Rubbing my lips together, I reach into the pocket of my school blazer, pulling out my cherry lip gloss and plucking the metal top off the round tin. The smooth balm runs over my finger as I circle it slowly on top of the mixture before bringing it to my bottom lip, pausing only for a moment. I let my eyes drift to his appreciative face, then back to the front as I reapply Grey’s new favorite flavor all over again.
Grey
THE MOMENT THE BELL RINGS, Liam dives over the top of Donovan, kissing her cheeks as she squeals and laughs over being attacked.
“Stop!” she laughs, breathless, and swatting him away playfully, but he doesn’t stop smothering her.
“All right, Romeo, that’s enough,” I growl, gripping his shoulder and pulling him back into his seat forcefully. “You’re going to break her.”
“Shut up.” He laughs, waving me off.
The three of us stand to grab our bags, and I watch as she turns, looking at him with happiness written all over her gorgeous face. That’s still my favorite expression from her.
“So?” Liam questions to her bright face.
“So, what?” she answers, reaching down for her bag, but I swipe it up, tilting my head toward the door for her to walk.
Liam pushes past me, taking Donovan by the hand and tugging her along, “This is crazy, Van. You’re back. And all grown up.”
He wags his eyebrows to me jokingly, then turns back to her. Real smooth, Liam.
“Yep. People have a way of getting older…it’s the weirdest thing.”
Liam pulls her through the door as she glances over her shoulder at me, smiling big. The minute we exit the classroom, he scoops her up into a bear hug. She reciprocates, wrapping her arms around his neck as he lifts her off the floor with a loud growl and places her back down to her feet. His arms push between them to cradle her face.
“Missed you, Van.”
“I missed you too, Liam.”
Her eyes are so sincere when she answers him, and telling by his expression, he’s happy to see it. I’d forgotten how much we both like her. After she left, we were so miserable that we made a deal not to speak about her. Ever.
We didn’t keep that promise, at least for a while, but then she stopped being the topic of every conversation until she stopped being the topic of any conversation. I was left alone with all my memories. And sometime over the years, she’d become mine inside of my mind. Donovan wasn’t someone I shared with Liam.
He smacks a sloppy kiss on her lips, and she giggles, pushing him back, making me crack my neck, uncomfortable with my immediate violent thoughts. I grip both bags onto my shoulder with the same strength I’d like to grab Liam by the damn neck for that fucking kiss and let out an irritated breath.
“What’s your next class?”
Liam furrows his brows, glaring at me. “Dude. What’s the rush?”
I shrug indifferently to his attitude. “You want her to be late for another class? She still needs the rest of her books.”
Donovan clears her throat, holding up her schedule. “Looks like I have AP Chem next.”
“Sucks…I have Calc. Catch up later?” Liam urges, plucking her shirt at her stomach. “At lunch? Promise, Van.”
“Yes, absolutely.”
She gives a small wave as he takes a few steps backward before he turns around and yells, “Try not to be a dick, Grey. Remember, role model.”
I start to answer when she pipes up loudly, “It’s okay. He can’t help himself.”
Liam turns around, laughing loudly, “Just like I remember. You’re a boss, Van.”
She joins in with him, her raspy voice filling my ears as she pats my chest. I shake my head and put my hand on Donovan’s lower back, pushing her in the direction we need to walk. “Let’s go, funny girl.”
We maneuver through the hall, people naturally parting and making way as we walk. The number of eyes on us and quiet conversations is laughable, but Donovan’s oblivious. Thankfully so, because we’re blowing minds right now.
At this school, I’m as untouchable as they come. So is Liam. Nobody speaks unless spoken to, let alone shows enough bravery to agree with Liam that I’m a dick. And what I’m doing right now? Never happens. Shit, I barely speak to girls when I fuck them, let alone hold their hand and carry their bag to class.
Whether Donovan wants it or not, she’s gained infamy in her first hour here at Hillcrest. People are going to have a field day. Girls will be out for blood. But I have no doubt she can handle herself. She always could.
