Curveball (Barlow Sisters Book 1)

by Jordan Ford

  I start jogging for my car.

  I’m the son of Mayor Carter, the captain of the only winning team this school has, the senior every guy wants to be.

  If they knew the truth, who knows what it would do to my image?

  Dad would freaking kill me if the truth came out. That’s why he acts like it’s not a reality. I’m not the only one putting on a show. We Carters have a reputation to uphold. Armitage is depending on us to be the people they look up to, the perfect family that proves a better life is possible.

  I’ve only got six months left of this masquerade and then I’m out.

  At least that’s what I tell myself as I sneak down to my car and fire out of the parking lot.

  I’m still not sure how I’m supposed to face the questions that haunt me.

  Who’s going to help my grandpa through his final stages of Alzheimer’s?

  Who’s going to stop my mom from drowning in a sea of alcohol?

  Checking my watch, I speed towards Cresthill while making a mental note to stop by the house before heading back to school for an afternoon workout at the gym.

  Hopefully Mom’s just forgotten her phone, or can’t hear it buried in the bottom of her bag.

  “Please make it that,” I mumble, dreading the idea of finding her passed out on the kitchen floor like I did last time.

  9

  Little Miss Sunshine

  MADDIE

  “Isn’t Holden the hottest guy you’ve ever seen?” Chloe lets out this whine of longing while I stick out my tongue and Max rolls her eyes.

  I can’t believe that jerk winked at her while he was leaving the cafeteria. It’s like he came right past our table just to antagonize me.

  What a douche.

  “Please don’t turn this into another Preston Rogers incident, Chlo-Chlo,” Max mutters.

  Chloe’s cheeks scorch red. “As if! Holden’s way better-looking than Preston.”

  “Okay, I think you’re totally missing the point, Miss Swoony. Honestly, one wink and you’re weak at the knees. It’s pathetic.”

  Chloe throws her balled-up napkin at Max, who catches it and chucks it right back. Chloe giggles and picks it up again, throwing the napkin at Max’s nose.

  Max bats it away and reaches for a leftover tomato on her salad plate.

  I quickly snatch her wrist. “Don’t even think about it.”

  The last thing we want to start is a food fight on our first day of school.

  We already have eighty percent of the eyes in this place checking us out between every mouthful. We don’t need to stir up more gossip.

  Honestly, it’s like we’ve each got three heads the way people keep staring at us. Do new students never start at Armitage High?

  Probably not. Probably because no one’s stupid enough to move to this craphole.

  Part of me wants to stand on the table and yell at them. “Have you never seen a stranger before? Get over it!”

  But I hold my tongue, grit my teeth and remind myself that it will surely get easier.

  People will get bored soon enough and we’ll be able to walk the halls like everybody else. As long as we prove ourselves on the field, we’ll give them nothing juicy to talk about.

  Oh, who am I kidding? We’re playing baseball on an all-boys team. They’ll never stop talking about us!

  I grit my teeth against a sigh and force my shoulders back, even though they want to droop forward.

  Maybe we should have said yes to Zane’s invitation, but the words “No, thanks” popped out before I could stop them. Like I want to eat my lunch with the likes of Holden Carter and Luke Frost.

  My insides scorch red as I remember the way that curly haired dick embarrassed me in front of everyone. Only an asshole throws a ball at someone when they’re not looking.

  I glance at the table where he’s sitting and burn him with a black look. Hopefully he can feel my glare searing the back of his head.

  He’s in my Stats class. My stomach dropped to the floor when I walked in and saw him and Holden Carter sitting there. Their eyebrows rose in unison when they spotted me. I spun away from them and plunked into a chair in the front row. A few minutes later the teacher called the roll and that’s when I found out Curly Hair’s name is actually Luke Frost. I’m going to keep thinking of him as Curly Hair Dickface for now. And as for Holden Carter—Mr. Sexy Eyes…well, I’m still working on a name for him.

  “Hi!” A bright voice pulls me from my dark thoughts as an Asian girl with long black pigtails sits down opposite me and sticks out her hand. “I’m Rahn Tanaka. I was supposed to show you guys around this morning, but I ended up being late because I had to drop my brothers at daycare. They’re three and four and so much to handle, but Mom needed me so, you know…” She giggles like she hasn’t just been talking in fast-forward.

