Masked Truth: Harrington Hills Academy: Book One

by Mae Reese

  “Yeah, I don’t know what happened. I just saw him grab your arm and I about lost my shit” I admit.

  She nods her head “I appreciate you looking out for me.”

  “Someone has to protect the princess” I wink, a little more of my pissed off mood dissipating the longer she sits across from me.

  “So, since I skipped class to come and check on you how about you tell me how you got my phone number” she asks, cocking her head slightly.

  I chuckle. “I have my ways.”

  “You make it sound so mysterious.”

  “Oh, it most definitely is. If I told you, I’d have to kill you” I laugh, but damn if this girl really knew the truth.

  Could she handle the Tucker family?

  “So tell me more about this party Friday night. Are you going?” I ask, flipping my phone between my fingers.

  “Unfortunately I am” she sighs, sounding resigned “I don’t really want to though.”

  “Why not?” I ask her, genuinely curious as to why she would go to a party she didn’t want to be at.

  “I have to be up early Saturday and I hate going out Fridays because it makes me drag ass. Besides… Maisie won’t be there so that means I really won’t have anyone to talk to.”

  “Won’t Weston be there?” I ask, studying her.

  “Yep” she replies with a bit of bite to her tone “But as you saw this morning, spending time with him right now isn’t high on my list of things I want to be doing. It falls somewhere behind a colonoscopy and a root canal.”

  I bark out a laugh causing someone in the library to shush me. “I’ll be there. You can talk to me” I say.

  “You’re going?” She asks skeptically.

  “I am now” I smirk, raising an eyebrow.

  She shakes her head at me.… “You’re trouble, Barron Tucker.”

  “Princess, you have no idea.”

  Chapter 10

  Skylar

  Wes: Outside

  His text comes just as I am passing the flat iron over my hair for the last time. “Siri, text Wes and tell him I will be down in a few minutes” I say. Beeping a few times I hear the whoosh of the text being sent.

  The first week back at HHA was nothing short of the brutality you would expect from one of the top private schools in the nation.

  Most schools spend their first weeks going over syllabus’ and assigning menial work, Harrington Hills treats it as any other week. Meaning the massive amount of homework and studying I have from the week to tackle on Sunday is already weighing on my mind.

  Grabbing a coat and my purse I take one more look in the gilded full body mirror. My blonde hair falls just past my shoulders, straight and smooth from the flat iron. Taking in my skinny jeans, white loose tee, and black ankle booties I sigh and toss on my utility jacket.

  Running out the door, I can hear Linda talking from the downstairs, obviously on the phone with someone.

  Make a run for it.

  I rush down the stairs quietly, trying to get out the door before she sees me.

  “Skylar” her voice halts me just as my hand reaches for the door handle. I turn slowly and plaster a smile on my face.

  “Yes mother?” I ask as she walks towards me, her Jimmy Choo’s clicking across the marble floor.

  She eyes my outfit with obvious disdain. “Where are you going?” she asks.

  “To a party with Weston” I answer “I will be home later.”

  “Don’t you want to go upstairs and put on something a little more appropriate? How about that green Saint-Laurent dress, you know the one shoulder one!” she exclaims.

  I count in my head before I speak. One, Two, Three.

  “What I am wearing is fine, Mother. It’s just a house party.”

  “It may be just a house party to you but there will be children of our friends there, Skylar Elizabeth” she says, still smiling even if it’s so forced I can see the lines breaking through her Botox mask.

  I open my mouth to protest but a knock on the door stops me. I grab the handle and pull the door open, seeing Weston standing there fiddling with his phone.

  This may be one of the few times I am thankful to see Weston Montgomery.

  “Jesus what took you so long” Weston says, not even bothering to look up.

  My mother clears her throat daintily, causing Weston’s mask to fall into place. “Wow, Mrs. Santora you look lovely” he smiles broadly.

  Like a fucking crocodile.

