So yeah, things were normal.
With the exception of Emmett and Ace not really talking to each other, that is.
I mean, the tension was noticeable but on the outside, they seemed to still be pretty close like before.
They were the Blue Boys after all and Noah would bitch if they didn’t give each other a nod in the hallways or if people noticed the chill between the two boys. But I noticed it and it hurt, it really hurt feeling the absence of that magic that I always associated with the boys.
If only George was here. He would know what to do.
During lunch, we all sat together in the cafeteria. Or sometimes, Kim and Noah would demand to eat somewhere away from school—which was really code for ‘people are prying because your tension is obvious’—so we would all leave school for lunch and then come back later for the rest of the classes as well as cheerleading practice and football for the boys.
The rumors about me and what Brittney had said to embarrass me last week were all but a little murmur now but people still looked at me with curled lips, raised eyebrows and well, pointy noses.
Typical Westbrook Blues High behavior.
It got a little weird sometimes, especially when they saw me with any one of the Blue Boys, the whispers would grow louder but none of the people that were behind these rumors ever really said anything to my face nor did Brittney try to vandalize Kim’s or my locker like she did some weeks ago. That in itself, was a red flag.
I guess I wasn’t the only one to think so because Brittney’s static silence was making Kim anxious, extremely cautious and a bit wary. She couldn’t help but think that Brittney was planning something sinister and having known just how ruthless my former ‘BFF’--insert eyeroll to the heavens here—I couldn’t help but agree with her.
Something was brewing in the air.
But besides that, I learnt more about the Blue Boys more and more with each day that passed at school.
One time when I was in the girl’s bathroom, some girls who were washing their hands, unaware that I was in one of the stalls at the back were talking about me.
“I bet she started with Noah.” One of the preppy girls says. Judging by the snotty shrill of her voice, I have a five dollar note that bets she’s a sophomore.
“Yeah, he’s the easiest one. Being a manwhore and everything.” Another says.
“Yeah but that won’t stop you from trying to get his attention, now does it? Tell me, did you finally get his number?” The first girl questions as I sit there on the closed toilet lid, waiting them out, enjoying their gossip despite myself.
“Urgh.” She groans. “No, I haven’t!” I can just about imagine that she’s stomping her feet, flailing her arms with that whine. “Surprisingly, his number is pretty hard to get. He isn’t even on Instagram anymore. Not since that bitch came back and her equally whorish friend.”
Noah literally lives on IG, but now I’m thinking he has a ghost account. I’ll have to ask Kim to investigate because I swear, he was checking out some thirst traps on IG when we were in English Lit class this morning.
“Oh please, you’re calling her a whore just because she’s prettier than you. I bet Kimberly and Astraea are the most beautiful girls in school and they have all three of the Blue Boys’ attention.” Another girl chimes in, her voice quieter. “Personally, I think her new haircut is fucking sexy. I think I might get my hair cut like that.”
Aww thank you sweetheart. I didn’t know you found me beautiful. And sexy even! I’m fluttered!
“I bet that’s why Brittney hates them so much!” Another girl giggles.
“Yeah, it’s about time Queen Toilet Face met her match!”
Queen Toilet Face? A laugh bubbles in my chest and I immediately bite my tongue, not wanting to let out a sound. I don’t want to snitch on myself!
“I heard from Jasper that she’s trying to rig the election.” Another girl says.
I fish out my phone and text both Noah and Kim the titbit of juicy gossip I just heard. Brittney is trying to steal the election huh, how interestingly pathetic is that? Then I listen in again.
“Do you think those two, Kimberly and Astraea, take turns to fuck the Blue Boys?” Another girl questions, genuine curiosity coloring her voice.
How many girls are in here? I think they all escort each other to the bathroom just for one of them to actually use the restrooms. And just as I’m thinking that, I hear the sound of the toilet flush and then the one of the stalls’ door opening.
