by S. J. Sylvis
Andrew went to Wellington Prep, and even though he was a fuck-boy like Cole, who went to Wellington Prep, too, I didn’t see those guys getting mixed in with Tank’s crowd, but I wasn’t sure.
Regardless, as I stood back and observed Piper, it completely took me by surprise that she’d somehow be roped into a mess like this. Then again, she did tell me she did something bad a year ago—not that we went into many details before smashing, but I couldn’t help but wonder if the two situations were related.
There were too many unanswered questions and variables for it to make sense to me.
Piper gasped as she looked at her phone. “Oh, shit. I told Mrs. Dewinkle I’d help her prep for today’s student council meeting.”
Hayley let out a light laugh. “You’re not even on the student council, Piper.”
Piper sighed as she started to walk toward the doors to the school. “I know. But she was frazzled after class yesterday, and I said I’d help her.”
“You’re too nice, Pipe. You help everyone.”
“It’s one of my faults.” She smiled shyly at Hayley before turning around and walking through the threshold of English Prep, ignoring me all together.
My brow crinkled. That’s not a fault, Piper.
But it was true. Piper did help everyone. She was kind and genuine, even if she did give me shit the majority of the time. Piper could dish out all the kindness and help there was, but when it came to someone else wanting to help her, she refused. Why was that?
Chapter Eleven
Piper
The halls of English Prep were quiet, as if I were the only person in the building. All of my peers were still outside, waiting for the first bell to ring, chatting with their group of friends, the guys adjusting their navy ties, and the girls pulling their skirts down so Headmaster Walton didn’t turn red in the face when he saw a little too much leg.
After Mrs. Dewinkle thanked me for helping her prep the student council packets for their meeting today, I was free to go back outside with everyone, but the peace and quiet with a fresh mind was just what I needed this morning.
I had four days to figure out how I was going to come up with the money for Tank. Four days to basically pull a wad of cash out of a magician’s hat. Four days to keep Ollie away and to get my brother out of this mess.
I rested my head against my locker, the metal cooling my warm skin. Think, Piper. Just think.
The first bell rang above my head, and I sighed, pushing myself off the lockers. Soon, everyone would be coming inside and getting on with their day, their only worry being the Spanish mid-term that brought students to their knees every year. Yet, my biggest worry was coming up with a large amount of money to pay off my brother’s drug dealer and keeping my story straight so my friends wouldn’t know. Sweet.
Just as I was about to unlock my locker, I realized that my bookbag was still in my car. Get yourself together, Piper.
On the way, I passed by Hayley. “I left my bag in my car. I’ll see you at lunch!”
She nodded as Christian pulled her in close. I kept my eyes straight ahead, ignoring the fact that I knew Ollie wasn’t far behind and that he was probably eyeing me with suspicion. As soon as I was through the doors and had rounded the bend along the side of English Prep, there was a harsh tug on my white blouse, and I flew backwards. “Umph.”
My body flung on top of the sidewalk, and I tumbled backwards, landing on the grass, banging the side of my head off the ornate stone siding. My mouth gaped as I sat up straight, my hand reaching above my ear and locating my source of pain.
“Hiya, Piper.”
A girl who looked a little older than me—or maybe she wasn’t; maybe she was just that run-down—stared at me from up above. I hurriedly tried to scramble to my feet, hearing a loud rip as I moved. I glanced backwards and was met with two long legs standing close to me with one foot on the hem of my plaid skirt. Nice. Now my fucking skirt is ripped.
“What is this?” I asked, staying on the lush grass, pinned down by an obnoxiously large foot on my skirt. If Headmaster Walton thinks there’s too much skin showing in a regularly hemmed skirt, he’s going to faint when he sees a giant rip down the back of mine.
“Let her up.” Slowly, the foot holding me down by my uniformed skirt moved, and I slowly stood up. I brushed my hands down the plaid fabric and bit back agitation.
“Who are you?”
The girl standing in front of me twisted her ratty, dark hair with her finger, the chipped red nail polish catching my eye. Neither she nor the other girl was wearing an English Prep uniform. I didn’t recognize either of them. “Tank sent us.”