  I reach out and take Weston’s free hand, pulling him out the door behind me.

  “Goodnight, Mother” I say over my shoulder.

  “Goodnight, Mrs. Santora!” Weston says before he shuts the door.

  I drop his hand before rounding the front of his car, hurrying to the front seat only to find it occupied by Brock.

  Rolling my eyes I open the back door and climb in next to Samuel who is talking on his cell.

  Weston peels out of the driveway, turning up Khalid as he clears the gates.

  My phone vibrates in my pocket;

  Locker-bang: You here yet?

  Skylar: Not yet. On the way.

  Skylar: You’re pretty ballsy you know that?

  Locker-bang: I’m aware, but tell me why you’ve come to this conclusion.

  Skylar: If Weston knew you were texting his girlfriend he would skin you alive and bury you so deep in the woods no one would ever find you.

  Locker-bang: Trust me, Weston Montgomery is the last person I am afraid of. It would take a scarier dude than him to make me lose this number.

  The music from the large brick mansion can be heard from the end of the long gated driveway. Weston dodges the people who have parked all the way to the road and are walking the length of the long driveway.

  He swerves around a small cornered off section and parks his car near the house. A spot especially for the ‘popular kids’ so they don’t have to walk like the rest of the ‘commoners’.

  EYEROLL.

  Weston doesn’t even wait for me as he exits the car. He does, however, wait for Brock and Samuel to sidle up beside him before they take the front stairs. I trail behind him, not the least bit phased by his lack of concern for me.

  They push open the door to yelling, loud music, and bodies. So. Many. Bodies.

  Half of the girls look like they belong on a stripper pole, the other half a street corner. Modesty is definitely lacking in this crowd.

  I break away from the guys who make a beeline for the keg and wander to the kitchen in search of something a little less manly to drink. Perusing the table that is loaded with liquor I grab a bottle and pour a small amount in a cup, topping it off with some coke.

  I wander through the crowd dodging elbows and asses as I go. The smell of sweat, cologne, and perfume almost too much to bear.

  My phone buzzes again;

  Maisie: Please tell me Brock has gotten drunk and drowned in the hot tub?

  Skylar: Sorry love. Last I saw he was off with Weston getting beer from the keg. It would be a miracle if he was already toasted.

  Maisie: Damn. He keeps sending me snaps of him. Just selfies. Nothing else. He is such a fucking girl.

  Skylar: Could be worse, he could be sending dick pics.

  Maisie: He does have a pretty nice cock…

  Skylar: <>

  Maisie: Why yes, sometimes it does make me gag.

  Skylar: Go dance you whore, quit texting me.

  Leaning against a wall off to the side of the room I watch the people grinding against each other in the center of the dance floor, sipping my rum and coke. I can see Weston and some of the other guys from the football team gathered around the keg talking. I notice Stephy standing off to the side, watching him.

  He’s all yours girl.

  Unable to handle the stench of teenage desperation as another asshole falls into me I push off the wall I had been leaning against and head towards the back deck.

  I glance one more time at where Wes was and I notice Brock and Sam
uel are talking but I don’t see him with them. I duck outside quickly, hoping he isn’t wandering around looking for me.

  Making my way to an unoccupied corner I lean against the railing, taking a sip of my drink and checking the time on my phone. 10:27.

  I made myself a promise I would leave no later than midnight, even if I had to call myself an Uber. My plans for tomorrow start earlier than normal and I really don’t want to be dragging in there looking like an extra from The Walking Dead.

  The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end a second before a deep voice says my name. The sound instantly sending a chill down my spine and my nipples harden.

  Barron Tucker you are going to get me in some serious trouble if I don’t watch myself with you…. I muse.

  “I’ve been looking for you” he says, leaning against the railing next to me but facing the opposite direction.

  I take him in. He is wearing a black Henley that’s pulled tight across this muscular chest and dark denim blue jeans that hug his thighs.