  I shoot Max a look before tentatively shaking the girl’s hand.

  “So, you must be Maddie, right? And you’re Max.” She reaches for my sister’s hand and gives it a quick shake, then turns to Chloe, who’s sitting next to her. “And you’re Chloe!” She squeezes her arm with an excited squeal. “We’re both juniors, and from checking out your schedule, I see that we’re in the same class for Humanities, English and Biology. Yay!”

  Chloe can’t help smiling at Little Miss Sunshine.

  I can’t help it either.

  She’s like that rainbow unicorn from The Lego Movie.

  Flicking her long bangs out of her eyes, she spins back to Max and me, drawing us all in with her big brown eyes and effervescent style.

  “So, if you want to know anything about anyone, just let me know. I make it a point to keep my finger on the pulse of this school. Most of the action happens at the table by the window.” Rahn points behind her at the table Holden strutted away from earlier. “They’re the Pitbull Pops. You know, the ones who think they’re God’s gift to creation. Some of them kind of are, I guess. I mean, they’re hot and talented. They throw the best parties and know how to have the most fun. But I’d steer clear of the two girls near the end. The claws come out pretty fast with those two, especially if you try to threaten their status.”

  I check out the perky blonde and the dark-haired girl opposite her.

  I’m not too worried. Max, Chloe and I don’t care at all about status or popularity, so we’re seriously not a threat to their precious little world.

  Rahn points to the table directly behind her. “And past the goths is Velocity’s table. They don’t surface very often, so you’re lucky to see them today.”

  Ugh. I hate this whole table segregation thing. Anyone who thinks the class structure is dead is delusional. I wish we could all just sit together and not give a crap about status, appearance…any of that stuff.

  “So, Velocity is like this hot rock band. They get actual gigs at clubs and stuff.” Rahn’s eyes round as if that’s the most impressive thing ever. “Cairo Hale is the lead singer and he’s such a dreamboat. All the girls are in love with him. Well, like half are. The other half are in love with Holden Carter.” She looks over her shoulder, searching for the dark-haired jock.

  “He left already.” Chloe taps her on the shoulder and points to the door he walked through.

  “Oh, really? Yeah, he does that sometimes. Apparently, there’s an older woman or something and he sneaks out for booty calls, but that’s yet to be confirmed.”

  “An older woman?” I can’t hide my disgust.

  “Well, you know.” Rahn shrugs and then leans in like she’s about to spill the world’s biggest secret. “I actually think it’s just a rumor he started circulating so that he can sneak out of school to do other stuff.”

  “Like what?” Max is looking just as confused as I am.

  Rahn shrugs. “Not sure. I’m hella curious, but I’m smart enough to know not to delve too deep into that one. You seriously want to stay on the good side of the Pops. They can make your life hell if they want to. Actually, anyone in this school can, so just watch your back.”


  My stomach clenches.

  “We’re a pretty small school here and we don’t get new people very often, so tread carefully. With the Pops, you either want to avoid them or get on their good side. Velocity is kind of exclusive. They tend to stick to themselves. Speculation says they do it to amp up their celebrity status, but in my opinion they think they’re too cool for school and just can’t be bothered hanging out with the general population. For them, it’s all about the music.” Rahn bobs her head while she’s thinking, then snaps her fingers and points at us. “Oh, and give Vincent Mancini a wide berth.”

  “Who?” Chloe’s long hair drops from her shoulder as she tips her head to the side and looks at Rahn.

  “He’s like the bad boy of the school. Unfortunately his family is a bunch of criminals and…well, losers. Which is so sad.” Rahn has the decency to look genuine. “Vincent’s like the only one in the family who hasn’t dropped out of school already. He got caught shoplifting last year. He’s only just finished his community service. If he gets caught stealing again, there’s a chance he’ll be sent to juvie for a while. Just stay out of his way. He has a pretty vicious temper and he doesn’t like people getting in his space.”

  “O-kay.” My eyes round as I gape at Max.

