Unwritten: A High School Bully Romance: The Longlake Duet, Book 1

by Hattie Jude

  “Pfffft. That boy is not nothing.”

  I groan and she looks hurt. I know she’s trying to get me to open up to her again, hoping we’ll be close like we used to be, but I’m a different person now. We’re both different.

  “I’ll talk to you later, Mom. Promise.” I kiss her cheek and it seems to satisfy her.

  “Josephine?”

  I turn back and my mom’s jittery, her leg shaking hard enough to make her bracelets rattle. “Yeah?”

  “I have a date tonight.”

  “Oh.” Oh. I didn’t expect that to hit me hard, but it does. “Okay.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “Well, I don’t get a say in your dating life, do I?” I try to smile, but it doesn’t quite deliver. “I hope you have fun, Mom. I’ve gotta go.”

  She presses her lips together and nods.

  I step outside. Ashton offered to drive me today and I didn’t overthink it, I just said yes. On the front step is a bundle and I pick it up, moving the paper back to get a better look. I drop the flowers, looking around to see if anyone is out here.

  Red lilies.

  Shit. This day just keeps getting better.

  Luke used to have a red lily waiting for me every time I went to his house. Every time we slept together.

  I start shaking. It can’t be Luke. There’s a restraining order out on him and the last I knew, he had moved on with the playmate of the month.

  Someone’s playing a trick on me, but who?

  Ashton pulls in then and I put the lilies in the garbage can outside before I slide into the passenger seat. I attempt to grin at him, trying to let my anxiety go and the guilt over yesterday with Raf. I don’t know why—Ashton hasn’t made any moves and I honestly don’t know if he’s interested or not.

  When we get to school and step out of the car, he comes around to my side and waits until I’ve got my backpack on my shoulder before taking my hand. I lift an eyebrow at him, surprised that he’s going there. I guess he is interested.

  “What…are you doing?”

  “Just go with it.”

  The guys are in the parking lot. Raf’s eyes fall to my hand linked with Ashton and he turns away, muttering under his breath. The hate swirls around in his eyes and I can’t figure out why he has it out for me.

  You’re not doing anything wrong, I remind myself. But I’m confused by the guilt swarming in my chest. Kissing Raf…what if he would’ve been different today after our kiss? Nicer?

  I remind myself of the way he threw me out of his room afterward and sigh. I’m pretty sure that whatever I do will be the wrong thing.

  I stop at my locker and Ashton leans in behind me, nuzzling my neck. I freeze and then he whispers, “Raf needs to learn a lesson.”

  “Is that a good idea?”

  I can practically feel Raf’s eyes drilling through me. Why I’m considering him, I have no idea.

  Despite what he thinks, he does not own me.

  “Do you trust me?” Ashton asks.

  “I think so.”

  Ashton laughs and steps away. I’m so confused. I put my things away and grab the next two notebooks I’ll need, slamming my locker shut. Ashton takes another step back and I bite my lip, reluctantly smiling at him.

  I sit at a different table at lunch and when Ashton walks up a few minutes later, Raf scowls. He was already shooting daggers at me from our normal table. What the fuck is his problem?

  He stands up and grabs his tray, stalking off. I’m tempted to follow him out, but I don’t.

  In the afternoon, the tension is up to security level during my class with Raf.

  “Are you that desperate to forget our kiss? Now you’re going to date that asswipe?” Raf whispers in my ear.

  I shiver and turn to look at him. He’s so close, our foreheads touch.

  “I feel like a broken record. You’re the asswipe.” I try to lean back, but he closes in the distance. “And Ashton is your friend.”

  “Doesn’t mean he’s not an asswipe. You’re not into him.”

  “I don’t have to answer to you about anything I do. And you’re taken anyway—looks like you had a fantastic time with Heidi over the weekend.”

  His eyes spark and I see his lips twitch.

  “You stalking me now, Gabi?”

  The way he says my name sends liquid heat flooding through my veins.

  “Simply stating the fact that you’re occupied with someone and so am I. I’ve ‘paid up’ and now we’re even. I don’t know why we keep having this conversation.”