  Damn he looks good.

  “Have you?” I ask, tilting my head and looking at him.

  He nods. “Yeah, I saw that underserving cocksucker you call a boyfriend walking around. I thought for sure you’d be nearby but I was wrong.”

  I chuckle, “I tend to avoid him when possible.”

  Quit being so damn honest with this guy, Sky.

  “And why is that, you think?” He asks, touching his chin thoughtfully as if he is actually pondering my feelings towards Weston.

  “That… is a story for another time” I take a sip of my drink, hiding my smirk.

  “So tell me, Skylar, if this isn’t really your scene and the people here aren’t really your crowd why do you bother?” He asks, nodding his head as one of the other football players pass by.

  I take my time, thinking my answer over before I reply. I apparently have a loose tongue where Barron Tucker is concerned and I need to at least try and keep some of my secrets to myself. “Appearances” I say in response.

  “Appearances, huh?” He takes my answer and tosses it back at me. “You don’t really seem like the type of girl who gives a flying fuck about appearances.”

  “You’re right, I am not. However the same can’t be said for Linda Santora, and she holds the power to make my life not so fun. So I keep up appearances for the sake of my sanity.”

  What happened to keeping your secrets, Skylar, damn.

  He opens his mouth to speak when my phone starts playing “Stacy’s Mom” by Fountains Of Wayne, loudly. I tug it out of my pocket before hitting the little green dot on the screen and holding the phone in front of my face.

  “There’s the most beautiful girl I have ever seen in my life!” Silas’ smile is wide, his eyes a little glassy as he peers at me on the other end of the phone.

  “There’s the most high man I have ever seen in my life! What the hell Si? Did you smoke an entire eighth by yourself?” I ask, laughing because his stupid grin is one of my most favorite sights on the planet. “Isn’t it like 4 am there?!”

  I can feel Barron’s stare alternating between me and my brother.

  “It sure is…” he trails off, his face growing a little somber “but I was missing you.”

  “I miss you too, dickhead” I say, the corner of my mouth lifting in a resigned half smile.

  “Whooooo is that” he points beside me, even though it’s the opposite direction from where Barron is standing because it’s mirrored on the phone.

  “This,” I pull Barron closer and his side brushes up against mine, I involuntarily shiver at the contact “is Barron. He is one of the kids that transferred from Townes.”

  “Please, PLEASE, tell me you dumped that fucking twatwaffle Weston and this is the new guy in your life” he half-jokingly pleads. I feel Barron’s slight chuckle against my side.

  Weston and my brother have never gotten along, not even before we dated. It could have something to do with the reason my brother is off at a boarding school instead of here with me. But there is definitely no love lost between the two.

  “Nope, I am still dating Weston” I reply causing my brother to let out a groan of disgust.

  “Sky, you can do so much better.” He chastises.

  “I keep telling her the same thing” Barron interjects, pushing his head into the frame.

  “You, I like you.” Silas points, and again it’s the wrong direction. “How much money would it take for you to off someone for me…” he grins at Barron.

  “SILAS EVAN SANTORA!” I gasp. Silas’ eyes crinkle at the corner, much like my Mothers would if she didn’t have so much damn Botox injected into her face.

  “If it means I get the girl in the end… I’ll do it at a deeply discounted price” Barron answers, a smirk toying the corners of his mouth. I slap my hand against his arm, and he and Silas both laugh.

  “Have you talked to Gran?” He asks me, taking a hit off a blunt I didn’t know he was holding.

  “Not since last week” I reply.

  He leans in conspiratorially like someone might hear, damn he is really high “She thinks she found out something with the will. She didn’t tell me what it is….”

  Someone starts yelling in the background in Swedish causing Silas’ eyes to widen before he grimaces “Shit boo, I gotta go. I’ll call you soon. LOVE YOU” he yells before the phone beeps and goes dark.

  I sigh and slide the phone back in the pocket of my jacket. Damn I miss him so much.