And if she can’t, then the consequence of my attention is the least of her worries at a place like Hillcrest. These people sniff out weakness to pick off and eat alive. My eyes shift to her face, taking her in again. Nothing about her screams fragile; then again, I don’t know much about her anymore.
Are you still my girl, Donovan?
Her promise to Liam pops into my mind, grating on my nerves as my feet slow to a stop in front of her next class. She starts to walk inside, but I scrunch the back of her blazer, tugging her backward.
“Umm. A ‘hold on’ would do,” she laughs, twisting to face me.
I let her go and hand her bag over. “How come you’ll catch up with Liam, but I have to hold all my questions?”
Donovan pulls back a bit and looks at me with curiosity on her brow. “Jealous?”
“Yeah. Very.” Her mouth opens, but I shake my head, not finished. “At lunch, you spill those pretty little guts, to both of us. Your next class is across the hall. I’ll meet you right here.”
Her lips curl into a devilish smirk before she smooths the lapels of my jacket down. “You shouldn’t worry yourself with jealousy, Grey. You never really had a chance. He’s just so much prettier than you, and there’s the whole ‘more than one thing going for him’. You know, not just the sole benefit.”
My hand shoots out, blocking her from entering the room.
“How the hell would you know about his ‘benefit’?”
Those damn lashes bat up at me before she ducks under my arm and answers over her shoulder, “We played a lot of ‘house’ growing up.”
“You’re something else. I can’t decide if I want to have you kicked out of this school, so I don’t have to share you, or let you stay so that I can watch all the fucking trouble you’re going to cause.”
She turns back to me with a mock offense as I fill the doorway.
“Watch it, or I’ll tell everyone you peed the bed when we were little.”
“That never happened.”
“Yes, but they don’t know that.” She winks, motioning to the room.
Goddamn. I like everything about Donovan—even her fucking threats. I lean my shoulder against the doorjamb, watching her walk to her seat. Still undecided. Nah, she stays. No way do I get her back as delicious as she’s turned out, only to lose out on seeing her daily.
“Mr. McCallist—”
I hold my finger up to my lips to shush the teacher, keeping my eyes on Donovan as she sits down and glances at me, letting out a laugh.
There it is—my favorite sound.
I give her a wink and roll off the frame, taking my leave down the hall and off to my class, making a quick stop in the library first.
An hour later, and one riling political debate later, I push out of the door, Kai in tow, hearing the hinges strain.
“Where’s the fire? Maybe down the pants of that hot piece of ass I gave my seat over to?”
I can feel the irritation that grows across my features as I spin around to look at my friend. He’s not saying anything he wouldn’t usually spout off about, especially about some girl I’m messing around with, but this is different. Donovan’s different.
“Kai, word of advice. Watch your mouth, or I’ll break it. Donovan isn’t a piece of anything, including this conversation. The only thing she gets from you is respect.”
Kai holds his hands up in surrender, backing away, the hint of a smile on his face.
“Touchy. Messaged received. She�
�s our queen.” Kai’s eyes grow wide as he lowers his arms, linking them behind his back and leaning in toward me again. “Wait, what’s that make Caroline now?”
The memory of Donovan forcing us to promise her that we’d never replace her with Caroline pulls forward, and I shake my head.
“The same pain in the ass she always is.”
Kai’s voice floats over the crowd as I walk away. “Lunch should be fun.”
I turn the corner of the hall, my eyes searching the faces, but no Donovan. So I walk to the last classroom she was inside and peer in, still not seeing her. What the fuck? I told her I’d meet her here.
My phone vibrates, and I pull it out of my pocket, instantly seeing a message from Liam. It’s a selfie of him and Donovan, making silly faces.
Liam: Got our girl. Good mac-n cheese today. Hurry the fuck up.
Me: Hook it up.
Liam: Want me to suck your dick too?
Me: Nah, your mom’s doing a great job.
