Ruined (The Hazed Series Book 3)

by Brittany Butler

  “There won’t be any drama. If she brings someone here, I’ll kill him. End of story.”

  “Oh my god. Turn the light off and calm down.”

  I walked over and switched the light off. I sat on Taylor’s bed, pulled out my phone, and began mindlessly looking at social media. I never got on anything, but I needed something to keep my mind off of her.

  Minutes later, the door opened again. Taylor flipped the light on and I stood up. She screamed until she realized it was me. I looked at Lea, then brought my finger to my lips. She turned the light off and switched the lamp on her table.

  “What the hell are you doing here?” She asked, walking to me

  I looked her over in the dark light. She was wearing a dress, and too made-up to be out with a friend. I swallowed my anger.

  “My sister lives here.”

  “I call bullshit,” she said, annoyed.

  “Okay, so I wanted to see you?” I stepped closer to her, letting her see me taking her in. “You look beautiful. Where have you been?”

  She looked up, avoiding my eyes. “Out with a friend.”

  “What friend? Did this friend get you the flowers?” I pointed to the flowers.

  “Yeah, it was nothing,” she said. Her face was flushed.

  I pinched the bridge of my nose. Blowing up would get us nowhere. “After you made a big fucking deal about cheating.”

  “I didn’t cheat on you! It seems like you forgot we aren’t even really together!”

  I closed the small distance between us, getting close to her face. “So, you are telling me if I went out on a date with another girl, you’d be okay with that?”

  Her nostrils flared with anger, then she dropped her head, looking at her feet. She didn’t want to admit I was right. She nags me about every little damn thing. I know exactly how she would react to me going out with a girl. Even while we were doing her little space shit she wanted.

  “Answer me,” I said.

  “No! I wouldn’t be okay with that! Are you happy now?” She yelled, balling her fists at her side.

  “Far fucking from it! Who was it?”

  Her eyes went wide. “What?”

  “Who. Was. It.” I stressed each word through clenched teeth.

  “You don’t know him, just a guy from class,” she said, looking off.

  I folded my arms across my chest, smirking. “Try me, I grew up here and I have worked at the busiest bar in town for two years.”

  “Corey.”

  I look at her, waiting for her to laugh or say she’s joking. Surely I heard her wrong. I wasn’t sure who I was madder at. I specifically went to him and told him to stay away from her.

  “Oh, just that guy? The one that mauled you in the bar?”

  “He put his arm around me. I think you are overreacting a little,” she said.

  “Have you lost your damn mind?”

  “Obviously!” She yelled, looking me over. She wasn’t cutting me any slack. She knew I was keeping stuff from her, but it didn’t give her a right to go out with other guys. She should trust that I’ll tell her everything she needs to know.

  “Did he touch you?”

  “Hayze,” she whined.

  “No, Taylor, humor me. What did you do on this date?” I asked. I was furious and I needed to know every detail when I paid him a visit. “Remember our first date, Taylor? Did history repeat itself?”

  “Are you suggesting I slept with him? He kissed me! And I left after that!”

  I grabbed the roses and sent them flying across the room. That didn’t satisfy my anger, so I slapped everything off of her desk. When she looked at me, she cracked.

  “I’m sorry, Hayze…After the hospital thing I just, I didn’t know where we stand and that guy asked.”

  “If you would’ve just asked you wouldn’t have to question that. C’mon Taylor, I told you it wouldn’t happen again.”

  “How am I supposed to know that?” She stalked away from me to the closet. She pulled her dress off, kicked her shoes in the corner and tugged a shirt over her head.

  “You’re turning this around on me?”

  She threw her covers back and laid in bed. I crawled over beside her, hoping she could calm me down. Instead, she balled her hands into fists and slammed her hands down.

  “I’m not turning this around! You started this entire thing. I worried all night about you and it didn’t help that everyone in the damn world seemed to know what was going on except me! And you still won’t even tell me the truth,” she said.

  “I told you what happened, Taylor.”

  She propped on her elbows, inches away from my face. “I think you are lying.”

  “Well, I’m not.”