  “You’re nowhere near paid up. We have an agreement and I don’t want anyone else touching you. You weren’t having any trouble getting off on me yesterday. Ashton not able to do it for you?”

  My mouth drops open and I turn away from him, my face hot. The teacher walks into class then and the conversation is over. I need to talk to Ashton. I’m not up for a game when I don’t even know what we’re playing.

  As soon as the bell rings, I practically sprint out the door and I do whatever I can to avoid running into Raf for the rest of the afternoon.

  I don’t mean anything to him. He just wants to exert control. It’s humiliating and I refuse to let him win.

  When I get home, my phone pings.

  Raf: Party at my place at 8. Be there.

  I put a dress on and touch up my makeup. I don’t bother responding to Raf’s text and I don’t even try to talk myself out of going. I want answers. I want to know what’s going on between Raf and Ashton and I want to make this degrading behavior stop. I’m desperate to stop the crazy things Raf does to my heart, even when he’s vile. I remember the way he leaned over me with the cold washcloth that day I had a migraine and the little voice in my head reminds me he is capable of being decent. Maybe even kind. I don’t need to see any of the sweetness, it’s better if I learn every loathsome thing there is to know about him.

  My mom has already left for her date. I didn’t ask anything about who she’s seeing and she didn’t offer any information. We were even more awkward than usual and I didn’t need to make it worse by telling her I’d be at a party tonight. Although if she’d known it was at Raf’s house, she probably would’ve gushed about how exciting it was.

  I walk to Raf’s at eight thirty, noting the fewer cars here this time. It’s not a normal night for a party, which makes me wonder why he’s doing this. And why do I need to be here? I think about the kiss in his room the last time I was here and my skin feels hot as I walk inside. The music is going and the living room is full of kids I recognize. Amber is dancing by herself, Melanie and Jen are dancing with Henry, and I look around for Heidi or Raf…but I don’t see them or Ashton. Luci smiles at me as she dances with another guy from our class.

  I feel hands tugging my waist backward. I yelp and try to turn but feel his mouth near my ear instead.

  “You get all dressed up for me, Gabi?” Raf whispers.

  “Why am I here?”

  He moves us into a small, empty room and leaves the light off. I turn to face him and he nudges me backwards until I hit a washing machine.

  “Laundry room, huh? Sexy.”

  “If I’d known you were looking for sexy, I would’ve taken you to my bedroom again. The laundry room was closer.”

  “For what?”

  He lifts me up and sets me on top of the washer and runs his hands down the middle of my thighs, parting them and stepping between. I gasp and his mouth is there to catch it as his lips press into mine.

  “Raf,” I whisper.

  “Gabi,” he whispers back.

  I pull away and he holds onto my head, winding his fingers through my hair.

  “What are you doing?”

  “I’m collecting your debt.”

  It’s like a bucket of cold water is poured over my head and I push him away. I leap off of the washer and am almost to the door when he cages me in with his arms. His favorite position.

  “No need to run. We both know you want me. Why are you fighting it?�
��

  “Because you’re a terrible person.”

  “Am I?”

  I lean my forehead against the door and shiver when he moves my hair to the side and peppers my neck with soft, open-mouthed kisses.

  “I don’t understand why you’re so mean and then kiss me like this. It doesn’t make sense. I gave you my insurance information. Just collect the money already, let’s be done with this nonsense.”

  “You think kissing me is nonsense?”

  He turns me around and his tongue traces down the path between my breasts. He shifts from side to side and I gasp when his fingers reach up to tweak my nipples.

  “Tell me you don’t love every second of this torture, Gabi.”

  “I—” I moan when his palm covers my breast and he squeezes. He grinds into me and I cry out. And then he’s on his knees and lifting my dress before I even know what’s happening. “What—”

  “If I touch you and you’re not dripping wet, you can leave and I won’t bother you again. Deal?”

  I groan again, knowing what he’ll find. He pushes my panties to the side and leisurely swipes his finger over my slick center.

