by Sam Crescent
“You tripped Chloe when we were leaving homeroom.”
“Damn, is this what I get for helping out?” Ian asked. “A black eye? It’s no different than what we normally do. You really think she’s going to fall for a sudden change of heart? You want this plan to work, you’re going to have to get in the game and become her knight.”
The guys were sniggering, and he didn’t like it.
Ever since they’d come up with this plan over the weekend, Alfie had been torn back and forth between going through with it and just leaving shit alone.
Right now, he wanted to walk away. Chloe was more trouble than she was worth, and if his dad ever found out what he was doing, well, it would probably go from the belt to a proper beating with a metal bat. He didn’t know for sure how far his dad was willing to go with getting his son ready for the real world.
“You’re not going to help.” Alfie had seen how she’d gone down and knew she’d been hurt. He hadn’t had a chance to help her up though.
“Look, I trip her, point at someone else, and you play the hero, helping her. It’s not my fault she actually moved faster than your ass to help her up,” Ian said. “You should be thanking me. So far, your show of being the nice guy is cringeworthy.”
A couple of the other guys agreed.
“I don’t know. I thought you were handling it well,” Riley said. “I mean, first cleaning the shit off her locker.”
“Who did that?” Alfie asked. “I know it wasn’t us.”
“I haven’t written shit on her locker in years,” Ian said. “It got boring really fast, and to be honest, she doesn’t even react to that shit anymore. What’s the point of doing something that’s so boring? She just goes to the janitor’s closet, gets her things, cleans it up, and goes to class.”
“She does this often?” Alfie asked.
Riley chuckled. “You never noticed?”
“I’m starting to think one of you two should be acting my role seeing as you know so much about her,” Alfie said, finally taking a seat. He should be in history class, but he had no interest in learning about the past.
Sure, he should be sitting next to Chloe, trying to bring down her defenses, but he needed a break.
Before the guys had come up with their plan, he’d bumped into her most days of the week, nearly every single hour. Today wasn’t one of those days. He’d barely seen her after her fall.
He’d gone to help her up, but she’d grabbed her books and run away.
The laughter had followed her down the long corridor. He’d never lingered on the outside of the bullying before like this.
He either wasn’t around, or part of it.
This had been different.
“So, why aren’t you in class?” Riley asked.
“Same reason you guys aren’t. I needed a break.”
“In case you haven’t seen it yet, Chloe’s not going to be an easy target. I’ve seen her around you already, and she doesn’t trust easily.” Ian dropped his hand from his eye, and it was red and bloodshot. Alfie didn’t feel any remorse in hitting his best friend.
“Yeah, and whose fault is that?”
“It’s everyone’s fault,” Ian said. “But that means you’re going to have to work hard.”
“She’s not going to fall for this. This is a stupid plan,” Alfie said. “You two can’t come hanging around with us either. You guys are everywhere with me.”
“Which is why I think it would be good if some of us stayed hating her, helping with the hurt. Come on, what chick wouldn’t fall for you picking your girl over your best friends.”
“I don’t like this,” Alfie said.
“It’s going to be fun. Believe me, when we’re done with this at the end of the year, you’re going to thank me.”
The bell rang, and Alfie wanted to just leave. The lessons he had left this afternoon were all pointless ones anyway. It wasn’t like he needed them. He was hungry though.
“Come on, Alfie, this is going to be fun,” Riley said.
“Fine. Fine.” He got to his feet. “We do it my way though.”
“Of course, man,” Ian said. “This is all on you. This was your plan to start with. If you remember, I just wanted to pay someone to do this shit. You were the one willing to make the ultimate sacrifice.”
The plan was mostly his idea, but Ian and Riley had helped to build it up to what he knew was going to happen, so long as Chloe played her part well.
“I’m starving,” Ian said.
It was lunchtime.
They all headed into the cafeteria. Like most high schools, the cafeteria was where anyone could find out the groups of different people who attended the school.
The jocks with all the cheerleaders sat to one side.
The bikers tended to take the opposite end of the hall. It was their space, and their own bunch of groupies would surround them.
Then you had the nerds, and other groups of kids, waiting. Some of the beauty queens, and then the losers’ table as well.
He didn’t pay attention to any of them.
All of his crew pushed in line, grabbing a couple of sandwiches, pizzas, and fries, and they headed toward their table.
Ian nudged him, pointing to the corner, near the wall. Almost invisible, Chloe sat on her own, eating her lunch, staring at a book.
Why was she always fucking reading?
“Go, have some fun with this.”
Alfie glared at Ian. He was going to have to kick his ass so the guy knew his place. No one was replacing him at the top of their group.
With his tray in hand, he walked over to Chloe.
She didn’t look up for several seconds, and he got tired of waiting for her.
“Is this seat taken?” he asked.
Chloe looked up, her eyes going wide. “Why?”
“I was thinking we could hang out today. It’ll be fun.” He didn’t wait for an invitation. “You’re going to have to tell your friends to fuck off.” He took a bite of his large pizza.
“I eat lunch alone. I don’t have any friends.”
