by Lylah James
No fucks were given.
I buckled up my jeans before marching outside, Brayden and Cole following closely behind. Ah fuck.
Colton was standing in the middle of the front lawn, smiling like a goddamn maniac, while he was surrounded with a bunch of Leighton boys.
“Your girl wanted her pussy eaten,” he announced, loud enough for all of us gathered to hear. “You weren’t doing a good enough job, man.”
The girl in question, who was the same girl on his lap a few minutes before, sputtered a half-ass excuse. Her face was bright red, and she hid behind her friends.
I noticed Samuel, Leighton’s Quarterback, charging forward. Ah, so he was the boyfriend. This was also his party, and we weren’t invited.
Yeah, we were trouble with a capital T.
Colton was able to block the first punch, which only served to piss off Samuel more. He was livid as he tried to bring Colton to the ground, quite unsuccessfully. Pussy.
It was a fair fight…until it wasn’t.
The Leighton boys came forward, surrounding Colton until he was trapped.
“Fuck no,” Brayden growled.
My jaw locked, and the fire inside me burnt like lava, liquid hot and fiery. We cut through the mass of people, the itching need to fight putting all of us on an adrenaline rush.
Without giving it much thought, I yanked one of the boys away, and he fell backward. Weak and fucking useless.
Samuel spun around, his face red and a mask of fury. My fingers curled into a fist, and before he could blink, my fist made contact with his face. Not so pretty face anymore, huh?
He roared but swiveled back around quickly, blocking my next hit. The alcohol was fucking with my senses now, and he caught me in the ribs. The pain coursing through my body fueled me to fight harder and meaner.
He lunged at me, swinging but missing. I could hear the others fighting, the brawl getting louder and messier.
This wasn’t just a fight. It was retaliation. It was a fight based on ego -- who had the bigger balls, who was stronger.
I drove my shoulder into Samuel’s chest, slamming him into the ground. He tackled me back, but I was able to land solid punches into his gut. We were both walking out of here with at least one cracked rib.
My father’s disappointment – punch.
My mother’s lack of care – punch.
My fucked up childhood – punch, punch, punch.
The suffocating darkness, a constant reminder – punch.
My knuckles were bleeding and raw, my left eye was swollen shut, but I. Couldn’t. Fucking. Stop.
Brushed-off and forgotten.
Enraged and lost.
Through my hazy brain, I heard Colton shouting. My head snapped toward him, seeing him rush toward me. My eyes widened for a nanosecond before the bottle cracked against my temple.
My body slumped forward, and my ears rung loud, my chest caving in as I tried to breathe. My heartbeat slowed and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth.
My vision blurred, and I didn’t see the punch coming.
I only felt it.
My jaw cracked, and I fell back, my head hitting the ground.
Breathe.
Breathe.
Fucking breathe.
The world slowed.
I blinked. Once. Twice.
Silence replaced the ringing in my ears as the world went black.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Lila
“You’re late, Mr. Coulter.”
My head snapped up at Mrs. Levi’s voice and Maddox’s name. Everyone seemed to have the same train of thought since we all looked up at the same time as Maddox walked into the classroom. Contrary to his usual swagger and smirk, he was brooding and quiet.
Except that wasn’t what caught my attention.
No, it was the fact that his beautiful face was messed up.
His left eye appeared swollen and that side of his face was heavily bruised. He had a band-aid on his eyebrow, and there was a cut on the corner of his full lips. It looked painful, and even I winced at the sight of him like this. Instead of a man bun, his curly hair was left loose, and I had a feeling he was hiding behind them.
People talked; Berkshire’s hallways were never without rumors. There was always something going on. A new break-up, a new student, a bully, someone caught cheating. There was always some kind of drama.
Yesterday, when Maddox didn’t show up at school, we heard there was a fight between Leighton and Berkshire boys. They said Maddox landed in the hospital with a slight concussion.
I had brushed off the rumors and thought it was a peaceful day – finally.
