Just in time, Seth dropped her to her feet and turned her to face the balance beam. She dashed over to it, grabbing on to the wood as she leaned over and puked on the other side. Seth reached up to hold her hair back and out of the way. Her head spinning, whirring with dizziness and fatigue, she puked for what felt like hours. When her stomach was finally empty, she wiped her mouth and sat up, leaning her elbows on the beam. Letting her hair fall, Seth stepped back, looking at her sympathetically.
“I have to know the truth,” she whispered.
He was quiet for a minute. Finally, shaking his head, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a package of gum and handed her a piece. After she took it, he crossed his arms and looked at her, choosing his words carefully. “The truth is a tricky thing. It’s complicated. It hurts people. And I think you’ve been hurt enough.”
“My hero,” she spat, standing up. She turned, aiming herself toward the sidewalk and took a step. Though she was stumbling and swaying, she headed toward the park exit.
“Kendall, wait. Come on,” he called, still over by the balance beam. “Where are you going?”
She reached out, placing her hand on the swing set frame for balance. Looking over at the swings, she remembered the first time she’d met Seth. They were ten or twelve, and she’d been playing here by herself while her mom was ‘at the store’ which was code for meeting her drug dealer. He came out of nowhere and offered to push her swing. Charming and playful, he’d made her crush on him almost instantly. She’d never stood a chance.
Pressing a hand against her stomach, she felt like she was going to throw up again. Seth came up behind her, grabbing her shoulders, making her heart leap into her throat. Stifling a scream of surprise, she jumped, spinning around to face him and pulling back at the same time.
Alcohol amplified the motions, making her dizzy. She lost her balance, stumbling back, and grabbed onto the swing’s chain. Wrapping her fingers around it, she held tight, like if she let go she might lose herself completely. Her heart pounding wildly, she glared at him. “Don’t do that!”
He just stared at her, a pitying gaze scorching her skin. Finally, he said, “You’re a mess.”
“And you’re so perfect, aren’t you?” Her glare deepened, filling with resentment. “With your stupid football games and your perfect little girlfriend and all those people, willing to do whatever you say. It’s almost like you’re trying too hard to seem normal. No one would ever guess that you’re exactly like me.”
“You’re drunk,” he said, stepping forward. “You need to let me take you home.”
“Home?” she repeated, laughing. “Yes, please take me home so my dad can yell at me about how irresponsible I am, so Kelly can act like she’s better than me and her mom can sit there and watch. Please, by all means, twist the knife because I’m still breathing!”
He didn’t flinch at her outburst, he just came a little closer. “Is it that bad?”
She knew she was drunk and emotional and rambling, but she couldn’t stop herself. Tears clouded her eyes. “I don’t belong,” she whispered. “Not with my mom, not with dad and his new family. And I definitely don’t fit into your world. So where does that leave me?”
He stepped back. “I guess that’s something you’re gonna have to figure out.”
She watched, waiting for him to say the magic words that she did belong with him. That he cared about her, or something. But he just turned, shoving his hands into his pockets and walked away, leaving her alone in that shadowy park haunted by the ghosts of their past.
Chapter 6
Kelly
“I can’t believe you invited Kay and Kendall to the girl’s night,” Kelly complained as she watched a bag of popcorn rotate in the microwave. “Are you trying to kill me?”
“At least Kendall couldn’t make it,” Meagan, balancing on a pair of crutches, leaned forward to grab two bottles of water out of the fridge. “I don’t understand why you don’t like Kay. Is it because she and Alex are close?”
“No,” Kelly said quickly, pouting a little. “This is supposed to be my makeover, remember? To help ease the pain of Gage’s bitter-cold rejection. To help me turn over that proverbial new leaf.”
“And what better way to flip that leaf than by reaching out to someone you normally wouldn’t?” Meagan said, glancing at Kelly to see if she bought into it. Seeing she didn’t, Meagan sighed. “I know I should have run it by you first, but I ran into Kay at the diner and I just thought…maybe it wouldn’t hurt to get to know her. She could turn out to be a good friend.”