“Oh my gosh, that’s so gross but at the same time so hot.” A new harder, much more bitchy voice speaks. I’m guessing she’s the one who was using the restroom and she’s also the queen bee of the group.
“But to answer your question sweetie, I don’t see Emmett or Alex sharing anything or anyone. They are too damn possessive alphaholes.” She purrs and the rest of the girls all sigh.
Here we go again.
“Besides, rumor has it that they have never had steady girlfriends before. Fucking girls, yes, but exclusivity isn’t in their nature.”
I rub my chest as soon as her words hang in the bathroom air like pin pricks targeted directly at me. I’m not a fool, I know Ace has fucked girls a lot before me. And then there was his hesitancy on putting a label on us. Maybe he really doesn’t do exclusivity.
“Hmm, I don’t know about that, have you seen the way they look at George’s sister. . .?” The girls’ voice trails off and they all fall silent.
“I miss George.” One of the girls then says as she breaks the silence.
So do I. I think to myself. I miss my brother so much.
“Yeah well, let’s get to class.” The first girl announces with a sigh.
Needless to say, after the cafeteria show and the almost-break-Brittney-hundred-thousand-dollar face-incident, Kim wasn’t able to go job hunting with me, so now after a week and a half, we’re finally doing the damn thing.
Kim and I have been from one small, chic and exclusive boutique store to another in search of a part time job with no luck in sight.
For the first time in my life, I feel like I really don’t fucking know what I’m doing.
“Seriously, Raea?” Kim questions, gasping for breath as she laughs at me.
All my life, I’ve had someone who just. . . .handled everything for me, even when I tried to be independent. For so long, it used to be George and then it was my aunt who later revealed herself to be nothing but a bitch, then I came back here. . .
So long story short, I’m useless when it comes to job hunting.
“I’ve known you for some time now and I think this is the first time I’ve actually felt your privilege.” Kim says with a laugh.
I groan.
“Come on. I didn’t know what she meant by experience in a similar position!”
“Yeah but you could have said you have never actually worked before, not telling her that you have maids at home that seem to do the folding of your clothes before you can!” Kim doubles over laughing.
“Stop it, you are making me feel. . . .”
“Stupid and spoiled?” She supplies, perfect brows arched.
“Yes.” I groan again, feeling uncomfortable and yes, stupid. Very stupid “But in my defense, the job she was interviewing us for was for folding freaking clothes and ironing shit.” I groan.
“Uhuh.” Kim says eyeing me.
“Yes!” I cry out but she’s still giving me that look.
“Tell the truth. You were. . .”
“Okay fine! I was absentminded!” I groan, my cheeks flaming with an embarrassed blush.
“I noticed.” Kim says with a chuckle. “At least pretend to be present this time around.” She says as we enter The Haven. “Take a whiff of that.” Kim groans as soon as the fried chicken smell and all the heavenly goodness that comes with it fills our nostrils.
“The Haven’s Fried Chicken!” I exclaim as I feel a smile coming on, my cheeks lifting up on their own volition. Yeah, things are looking up!
<
br /> “Damn, I’m hungry again.” She says as we both walk over to the counter. One of the workers behind the counter is faced away from us.
“Just a second, I’ll be with you just now.” Her soft, melodic yet sexy voice calls out to us.
“I missed this place.” I look around the restaurant. The Haven is not your typical fast food restaurant like Wendy’s or Chic-fil-a. It’s more on the up-scale side but at the same time, it’s not over the top. The pink, silver and black colors blend together so well that when I was younger, I always thought it looked almost magical.
Then there is the delicious, mouth watering scent. . .
Now that smell makes you feel like there is nothing magical or mythic about this place. Everything is real, authentic and just amazing. I’ve loved eating in here since. . .since the boys and I stumbled upon it when it first opened in Westbrook Blues.
“I bet everything they make here is made by hand, not some fancy machines.” Kim says.
“That’s exactly right. Here at The Haven, we do everything with heart and soul.” The girl behind the counter says as she turns around and faces us.
