“He has, kind of. I haven’t really given him much of a chance.”
Andrea smiles, “Well, you have been through a lot. You take all the time you need. He can sweat it out a bit.”
I smile back, grateful to have her in my life. I know I need to learn how to move past this bitterness that’s weighing me down. It’s fuel to my anger. Anger which scares me, to be honest. I don’t want to lose control ever again like I did with Tasha yesterday. I don’t want to become a monster like my brother.
When we get back to the house, Andrea helps me transform the creepy lilac bedroom into a contemporary lilac room with a hint of Lexi here and there. No more creepy dolls, no more floral, just white and grey tones that create a calmer space. I appreciate the time she has taken out of her day to spend with me, and it even surprises me when she makes me a sandwich before she leaves for her shift at the hospital. I never knew mums were like this.
Now alone in the house, I throw myself on my newly decorated bed and pull out my phone, noticing a voicemail, some messages from Rhys and Ayden, plus a heap of messages in the boy's group chat, which has been renamed to Lexi’s pack of hot beefcakes. That has to be Simon’s doing.
I open the group messages first.
Jared Crowley
What does one do when they don’t have to go to school, Lexi?
Simon Hastings
We miss you!
Do you miss us?
Shaun Bossier
Of course, she misses us. We are HOT!
Marcus Grady
You’re an idiot, Bossi!
Simon Hastings
We heard Marcus has snagged you, so you don’t need us as bed buddies anymore.
Shaun Bossier
That totally sucks, Lexi! I’m gonna miss our cuddle times!
Ayden Mitchell
Marcus has NOT snagged her!
Simon Hastings
Bit touchy, are we Aydo?
Shaun Bossier
Who’s going to watch The Office with me now?
Marcus Grady
She’s going to be too busy watching Stranger Things with me! ☺
Ayden Mitchell
Since when do you watch that shit, Marcus?
And if she’s watching it with you, then she’s watching it with me too!
Marcus Grady
Rhys got Lexi and me into it the other night. Good show.
Don’t dis’ it until you’ve watched it!
Simon Hastings
Lexi, when you get sick of these amateurs, you can always join Gaz and me for strip poker again.
Ayden Mitchell
WTF! You better be fucking joking, Hastings!
Simon Hastings
No joke, dude! The girl can play a mean hand of cards! She had me down to my jocks.
Little minx was checking me out too. Weren’t you Lexi?
That was right before we called it a night, and we slept on the floor.
Together.
Lexi was in the middle.
Ayden Mitchell
Fuck off, prick! You better watch your back!
Garrett Cole
Stop goading him, Hastings!
Simon Hastings
What? Ain’t you gonna tell him how you watched her take a shower, Gaz?
Ayden Mitchell
Motherfucker!
Garrett Cole
Well, no man! I’m pretty sure Lexi doesn’t want that info public knowledge.
Ayden Mitchell
Gaz man, you better be joking!!!!!!
Garrett Cole
It’s not what you think, so calm the fuck down!
Simon Hastings
Well, I mean, Gaz watched, but Marcus and Jared got in the shower with her.
Shaun Bossier
Simon man, cut the shit! Ayden has just walked out of class to hunt you fuckers down!!
Marcus Grady
Ayden, they are just fucking with you. It didn’t go down like that.
Simon Hastings
That’s a matter of opinion.
Marcus Grady
Ayden?
Simon Hastings
Are you serious, Shauno? Is he on his way here?
Shaun Bossier
He’s fucking gone man!
Holy shit! There are no more messages. I need to stop Ayden.
Lexi West
Ayden, STAND DOWN, PLEASE!!
While some of that stuff is true, the dickheads are twisting the truth to piss you off, and you’ve just walked right into their trap!
Ayden?
Shaun Bossier
Too late, Lexi. They are all up at the Principal’s office.
Lexi West
What? Who?
Shaun Bossier
Ayden, Simon, Gaz and Jared.
Lexi West
Fuck!
Marcus Grady
Don’t worry, Lex. I’ll sort these dickheads out.
Lexi West
I’m not speaking to any of you arseholes until you make this right!
Shaun Bossier
Hey! I’ve been well behaved!!
Lexi West
Fine! I’m only talking to you.
Shaun Bossier
☺ ☺
I can’t believe those arseholes stirred Ayden up like that! Wait. I take that back! I can totally believe it. Shitheads!
Shaking my head, I open Ayden’s private message that he must have sent right after he left for school.
Ayden Mitchell
Sorry about this morning. I guess I’m still pretty fucked up.
I really hope you are okay, and my mum isn’t hovering too much.
She felt terrible about what happened at my dad’s.
She was so upset with herself when she noticed you had left.
Anyway, I know you aren’t interested in talking to me right now because I was a total judgmental douche this morning, but I needed to reach out to apologise.