  “I think you should leave, Hayze,” she said, turning away from me.

  “I’m not going anywhere until we figure our shit out!”

  “You lied to me and I went out with another guy. There. Done,” she said, throwing her hands in the air.

  “Not done. I’m not leaving you while you are this mad.”

  “Oh, yes you are! I’m always mad when you’re around! I think I sense a pattern,” she said. She grabbed my arm, pulling me to the door.

  I followed behind her, stopping when I got there. Her green eyes were like fire, and her face was flushed with anger.

  “Look we’ve both said some shit we don’t mean, let’s just sleep it off and talk tomorrow,” I said.

  She opened the door, pushing me out. “Great idea.”

  She attempted to close the door, but I caught it with my foot. “Goodnight Hayze,” she said, impatiently.

  “I meant sleep it off together…”

  “My mind’s made,” she said.

  She put her hand on my chest, guiding me from the door. She slammed it and immediately locked it. I banged on it, hoping she would give up and let me in.

  She’ll regret letting me leave, I thought as I walked to my Mustang.

  It took ten minutes to get to the frat house. I parked in the middle of the drive-way. I wouldn’t be here long. I walked in, immediately seeing Joel.

  He walked up, clapping my shoulder. “You made it.”

  “Where’s Corey?”

  He looked at me, confused. “He was in the kitchen. C’mon.”

  I followed behind him, shoving through the crowd. I don’t know how they did this every night. I was tired of being here already. I found his dumb-ass in the corner, talking to some chick.

  He saw me coming and the color drained from his face. He knew what this was about. I didn’t come here to talk or discuss. I’ve already said everything I need to say. I was going to beat his ass to a pulp and leave.

  “Haven’t seen you around here in a while,” he said over the music as I walked up.

  The look on his face was priceless as I sent my fist flying. One hit was all I got. Everyone swarmed in as he stumbled back into the wall. Joel grabbed me, pushing me back.

  “I warned you! If I have to come back, your friends won’t be around to save you,” I yelled as Joel shoved me through the room.

  “What the hell are you thinking?” He asked when we got outside.

  “I warned him at the bar to leave Taylor alone…That fucker took her out tonight,” I said, still seething.

  He ran his hand down his face, shaking his head. “Hayze, he didn’t force the girl to go out with him. She’s playin’ you, man. Let her go.”

  I shook my head. Not a good time to piss me off, Joel. “She’s pissed at me because I won’t tell her what’s going on with me.”

  “So, she’s mad at you, and goes out on a date with another guy and you punch him for it? Are you hearing yourself?” He asked, looking at me like I’m stupid.

  My jaw clenched, and I took a step back. I didn’t want to hit him, but he was pissing me off. “I’ve never liked that guy and I told him to stay away from her. You’re missing the whole point.”

  “No, you’re missing it. Think about what I’m telling you. She went out with Corey whi
le she’s supposed to be dating you…She’s not as innocent as you think.”

  I stepped closer to him, stopping inches from him. “Don’t fucking talk about her like that.”

  He stepped away. “Look man, I’m going back inside. You go home and calm your ass down.”

  Nodding, I walked to my Mustang and left. He was right, our relationship was dysfunctional. It was bringing down everyone around us, but I’ll be damned if I’m letting her go. We’ll figure out shit out.

  23

  THANKSGIVING

  Lea scratched her head, staring into space. She was packing her clothes into a backpack, determined to get out of here for a few days. Our classes ended for the week just an hour ago, and I came in here for advice. And hoping I’d run into Taylor. I think it annoyed her that I showed up here, which only made me want to do it more.

  “So, your mom thinks Taylor’s coming to Thanksgiving, but you haven’t asked her?”

  “No, Lea,” I practically growled. “You know how she is…She asked me to bring her and just assumed I would and jumped ahead.”

  “Are you asking her?” She asked, amused. I don’t know why I talked to her about this stuff. She only made it worse.

  “She can go meet Corey’s family,” I said.

  “When are you gonna wake up and see she only did that because you aren’t open with her? Make an effort…Ask her. Trust me.”