I look up at her with a smile. A smile that freezes on my face just as time seems to screech to a halt.
Everything stops dead in its tracks the moment our gaze connects.
Oh hell no.
I see the answering shock on her face as she takes me in, her eyes glued to my face, but she doesn’t seem all that shocked to see me. Her gasp is more on the side of ‘what are you doing here?’
“Oh my gosh.” She whispers, her beautiful eyes widening slightly as she looks at me.
But. I’m. Freaking. Frozen.
I keep blinking as I look at her. I can almost hear the sound of my heart breaking just like in those damn cartoons where they shape Tom’s heart breaking like a piece of pottery shaped in a heart.
My jealousy rears its ugly head as I take her in. Her beautiful face staring back at me.
“That was you?” My voice comes out as an accusation, taking her and Kim, as well as myself, by surprise.
Recognition fills her eyes as she looks at me, remembering the part of the night when her big Bambi kind eyes, locked on me. Only on that Friday night, there wasn’t a trace of the kindness that I’m seeing now.
The kindness that I hated so much when we were growing up.
Right now, those gorgeous orbs are wide with hurt and something else that I can’t really place as she looks at me like I just kicked her puppy. But I know this girl, she might look like an angel but she isn’t.
“Astraea?” She questions.
I remain mute, the image of Friday night flashing through my head. It was her. She’s the girl that Emmett didn’t shake off.
She’s the girl that looked at me like I was the Wicked Witch of the West. There was so much contempt and hate in her eyes on Friday night, it froze me to the spot.
She’s the girl that Ace was always nice to, maybe a bit too nice. And she? She soaked up all the attention.
She’s the gorgeous, show stopping girl that always made me feel so damn threatened by her nearness.
This is the stunning girl that made everything around me stop and suddenly I seized to exist.
She’s Spider’s sister.
She’s fucking Ivy Irving.
The girl who looks like she has the sun and the moon bowing at her feet.
And fuck me, she looks so fucking stunning now than she did when she single handedly destroyed my life repeatedly.
She’s also the girl that got Ace’s first kiss.
You see why I fucking feel tense towards her?
“Have you forgotten me, Astraea?” She questions, a sad, awkward smile now on her face as she watches me with those eyes that George once said could stop the fucking world.
Kim pokes me in the ribs and I shake my head a bit.
“Sorry, I zoned out there. I remember you Ivy!” I force some gush into my voice, enthusiasm that I’m obviously not feeling at all. I can hear Kim cringe beside me before she starts coughing to hide her laugh and shock.
How could I fucking forget you?
I stare at her. Hard.
“Oh, you are Ivy?” Kim rushes to fill in the silence as Ivy and I stare at each other. I quickly look at her.
Fuck you Kim, now she fucking knows that I’ve actually talked about her.
“That’s me.” Ivy says with a beautiful, radiant smile, her brown skin glowing like she has fucking diamonds embedded in her.
“Wow, you’re stunning!” Kim says, then she looks at me as if to say, ‘I thought you were over exaggerating’.
I stare back at her and then back at Ivy. Nope, I wasn’t.
“It’s so good to see you.”
Lie.
“I saw you at the party and wanted to say hey but Spider said you were really plastered.” She says.
Another thing I know about Ivy is that she is really smart, inquisitive and fucking bright. Her saying this is not to say that she is wondering why I was drinking as much as I was on Friday but instead she is trying to see if I remember the little exchange we shared after that fight.
Well bitch, I fucking remember!
“Yeah, it was a hard day.” I almost grit my teeth, remembering the way Emmett seemed to melt at her touch.
What is it about this girl? Fuck.
“Yeah uh, I’m Kimberly.” Kim says as she steps closer to the counter, taking out the folder with our resumes.
“We saw the ad that help is wanted here at The Haven and we would like to apply for any available positions that you might have.”
I want so desperately to stop Kim from talking simply because I don’t want to work with Ivy but the girl is so fucking nice, she makes me feel like I’m a bitch or something for feeling the animalistic kind of jealousy that I feel towards her.