I swallowed my thick spit and tried to stay calm, although my body was shaking. “Tank sent you? For what?” I could feel the panic sourcing through my veins, an anxious tremble starting in the tips of my fingers. This wasn’t the first time I’d been face to face with someone over my brother’s shit.
Once, at Wellington Prep, right before my parents tore me away, a girl came up to me and pulled my hair right in front of the entire cafeteria. I screamed out as she demanded my brother pay hers. I remembered looking her dead in the face, the entire cafeteria silent as we sparred off, and telling her that I didn’t pay for my brother’s mistakes and she shouldn’t be doing her brother’s business either. Eventually, a teacher came and took her to the office, and Andrew rushed to my side to make sure I was okay. But I wasn’t. I wasn't okay at all.
I still wasn’t.
The girl behind me walked over to her friend like a sneaky cat, and she smiled deviously, as if she knew something I didn’t. “Tank just wanted to let you know that he has his eye on you and to not get any bright ideas.”
My arms crossed over my chest in defense. “Like what? Going to the cops?” My throat constricted as I swallowed back my breakfast. A cool breeze wafted around my bare legs and up my ripped skirt. I fought the need to shiver. I’d have been lying if I said I didn’t consider going to the cops over this. The image of my brother on Tank’s phone frightened me, and I kept going back to it anytime my thoughts relaxed. But what were the cops going to do? Jason was just as likely to get in trouble as Tank was, and the last thing my parents needed was for Jason to go to jail. It would just make things worse.
The girl with the dark, stringy hair instantly got in my face and forced my body up against the side of the building. The rough stone scraped my skin, but I didn’t move a muscle along my face. I wasn’t going to show her I was in pain.
Her breath reeked of stale cigarettes, and my nose upturned in the opposite direction. “If you go to the cops, it’ll be the last fucking thing you or your brother do.”
Slowly, I brought my gaze down and leveled her with a stare. “Is that a threat?”
Her hand reached up, and she grabbed onto my ponytail. My heart sped up, but I kept my gaze neutral. Do not act afraid. You've been in this position before. I fought the urge to yell out as she pulled my hair, my chin flying upward. “That’s absolutely a threat. Jason is already on thin ice, Princess. And so are you.”
A heavy breath flew through my nose as the final bell rang. I couldn’t even focus on the fact that I was late for first period. Not a single person was in sight; everyone was securely tucked inside their classrooms. And here I was, being handled by a bunch of girls who scared me more than I’d like to admit.
“So, what? Tank sent you to do his dirty work? A simple text would have sufficed. There’s no need for this. He’ll get his money.”
The girl tugged on my ponytail again, and a small yelp escaped me. Miss Big Foot cackled like a wicked witch behind her.
“Sky, that’s enough.”
My eyes moved over to the right where I saw Madeline slowly approaching. She looked from me to Sky and then to the other girl. “Her teacher is going to wonder where she is. The first bell has rung. I think you’ve made your point.”
Sky snickered at Madeline and then looked at me again, her grip on my hair getting tighter. “Is that so? Do you
get it? Don’t fuck over my man, Princess.”
So, this was Tank’s girlfriend? What guy sends his girlfriend to scare an innocent girl into paying her brother’s debt? And how did Madeline know her?
Sky tugged on my hair again and got closer to my face. I pressed my back even harder against the stone as a burning pain sliced through my shirt.
“I get it,” I bit out, and she finally let go of me. My body flew forward so the stone would stop digging in, and Sky and her friend turned on their heel and headed for the parking lot. Sky called out over her shoulder, “Thanks for pointing her out, Madeline. And I’ll see you on Saturday, Red. Tell your boyfriend to get ready to race.”
I waited until they were long gone to breathe out a sigh of relief. Madeline continued to stand beside me as she watched them leave too, not moving or saying a thing, as if this were a completely normal day.