P.S. Knowing you are safe at my place is a load off my mind. X
I want to respond to Ayden’s message, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I’m scared. I’m not sure of what exactly, but I feel like I need to muster up some more courage before I have another heart to heart with him.
I decide to leave Ayden’s message for a bit, and I open the one from Rhys.
Rhys George
Girl, you are a badass, you know that?
Someone from your media class caught the best footage of you pummelling Tasha yesterday.
I swear it’s the best moment of my life. I thought the incident in the toilets was, but I was wrong.
This definitely tops it!!!! You are officially my best friend!!!
I know I’ve said that before, but I mean it way more this time ☺
No other bitch will cut it like you do!
Oh, and don’t forget about the party tomorrow night. Wear something slutty.
I’ll be in contact with times later. Maybe we can have another sleepover?
I’d forgotten about the party. Rhys had told me about it a couple of days ago and said she wanted to take me. She tried to sell the idea by saying it would be way sicker than the type of parties I usually attend. I’m not sure how she knows what that parties are like that I normally go to, but I never asked her to explain.
Lexi West
I think psycho is a better word to describe me than badass!
There’s legit something wrong with me. I hardly even remember what I did.
Can you send me the video?
I’ll have to double-check with Andrea if it’s okay for me to go to a party tomorrow night.
It’s weird as fuck having to ask someone for permission. I’ll try to be convincing.
After I hit send, it occurs to me that Andrea could very well say no. If she is my acting guardian, then I have to follow her rules. Jesus, that sounds suffocating. I’m not used to anyone caring where I am unless it benefits them.
Shaking those thoughts off, I hit the voicemail button and wait to listen to the messag
e.
“Alexis, it’s Maxwell… ah, your dad. You need to ring me back. Your little victim charade has gone on for long enough. If you don’t want to suffer the consequences of your actions, then you should probably think about behaving first. Call me. There are some things I need you to do for me.”
What the actual fuck!
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
What a dick! My dad actually thinks I will call him back and do “things” for him! Hell fucking no! Who does he think he is? Calling me and leaving a message basically saying that I’m making shit up and then telling me, not asking, but telling me to do stuff for him.
I hate him.
“Hey, here’s our girl.” Simon’s voice rips me from the toxic thoughts swirling in my head.
I’ve been sitting in the kitchen impatiently waiting for someone to get home. Being alone with my thoughts isn’t good right now. It’s re-sparked my anger, and I’m in a foul mood.
Following Simon through the back door, my pack, as Rhys likes to refer to them, quickly fills the small kitchen area in Marcus’s house.
I roll my eyes, “I’m not your girl Simon.”
He gives me a hazel-eyed wink and leans down, pecking my cheek before dropping his school bag by the wall and going to the fridge. I’m about to tell him off for dumping his bag when Jared, Garrett, and Shaun follow Simon’s lead and slap kisses on my cheek as they make their way past into the kitchen.
Marcus and Ayden are left standing by the door looking at me with expressions I can’t read, and I frown at Marcus, hoping to warn him off from doing what the other boys did.
I fail.
He gives Ayden a sideways smirk before stepping up and whacking his own kiss on my cheek.
“What the hell!” I hiss, shocked by the big hairy balls all the boys have grown overnight.
They all snicker to themselves from the kitchen while feeding their faces with fruit and potato chips.
“My turn,” Ayden whispers in my ear, jolting me in surprise. I hadn’t seen him approach.
Before I can push him away, warm lips press softly to my cheek. Well, not even really my cheek. More like his kiss lands on my lower cheek right next to my lips and then lingers a little too long. If I were to turn my head slightly, our lips would connect. I don’t though. Ten points to me for showing restraint!
I stand as Ayden walks by, joining the boys in the kitchen that now looks even smaller, filled with all six of them. Maybe boys is the wrong word to describe them. They are definitely closer to men now!
That’s when I notice Ayden’s bandaged hand. I look from it to the others and notice that Jared and Simon have faint bruising on their left eyes. Garrett, however, seems to be unscathed.
“Really? You actually punched them?” I glare at Ayden, and he just shrugs, biting into an apple, his blue eyes sparkling with mischief. My temper rises, something that happens too easily these days. Why does he have to be so infuriating?
“My face hurts, Lexi. You should look after me.” Simon pouts, and I notice the smallest tick in Ayden’s jaw when my eyes flick back to him. He really doesn’t like the way my pack flirts with me.
“Actually, Simon, I think you deserve what you got.” Folding my arms across my chest, I shoot him a glare.
“What? Why?” Simon cries, slapping his hand over his heart as if what I said is the most preposterous thing ever. He looks a little more unkempt than usual. His longish ash-blonde hair is messy and falls over his eyes, and his uniform is creased and twisted.
“You poked the bear.” Is all I say, and I don’t miss the smirk Ayden tries to hide.