As Kim talks, I watch as Ivy’s face transforms into this blooming smile as if she is watching the fucking fireworks display at Disney fucking Land.
Kill me now.
“Oh my gosh, yes!” She rushes to say. “We’ve been looking for part-time workers for a while now. Both of you are looking?”
She looks at me skeptically, a kind of look that makes it seem like she also can’t believe that a girl like me, with a name like mine, would be willing to work.
“Yes, we are both looking.” I say as I step forward, forcing a smile on my face.
The way Ivy is looking at me though, I don’t know but it’s just. . .
“That’s great! Let me just get the manager real quick. You guys can take a seat at the back booth, I’ll bring you two milkshakes. Astraea, do you still like your strawberry milkshake, with melon and vanilla syrup?” She questions as she looks at me expectantly.
“Uh. . .” I start.
“That’s your order?” Kim questions with a frown.
“What? My milkshake brings all the. . .”
“Don’t be cliché.” Kim cuts me off and Ivy starts laughing and surprise, surprise, her laugh is throaty, sweet and melodic. Urgh.
“Astraea?” Ivy prompts when she stops laughing.
I’m so stunned that she remembers my favorite shake from The Haven but then I remember she was also one of the girls here in Westbrook that actually treated me like a human being.
She never looked at me funny, she never bullied me, in fact, she always wanted to be my friend but whenever I saw the boys with her, especially Ace, I just couldn’t help but feel cold towards her.
“I’ll take that as a. . .”
“Yes.” I rush to say. “I would love to have my strawberry milkshake with melon and vanilla syrup please. And make it. . .”
“Extra cold. Brain freezing kind of cold.” We both speak at the same time.
We stare at each other for a beat and then we both start laughing.
“Oh God, it’s so good to see you. We have to catch up soon!” Ivy says.
“I’m holding you to that!” I say.
Another lie.
“He
y, if you get the job here, we’ll have plenty of time to catch up!” She says as she looks at me with that award-winning smile of hers.
“Uh, don’t mind me.” Kim starts. “I’ll just have a chocolate milkshake with strawberries, extra thick please. Then I would like a double cheeseburger for my girl here who looks like she’ll be taken by a light wind, as well as a bucket of fried chicken and fries.” Kim orders with a knowing smirk on her face.
I swat her arm.
“Just looking out for you.” She says with a wink.
Ivy laughs. Her laugh is melodic and breathy at the same time, I have no idea how she does it. I can see the boys seated at one of the tables closest to the counter look at her, transfixed by her.
“Of course, my bad, I like you!” She says to Kim, as she rings our order.
“You’re not so bad yourself.” Kim smiles back at her.
“Let me get the manager for you.” Ivy says and then she turns and disappears to the back.
“What the fuck?” I question Kim as soon as Ivy is gone. I glance at her, watching her shoulders moving up and down, her palm covering her mouth.
“You’re laughing?” I gasp, feeling stupidly offended. I turn on my heel and head to the back of the restaurant in a huff. “It’s not even funny.”
“You should have seen your face. You’re jealous of her, aren’t you?” Kim prompts.
“I’m not!”
“Yes, you are. I should have seen this on Friday, the way you described her. . .”
“I’m not jealous of any inch of her.” I try again, but even my own voice lacks conviction.
“Uhuh. You looked like you had seen the bane of your existence as soon as she turned around.”
That’s because I fucking did. Ivy is poison. Poison that will work against me if administered to the fucking boys that I just got back.
“And wow, you didn’t really describe just how drop dead gorgeous she is.” Kim goes on, watching me.
“Yeah, she’s even more stunning now than she was back then.” I grumble, looking around, trying not to meet Kim’s knowing gaze.
“Did you see the curves on her? She can bring any man to his fucking knees.” She goes on, baiting me.
Vicious Hate (Westbrook Blues Book 2) Page 27