“But how am I supposed to bitch about her if she’s here?”
“Very funny,” Meagan said.
“Who said I was joking?” Kelly cracked a smile.
The doorbell rang. “That must be her. Now remember,” Meagan instructed as they made their way to the front door, popcorn and drinks in tow. “She’s a sweet girl, and we’re going to watch chick flicks and do makeovers and have a good time. So be nice.”
“Only because you’ve been such a good friend.” Kelly gave Meagan a reassuring smile.
Meagan opened the door, giving Kay a warm smile. “Glad you could make it, girl.”
“Of course,” Kay said, stepping inside and carrying a large Mary-Kay bag with her. “I even brought party favors.”
“Is all of that make-up?” Kelly asked, eyes glinting with a hint of lust.
“Yeah. One of my neighbors sells it. I’m pretty sure I cleaned out all her samples.”
“And she didn’t mind?” Meagan asked, shutting the front door.
“Nope. But she did load me up on business cards, too. Just in case.”
The girls giggled and headed downstairs to the dance studio in Meagan’s basement.
Sitting among shopping bags spilling over with clothes, hand bags full of makeup, the girls talked about everything from their favorite Hollywood crushes to the best coffee shop in Southport, and for a little while, no one would have guessed that a support group brought them all together.
Standing in front of a row of mirrors, Kelly pulled her hair up off her shoulders and held it at the nape of her neck. “So I’m thinking about chopping all of my hair off and dyeing it black. Whattya think?”
Meagan stifled a giggle. “Tell me you’re joking.”
“What?” Kelly asked innocently. “Haven’t you heard Goth is the new chic?”
“Maybe ten years ago,” Meagan chuckled. “It wouldn’t hurt to go a little edgier, though. Maybe some chunky black streaks?”
“Or you could do the bottom layer,” Kay offered, trying not to blink as Meagan applied a coat of mascara to her lashes. “I think that’d look good with the platinum blond you’ve got going on now.”
Kelly looked in the mirror, considering the choices. “That’s a good idea. We’ll do the bottom layer in the black, and then maybe do a couple chunky reds.”
She sat down on the floor and began to mix up the temporary hair color. “I don’t know who I’m kidding, though,” she said grimly. “All the hair dye in the world isn’t going to make Gage see me as anything other than a spoiled rich girl who’s too immature for him.”
Meagan reached over and pinched Kelly’s arm.
Kelly winced, grabbing the reddening area. “Ouch! What was that for?”
“You mentioned he who cannot be named,” Meagan scolded. “And broke the rules of our girl’s night.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t help it.” She frowned as she stirred a conditioning cream into the solution. “I miss him.”
“But if he can’t see how lucky he’d be to have you, why should you waste your time thinking about him?” Meagan’s voice was firm and confident in a way Kelly was sure she could never become.
“Easy for you to say when you have a dreamboat boyfriend like Ryder Daniels,” Kelly said. “Talk about swoon-worthy.”
Meagan smiled. “He’s really sweet too.”
“Ryder’s always been pretty cool. Nobody really took time to notice it b
efore, though,” Kay said as she flipped through a magazine. “He just did like this 180, like he takes it upon himself to clean up the school.”
***
Meagan
***
While the dye soaked on Kelly’s hair, Meagan and Kay went upstairs to restock on snacks. They were laughing as they rounded the corner to the kitchen, but Kay’s laugh stopped short when her gaze landed on Trevor, standing at the counter, messing with his cell phone.
She gave a small gasp, surprised to see him. Oblivious, Meagan continued to the cabinet. “Kay, this is my brother, Trevor. Trevor this is…”
“Kay,” he said, giving her the same half-grin he’d used to get her into bed. “Good to see you again.”
Meagan paused as she reached into the cabinet, eyeing them both. “You two know each other?”