“Lovely friends you have there, Madeline.” I felt behind me to determine how bad the rip was in my skirt. “What? Did you feel the need to get new friends after Christian ran your name through the dirt?” Anger had me spewing at the mouth just with the sight of her face. “Are you that twisted inside that you think bullying me is going to get you a spot back at his table?” Madeline’s cheeks grew pink when she finally took a second to look at me. “Newsflash, Madeline: you got yourself booted from the hierarchy here at English Prep, and I had nothing to do with it. So, for you to follow me around and stick your nose in my business is petty.” My face felt hot, and my stomach was bubbling with a fierce need to hit something. I was even more pissed that my skirt was ripped so badly my underwear was showing.
“You have no idea what you’re even talking about.” Madeline flung her platinum hair over her shoulder and walked back into school, and I was left standing on the side of English Prep with my skirt literally flapping in the wind.
Great.
Chapter Twelve
Ollie
“Fuckin’ yessss,” Jace—who was more of an acquaintance of mine—yelled out as Mr. Calhoun slapped the paper down on his desk. “A fucking plus.”
“Yes, yes, I get you’re very excited.” Mr. Calhoun continued to walk around the classroom, handing out tests. “And while I appreciate all words in the English language, the word fuck isn’t exactly appropriate, so watch it.”
I’d always liked Mr. Calhoun, and he was a damn good teacher—not too stuffy, a little lax on the rules, but still taught English so well that I actually paid attention and didn’t feel the need to sleep. I wasn’t going to lie; I slept through a lot of my classes. And if I didn’t get stellar grades, my teachers would have been pissed. But it was hard to yell at me when I still continued to get As in their classes, and not to mention, I was their favorite student. I could get away with basically anything. Next year was going to be a breeze, although, a lousy breeze because ninety percent of my friends—Christian included—would be away at college, and I’d be stuck here for one more year. Why my mother held me back one year, even though I was technically old enough to be in the same grade as Christian, was beyond me, and unfortunately, I couldn't ask her why.
“Great work, Hayley. As always.” I grinned as Hayley smiled at Mr. Calhoun when he handed her paper back and as Christian tried to hide his scowl at him giving Hayley yet another glowing compliment. He was such an overbearing, protective hot-head.
My phone vibrated as Mr. Calhoun laid the white paper down on my desk. “You too, Oliver. This was a great paper. I enjoyed reading your view on such a delicate topic.”
“Thanks, Mr. Calhoun. I did my best to impress, as always.” I heard a few girls giggle, and I smirked, but just as the smirk came on my face, it quickly disappeared.
The text on my phone had me pausing.
Madeline: Outside, right wing of school. Go now.
Me: Is this a booty text? I don’t do my brother’s leftovers, especially not at 8 in the morning. Sorry.
I glanced at Christian, and he was too busy talking to Hayley as I waited for a reply. What the fuck was Madeline doing? Why she would think I’d ever touch her pussy was beyond me.
Madeline: Fuck you, Ollie. It’s about Piper.
I shot out of my chair immediately, my knees banging the wooden desk as I climbed out.
“Mr. Powell? Is there a problem?”
Christian stood up, too, blindsided by my sudden need to jump out of my desk. “Ollie? What’s wrong?”
I cleared my throat. “Sorry, Mr. Calhoun. I just remembered I left my book in my car.”
My eyes averted from him as I lied, and I caught Eric’s gaze. His dark brow was crinkled, and he shook his head slightly. Oh fuck. “I mean, in Eric’s car.” Christian now knows I’m lying. “Do you mind if I go grab it?”
Mr. Calhoun sighed. “Be quick.”
Eric tossed me his keys at the last second, going with my story as the lies flew out of my mouth. Christian slowly sat down in his desk and adjusted his tie around his neck, as if it were suffocating him. He stared at me all the way to the classroom door, but I kept my face steady. Everything is just dandy, big bro.
As soon as I was through the door, I quickly made my way to the doors of English Prep, passing by the front office as casually as possible. As soon as the daylight greeted me, I rushed to the side of the school, and that was where I saw Piper pacing back and forth on the sidewalk. Her head snapped up, her ponytail from earlier now loose with strands of copper-colored hair floating around her face.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded, wide-eyed.
“What happened?” I walked a little closer to her as I glanced around. No one else was near. The parking lot, which was several yards away, was silent and unmoving. I didn’t see Madeline, either.