But now, seeing Maddox like this…
He didn’t spare me a glance, and took his seat at the back of the classroom. I waited for the warmth that would always accompany his burning stare, but I felt… nothing.
Glancing over my shoulder, I took a peek. Maddox stared down at his notebook, a frozen statue in time. He didn’t stare back, didn’t tease, and unlike the last few weeks, the playful Maddox disappeared. In his place was a bitter, sulking boy.
I turned away and looked at my own paper. Why did I care? I shouldn’t be bothered by his change of attitude. He was having a shitty day, so what? Everyone had bad days. Hell, I knew the exact meaning of shitty days.
When the bell rang, I didn’t move from the chair. I couldn’t bring myself to, even though I should have gotten up and walked away. Like always.
Instead, I found myself waiting.
Maddox walked past me, without a word or a fleeting look. He didn’t bump into me, didn’t pull my hair, didn’t throw me one of his annoying smirks. Nothing.
I blinked, confused at my own mixed feelings.
I didn’t care; I shouldn’t care.
Any other decent person would have ignored Maddox and moved on – probably be thankful for another peaceful day.
Me?
I found myself following him.
Oh, how the tables have turned.
Maybe it was the fact that I was ready for him today. The last few weeks, Maddox had been a constant pain in my ass and as much as I hated to admit it, I’d grown used to him being a jerk. The verbal sparring and the pranks became a part of my daily routine, and somehow, I found myself disappointed that Maddox wasn’t in the same mood.
“You’re dumb,” I muttered to myself as I followed behind Maddox, only a few steps away. “Stupid, stupid, stupid.”
Turn back. Walk away. Now.
You see, there are two sides to Lila. The indifferent side of her and the intrigued Lila – I was currently the latter.
Something about Maddox was different today, something that intrigued me. I had always liked puzzles, and Maddox Coulter was a very difficult puzzle.
Maddox stopped by his locker, and he carelessly stuffed his books in there. His irritation was apparent, and he wasn’t even trying to mask it. No wonder everyone was keeping their distance from him. The students stared, but quickly scrambled away, when he directed his scowls at them.
I should have kept my distance, too. Ignored him and walked away.
But apparently, I liked to play with fire and to push my boundaries. Maddox and I were playing tug-of-war. It was an everyday battle between us.
Stopping a mere foot from him, I leaned my shoulder against the locker next to Maddox. “Is it shark week?” I remarked with a grin.
He didn’t spare me a glance, but his lips had thinned into a hard line, his jaw tensed. Maddox’s blue eyes darkened, but he otherwise ignored me. The scowl on his face was intimidating, and it only made me want to push his buttons. “Did your period attack you today?”
He blew out a breath before slamming his locker shut. His knuckles were red and bruised. The wounds on Maddox only made him appear more brutal… and slightly broken.
Maybe that was why he piqued my interest.
My grandma always said I was fixer. Since I was a kid, I’d always picked up the stray cats and the injured birds. Our house was
a tiny zoo for all my little friends.
Too bad Maddox Coulter was not a friend.
He was my nemesis, and I didn’t want to fix him, I repeatedly told myself.
“What do you want?” he asked, his voice low and hard. A shiver ran down my spine, and I stood up straighter, hiding the obvious effect he had on me and my body.
“Just wondering if you need a tampon. Or, do you already have one stuffed up your ass? Is that why you’re so grumpy?”
“For fuck’s sake,” Maddox grumbled.
“Ah. Definitely shark week.” I waited for him to snap, but he only gritted his teeth together, so hard I wondered how his jaw didn’t crack under the pressure. “It’s okay, you’ll eventually get used to all the messy hormones. If you need any advice on how to deal with it, I can make a PowerPoint for you.”
“Not in the mood for your pranks, Garcia.”
“You love my pranks.”
My stomach dipped when his chest rumbled with a low growl. “Get out of my way.”
He tried to walk past me, but I was having none of that. Could be my curiosity or my stubbornness, but I wasn’t ready for him to leave.
