by Amanda Heath
With that I turn back to my book and ignore them. I don’t even listen to their conversation this time. Before long though my phone goes off. It’s from Rachel.
Did you seriously just tell off Pierce?
I roll my eyes. Seems someone in here is spreading around everything I do.
I told him to leave me out of it. I’m just going to school here, I don’t want in on the drama.
I reply and put the phone back in my lap. I leave the screen facing up but get back to my book. It’s not long before she texts me back.
Honey, you just bought yourself into the drama. No one talks back to Pierce. No one threatens him. You just might be in a world of pain.
Just great.
Thankfully my next class had no one in it that I know. Seems I’ve got enough bad going for me. I don’t want anyone else to hate me and cause me to hate this place more.
My seventh period class though, it’s the worse. Everyone is in this class. I’m talking Channing, Vince, and Lola in Brody’s lap, Jasmine, Rachel, Pierce, Annabella and all the other people who were glaring at me in my fifth period.
YAY!
Chapter 9
“REALLY, BRODY?” CHANNING spits out, glaring at my cousin. Brody lifts up from Lola long enough to smirk at him. Then he goes back in for more. Gross.
Rachel is sitting at a table by herself looking down at her phone. She looks up when I walk in and starts waving me over. Fine by me, as long as I don’t have to sit with Channing.
Courtney and his group take up the remaining tables. He glares at me but I ignore him. He and his buddies are the least of my worries.
“Oh my god, I didn’t know we had free period together!” she squeals happily.
I just roll my eyes and sit across from her. “Do those two ever stop making out?” I ask her quietly.
It’s her turn to roll her eyes. “They have been together since freshman year. Been making out in front of everyone since then too. But I’ve never met two people more suited. Or more faithful.” She sighs dreamily and whispers, “They’ll get married right out of high school and have beautiful babies.”
I raise my right eyebrow and frown, “Do you want to get married right out of high school? And have beautiful babies?”
“No, but I’m a huge sucker for a romance. Those two actually love each other. Yeah they make out a lot, and do other things, but that just means they can’t stop touching. Even after three years, they’re still hot for each other.” She sighs again and I try not to gag.
I pull my backpack out and rummage through it. We have a worksheet due in AP English tomorrow, and it full of essay questions. I want to get started so I have a little time to spend with BeeBee after school.
“Royal, you big asshole! Why are you always late?” Brody yells out. I sit up and blink my eyes. I’m surprised he stopped sticking his tongue down Lola’s throat long enough to talk.
“Because I was boning your mom,” a deep male voice says from the classroom door. I turn around to meet a pair of deep brown eyes. His features make my breathing pick up and my knees tingle. Long, straight nose, high cheekbones, and perfect brow all surround those perfect brown eyes. His black polo fits his form almost too perfectly. His grey slacks leave nothing to the imagination. His longish brown hair falls into his eyes, giving him a devilish look. His eyes sparkle at me and his full lips give off a sexy little grin. Dayum….
“Mouth off the floor, Vaughn,” Channing’s smoky voice breaks through my lust filled head. I whip my head towards him and glare.
I’m about to say something when doorway hottie speaks, “Jealous, Southerland?” He makes his way to our table and sits down, never breaking eye contact with Channing. “Heard she had you weak in the knees earlier today.”
You could have heard a pin drop, everyone shut up that fast.
“Royal! Have you lost your mind?” Rachel snaps, slapping him on the back of the head. “I’m sorry Channing, he didn’t eat his breakfast this morning.” She glares daggers at the newcomer.
“You were always defending him,” Royal mutters, pulling his backpack up from the floor. He pulls out a textbook and opens it, ignoring the rest of us.
Everyone seems to take their cues from him and start working on homework. Even me. I’m not exactly sure what just happened, but I could feel the violence in the room. Either there is bad blood between Royal and Channing, or they usually act like this.
