Bully Me: Class of 2020

by Shantel Tessier

  Don’t look.

  Don’t look.

  I look a few times.

  _______________

  I’m distracted and practicing like shit. My eyes keep drifting to where Hollis sits with his sisters and mine on the bleachers in the gym. Coach Rendell is running us hard and I want to fall to the ground and die.

  Terrence dribbles easily past me and throws the ball to Wyatt, who shoots. They make the basket and Coach yells at me.

  “Come on, Hirsch! Would you rather play dolls with the girls?”

  I grunt and try to focus on the next play. I’m tearing down the court when I hear Roux’s giggles. The ball falls from my grip and rolls out of bounds right over to Hollis. Coach yells at me again. Ignoring him, I trot up to them.

  Hollis picks up the ball and throws it at me. Hard. Challenge gleams in his stare. Because I’m a dick, I throw it back at him, harder. Hoping to knock him on his ass. He catches it like it’s no big thing. We go back and forth, throwing the basketball to each other, harder and harder. Then, instead of throwing it back, he takes off with it. Flashes right by me, dribbling fast. I turn around to see him sidestep Jordy’s crazy ass, outrun Cal’s long legs, and then shoot over Terrence’s arms trying to block it. The fucker makes the basket from the three-point line.

  Everyone just stares at Hollis.

  “You go to school here?” Coach asks him.

  “It’s Principal Frazier’s nephew,” Brody reveals like he’s a fucking gossip girl.

  “No shit?” Coach grins. “Want to practice with us today?”

  I expect Hollis to shrug him off or something, but he nods, an easy smile on his face. “Yeah. I’d like that.”

  Jordy shoots a death glare at him. Cal and Terrence don’t seem impressed either. I’m annoyed as fuck. Coach is going to want to replace me with a rat. Unbelievable.

  The rest of practice, Hollis annihilates. He dominates the court. It’s surprising because he’s shorter than anyone on the team and just looks so…pretty and breakable. And considering he passed out this morning and only ate an apple, my mind is reeling.

  Who is this kid?

  I always have basketball. Even with Mom being a shit parent, and me taking care of Roux, I have this. Something I’m good at and call my own. Now, it feels as though it’s being taken away from me. Hollis has infiltrated my life in every aspect. School. Job. My sister’s friends. Basketball. Anger swells up inside of me. I know it’s probably unfair to blame him, but I do. Fuck him for being perfect at everything.

  We’re all dripping with sweat and dying by the time practice ends. Coach tells Hollis to hit the showers and to grab some of the extra clothes to borrow since his are drenched. I shoot a look Roux’s way and when I see her happily talking with Charlotte and Penny on the bleachers, I head for the locker room.

  Several guys are already undressing and talking to Hollis like he’s on the fucking team. Jordy, Terrence, and Cal all give him dirty looks. I know mine rivals theirs. As soon as Hollis’s smiling face looks my way, he flinches.

  Damn right.

  I hope he feels my anger radiating from me.

  Is this how Dad felt all those times before he kicked someone’s ass?

  The thought sobers me up and I breathe out heavily, trying to expel some of my dad’s rage. Hollis must sense my fury because he retreats toward the showers. He pulls off his hoodie and shirt, dropping them on a bench along the way. I take in his sculpted back and muscular shoulders. His hips are narrow and his jeans hang off his ass enough to reveal his black Hugo Boss underwear band. I’m still staring when he shoves his jeans down, showing off the tight globes of his ass.

  “Who the fuck does he think he is?” Jordy demands, coming to stand beside me. “Coach acted like he was some basketball god. I’ll be damned if he plays on this team.”

  I tear my eyes from Hollis when he pushes down his underwear. I’m not going to lust over my fucking nemesis, especially when I don’t even understand why I feel this way in the first place. My dick may be confused, but my mind knows exactly what’s up. Hollis is a little bitch who’s getting in my way.

  “His aunt is the principal, man,” I bite out. “Coach will put him in.”

  “I’ll make sure he doesn’t play,” Jordy threatens. “Hard to play ball with broken wrists.”

  I sling my arm over Jordy’s shoulders. “We’ll figure out some other way to knock him down a few pegs. Don’t take this away from Roux.”