He knew that. She never hung around anyone. Was always alone. It made sense.
Again, he hadn’t paid particular attention to what she did or didn’t do.
“So what are you reading?” he asked.
“A book.” She slid it closed, and he watched as she took a bite of apple. “Why are you sitting here rather than with your friends?”
“I think a change is as good as the rest. How is your, erm, face?”
“My face?”
“You took a nasty fall.”
Her face went bright red. “Oh, I’m fine.”
“You okay? It wasn’t me who tripped you.”
“I know. Someone in front of me did.”
“You didn’t see who it was?”
“Nope. Have no clue. It’s fine.” She finished her apple, and he realized she wasn’t looking at him.
“You know it’s rude not to pay your dinner guest any attention.”
She glanced up and quickly looked down. “I don’t feel comfortable you being here.”
He also noticed her leg was constantly moving, bouncing up and down.
His presence made her that nervous? Taking another bite of pizza, he tried to think what to say. What did he say to this girl? He wasn’t used to trying to be nice.
Gritting his teeth, he looked for anything to talk about. “I’m sorry about your dad.”
She looked up then, her blue eyes staring right at him. They were the color of the ocean, brighter than his own blue.
“You are?”
“Yeah, I heard what happened at the club. Your mom finally ending things with him.”
She nodded.
“Will you see him again?” he asked.
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him since she kicked him out. Your dad was there when she handed him a suitcase full of stuff.”
Alfie had noticed when it came to Lily, his father liked to bend over backwards to help. It w
asn’t like Lily gave Eagle the time of day either. At one point, he thought they were having an affair, but it wasn’t the case. Lily was truly oblivious to the attention coming her way from Eagle.
“Did he make it easier for her?”
“I don’t know. I think he was there to stop my father doing anything stupid, you know?”
He was probably there to stop Lily from taking Kurt back, but Alfie didn’t say anything. “How was history?”
“You care about history?”
“Yeah, I do. I mean, I suck at it.”
“That why you don’t turn up?” she asked.
“One of the many reasons I don’t turn up. Besides, after this morning, I didn’t want to see Miss Hops. Did she notice I wasn’t there?”
“Yeah, she did.”
“Damn.”
Chloe chuckled.
Alfie stopped as he listened to it. The sound didn’t last for long, and it wasn’t fake either. It was a sweet, light sound.
He realized he’d never heard her laugh, chuckle, giggle, or make any kind of noises other than anger and frustration.
“It would have been hard for her not to notice you weren’t there. A little advice in the future, cut class with a teacher who hasn’t seen you before that lesson.”
“You ever cut class?” Alfie asked.
“No. Never.”
“That is lame.”
“Yeah, well, I have a plan, and I’ve got to stick with it, to see it through.”
“A plan?”
“Yep, a top secret one.” She tapped her nose.
“You’re not going to tell me.”
“Nope.”
Now his curiosity was getting the better of him. “I know what my plan is.”
“Yeah, I think the entire school knows what your plan is. Take over when it’s time for your dad to give up his cut, right?”
“How do you know that?”
“My dad, coward that he is in your eyes, he knows a thing or two about the club. A girl picks it up from time to time.”
“So now you know all club business.”
“Not at all. I have no desire to either.”
“You always felt you were better than the club,” he said. The words sounded sharp, angry.
“No, I don’t. I’ve never thought that at all. Why would you think that?” She frowned at him.
“Because of the way you are. You’re rarely around the club, and when you are, you’re always on your own. You never mingle or try to join in. A miss goody-two-shoes who doesn’t know a fucking thing about trust or loyalty.”
Her mouth went open, and he’d clearly shocked her. “Wow, just wow.”
“What’s that?”
“You don’t have a fucking clue, that’s what. I can’t believe you’d even think that. I can’t process everything right now. I need to, like, have a break or something.” She got to her feet, and he reached over, forcing her to sit down. He held her in the same place where her other bruises were, and he cursed as she hissed from the pain.
“Shit, I’m sorry.”
“Why can’t I leave?”
“You think what I said was wrong?”
“It is wrong.”
“Please.”
“Look around you, Alfie. I don’t make friends. I don’t mingle well. Half of the guys at the club want nothing to do with me because I’m Kurt’s daughter. You think it’s easy for the daughter of a coward? He spends so much time trying to impress you people that he doesn’t see what it’s doing to his family. My mother is sick of it. I don’t think I’m better than you, or Ian and Riley, or anyone else. I’m just me. I’ve never been good at thrusting myself into these kinds of situations. I don’t have friends. I’m done talking about this with you.” She grabbed her bag and tray.
This time, he didn’t force her to sit down.
He watched her leave, throwing her lunch into the trash before leaving the main hall.
No one followed after her. No one fucking cared.
Getting to his feet, he carried the rest of his food over to his buddies.
“Didn’t go well? I thought you were the kind of guy women loved to get your dick wet with all of your smooth talking to the ladies.”
“Clearly, I’ve got to work at this one,” he said.