“Maybe he shouldn’t be so easy to poke.” Garrett sneers, shooting blue-grey daggers at Ayden, but Ayden doesn’t bat an eyelid. He just continues to take bites out of his apple before clearing his throat.
“I need some answers.” Ayden draws my attention as he looks from the guys to me, “Can someone please fill me in on the real details?”
“You don’t need me for this.” I turn to leave the room, not wanting to relive everything that’s happened over the last couple of weeks, but Ayden moves quickly, darting out of the cramped kitchen to block my exit.
“Lex, please. Those pricks won’t tell me the truth. Stay and talk to me.” His ocean eyes draw me in like they have done so many times before, and I find myself nodding before I realise I’m doing it.
“Let’s take this to the living room,” Marcus announces, and the guys grab their food and file out behind him.
I follow reluctantly. It’s not too late to do a runner, is it?
Jared and Garrett take a seat on the couch, while Marcus and Shaun take the armchairs, and Simon takes the floor. Even though I know it will annoy Ayden, I pop my arse in between Jared and Garrett on the couch, trying to avoid his glare.
“He’s a touchy motherfucker, isn’t he?” Garrett whispers in my ear, and I giggle.
If looks could kill, then Ayden would have just killed Garrett.
“Hurry up, bro. What do you want to know?” Shaun urges Ayden, only annoying him more.
“What’s the shower incident?” Oh, he just had to go straight to the most humiliating thing first, didn’t he?
No one speaks, all eyes falling on me. Okay, I’m ready for the earth to open up and swallow me now! Waiting… Waiting… Waiting… Crap!
Lifting my feet up onto the couch, I wrap my arms around my knees, resting my head on them.
“I don’t want to talk about it.” It’s all I can manage, and Ayden comes to sit in front of me on the coffee table, concern etched over his beautiful face.
“Lex.” He pleads, and Marcus sighs.
“I’ll tell him, Lex. It will at least shut him up.”
“Fuck you, Marcus!” Ayden hisses, shooting his cousin a death glare before dragging his eyes back to me. I duck my head and hide like the coward I am, staring into my lap.
“We were at Simon’s for the night,” Marcus speaks up, saving me. “The next morning, Lexi was taking a shower, and this dickhead was walking around with his earphones blaring in his ears, not paying attention.”
“Fuck you, Grady!” Garrett hisses at Marcus.
I reach out and grab Garrett’s hand, holding it in mine to try and calm him. I know how bad he feels about that whole incident. I don’t blame him for it at all.
“Then he walked in the bathroom where Lexi was showering, not fucking cluing in that the bathroom was occupied until he heard her screaming over his music.”
Garrett surges to his feet and goes to storm out, but I leap up and latch onto his arm, turning my glare to Marcus. “What the fuck, Marcus! What is your problem?”
“Hey, don’t shoot the messenger. If you want to blame anyone for bringing this shit up, blame your boyfriend!” Marcus scoffs, holding his hands up in surrender.
“He’s not my boyfriend. Why are you being such a prick?”
Ayden stands from the coffee table, ignoring my squabble with his cousin, and moves to Garrett’s side, looking him dead in the eyes. I’m not sure what he’s doing, but he stares hard and long at Garrett before a softness overtakes his features, and he looks to me in question.
“I’m still screwed in the head, Ayden. I didn’t see Garrett walk into the bathroom. I saw Mike.”
Realisation dawns on Ayden’s face, and he shifts his eyes back to Garrett, offering him his hand. Garrett takes it, and they do some sort of bro hug. Then, saying nothing, Ayden takes my hand and leads me back to the couch.
Ugh. Guys are so weird!
Moving back to the coffee table, Ayden keeps his eyes on me, “You had another panic attack?”
Nodding, I feel the shame crawl up my spine like a hairy spider.
“Marcus and I helped Lexi. We made sure she was covered up and took care of her. No one mistreated her.” Jared offers the information, which comes across a lot fucking kinder than how Marcus was re-telling it.
Ayden gives a nod before shooting his glare to Simon, “Strip poker?”
“Okay, okay,
look.” Simon puts up his hands in surrender, “I was the only one that stripped, and not just because Lexi was kicking my arse at the game, but because I was trying to be a funny bastard. She needed laughter in her life, and I delivered. There’s no way I would have taken my jocks off, though. I’ll only do that if she asks. Besides, if I had of, there’s no way she would have wanted you back.”
In a blur of movement, Ayden is off the coffee table with Simon’s feet barely touching the ground as he lifts him by the scruff of his school shirt. Curse's fly, Garrett and Shaun leaping up to talk Ayden down while all I seem to be able to do is watch.
I don’t remember Ayden being this aggressive or angry. Well, unless you count the day after the incident with Muz and the drugs. There was definitely aggression then.
Marcus, the arsehole, is still lounging back in the armchair, looking like a smug prick. What the fuck is his problem? What is going on?
Deep (Heavy Hearts Book 2) Page 19