I sidestepped into his path. Maddox squared his wide shoulders, standing taller, and his eyes narrowed on me. “Move.” There was a warning in his voice, but I chose to ignore it.
“Are you okay?” I asked before I could stop myself.
I told myself I wasn’t worried nor did I care, but still… the question popped out before I thought it over.
Maddox leaned down toward me, bringing our faces closer and crowding into me. I fidgeted with the straps of my school bag, holding myself in place and refusing to step back. He didn’t intimidate me.
“If I didn’t know better, I’d say you care, Garcia.” My breath caught in my throat when our eyes made contact. He held me there, in the moment, before he flashed me a sardonic smile. “What is it? Finally decided to sit on my dick? I might make an exception for you. I’ll tell you all about my day if you let me in your pus–”
“You know, two minutes ago, I actually cared. But never mind, I take it back now. You’re still a jerk, Coulter.”
Maddox pulled back, straightening to his full height again. “Always have been, always will be. Remember that, Sweet Cheeks. Ain’t no pussy gonna tame me and definitely not yours.”
Good. Lord.
The urge to smack him was strong, and the urge to slap me for being stupid enough to care was also strong.
I came to a very important conclusion: I preferred Maddox silent. Why did I even try to get him to talk? The moment he opened his mouth, I realized why I despised him. He was an asshole, through and through.
I shuffled through my bag and took out two very important items, shoving them in his hands. His dark eyebrows pulled together in confusion.
“Tampons and chocolate,” I explained with a fake smile. “You’re welcome. Have a good day, Maddox.”
I pushed past him, and just before I walked away, his lips twitched.
Did I just get Maddox Coulter to smile?
***
"Can you stop following me?" I paused and then turned on my heels quickly. Maddox caught himself in time, coming to a halt, so he wouldn't bump into me.
After our ‘conversation’ right before lunch, the rest of the day took a sudden turn. Maddox decided to follow me around; he was like a lost puppy – Riley’s words, although I only found him to be irritating, so maybe more like an annoying puppy.
I wished we could go back to ‘silent, brooding’ Maddox. That version of him was ten times better than this.
I looked up at his bruised face, making sure to harden my heart at the sight of him battered and bruised. “Stop. Following. Me.”
He shrugged, nonchalantly, and then stuffed his hands into the pockets of his beige slacks. "Can't do that. I’m having fun looking at your ass. By the way, do you mind if I warm my hands up?"
Exasperated, I let out a tiny growl from under my breath before I could stop myself. He was smiling now. As if pissing me off was his favorite fucking pastime.
"That's sexual harassment, Coulter."
"You looking at my dick print is sexual harassment too, Garcia."
My eyes widened at his words, and I felt the air being sucked out of me. "Wha-at? No…no I wasn't,” I sputtered. My gaze fleeted to his crotch before I could stop myself. Shit. Biting on my lip, I blinked and looked away – anywhere but at him.
Maddox let out a throaty chuckle, and my eyes snapped back to his. He gave me his signature smirk, his dimple popping, creating a sexy indent into his left cheek. "You were, Sweet Cheeks. You were probably calculating how thick and how long I am, too."
My jaw snapped together, and I hissed through gritted teeth, "Shut. Up.”
"Want me to tell you?" He quirked up a mocking eyebrow. "Or, you want to check for yourself? It's a little cold today, maybe you can warm my dick up with your little hands."
He acted as if he was reaching for my hands, but I slapped him away. In a blink, his arm snaked out, and he gripped my wrist, pulling me closer until our bodies were almost touching. My neck craned up, so I could stare into his face – he was too tall compared to my own tiny height. The top of my head barely came to his shoulders.
"You are disgusting," I hissed, feeling my cheeks warming up under his dark, teasing eyes.
His breath feathered over my cheek; his lips way too close to my ear. "I am proudly filthy, Sweet Cheeks, and so are you. For having these dirty, dirty thoughts."
I suddenly felt hot. Sweat beaded on my neck and between my breasts. My chest heaved with a shallow breath as my inside shuddered at the mere proximity of him.