“Not really,” Kay said honestly. They hadn’t done much talking in the week she’d managed to keep his attention. She remembered the night she’d seen him at the hospital, and how he’d said he was there to visit his sister. But she’d never put the pieces together that his sister was Meagan.
“I’ve tried calling you,” he said.
“I changed the number.”
Meagan grabbed a bag of chips and took Kay’s side, as if knowing how awkward and out of place her friend felt. “Let’s get back downstairs,” she said. “Make sure Kelly hasn’t chopped all her hair off.”
Kay chuckled and turned to leave with Meagan, but Trevor called after her. “Wait…can I just talk to you for a second?”
She stopped and nodded for Meagan to go ahead and go downstairs. “I’ll be down in just a minute.”
“Okay…” Meagan gave them both a curious glance as she headed to the basement.
Once they were alone, Kay turned to Trevor, wondering what he wanted to talk to her about. “Look…I just wanted to say…I feel like a real jerk. I never should’ve posted that tape on the net.”
She raised an eyebrow, floored by the apology. “You’re sorry? You said that already.”
“I know, but it’s not enough…” He sighed. “I just wish there was something I could do.”
“You seem so different,” Kay said. He even looked different. Less cocky, less arrogant. More…something. She couldn’t quite place it.
He nodded, coming a little closer. “Some things have happened recently…things that make realize the way I treated you and other girls was wrong. I was an ass. And I’m sorry.”
She didn’t know what to say. She certainly wasn’t about to offer up her forgiveness—after all, he’d posted their sex tape online, gave her an STD and caused half the town to think she was a slut. But she wasn’t exactly blameless in the situation, and the act of him apologizing did ease the shame a little. “I’m not exactly losing sleep over it, Trev,” she said, trying to dismiss her feelings. “You shouldn’t either.”
She turned to head down to the basement, but he reached out and tapped her shoulder.
“Wait,” he said, and she stopped, eyeing him curiously. “Do me a favor.”
“What’s that?”
“Stay away from guys like me,” he said. “You deserve better.”
***
After her friends left, Meagan found her brother in the living room. Her curiosity was piqued, and she hadn’t had any luck getting Kay to open up about how she knew Trevor.
She plopped down next to him on the couch. “So, the curiosity is killing me, Trev.”
He looked up from the book he was reading. “What do you mean?”
“How do you know Kay?” Meagan asked. “I couldn’t help but pick up on the tension. I’m pretty sure even China felt it.”
“She didn’t tell you?” he asked, looking confused. “I thought that’s what you girls did…eat junk food and bitch about guys who’ve wronged you?”
“Very funny…wait…what’d you do?”
“She seriously didn’t tell you?”
“Kay’s not exactly an open book.”
Taking a deep breath, he closed the book in his lap. “Okay…don’t freak out on me. She’s the girl…the one from the tape.”
Meagan stared blankly at him, and then she remembered the sex tape with the sophomore that had made him infamous. “You mean…you and her…” Just the thought grossed her out, and she wished she didn’t have that image in her head. “God, Trevor. It’s bad enough that you taped it…did you have to show it off, too?”
“It’s not one of my proudest moments,” he said. “At least…not anymore.”
“What changed?”
“I can’t believe you even have to ask.” He couldn’t look her in the eyes. “Finding out the truth about Seth…it changed a lot of things.”
Chapter 7
Kay
In the kitchen, Kay used a spatula to push scrambled eggs around the frying pan. Daydreaming about Alex, loving the fact that she had an actual boyfriend, one who seemed to be crazy about her. At last, there was something—someone—good in her life.
And even better than that, he didn’t pressure her to turn her dad in like Zander had. If there was one thing Alex understood, it was loyalty to parents who didn’t deserve it.
She felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand when her dad came into the kitchen and took a seat at the breakfast bar. Though her body was taught with the tension, she managed a smile as she turned to the small table and dished eggs onto the plate she’d already set out.
“Want some orange juice?” she asked, dishing a small helping of eggs onto a plate for herself.