  She mirrors my expression and then glances back at Rahn, who is still talking.

  “Everyone thinks he stole the money that we worked so hard to raise for the homecoming dance, but it’s yet to be proven. He says he didn’t, but his family has a rep, you know. They can do the crime but they don’t want to serve the time. His brother’s in jail for murdering someone. It was labeled a car-jacking gone wrong. Apparently he said he didn’t do it and put up this big fight, but all the evidence was there and he got sentenced to life in prison.” Rahn sighs and shakes her head while I sit there reeling.

  Where the hell have Mom and Dad moved us to?

  It’s like freaking Sin City!

  “So no homecoming dance, then, huh?” Chloe brings the topic back to something less harrowing with her sweet voice and excited smile.

  Rahn turns to her with a dramatic look that should be saved for Spanish soap operas. “You’re not going to believe it. I, for sure, thought it would be canceled. It was so awful. I’m on the planning committee with like Bess, Sadie, Luke, Bridget, Kingston…” She waves her hand in the air. “Anyway, the money was stored in a lockbox and I put it in Miss Rhineheart’s room, because she’s the teacher in charge and I thought it was supposed to go there. But she told me it gets stored at the safe in the office. So we went back to get it, and when we did, it was empty! I was freaking out that I’d somehow left it unlocked.” She shakes her head, her eyes nearly welling with tears. “It totally feels like my fault even though it wasn’t. And it’s so sad that the person hasn’t been caught. We worked really hard to raise that money and were even trying to cut costs where we could so this could be the best homecoming ever. I even approached Cairo and asked if Velocity would play so we didn’t have to pay a DJ.”

  “Oh yeah?” Max raises her eyebrows. “And what did Mr. Exclusive say?”

  Rahn flicks a pigtail over her shoulder. “They were totally going to do it for free. But now they’re playing at some other gig and they can’t.”

  “You mean the dance is back on?” A smile creeps over Chloe’s lips.

  “Yes!” Rahn squeals. “Principal Sheehan wanted to cancel it, but Mr. Hale, the music teacher, said that was so unfair and so the principal agreed to postpone it until the end of February so we can have time to re-raise the money. Mr. Hale was the first to donate with like two hundred bucks! He’s totally my favorite teacher…and he’s Cairo’s dad.” Rahn’s black eyebrows wiggle. “This is so perfect. The delay is going to help you guys find dates, or at least a group to go with. You’ve got plenty of time to make friends and woo some gorgeous guys.”

  Chloe’s grin is instant.

  I internally cringe, hoping like hell she’s not thinking about Holden Carter.

  That guy is not going near my sweet little sister.

  Sneaking out of school to hang out in cougar town?

  There’s no way in hell Chloe is falling for a guy like that.

  My protective instincts kick into overdrive as Rahn and Chloe’s excited conversation fades into the background. My naive little sister has a habit of falling for guys who are way out of her league. Not in looks or anything, just attitude.

  Chloe’s sweet. She needs a guy who will adore and protect her.

  The guys she always falls for are arrogant and cocky. They can walk all over her, and I’m worried that one day someone will trample a little too hard and she won’t be able to recover from the heartbreak.

  I’m her older sister. It’s my job to look out for her. I’ve been doing it since before I can remember. Mom went back to full-time work just before Chloe’s first birthday and we got sent to daycare. Apparently I was a very protective two-year-old.

  Well, I’m eighteen now and I’m sure I feel just as protective now as I did then.

  Nothing’s going to stop me from looking after my sisters.

  10

  The Best Friend Card

  HOLDEN

  It’s been nearly three weeks since the Barlow sisters started at Armitage High. The buzz has died down to whispers that carry through the hallways when they pass. Everyone stops to look at them walk into school in the mornings. The girls act like they don’t notice or care, but I sometimes wonder if it grates on their nerves. I know what it’s like to be checked out on a constant basis.

  I throw the baseball at Luke. We’re warming up for the preseason friendly game we always play against Brazenwood High. It doesn’t count for anything; it’s just a chance for us to get into the swing of things before the real season kicks in. We usually beat them, so I’m not too worried about the game.