  “You’re drenched,” he whispers. “Just admit you’re mine.” He plunges a finger in me, in and out, in and out, and then two fingers, swirling my wetness around before thrusting back in. When he leans in and sucks my clit, I let out a long moan.

  “Raf,” I gasp.

  I’ve been fucked by a porn star before, but it was nowhere near as hot as this. Luke was always checking his angles. His room had mirrors everywhere, and he was so concerned about how he looked all the time, his attention always felt divided. At work, he spent most of his time on the foreplay, so when it came to the two of us in his bedroom, he was all about getting a quick fix. It took time before I realized he was all about his big finish and saved his partner’s satisfaction for screentime.

  Raf doesn’t come up for air until I’m slamming my hands against the wall and chanting his name over and over again. I splinter apart into a thousand pieces and he takes his time, pulsing his fingers in as far as they’ll go while my walls squeeze him impossibly tight.

  He stands up and wipes his mouth and his chin and thrusts into me. “The next time I touch you, it’ll be with my cock.”

  I shiver, the words feeling like both a threat and a promise. He pulls away and opens the door. The sliver of brightness from the other room casts light on his face. He smirks at me and I already know I’m going to hate what he says next.

  “Go home, Gabi. Show’s over.”

  Chapter Nine

  I take my shame home, skirting past the couples making out in Raf’s living room. No one pays much attention to me, which is a good thing. I’m sure I look even worse than I feel. Toby Matthison comes in as I’m leaving and he lifts his head in acknowledgment. I don’t know why the guy makes me nervous, but he does.

  I make it to my house and collapse against the door, feeling the weight of a thousand angsty nights. How do I manage to pick the worst guys to like? I wish I knew what Raf wants from me. He’s given me two orgasms and I still haven’t even touched him. It doesn’t add up. Nothing about him does. I had one conversation with him, one day when he was kind to me. He opened up about his music, he took care of me. Where is that guy?

  I think about the lilies that were outside the door this morning. I’ve been trying to put them out of my mind all day, but now that I’m home and it’s dark and my mom still isn’t home, I’m thinking about it a lot. I hope Luke isn’t trying to enter the picture again. My dad will kill him if he finds out. Literally.

  I take a long bath and try to read but fall asleep instead, startling when my mom walks into the room.

  “Josephine?”

  “What? What’s wrong?” I sit up, panicked.

  I glance at the clock and it’s only ten thirty. It feels like midnight.

  “There’s been an accident with one of the students at Longlake. Do you know a guy named Toby Mathison at all?”

  I rub my eyes and try to get my heart rate to return to normal. “You scared me to death. Not well, but yeah, I’ve met him. Why?” My stomach clenches and I lean against my headboard, thinking about the weirdness at Raf’s house with Toby. “Is he okay?”

  Her lips tighten and she backs into the hall. “It’s not looking good. How well do you know—nevermind, we can talk later. I’m sorry I woke you. Go back to sleep.”

  I nod and she turns off the light. I lie in the dark staring at the ceiling for hours.

  My mom is gone when I get up and I’m running so late I don’t even have time for a shower. There’s a text from Ashton asking if I need a ride and I tell him I’ll drive myself.

  I don’t want to see Raf or Ashton today. I’ve had enough of the male species right now.

  I wonder about Toby as I brush my teeth and wish I’d seen my mom again to find out if she knows anything else about what happened. I don’t know much about him or his family.

  There are police cars in the parking lot and everyone keeps their distance as they walk past the cars. There are two officers inside and I watch as they walk side by side to the office.

  Raf, Henry, and Ashton are at their lockers when I reach mine and they’re preoccupied. I make it to my locker without anyone acknowledging me. I hear their lockers slam one by one and Raf’s arm brushes against mine as the three of them walk past me. Real mature. I lean into my locker and hear a girl giggle behind me. When I turn around it’s actually two girls, Heidi and Melanie.

  “Burn,” Heidi says, covering her mouth with her hand and laughing. “Looks like Ashton and Raf are already bored with you. It was a matter of time. You and your holier-than-thou attitude.”