“Sounds good,” he said around a mouthful of food.
She went to the fridge and poured him a glass, then brought it to the table for him. As she took the seat across from him, he reached into the inside pocket of his jacket and pulled out a small flask. She tried not to roll her eyes when he added a large amount of vodka to the orange juice.
“I’ve got a battalion reunion this weekend,” he said after a long drink. “I’m leaving tonight and I’ll be gone for four days. Doesn’t look like your mom’s coming home anytime soon, so that leaves you here to take care of the house.”
She nodded, while her heart sprang with joy at the prospect of a dad-free weekend.
“Some ground rules before I go,” he said, putting his fork down.
She waited patiently, biding her time.
“Nobody’s allowed over here…not even that boy next door. You can go to work and school and that’s it. I’ll be calling to check in.” He picked up his fork again and began to eat. “While I’m gone, I want you to clean this place up. The dust is really irritating my allergies. And the curtains need washed. Actually, there’s a heaping pile of laundry by the washer that should be gone by the time I get back. And the fridge is a mess. Should you be writing this down?”
She shook her head. “Dust. Curtains. Laundry. Fridge.”
“And stay out of my stash,” he added, pointing the fork at her. “I know you’ve been sneaking some of it.”
This confused her, because she hadn’t been. He must’ve lost track of how much he’d been drinking, but she didn’t dare point it out.
He leveled his gaze on her. “Do I have to say what happens if you break the rules?”
“No, sir,” she said. Then she smiled and added as lightly as she could, “Need me to iron your uniform?”
Emptying his plate, he dropped the fork onto it and pushed it away. “No, you never do it right. Better do it myself.”
She stood to clear the plates, making sure to leave his ‘orange juice’ untouched. Taking them over to the sink, she said, “Enjoy the reunion.”
***
Ryder
***
Rubbing a towel over his wet hair, Ryder walked down the hall of the group home to the bedroom he shared. All he needed to do was throw a t-shirt on over the wife beater and head out for the day. But he wasn’t sure what he was going to do yet. Something to do with Meagan, he hoped.
When he opened the door, he saw Bradley standing in fron
t of the mirror, wearing Ryder’s leather jacket. The sleeves were about six inches too long for him and completely covered his hands, making him seem much smaller than he already was. And the leather looked heavy, so he moved slow as he held his arms up to flex his non-existent muscles.
Seeing Ryder in the mirror’s reflection, Bradley quickly shrugged out of the jacket.
“Hold on a sec,” Ryder said, crossing the room. “Let’s check it out.” He knelt down in front of Bradley, bringing them to about eye-level.
Bradley watched, still and wide-eyed as Ryder rolled the sleeves up, freeing his hands. Then he buttoned the first few buttons and turned up the collar. Ryder stepped back so Bradley could take a look.
“Whattya think?” he asked the boy. “I think you look pretty tough.”
“Not as tough as you,” Bradley said, but he gave an approving smile to the reflection. “But close.”
Ryder grinned. “Very close.”
“Guess you want it back now, huh?” Bradley took off the jacket and handed it back to Ryder. “Thanks for letting me try it on.”
“Anytime.” Ryder started straightening out the sleeves, when he caught a glimpse of something. A bluish-yellow mark on Bradley’s wrist, like fingerprints. He checked out the other wrist and sure enough, there was a matching bruise. He lifted Bradley’s hand up to take a closer look. “What happened here?”
Bradley’s cheeks flushed. “Nothing.”
He raised an eyebrow in response. “Looks like someone held you down. Was it your parents? Is that why you’re in here?”
“No…well…yeah. My mom used to hit me. But I got these at school.”
“At school?” Ryder knelt down again. “You got any more?”
Bradley hesitated, but finally lifted his shirt up to reveal more bruises on his ribs.
Ryder winced at just seeing them. “Bullies, huh?”
He nodded, his big brown eyes looking embarrassed. “They saw me getting off the bus here and they’ve been hassling me ever since.”
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