  Defeated, Jordy relaxes. “I never heard her laugh like that, Roan. Ever.”

  “She likes Charlotte a lot. Unfortunately, Charlotte is Hollis’s little sister. We just need to be careful where the girls are concerned.”

  He nods. “I may hate that kid, but I’d never do Roux dirty. You know that.”

  “I do and that’s why you’re my best friend.”

  I stick my tongue in his ear just to piss him off. He shoves me away and swipes at his ear, laughing. Truth be told, Jordy’s laugh is one I don’t hear often either. It’s a good sound. A real good sound.

  The four of us cut up while we undress. Hollis is leaving the showers as we enter. I stay back and nod for my friends to keep going. My towel is wadded up in my hand, covering my junk, thank fuck, because my body is reacting to his.

  Why does this asshole have to look so good?

  With his hair wet, it no longer looks blond, but instead brown. Water rivulets run down his muscular pecs and down his tight abs. His obliques are a beacon, directing the eye down to where his towel is wrapped at his waist, covering his dick. The blond hair below his belly button glistens and my mouth waters wondering what he tastes like right there.

  “Keep staring at me like that and people are going to wonder,” he says, his voice low and meant only for me.

  I walk right up to him, our noses nearly touching. “Wonder what, rat?”

  “Why Roan is sporting a hard-on for the new guy.”

  Smug ass motherfucker.

  “I don’t have a hard-on, freak.”

  His lips twist up on one side in a half grin. Blue eyes twinkle with mischief. “But you will.”

  My jaw clenches. “You’re fucking with danger.”

  “I can’t help that danger looks so good.”

  What is this?

  Is he fucking flirting with me?

  I grab one of his shoulders to push him away, but my greedy hand won’t let go. I’m transfixed by the way his muscles feel in my grip.

  “Don’t forget that I hate you,” I snarl, squeezing his shoulder.

  He breaks free from my grasp. “Don’t forget that you hate me when you’re jerking off later.”

  With those words, he leaves me with the hard-on he promised.

  Fuck him.

  Problem is, I kind of want to.

  Chapter Nine

  Hollis

  ME: I MADE the team.

  Lucas responds immediately.

  Lucas: You told me you weren’t trying out!

  Me: It sort of happened.

  Lucas: Of course it did. Story of your life, golden boy. All the good things fall into your lap.

  Like you, I think bitterly. But then he ended it.

  Me: So who’s the lucky lady nowadays?

  The dots move and then stop. I frown as I wait for him to respond. Ten agonizing minutes later, he sends me a text.

  Lucas: Eric.

  Eric? Eric from our team Eric? Eric, who last I checked, was dating some college chick?

  Me: Ha ha.

  Lucas: Truth, man. People know now…that I’m bi. I worried over nothing.

  Acid burns in my gut. For months, we slept around in secret, kissed in corners, and kept our friendship turned lovers relationship on the down-low. And in the few weeks I’ve been gone, he’s suddenly come out and openly dating someone from our team?

  Me: Congrats.

  “Who pissed in your Cheerios?”

  I nearly drop my phone and dart my head up. Roan stands in the doorway of my room, his hands grippi
ng the doorframe as he leans in. It does amazing things for his biceps, making them strain against his T-shirt. The bottom of his shirt rises up to reveal toned, tanned flesh.

  “What?” I stammer, dragging my stare from his body and back to his face.

  “You look irritated and you hadn’t even seen me yet.” He flashes me a smug grin.

  Truth is, I saw him plenty today. I didn’t have any altercations in the parking lot like yesterday, but the Hoodlums did give me shit. I guess my showing them up on the court yesterday didn’t sit too well. The school day was almost over today when I was called into my aunt’s office where Coach Rendell was asking if I wanted to join the team. It’d been surreal and I said yes, because for the first time since I’d moved to Hood River, I felt wanted.

  “Don’t you have attics to clean?” I grumble, the venom missing in my words.

  “I’d much rather bug you.”

  I let my eyes skim over his appearance again. He didn’t take a shower after practice today, no doubt knowing Aunt Karen would make him do dirty, sweaty chores. My mouth waters as I wonder how salty he would taste if I ran my tongue up the side of his throat.