I choose to let it go. It’s none of my business. Besides I really don’t care. Someone really needs to beat the crap out of Channing, or pull the stick out of his butt.
I’m almost done with my worksheet when the god sitting beside me starts to talk. “Rach, tell Mom I’ll be late for dinner.” He closes his book and stretches his arms over his head. I nearly faint when little peaks of his abs show from under his polo.
“Why? Where are you going to be?” she questions, never looking up from her own textbook.
Royal brings his arms down and places them on the table. “Coach is making Channing and I swim laps after school.” This makes me wonder if they got into a fight or something on campus.
“What did y’all do now?” she asks now, still never looking up from her book.
He clears his throat and meets my eyes, there’s a friendly gleam there, and I feel myself giving him a little grin. “That jack hole, Michael Butler, slashed Channing’s tires last week. So we kind of took the motor out of his and left it on the football field.”
This makes Rachel look up from her book. She notices us looking at each other and squints her eyes. “I don’t even want to know. And quit trying to hit on Paisley. You’re only going to make Channing mad. Then you won’t have a best friend anymore.” She huffs and takes out her cell phone, effectively ignoring us now.
“Paisley,” he states softly, and I’m not going to lie here, my toes totally curled. “What a pretty name, for a very beautiful girl.” And now I’m freaking blushing.
Rachel sets her phone down, loudly. “Give me a break! Paisley did you just fall for that?” She stands up then and starts putting her stuff away. “Get up girl. Royal will only use you to get back at Channing. They have this bet to see who can get a girl’s number the fastest.” She walks around to my table and starts putting my stuff away for me. “And he’ll sleep with you and forget your name afterward. Trust me I know.”
I just blink and let her pick my crap up. I don’t normally like for someone to tell me what to do, but I think she’s right on this one. Royal screams “man-whore” and “commitment-phobe”. She finally lifts my bag up and hands it to me. “Nice to meet you.” I smile softly and follow Rachel out into the hallway.
“Jesus! Why does he do this to me? Every freaking time!” she rants as we walk down the hallway. I follow behind at a slightly slower rate and try not to laugh. Rachel is very dramatic. “Every time I get a new friend, he sleeps with her. Well he’s not going to sleep with you, Paisley.” She turns around to make sure I’m still following her. “Then that a-hole has the nerve to scare off every single guy I might want to date. How the hell is a girl supposed to lose her virginity when she has Royal Sanders breathing down all her dates’ necks!” I finally take pity on her and grab her arm.
“You can stop yelling about him. I’m not going to sleep with him. I’m not that kind of girl.” I let her arm go and walk around her still form. I might be a lot of things, but I’m definitely not a slut. I refuse to sleep around to get what I want, not that I really want anything to begin with. I’m not going to let some smooth talking Casanova (no matter how hot his is) get in my pants. I’m also not going to let a certain douche canoe get another rile out of me. I’m done with that stuff. Now’s the time to get an amazing education and go to a great college. I can finally do something with my life. I don’t have to find a crappy job and make minimum wage anymore. I can do whatever the hell I want. For the first time in my life.
A huge grin breaks out on my face.
I know school isn’t even out yet, but I hea
d out the front doors. Like I said, I’m going to whatever I want. Plus if what everyone keeps telling me is true, I won’t get in trouble for leaving early. So I’m going to do it.
I don’t know if Rachel is still behind me or not, and I don’t care. I burst out the front doors and head to my car. I rode in with Kellan and Brody, but I’m sure they can find their own rides home. I get inside Dancer, roll the windows down, and turn the radio up. Mile Cyrus’s “We Can’t Stop” immediately comes on. All I can think is how fitting it is.
***
The second I get home, I run up to BeeBee’s room. We sit and play for an hour, before I tell her I have to go to my room and do homework. She hugs me and goes back to playing. I feel a tiny ping in my chest, but I’m starting to realize this was the right move to make. And I’m starting to feel okay about it.
