bitch. I can’t believe some of the things I said to him,” I groaned.
“Don’t feel bad,” Becca said as she tried to comfort me. “You didn’t know. You couldn’t have known. You were thirteen hours apart, strangers. It’s not like you’d ever gone to a Hardy party before.” Little did she know. “You had no reason to trust anyone at that school, especially Lucy!” She emphasized the especially Lucy part. For that, I loved her. She could see it before me.
I always told Becca how Lucy never seemed to back me up or support me, not publicly anyway. She knew how Hardy constantly asked me out, and I turned him down every single time. She knew how every no, every refusal upped the stakes for Hardy to make my life hell.
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