  “You should have eaten lunch, rat,” he says, releasing the doorframe to step into my room. “You’re looking awfully hungry.”

  The air seems charged, but I don’t say anything to make it spark.

  “Dinner will be ready in an hour,” Aunt Karen chirps, making us both startle as she peeks her head in the door. “Roan, hon, I was thinking instead of the attic, you could dismantle my desk and move it into my bedroom. I’m hoping to give Hollis a little more space.” She winks at me.

  “Yeah,” Roan says, “I’ll get right on it.”

  She leaves us and he saunters the rest of the way into the room. His attention is on the desk as he inspects it. My phone continues to buzz, no doubt texts from Lucas, but I’m no longer mad at him. I’d much rather watch Roan take apart a desk while I imagine him taking my ass over it.

  He leaves, and I’m assuming to grab tools. I take the moment to gather my wits and reply back to Lucas’s texts.

  Lucas: It’s nothing serious.

  Lucas: You’re not mad are you?

  Lucas: I like Eric, but we don’t have the connection you and I did.

  Lucas: If you hadn’t moved away, you know it would be you.

  Lucas: Text me back when you’re not pissed at me.

  He then sends a picture of his abs as though that will fix everything. When we’d been dating in secret, we sent dirty pictures back and forth a lot. I’d enjoyed the thrill back then, but his abs are just abs to me. I don’t have the spike in body temperature or the rapid beating of my heart or the instant hard-on. No, my body responds to one guy in particular now. My fuck-hot enemy.

  Me: We’re cool. Just have to study. Talk soon. Tell Eric I said hi.

  I leave it at that. He responds with smiling emojis. I’m feeling slightly sorry for myself when Roan enters the room. He tosses the tools on the bed beside me and then sets to pulling stuff off Aunt Karen’s desk.

  “Need help?” I ask, my eyes roaming down his muscular back and to his nice ass.

  “Nope.”

  “Fine, I’ll just watch.”

  He looks over his shoulder and smirks, sending a ripple of heat rushing through my veins. “Suit yourself.”

  Annoyed at my eagerness to stare at him, I snatch my algebra book out of my bag and start to work on my homework. “Did you already do the assignment in Henley’s class?”

  Roan laughs. “No.”

  “Do you plan on doing it?”

  “Fuck no.”

  “It’s worth twenty-five points.”

  “So?”

  “So you kinda need this class to graduate.”

  “I’ll pass.”

  He’s getting pissy now, tossing stuff onto the floor off the desk. One thing I’m learning about Roan is when you poke at his touchy subjects, he responds with defensive anger.

  “I could help you,” I offer.

  He jerks his head my way, a sneer on his face. “In trade for what?”

  “Why does there have to be a trade? Why can’t I just help you?”

  “I don’t want your help.” He snags up a small Allen wrench and kneels to start with the first screw.

  “You could be nice to me. That’s a fair trade,” I grumble.

  “I’m already being nice.”

  I scoff. “This is your version of nice? Maybe I ought to tutor you in that department too.”

  At this, he laughs. The sound is throaty and goes right to my dick. “This house is neutral ground. I already told you.”

  Oh, God. He’s being serious. This is as nice as he gets.

  “I could fix your dent,” he says, his back to me.

  Fix my dent?

  “On my car?”

  He nods and shoots me a serious look. “Jordy’s brother owns a garage. Sometimes when they’re overloaded, I go in and help. The money’s under the table, but it helps me save it away for when Roux and I get the hell out of here.”

  “Where are you going?”

  He lets out a heavy sigh. “Not far since I still need Ms. Frazier to help her. But an apartment of our own.”

  “What about your parents?”

  “Dad’s in prison,” he states in an icy tone. “Mom is unfit as fuck.”

  I think about my mom and how wonderful she is. How she gave up her entire life and marriage to protect me from my father’s anger. It makes my chest ache to think of her not loving or caring about me. No wonder Roan is such a dick.

  “So you think you’d be awarded custody?”

  “I don’t know. It’s not like Mom would fight me on it.”

  Tossing the book to the side, I stand and walk over to him. “I can help you. Here. Whenever you finish what you do for my aunt. If you really are planning to take care of Roux, you can’t fuck up school.”