I make it down to my house in no time. Maggie sits on the front porch, tongue hanging out and panting. I grin big at her and let us in. Thankfully I have no guests and I head into the kitchen to make my own dinner. I’m sure there’s a chef in the big house who makes the food. I’d rather eat something I made myself.
Carly likes to say I’m a contradiction, seeing as I like to bake and work on cars. I told her I think its wrong to base such actions on gender. So what I like to work on cars? They are awesome. And so what if my cupcakes melt in your mouth and leave you wanting more. I’m a chick, and I’m proud of my hobbies. They make me who I am and give me joy. I don’t understand the world sometimes. If you love something go after it, do it until you die. There’s no use being miserable over denying who you are. You’ll feel awesome if you just give in.
I decide to make spaghetti, as it’s simple and easy. I love meatballs but I honestly don’t have the strength to mess with them right now. It isn’t long before I’m sitting at my bar, slurping down noodles covered in delicious red sauce. Maggie comes over and sniffs. She sits on her butt and blinks up at me. I only roll mine. At least she’s not begging like Carly’s little Boston terrier used to do. He was an idiot. He ran out into the road and got run over by a big truck. Carly cried for three days. I buried him. And that’s was because no one else was going to do it.
Anyway, I get up and make a plate for Maggie. I’m not sure I should be feeding a pure bred dog table scraps, but if it makes her happy. And by the sounds coming from the kitchen floor, she’s very happy.
I turn my head as my phone starts beeping. I groan and walk over to it, seeing the message is from Rachel.
I’m coming over! Parents bailed on dinner and no one is home.
It occurs to me, that Rachel seems a bit lonely. I guess money can’t buy you friends. Well not true friends anyway.
Okay. I live in the guesthouse.
I throw the phone on the counter and go into the living room. I turn on the TV and change the channel to Fuse. I like to listen to music while I do my homework. It’s only been twenty minutes when I hear a knock on the door. “Come in!” I yell.
Rachel’s brown head pops in before shutting the door. She has her backpack behind her and then throws in on my coffee table. “I can’t believe Mrs. Vaughn gave you the guest house. Kellan and Brody have been trying to get this place since they were eleven!”
“I raised my little sister. I guess Grandma wanted me to live separate from BeeBee, and learn to be a teenager. I like it so far.” I start turning pages in my book and look up at her. “I’ve always liked being alone.”
She smirks. “Channing likes to be alone too.”
I only roll my eyes.
After a while, we get everything done and I’m nearly bursting at the seams to ask her about Courtney Pierce. So I do. “Tell me about Courtney.”
She rubs her eyes before she speaks, smearing mascara down her face. “It’s weird to hear someone call him Courtney. He goes by his last name, Pierce. Anyway, Channing’s dad was married to Pierce’s mom before he was married to Channing’s mom. They had a daughter, Ashley. They got divorced and married other people. Word is Channing’s dad barely had anything to do with him. Channing’s mom was something else and I guess he blames his dad for leaving him with her.”
“I knew all that, I want to know about him. I did have to threaten the guy,” I mutter. I make a face at the black streaks across her face.
She laughs before trying to clear off her smeared makeup. “He’s dating this girl, Nora. She should be in your Spanish class, too. Anyway, he’s been all buddy, buddy with his older brother’s girlfriend, Annabella.” I smile and Rachel notices. “You’ll like her. She doesn’t give a damn about anyone or anything except for Pierce and Donovan, Donovan being her boyfriend. Oh, and Victor, her older brother. They grew up six years apart, but they are super close. I don’t know a lot about them because they run in another circle.”
“That sucks. I don’t want on Annabella’s bad side.” I sigh and sit back on the couch. “Well if he messes with me anymore, I’ll just have to endure her wrath.”
“If he does something to hurt you, don’t worry about it because she’s be the first one in line to beat his ass.”