His lips grazed my earlobe, and my body tensed. I tried to twist my arm out of his grip, but it was pointless. My other hand landed on his hard chest, and I shoved him back. "Fuck off."
He let go of my hand and took a step back, his bruised lips quirking up on the side. "See you tomorrow, Garcia."
I flipped him the finger and started walking away. Fuck. Him. Asshole.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Lila
I felt him before I saw him.
His enticing scent engulfed me as he pushed against my back, barely touching, but still way too close.
“What do you want, Coulter? Was today not enough for you?” I asked with a heavy sigh.
It was not a good day, not after the stupid prank Maddox pulled on me. My wet hair was currently soaking the back of my Berkshire’s blouse, the soft material sticking to my skin. I was irritated and absolutely exhausted. One more class left and then it was the weekend. Two blissful days without Maddox.
“Looks like you were able to wash your hair.” He chortled at his own lame joke. “Sorry about the feathers, but it was payback. Don’t be such a grumpy ass, Garcia. You can be a sweet ass, though. I’ll eat it.”
I swiveled around and leveled the douchebag with a glare. “You think gluing feathers in my hair is funny?”
I wanted to throttle him and his stupid, smirking face.
“Don’t exaggerate. I didn’t use glue. I used flour, water and feathers. Simple and harmless. Anyway, you looked cute with a nesting head.”
Mr. Asshole here glued, oh wait, my bad – pasted feathers into my cute beanie with flour and water. So, naturally, when I put on my beanie, all the sticky feathers transferred to my hair. No, I didn’t look at my beanie before putting it on. Who does that, anyway?
My fists clenched and unclenched as I sucked in a deep breath and held back a snarl. Maddox rubbed his jaw, and against my own accord, I took notice that his face was healing up nicely. His bruises were barely noticeable, and his left eye was no longer swollen, black and purple.
He was back to his sexy, irritating self. God give me patience.
Maddox closed my locker, leaning against it like he owned the thing. I gave him a blank look, waiting for this to be over. The hallways were empty, except for the two of us.
“The pink hair prank? That was actually a goo
d one, I’ll give you that. The feathers were payback for the pink hair you gave me.”
Ah, the pink hair. A few days ago, after Maddox left a butt-plug in my locker, a gift, he had written in his note – I decided to retaliate. The need for revenge was strong, and it was easy. I had sneaked into the locker room while Riley kept guard outside. I found his personal locker and switched his shampoo with temporary pink hair dye.
“Itching powder though? Lame as fuck, Garcia.”
“It was a reminder.”
He arched an eyebrow, waiting for me to explain.
“That’s what happens when you lay around with whores. You end up with an itchy dick. Also, a reminder that I’m not someone you can fuck around with. Remember that next time you proposition me for sex like a paid whore.”
“That was a nice thought, except… I don’t need to pay someone for sex. My name comes with a label, baby. Maddox-Coulter-Will-Fuck-You-So-Hard-You-Will-See-Jesus.”
“Where did you find that definition? Dickpedia?”
“If you open dickpedia to the word orgasmic, you’ll find my name there.”
I rolled my eyes while mentally facepalming myself. Why did I even bother to have a conversation with him? It was completely useless. The only thing that came out of his mouth was sex, sex and more sex. Or something completely dumb.
“You know what your problem is?”
“What?” I raked my fingers through my wet hair, frustrated.
“You want me,” he said, calmly as if he was announcing the weather. Oh, it’s sunny. Oh, you want to fuck me. This man was mentally unstable, period.
“Excuse me?” I placed my hands on my hips, astonished he could even come to this conclusion.
“You want me, but you don’t want to admit it. You’re fighting the chemistry.” Maddox lazily eyed me up and down. There was no embarrassment, no awkwardness from him. He was practically undressing me with his eyes, and he was being so casual about it. When he spoke again, his voice lowered to a deeper tone. “Does fighting with me make you wet? We could fight in bed, let’s not waste time here.”