He finished his pizza and listened to the people at his table talking about bikes and pussy, but the truth was, he couldn’t stop Chloe’s words from ringing in his ears. Had she even tried? Had the club even tried? It made no sense for them to push her aside. Sure, the club treated Kurt like shit, but that didn’t mean Lily or Chloe were treated that way. At least, from what he’d seen.
Chloe had no friends. She never had, not that he could remember.
Why did he have a feeling something that he was about to do was so damn wrong?
****
Kurt couldn’t cook.
Chloe sat opposite her father at the local diner. He’d ordered himself a big steak, and well, she’d gone for a garden burger. It was the only thing she liked at the diner.
“So, how was school?” he asked, digging into his food.
“It was okay, I guess.” She’d not had another encounter with Alfie after the confession she made at lunch. She was pleased about that.
She didn’t like talking about her lack of social skills.
“What’s your favorite class?”
“Dad, are you really going to talk to me about school? You’ve never cared before.” She wasn’t saying it to be harsh to him, but she knew there were other things he wanted to talk about that were more important to him than her school.
“You’re right, kid. I’m sorry. I know I should be a better dad and want to know everything going on at school, but how’s your mother?” he asked.
“She’s doing okay, I think.”
“Just okay?”
“Dad, she’s hurting.”
“Do you think she’ll take me back? I mean, I forgot you once?” He laughed. “It’s not the end of the world.”
Pressing her lips together, she wanted to not say anything, but he was clearly deluded. “Dad, it wasn’t just one time. Every single time Mom asks you to do something, you either have club business or you forget. The club has been coming first a lot lately. You’re never home. You don’t pick up her milk. Do you even realize you missed your anniversary?”
“What?”
“Back in July. Mom planned a big meal for you guys. I was going to hang out with friends.”
It was a big lie. She’d had every intention of staying home, just being in her room alone. She’d told her mom she’d leave as soon as Dad arrived. Only, he never did. The food had gone cold and her mother sobbed while watching a movie.
As far as Chloe knew, he’d never made up for it, if he even knew.
“Shit. Fuck. I can’t. I’m so sorry.”
“I’m fine with it, Dad, really. It was Mom. She was upset.”
He sat back, running a hand across his face. “I fucked up so many times. I love her, Chloe. I love you too.”
“I know that.” He just had a funny way of showing it.
“I can’t even think of all the bad shit I’ve done right now. I’m sorry. She’s never going to forgive me.”
Chloe pushed a fry into her mouth so she didn’t have to confirm it. She’d spoken to her mother a couple of times, and she was determined to not take him back, or to listen to him.
“How about I take you for boots now?” he asked.
“Sure.” Her mother hadn’t gotten around to taking her, not that it was a problem. She had sneakers, but she did love her boots. The last pair she’d kept for over three years before they’d fallen apart. She had tried to fix them, but glue wasn’t going to repair them this time.
“Finish your food and we’ll go.”
She grabbed her burger and took a bite.
The door to the diner opened, the bell ringing as it alerted the staff and diners to another guest.
Chloe saw ten of the Satan’s Crew MC enter the
diner, and her heart sank.
This was going to end with her alone, she just knew it.
She took another bite of her burger as the club saw Kurt.
“Kurt, just the man I wanted to see.” Several men sat down, and Chloe wanted to disappear. They were large men. The scents of cigarette smoke and leather were heavy in the air.
Her nerves picked up a notch as they were all smirking, clearly knowing that whatever they were going to ask her father, he’d do.
“Sweetheart, you know Stallion and the guys.” She nodded. “Guys, this is my daughter.”
They gave a nod.
“So, we heard what happened with you and Lily, and well, a couple of the brothers are heading over to titties to have some fun. You want to come?”
“I’m spending time with my daughter,” he said.
“Oh, come on. Seriously, I know you’d love it, and besides, we need a driver and all the prospects are busy. Come on, you’ll love it.”
Sipping at her water, she watched her father, and she saw the bait and hook. Stallion had said it simple. The club needed him, and Kurt couldn’t walk away from the chance of being needed.
“Can we take a raincheck, sweetie?” he said.
Chloe didn’t say anything as the table hooted.
“Come on, we’ve got to go now. The good chicks are always on early.”
Within a matter of minutes, the food was paid for and she was sitting alone.
The waitress came over. “Would you like me to call someone for you, honey?”
“Nah, it’s okay.” She stood up, grabbing her bag. “Thank you for the food.”
“You didn’t finish it. You can sit and enjoy.”
“I’ve got to head home. Thank you.”
She left the diner, wrapping her arms around herself and going straight home.
“Chloe, is that you? I thought you were spending the evening with your dad?” Lily came out of the sitting room. She was dressed in an old nightshirt, and she had a book in one hand, and a pair of glasses in the other.
“I decided to come home.”
“Chloe Decker, tell me.”
She removed her jacket, putting it up onto the hook near the door. “Why? You’re only going to hate him.”
“You’re my daughter, and I trusted him again. Tell me, now.”
“Fine. A bunch of men from the club came in and they gave him an offer he couldn’t refuse.”