  “You’re talking to me? I hardly go around thinking I’m holier than anyone else. What does that even mean?”

  Melanie’s face crinkles into an ugly grimace. For someone so pretty, she can look really awful. Someone needs to tell her not to make that face.

  Maybe I do have an attitude.

  “Oh please, you have the biggest chip on your shoulder. Wonder why you’re not making any friends—besides the ones you’re trying to sleep with?” Melanie smirks and looks at Heidi for approval and seems to get it because she keeps going. “I think we satisfied them the other night. They’ve moved on. Raf for sure has, right, Heidi?” She gives her hair a toss and both of them turn around, walking away. They’re like bookends, blond hair of the same color and length, with their designer jeans and matching boots.

  I stand there for a few moments, wondering why I’m still on their radar after the weekend. The hall clears and I slam my locker shut, wishing I could walk out the door and start this day over, when a message comes across the intercom.

  “Attention, all students, we will be meeting in the auditorium in ten minutes. Again, all students, make your way to the auditorium.”

  I almost put my books back in my locker, but instead, I go straight to the auditorium, barely managing to avoid getting trampled as everyone piles out of the classrooms. I bump into a hard body, stumbling back when I see that it’s Ashton. He holds both hands up as he lets me pass.

  “Sorry,” he says, not looking me in the eye.

  I don’t know if he’s mad I didn’t ride with him this morning or if Raf has gotten to him. Who knows? I don’t have time to figure it out.

  As I round the corner and wait until the kids get through in front of me, I try to find a seat. One of the teachers tells us to find the first available seat and sit down. The first chair I spot is next to Raf and I hesitate.

  “Gabriela, over here.” Ashton waves, sitting a couple rows behind Raf. Color rises in Raf’s cheeks as he stares through me.

  My heart gallops away with me, and I sit next to Ashton feeling like I’m carrying a bag of bricks on my back. A hair flip catches my attention and I look down the row to see Heidi, Melanie, and Jen all staring at me.

  What the hell is going on?

  Ashton leans over and whispers in my ear. �
�You look beautiful today.”

  I smile at him gratefully, relieved to have at least one person being nice to me today.

  Our principal, Mr. Saunders, walks to the podium and taps on the microphone. When he’s satisfied that it’s loud enough, he clears his throat and begins.

  “It is with great sadness that I have to tell you about an accident involving one of our students here at Longlake.”

  The whispers of shock immediately spread throughout the assembly. Surely Toby’s not dead?

  Mr. Saunders holds his hand up and the talking ceases. “Toby Mathison was involved in a shooting last night and is in a coma. If anyone knows any details surrounding his accident, the police are asking for our full cooperation.”

  A gasp ripples through the gym and I try to see Raf’s face, but I can’t from where I’m sitting. I reach out and take Ashton’s hand, looking at him to see his reaction. He stares straight ahead and squeezes my hand but seems to be in shock.

  “We will have counselors on hand to talk to any of you who need help dealing with this traumatic state of events. There will be an ongoing investigation, and we ask that if you are asked to speak to a detective in the coming weeks, you do so, and then get back to your class as soon as possible, without talking amongst each other about the case.”

  Yeah, good luck with that. Doesn’t he know this will be prime gossip around here? Longlake students are especially horrible about keeping secrets from each other. Someone like Toby, who’s somewhat a mystery around here, is perfect material to hash and rehash. Heidi’s head huddles next to Jen and Melanie as they act devastated about Toby. I wonder if they ever even hung out. In the next breath, I feel bad for having the thought. Maybe they were longtime friends—how would I know? Sometimes the lack of history I have with anyone at school is a blessing and a curse.

  “Are you okay?” I ask Ashton.

  “I just can’t believe it,” he whispers, still staring straight ahead.

  I want to ask him so many questions, but he stands up suddenly and walks out of the auditorium. I watch as the door shuts behind him and wonder if I should go after him. Raf also gets up and leaves and I stare after both of them, wondering what the hell is going on.