  “He seems like a cool guy” Barron says, taking a sip of his drink and eyeing me.

  “He is, he’s my best friend” I answer, people watching as a few couples play around in the hot tub below.

  “I miss the hell out of him, there’s something so wrong about separating twins… especially ones as close as Si and I are” I confess quietly.

  Barron nods in understanding. “Yeah I don’t know how I would react if someone separated Breanne and I.”

  “You two are twins?” I ask, the answer so obvious I don’t know how I didn’t put it together. Same grade, same hair color…

  “We are, we just look nothing alike…” he said, that smirk I’ve grown kind of fond of gracing his full lips.

  Chapter 11

  Barron

  The more I learn about Skylar Santora, the more intrigued I am with her.

  At first, I just wanted to flirt with her to get under Weston’s skin. That fucker and I haven’t gotten along since that party this past summer in Westerberry.

  Thinking back to walking in on him and Kallie, the girl I had been fucking at the time, banging on the bathroom counter makes my stomach grip with anger. I didn’t care that he was doing my hook-up as she was disposable to me, but knowing now that he had a girl like Skylar and he was cheating on her? That shit makes my anger flare like no other.

  “Where are your friends?” She asks, her full lips wrapping around the rim of her red plastic cup.

  I shrug “Not here.”

  I left Sebastian in charge of the party that was currently going on at my house, praying like hell I don’t return to my house burned to the fucking ground.

  I came here with a purpose, and that purpose is standing right in front of me.

  She’s wearing blue jeans that fit like a second skin. My eyes travel her long legs and pause, appreciating her tight ass as it’s bent over for her to lean against the railing.

  “So your brother doesn’t live here?” I ask, trying to keep her talking. I have plans, but I have to time this just right and we still have a little time to kill.

  “No, he goes to a school for Math and Science in Sweden” she answers, her tone clipped. Her mask is down, I’m not sure if it’s the alcohol or if it’s because it’s just her and I but I can see the lie in her eyes. She’s hiding something about her brother and his situation.

  “Is he your only sibling?” I ask her. She nods and watches as one of the girls below strips out of her bikini before getting back in the hot tub. I chuckle when she scru
nches her nose in distaste, keeping my eyes on her.

  That naked girl has nothing on the one in front of me.

  “What about you? Any other Tuckers I need to meet?”

  “Nope, just me and Breanne” I reply.

  I continue to keep her talking, biding my time before I put tonights true plan into action.

  Chapter 12

  Skylar

  “Come on, let’s go for a walk… get your mind off of missing your brother” he pushes off the railing, heading across the deck and down the stairs. I trail after him, tossing my unfinished drink in the trash as I pass it by.

  I follow behind Barron as we make our way past the pool and the pool house, obviously heading down towards the woods.

  “You planning on murdering me and hiding the body?” I ask as I fall in stride beside him.

  Cocking his head to the side “I don’t generally kill the pretty ones.”

  I chuckle and shake my head, as his eyes gleam with mischief. “Besides, why would I kill you when I’m still so interested in getting to know more and more about you?”

  He cuts off to the side and ducks under a low hanging branch, his feet carrying him into the darkened woods. I pause at the opening, chewing my bottom lip nervously.

  “I got you, promise” he says, holding his hand out to me, his tone carrying more meaning than just protecting me from whatever is in the dark before us. I look down for only a second before I take it, allowing him to lead me into the woods.

  He veers off a few feet until he turns onto a beaten trail, slightly overgrown but obviously used. I can hear voices and screaming behind us, the sounds fading the further into the woods we walk.

  “Tell me about your brother. Why is he off at school? Not the bullshit reason that he is at some math genius school” Barron asks me, his free hand that is not holding mine in his pocket.

  I give him a side eye, unsure if I am just that readable or if he has heard the rumors. “How good at you at keeping secrets, Tucker?” I ask him, deflecting a little.