Chapter 10
WE SPENT THE night doing homework and getting to know each other. Rachel is really cool. I like the fact she wants to be a writer, even if she wants to write romance. She’s never been in love, but loves the allure of it. I’ve never been in love and I honestly don’t plan on it. What would I do with a guy? Sex isn’t important to me. Besides every single I guy I have ever known got on my nerves. Yeah, Channing has the ability to turn me on, but you don’t see my jumping his bones. Royal is pretty hot, but I’m not going to have sex with him just to have sex. I want it to mean something.
The days of the week started turning into weeks. They flashed before my eyes until I couldn’t remember what it was like before my mom died. It was like I lived an entire other life, one where things sucked. While I truly believe money doesn’t buy you happiness, it buys you everything you need. For example, I was malnourished before I moved here. Now I’ve got a little meat on my bones. Grandma says I’m like her and have a high metabolism. I guess I never noticed before considering I was always hungry. Now I can literally get up in the middle of the night and eat whatever the hell I want.
I also started swimming in the pool. You know since I’m staying in the pool house/guest house, I might as well start using the pool. Apparently it’s heated, so it’s never cold. I’ve started building muscle too. My arms were already a little built since I had to cart BeeBee around. But now my legs, butt, and stomach are toned.
About the time I noticed my body was looking better, was the same time everyone else did. I never really thought of myself as pretty, I just thought I’m me. Who cares. But Carly always went on and on about how beautiful I am. I’m only starting to realize she might have been right. Considering these boys have money of their own, I know they aren’t after me for that.
Rachel says I’m apathetic about my new life. She has a point. I went the entire first two weeks at my new school without noticing anyone was staring at me. She pointed out to me that the very first day, everyone was staring at me. This makes me feel uncomfortable, but hey, it’s not like I can do anything. They would only stare more if I stood up at lunch and went, “Stop staring, nothing to see here.”
Now though, I only notice it because these people started talking to me. Mostly guys. I can’t tell you have many times I’ve been asked for my number, or out on a date. I politely turn everyone down. Like I said, I don’t want a man. Hell, at this point, I’ll probably have more money than any guy I would ever end up with. So yeah, I don’t NEED a man.
Rachel though, has other plans. She won’t shut up about Channing and how much we should get together. I only brush her off; she’s not all that serious about it. I think she knows it bothers me, so she keeps doing it until I say something. I only tell her to shut up, I haven’t snapped…yet.
Royal, who if you didn’t hear, is Rachel’s twin brother. I didn’t notice how similar they looked until way later. Like I
said, I’m not really even paying attention to anyone. I’m just living in limbo, waiting for what I don’t know. I think one day it will hit me what I want to do with my life, but until then, I’m going to keep over-looking everything else. I spent the majority of my life thinking I was going to grow up and do one thing, when all of a sudden I’m told I can do whatever the hell I want.
Anyway, Royal keeps acting like he wants in my pants. I’m pretty confused about him. He’ll hit on me in class, but after I answer, he’ll look to see if Channing is paying attention. Like Channing gives a crap if Royal’s hitting on me. I was surprised by Royal that first day, but now I’ve noticed, I’m only attracted to his face. I’ve gotten to know him better, and he just doesn’t make my heart race, my palms sweat, or get my engines revving. This drives him crazy. He says all the time, “It kind of drives me nuts you don’t want in my pants. Everyone wants in my pants, expect Rach. And now you.” I always reply, “You should be happy Rach doesn’t want in your pants, that would be just disgusting.”
The other three girls try to be friendly, but none of us makes much of an effort. I don’t really want to be friends with them; we don’t have anything in common. They are always worried about their hair, their makeup, and their clothes. I just don’t give a crap about that stuff.
As for my family, things have gotten better. I think they were letting me adjust the first week, because no one ever really bothered me. Now they are always up my butt. Kellan and Brody are always around. Brody most of the time is texting Lola or making out with Lola. Though when she’s not around he makes time to talk to me. He’s really funny and sweet, though he gives me hard time about not dating. I guess since he’s happy, he thinks everyone else should be too.