I pocket my phone and keep the smile that’s threatening my face at bay as I make my way to the dining hall, but the moment I enter, my resolve fades. Every step I take to the table, the more my happiness becomes apparent. Huh, happy. It’s been a while. I set my bag down with a thud, making Donovan’s blonde locks brush my way in surprise. Those gorgeous blue eyes look up at my face, effectively knocking me on my ass.
“Hello, Darren. You were supposed to wait for me.”
She smirks, opening her lime Perrier. “I found a replacement.”
Liam chuckles, sliding my tray over to me. “You mean better model.”
“Boys, please. Don’t fight over me.” She giggles, stealing a fry from Liam’s plate. “I love you equally.”
Grabbing my chair, I heave it out, placing both hands on the back of it, and playfully scowl. “Boy? Again, with that bullshit. I’m all man. Wanna see?”
“Uh, no. And the jury’s still out on your classification. Are you going to sit or stand there flirting with me all lunch?”
I laugh loudly, loving that my flirtation is a foregone conclusion, and lower into my chair.
Liam stands and turns his chair around to straddle it, folding his arms over the top, and rests his cheek on them, giving her all his attention. Damn, he’s laying it on thick. I can’t blame him. I’m doing the same.
Donovan takes a bite of her food and shoots him a glance. Liam’s eyes stay on hers, and she must be smiling because he’s grinning back.
Reaching out, she boops his nose. “Oh, you’re a charmer. Dangerous and too cute for your own good. The girls must go down like shooting fish in a barrel.”
“I’m a virgin. I’m waiting for love. Wanna fall with me?”
Her laugh has us both smiling with her. Liam always did do that to her.
My voice interrupts as I twist the top off my water bottle. “Boy? Cute? I’m starting to feel like we’re losing this challenge, Liam.”
He nods against his arm in agreement.
“She’s friend-zoning us. You’re cruel, Van. Cold as ice. There must be a boyfriend—or maybe a girlfriend?” His head pops up. “Say it’s a girlfriend, and then tell us all about it.”
“Tuck your dick away. Perv,” I laugh, reaching around her to shove his shoulder.
“No boyfriend or girlfriend. I’m abstaining…from both. But it’s cute you guys thought you had a chance. Goals are important.”
Her laugh is evil, but before I can ask about what she just said, Liam reaches up to her hair, his body leaning in closer to her.
“Are those—” My hand reaches out, sweeping her hair over her shoulder as Liam’s fingers wind between her golden locks, to touch colorful feathers intertwined into a small long braid. “What’s this?”
She smiles mysteriously, looking between us. “A fond memory.”
And just like that, she draws me in just a little bit more than I already am.
Donovan
I’VE ALWAYS CONSIDERED MYSELF RESILIENT, but the real test will be if I manage to survive Grey and Liam. One maybe, but both, unlikely. It’s not a horrible way to die—basking in the adoration of two incredibly hot guys.
I take another drink of my sparkling water and smile at the tray of food in front of me, trying to ignore Liam’s inspection of the feather in my hair. Liam turns his attention to Grey, mumbling something, but I barely register what they’re saying because I’m already lost inside of my head.
This attention won’t last. If there’s anything I know, it’s guys. Once the shine wears off, they’ll back off, and we can go back to being the kind of friends who don’t flirt. I shake my head slightly at my bullshit as I stare at the fruit cocktail occupying my plate.
I can’t fault them for taking a shot. If my circumstances were different, I might let one of them land me. But I’ve caused too much trouble in this area to go down this road again. It wasn’t that long ago that I searched for myself in any willing body, which ironically only made me lose myself more.
The only thing that niggles at me now is that right at this moment I’ve never felt like me more. There’s something about being back here with Grey and Liam that makes the world feel clear. Like I’m back where I’m supposed to be. So, I guess what I’m really terrified of is that I won’t be repeating the same fuckups but that I’ll be making even bigger ones.
“What’s swimming around in that expression? You’ve got thoughts. Serious ones. Spill, Cherry.”
Grey’s voice draws my eyes, but not my voice. God, he’s intense with only a look. “Shine wear off,” my ass. He might lose interest, but I’m not sure I want him to. My chest rises and falls slowly in rhythm with my breathing, but the rest of me is caught in his gaze, unable to escape this moment, that is, until he decides to let me go.