  The door opened as Lea stuffed an earbud in her ear. Lea waved once, smiling. Her eyes drifted from Lea to me. As always, her face was unreadable.

  “You’re cleaning?” She asked.

  She popped out an ear bud, smiling. “Yeah, I guess so. We’ll both be gone for Thanksgiving break…”

  “I don’t think I’m going home for Thanksgiving,” she said. Lea looked at me, raising her eyebrows.

  “I’m not either, but I’m not staying in this shithole all week.” She shrugged, cutting her eyes to me. “What are you doing over the break?”

  “What I do every year,” I deadpanned. I laid on Lea’s bed, propping against her headboard.

  “You should go see your mom,” she said.

  “You should see yours.”

  She threw her hands up, frustrated. That was probably a dick move of me, but she shouldn’t bring up my shit either.

  “If I had the type of mom you have I wouldn’t give a second thought about going home! I wouldn’t skip holidays,” she said.

  “Knock it off, Lea. Thanksgiving, Christmas…They’re just another day.”

  “Maybe to you, but your mom would be thrilled if you went,” she said.

  “She has Glenn.”

  “I’ll go with you,” she said, looking at Taylor from the corner of her eyes. She’ll never let this go. If I took Taylor over there, it would be weird for everyone.

  “If you wanna go somewhere, just go see our brother’s in Colorado and get off my back,” I said.

  “Hayze…” She whined.

  “Oh, for fucks sake,” I sighed, exasperated. I pushed myself up, looking at Taylor. Rip it off like a Band-Aid. “Taylor will you go with me to my mom’s for Thanksgiving? Apparently it’s a huge fuckin’ deal.”

  Her brows shot up as she laughed. “Uh, when you put it like that…Sure.”

  Lea clapped her hands in victory. “Your mom is going to be so excited!”

  Lea grabbed her phone, grinning as she texted. I fought the urge to grab it and slam it into the wall. I knew what she was doing. She was getting my mother worked up over nothing. I tapped on my leg anxiously waiting for Lea to finish.

  “Can someone explain to me what’s going on?” Taylor asked.

  No.

  “Hayze has fuckin’ Mother Teresa for a mom and he won’t even go see her,” Lea said.

  “Ok, so, what’s up with your mom? Why won’t you go home?” Taylor asked, watching Lea.

  She pushed her hair from her face, fidgeting. “We just don’t get along. I stayed with my grandparents or Hayze’s mom growin’ up.”

  Seeing where the conversation was going, I stood up. I couldn’t stay here if Taylor was going to ask her way through my life while Lea gave her answers. Pretty soon they’d be discussing my drug of choice.

  “Hey Taylor, I’ll call ya later,” I said, walking over. I touched her arm, thinking about hugging her, but decided against it. As I walked out of the door I looked at her. She was watching me with puppy dog eyes. I couldn’t care for her the way she wanted to be cared for.

  ****

  The next day, I loaded their backpacks in the trunk of my Mustang. I looked around, making sure I got the bags, then slammed the trunk. Lea’s in the back, engrossed with phone.

  “Sorry…Texting your mom, I don’t want her to stroke out when you show up with a girl,” she said. I rolled my eyes. I knew what that meant. They were gossiping. I’m sure at this point, my mom knew everything that has happened between Taylor and me.

  “Save the effort. She knows about Taylor.”

  “Oh,” she mumbled, looking baffled.

  Taylor got in the passenger seat as I started the engine. I grabbed her hand, pushing the boundaries. She doesn’t pull away. Smiling, I drove from the campus and down the narrow street.

  “Why aren’t you going home?” I asked.

  “I use every excuse I can to stay away from that place,” she said, staring out the window.

  “So, you’re using me to stay away from your family?” I asked and she smiled.

  “No…I wasn’t going anyway,” she said, smiling at me. “But now I have a place to go.”

  Excluding Nirvana, the drive was silent after that. Lea was texting, occasionally giggling and getting on my nerves. I turned in the older subdivision, hating that we were coming here. I was going to be trapped. I pulled up to the house and parked. My mom, of course, ran out, making a scene of crying. Glenn walks out and rests his hand on her back. Probably just showing me that he thinks he’s in control here.