  He rolls his eyes and his jaw clenches. “You sound like Ms. Frazier.”

  “Maybe because it’s sound advice you need to hear.”

  “I don’t accept help for free. So let me fix the dent and we’ll be even.”

  “Deal,” I agree. “But you can’t be an asshole. Let me help you without all this grumpiness.”

  “No deal. I can’t change who I am.”

  I step closer, drawn to his salty scent. “Then here, when it’s just the two of us, change for me. You said it was neutral ground. Let it be neutral. Drop the tough guy act. I’m not some dick who’s going to exploit you.”

  He grits his teeth and pokes my chest. “People aren’t nice for no reason.”

  “There’s a reason,” I tell him, my voice husky. “We both know my reason.”

  Him.

  His lips press together to form a thin line as his copper eyes study me. I take note that his skin turns slightly pink. Beneath all the asshole exterior is a vulnerable boy curious about the one in front of him. It gives me hope. If I can crack him, maybe he’ll let me in.

  Why do I want to be let in?

  Because he’s different. I’m drawn to him. He’s fucking hot. So hot it hurts a little to look at him sometimes. I want his smiles directed my way. I’ve never wanted a guy in my entire life as much as I want Roan.

  “I know you’re not gay,” I tell him boldly.

  “You don’t know shit.”

  My brow lifts. “Sidney said you two…er, dated.”

  “We fucked,” he says bluntly. “Plenty of times. She’s not my type, though.”

  “What is your type?”

  “Not her.”

  “Are you bi?”

  “I’m nothing.”

  His words, spoken softly and with such pain, cut into me. Not a gory slash. The kind that dives deep, slicing through every internal organ along the way. With every pulse of my heart, I bleed for him.

  “You’re not nothing.” I step closer and lift my chin to look at him. We’re inches apart. Any other guy and I would’ve already made my move. I feel
the heat that burns hot between us, but he’s too brittle. I have an urge to protect him. Even from me.

  He leans in, bringing his mouth close to my ear, brushing it barely. “Careful, rat, I might think you care.”

  His awful nickname for me doesn’t feel awful at all. It’s a breathy caress. An endearment.

  “Have you ever kissed a guy?” My words tumble from my lips in a whisper.

  “No.” Then, in a way meant to hurt me, he says, “Don’t plan on it either.”

  I’m not scared away, though. If anything, it makes me want to taunt him further. Make him face what he feels deep inside, because clearly it’s not far off from how I feel. We may hate each other, but our bodies sure as hell haven’t gotten the memo.

  “I kissed girls before,” I reveal, my voice low. I bring two fingers to his lips and ghost them over his flesh. “Too soft.”

  His amber eyes flare like a ball of flames, but he doesn’t move away. Simply pins me in place with his hot glare.

  “But guys,” I murmur. “Guys have just enough roughness. Scruff. Edge.” I lift my gaze from his mouth. “Meanness. They aren’t sweet like girls.”

  “I’m not kissing you, rat,” he says in a husky tone. “No matter how much you try to seduce me.”

  A grin tugs at my lips. His bronze orbs fall to my mouth, catching a glimpse of it and lingering. “Pity because I’ve been told I’m a great kisser.”

  “By Lucas?”

  The name has me jolting in pain, but the look on Roan’s face erases it. Barely masked jealousy. I’m not sure why this thrills me, but it does.

  “And others.”

  “Girls or guys?”

  “Both.”

  My thumb brushes his bottom lip this time, pulling the soft flesh to the side. His facial scruff scratches against my palm. It’s exhilarating touching him. I’m liking “neutral ground.” His hand reaches up, gripping my wrist hard. He doesn’t pull me away, though.

  “Did you fuck all those people?”

  “Just Lucas.”

  Satisfaction glimmers over his features. I want to dissect his mind. Ask him a thousand questions. Figure out every part of him that makes him tick.

  His lips part, and without hesitation, I press my thumb inside. The heat of his mouth sends pleasure tingling right to my dick. I’m hard and aching with need. He bites down on the tip of my thumb. Not painfully. Just a statement. That he has me. I don’t think he even realizes he stakes such a claim.