Piper appeared nervous. Her hand shot to her mouth, and she nibbled on her thumb nail. The closer I got to her, the more my anger with her faded away. She looked so delicate and innocent standing there. It made me forget that she had so many secrets closed away behind her pretty lips.
“Why aren’t you in class, Piper?” I was surprised at how soft my voice came out. I was a wolf approaching a lamb, treading nice and easy because I didn't want to scare her away. I wanted her to let me help instead of clamming up and shoving me away.
Why can’t you just leave her be, Ollie?
Piper’s shoulders dropped slightly before she took both hands and put them on her face. She disappeared into her palms, and I almost reached out to her. Is she crying? Jesus.
Suddenly, her hands dropped, and she leveled me with an intense stare. “I’m not in class because my skirt ripped, and I can’t drive home to change because I left my stupid keys in Mrs. Dewinkle’s classroom.”
Her skirt ripped? My eyes dipped down to the blue fabric to see if I could get a glimpse of the hidden goods, but I hastily brought them back up to her. “You don’t have an extra in your locker or something?”
“Ugh. No. I lent it to Hayley a while back when Madeline stole her clothes that one day.” Ah yes, I remember that. Piper rolled her eyes. “I forgot to put it back in there when she gave it back.”
My brow furrowed. “Why is your skirt ripped?” I looked around the area again. “And why are you on the side of English Prep when you should be in class? I didn’t peg you for a rule breaker.”
Piper only stared at me. She didn’t roll her eyes or give me a sassy response like in the past. She just stared, her green eyes glassy, as if they were part of the sea. “Piper? Does this have something to do with Jason?”
Her eyes clenched tight, and that was when I really took the time to take her in. Her hair was messy, the perky ponytail now sad and limp. Her usual pink cheeks were pale, and the bags under her eyes almost seemed worse than when I saw her a little while ago. “Piper, tell me who Jason is. Tell me why you’re involved with a known drug dealer who’s been to jail several times. Tell me what’s going on.”
“Why can’t you just stay out of this?” Her eyes opened, and the spark was back. Piper was back. “I have everything handl
ed, Ollie. Why are you even out here?” she growled. “Ugh! Just go back to class!”
“Madeline texted me. Said you needed help.”
She scoffed, crossing her arms over her white blouse. “Madeline? What is her deal with me? Oh, and by the way, she knows you race on Saturdays. She was there.”
What? Fucking Madeline.
I stalked closer to Piper, and she immediately raised her chin and met me with a look that somehow held both fear and strength. “Stop fucking around. What’s going on, Piper?” I held her attention for a moment before I took my hands and threw them around her waist, flipping her around at the last second. Her breath caught, and mine did, too, as I scanned the tear in her skirt. The wind picked up just at the right moment, and the plaid material swayed with the breeze. Her panties were a dusty blue, and they looked as soft as silk. I swallowed back a hot lump in my throat. “Why is your skirt torn?”
Piper growled again and swung her body around and hit me with a glare. Her arms flew upward as she shouted, “Because Tank sent his girlfriend to warn me not to go to the cops about our deal and to tell you to get ready for Saturday. They wanted to scare me.” Her breathing was labored as she seethed at me. Looking from the outside in, someone would think we were ready to brawl. She was simmering with anger, angling her delicate chin in my face, and I was towering over her with furrowed brows and a look that could kill.
Her voice grew higher as she continued to shout at me from down below. “Since you can’t take a hint, I’ll tell you something that’ll hopefully resonate with you and make you back the hell off.” I kept my face steady, my brows still a shadow over my eyes. “Jason is my brother! And I’m going to do whatever I can to get him out of this mess without anyone butting in! So just stop butting in!”
I pulled back instantly, almost as if she had punched me in the stomach. She has a brother?
As if she could read my thoughts—which I wouldn’t put that past her; she and I had an unusual connection to one another—she nodded. “Yep. I have a brother. And now you know the whole secret, Ollie. You got a small taste of it a year ago, locked away in that dark room together, and now you get to gulp it down. So just stay out of it!”