  “Hayze,” she chokes out as she wraps her arms around me.

  Taylor walked up, holding her backpack. My mom’s face practically crumbled when she saw her.

  “You have no idea how long I have waited for you,” my mother said.

  I rolled my eyes. Taylor offered her hand, but she pulled her into a hug. “I’m Taylor.”

  “I’m Janelle. It’s chilly out, c’mon inside dear,” she said, pulling my hand. She leaned into me. “She is so pretty.”

  I nodded. Way to be inconspicuous, Mother.

  “This is Glenn,” my mother tells Taylor. Glenn waved at her, not bothering to speak. “I hope you kids are hungry.”

  “I am!” Lea said.

  “Oh, Hayze show Taylor where she can put her things.”

  I threw my arm over her shoulder, guiding her through the hall. Away from prying eyes, I kissed her on the forehead before opening the door I said I’d never cross through again.

  I stood in the center of the room, watching her take everything in. She stopped at the pictures, studying each one. I knew there would be questions, so I walked over and opened up to her. Maybe if she saw I was making an effort, she wouldn’t push me.

  “That’s my dad,” I said, walking up behind her. She looked back at me, smiling.

  “You look just like him.”

  And act like him. I took a step, motion around the room. “You can just throw your bag anywhere.”

  “Your mom’s going to let me sleep in here with you?” She asked, watching me skeptically. I didn’t ask if she wanted to sleep in here with me, but I hoped she would.

  “Yeah,” I said. I pulled her bag from her arm, setting it on the floor.

  “My parents would not be down for that, well, my dad wouldn’t…”

  “Yeah? Well, this isn’t your house and my dad’s not a preacher,” I said, chuckling.

  “Where’s Lea staying?” She asked, looking away from me.

  “She has her own room down the hall. She used to stay a lot when we were in school,” I said, walking toward the ro
om.

  She followed behind me as we walked into the kitchen. Lea hits the stove as it rings. Then she bent down and grabbed the turkey from the oven and placed it on the table.

  “Is there anything I can do?” Taylor asked.

  “Nonsense, you are a guest in this house! Hayze help your sister,” my mother said.

  “Yeah, don’t just stand there,” Lea said.

  I grabbed a dish towel, rolled it up, and popped her on the thigh with it. Her eyes flared with anger as she walked toward me.

  “No fighting in the kitchen!”

  I helped Lea set the table and put the dishes in the middle. Once we’re seated at the table, my mother passed behind us, tapping me as she took her spot. She sniffed and dabbed a napkin under her eye.

  Not this shit. If someone starts mouthing off about me or my dad in front of Taylor, I swear to God I’ll never be back.

  “I’m so happy you’re here, Taylor. Hayze has told me so much about you,” my mother said.

  “Thanks for having me,” she said.

  I grabbed her hand under the table. She tensed, looked at me, and I winked back at her.

  “I hope you’ll be back every holiday. If you get Hayze here, you are welcome anytime. What’s it been hun, two? Three years?” She said, looking to Glenn. Like that motherfucker has any idea. He’s probably pissed I’m here.

  “Three,” I said, finally.

  Someone knocked on the door and I looked around, wondering who was here. Lea brought the rim of her glass to her mouth, shrugging. When my mother stood from her chair, and practically ran to the door, I knew this wasn’t good.

  Anna, Chase, and Chance walk in. Anna throws her arms around my mom and the twins look around, uncomfortable.

  Lea shoved her chair back and rushed to the door. Clamping her hand over her mouth, she squealed. “I didn’t know you guys would be here!”

  “We weren’t sure either, that’s why Janelle and I didn’t say anything,” Anna said.

  I couldn’t process my thoughts to know if I was mad or upset. I stood, bumping into my chair as I rushed from the room. I’m sure they all noticed, but if they’re going to do this to me, fuck them.

  I ran in the bathroom, locking it behind me. I used to keep shit in here. I began searching through the drawers. I came up with nothing. I looked behind the mirror, but only found a dispenser of low dose anxiety medicine.