Fuck me. Also, fuck me.
He pushes his tray away slowly, locked onto me, and presses his thumb between his lips to lick off whatever food smeared on it. Maybe it’s the way his face says more about what he’s doing than the action, or perhaps it’s that I want it—his tongue and his attention. Or maybe I’m doomed to make spectacularly poor decisions. Either way, if I’m not careful, something will happen between us. There’s no point in pretending or wishing it away.
If I don’t stop it now, our mutual attraction will become too hot to snuff out. And I do not doubt that if given an inch, Grey won’t just take a mile; he’ll devour exactly sixty-six inches because he’ll stalk, pounce, and prey on me.
The arrogance his grin is soaked in halts my thoughts, and I lick my lips before quietly hitting him with the last one.
“Be warned, Grey McCallister. A girl like me is bad for a boy like you.” I have baggage too big to fit into anyone’s mansion.
“That sounds like a challenge, Cherry.”
Before I can dissuade him, Liam’s fingers find my side and tickle me, making me jump and squirm away, effectively breaking the trance.
“Quit.” I giggle, shoving at him, but Liam slaps his large hands on the table, standing and turning his chair back around to sit normally.
“All right. Get serious, Van. Stop throwing yourself at us. It’s embarrassing. Now catch us up.”
I widen my eyes dramatically and lean my head over to Grey’s broad shoulder. “He thinks I’m throwing myself at you guys…that I’m a whore.”
“I wish that were true.”
“That he thinks I’m a whore?”
“That you are a whore,” he smirks and kisses my forehead. “But I do agree with one part—catch us up. Stop avoiding questions.”
I sit up and look back and forth between them. Fuck. Where to start? I need to ease them into my dysfunction. We’ve only been back together for half a day, but if they rightfully go running, I’ll feel the loss.
Both sets of beautiful, curious eyes stare back at me, and for the first time, I feel shameful. I’ve felt regretful, apologetic, even embarrassed, but this is the first time I want to hide from the girl I’d become.
My mouth hesitantly opens to speak, bu
t it’s not my voice that comes out.
“Oh my God.” A waifish brunette glares down at me. “It’s true. As if I don’t have enough to deal with, with these peasants, Donovan Kennedy is back.”
When she says peasants, she motions to some girls to her left. Sadly, they seem used to their label. Standing next to her is the caramel-hued boy from earlier today. Unlike her, he’s smiling at me before turning his attention back to her.
“My nemesis is back. It’s so cliché that I could jump off a bridge.”
I look behind me, wondering who the hell she’s speaking to, because it can’t be me. I don’t even know her.
“I’m sorry, do I know you?”
She smooths her hair as if she can barely stand to hear me speak. “Oh, we’re doing that.”
“Fuck,” Grey breathes out as Liam laughs, entirely too amused.
Her plus-one smiles as he pulls out his chair but not before tending to hers.
“I’m Kai.”
“Hi again,” I answer, when realization dawns somewhere in the roll of her eyes and the practiced bored expression she carries. The last time I saw Caroline Whitmore, she was very blonde, much heavier, and an incredible twat. Guess she only changed the outside.
“Caroline. Wow. I don’t know what to say. I didn’t recogn—”
“Yeah,” she breathes and shoos away her entourage, lowering down into a chair. “Let’s get this part out of the way. I look different. And you’re the same. I want to say it’s brave that you kept the same cut of your bangs since sixth grade, but I don’t believe in lying.”
“Jesus,” I laugh, sitting back in my chair.
“Tell me, are you fucking one or both of them?”
Is this girl serious? “Excuse m—”
“Carebear,” Kai smirks. “Claws in. She’s royalty. Right, Grey?”
Grey gives him a small laugh, staring at me as if he’s waiting to see how I’m going to handle myself. Keeping his eyes on me, he answers Kai. “Stop fueling the fire. Unless you’re hoping for a catfight?”
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