  My eyes dart to Maddie as she gathers a ball off the ground and fires it back at her sister.

  Damn, she’s one sexy thing.

  I can’t seem to keep my eyes off her during baseball practices. Watching her run, catch, bat—whatever she’s doing—it’s a pleasure.

  And an annoyance.

  I shouldn’t like her. From what I can tell she’s a judgmental know-it-all.

  She sits in the front of every class, pays attention, raises her hand to answer questions.

  Her answers are always right and really insightful, but that’s not the point.

  It almost pisses me off how freaking good she is. But it mostly entices me, which is weird because I never figured myself to be the kind of guy who was into a goody-two-shoes.

  And that brings on a whole new level of irritation…because she can’t stand me.

  I’m intrigued—unwillingly drawn in—by a girl who never smiles at me, and anytime I go near her she gives me the evil eye. I swear, it’s like she thinks I’m the devil or something.

  I don’t know what the hell her problem is, but it makes me want to rile her up even more. I don’t even know why. Maybe it’s because riling her up gets those hot blue eyes landing on me…gives me her attention for a second. Or maybe riling her up is a way of dealing with my own frustration—if she doesn’t like me, fine. I’ll just piss her off, then.

  I don’t know.

  It probably makes me a total douche bucket, but I can’t seem to stop myself. So I’ve been going out of my way to be friendly to her sister, Chloe—the nice one. She’s sweet and kind, with this girly giggle and sensational smile.

  Coach asked me to pitch with her the other day, and I probably went a little over the top giving her pointers and using every excuse I could to touch her arm or put my hands on her hip or back. She’s actually got a really great style, which only needs tweaking, but I figured what the hell, I’m the better pitcher and I may as well use it to my advantage.

  I could feel Maddie’s narrowed gaze on me the entire time. It sent this hot thrill racing through me, which is pretty messed up.

  I can’t explain it.

  An
d I can’t seem to stop it either.

  What kind of jerk flirts with one sister to piss off the other?

  Luke thinks it’s funny. He thinks I’m going out of my way to piss off Maddie so she’ll be too mad to play well. I’m going with that story because what the hell else am I supposed to say?

  Besides, it makes him feel like I’m fighting for him.

  And I am, because he’s my best friend and I owe it to him to make sure he has a great end to his senior year.

  I couldn’t sell him on the hooking up with a Barlow thing, so it’s up to me to make these girls too mad or too loved up to play. I’m still not sure what to do about Max, but she doesn’t seem much of a threat right now. Her performances during practice sessions are kind of off. Her field play’s been sloppy, and I’ve pretty much struck her out every time she’s come up to bat.

  Her father obviously has an overinflated view of his precious girls. The way he was talking about Max, she sure hasn’t proved him right.

  I bet Coach won’t even play her today.

  But Maddie and Chloe…they could definitely see themselves on this field. I hope Luke can handle it. I hope the girls can handle it.

  I look over my shoulder and spot Maddie near the fence. She’s kneading her mitt with a ball and looking just a touch nervous. I stare at her until she looks my way. As soon as our eyes connect, I wink and smirk, hoping to distract her. It scores me a scathing glare, and I can’t help a soft snicker.

  She doesn’t look so nervous anymore.

  Her gaze narrows and I slowly spin away from it.

  Damn, those eyes are distracting. Her face pops into my head all the time, that heated glare, the way her perfect features look stunning no matter what expression she’s trying to pull.

  She’s intelligent, protective of her sisters, independent, strong. There are so many things to like about her.

  Which I shouldn’t, because it’s seriously a waste of time. Although I did catch her watching me the other day. It was just after practice. In spite of the winter weather, it’d been a hot one with a bunch of running drills. The girls did their best to keep up and were drenched from the effort. We were all dripping with sweat as we dragged our exhausted butts to the locker room, so I pulled off my shirt and started wiping down as we walked. For a fleeting, maybe even hopeful, second I thought she was checking me out. The moment our eyes connected, she kind of flinched. I gave her my standard smirk and asked if she wanted to do the same. She scoffed like I was disgusting and stormed ahead to the girls’ locker room.