“Regulars, huh? So everyone who causes trouble around here?”
“We don’t cause trouble. We just face the truth.”
“Spoken like a…” Aira looked down at my right hand. “What happened to your hand again?”
My two knuckles were more swollen than I thought.
“Oh, nothing,” I said.
“Wes. Your hand didn’t look like that last night.”
“I had to take care of something.”
“When?”
“In the middle of the night.”
“You left?”
I touched Aira’s hair and grinned. “Ah, darling, you’re getting to my heart.”
“Shut up about your heart. What happened?”
“You were out cold. I got a call. Had to take care of something. That’s all.”
“That’s all?”
“Trust me, Aira. That’s all.”
She groaned as I pulled her in for another hug.
I knew she wanted to ask me a hundred questions, just like I did with her.
But we just stood there and hugged, with the morning ocean waves crashing at the shore.
And my heart crashing into hers.
Chapter 21
Aira
I closed my locker and Ryland was there, his back to the lockers, head back.
He had his eyes shut but slowly turned his head.
“You look radiant this morning,” he said.
“That’s because I spent the night with Wes,” I said without hesitation.
“What?” Ryland asked as he pushed off the locker.
“You heard her,” Kailey said as she stopped next to me.
Charlotte was next.
Then Emma.
Ryland looked at them all and grinned. “Oh, look. Some past mistakes have showed up.”
I kept my gaze forward even though I kind of wanted to know who had fooled around with Ryland. And why.
“Where’s Mika?” Emma asked.
“She lives up his ass,” Charlotte said. “Remember?”
“Speaking of up your ass,” Ryland said as he focused right on Charlotte.
Her cheeks turned bright red.
“What do you want, Ryland?” I asked.
“To see you again, Aira. Something as beautiful as you should be seen.” He leaned toward me. “And fucked.”
“You heard she was busy last night,” Kailey said. “You lost your chance, Ryland.”
“That’s where you’re wrong,” he said, looking at Kailey. “I always get what I want. Everyone knows that. Because I never stop. All I care about is the truth. That’s why me and Aira get along so well.”
“Barf,” Kailey said.
“Trust me, we don’t get along at all,” I said. “You just show up, make it awkward, and all I do is wait for you to leave. And I think about how big Wes is… everywhere…”
Ryland’s lip curled. “Yeah? So sad to see you like this, Aira. Lost in all of his lies. Because the story he’s not telling you is the one I can save you from. Ask anyone. I’m always honest.”
“Honestly a fucking moron,” Emma said. “I should have brought my baseball bat.”
“Always into roleplaying,” Ryland said with a wink at Emma.
“I’m going to be sick,” Charlotte said. “We better leave.”
“Actually, he’s the one leaving,” a voice said from behind me.
I turned and gasped when I saw Wes, Flynn, and Leo.
Wes pushed between me and Kailey. He stopped and looked down at Kailey.
“Yeah?” she asked.
“Hey, Kailey,” he said.
“Oh? No comment about my tits?”
“No. I think your tits are perfect,” Wes said.
“Hey!” I yelled and punched him.
Wes looked at me. “Yours are better though. I promise.”
I rolled my eyes.
Leave it to Wes to actually listen to me but take it too far.
But at least he didn’t call Kailey TT or Tiny Tits or anything like that.
Wes stepped forward right at Ryland.
Kailey elbowed me.
I looked at her and her eyes were wider.
She mouthed to me ‘what the fuck?’
I shrugged my shoulders.
Then she made a circle with her thumb and pointer on her right hand and jammed the pointer finger of her other hand into it. Over and over. Rolling her eyes like it felt good for her.
My cheeks got warm.
I elbowed her back.
I shook my head.
“Time for class, Ryland,” Wes said.
“I suppose so. You look tired, Wes. Up too late?”
“Just taking care of things,” Wes said.
“So I heard.”
Flynn slipped an arm around Charlotte and hugged her. He whispered something to her and she giggled.
Leo stood next to Emma and he looked ready to attack.
“I feel bad for her, Wes,” Ryland said. “She has no idea what’s about to happen.”
“Not your worry,” Wes said. “Don’t make me do this in the middle of the hallway. In front of everyone.”
Ryland laughed. “Tough guy talk. From a fucking grease monkey.”
Wes made a fist and I reached for his wrist.
I touched him as someone stepped between Wes and Ryland.
It was fucking Mika.
With her bright blue eyes and a super low cut top, showing off her tits which were nothing to look at. And no, I didn’t feel bad about thinking that because Kailey was my friend and she was beautiful and it didn’t matter if her chest wasn’t huge like Charlotte’s. Mika, however, was a rotten bitch and she deserved sort of small and lopsided tits.
She had glitter on her chest.
Fucking whore.
She smelled like she bathed in perfume and stared up at Wes, blinking fast with her eyelash extensions smacking together over and over.
“Weslee,” she purred. “You should really consider taking a shower after you spend the night with Aira. I can smell her on you. I mean I know we live near the ocean and all, but that fish smell…”
“Oh, what a cunt,” Kailey whispered.
I pushed Wes out of the way and stepped up to Mika.
“Now we’re talking,” Ryland said.
“No we’re not,” Wes said.
He put his arm out to block me.
I reached over his arm and swung at Mika’s face.
She fell back into Ryland and he slipped his arms around the front of her body. He held her and she put her head back and smiled, shutting her eyes.
Ryland stared right at me though.
His eyes… burning. And that burning for some reason got to me.
“Take your whore and leave,” Wes said.
“You do the same,” Ryland said.
I turned and got in front of Wes so nothing bad happened.
It was just another normal day at HCH.
Secrets kept. Hate all around.
But I had Wes.
He made me feel like it was all going to be okay.
I pulled at his hand at the first step.
“What?” he asked, looking down at me.
“I can just go home,” I said. “I’ll wait for you. It’s okay.”
“No,” he said. “Cherry’s going to go crazy when she sees you. Don’t be afraid.”
“I’m not afraid,” I said.
“Yes you are. Chickenshit.”
“Chickenshit?” I asked. “What are you, eight years old?”
Wes laughed. “Come on, darling.”
We made it to the porch when the door opened and out walked Noelle.
I froze and my jaw dropped.
I forgot she lived with Cherry.
She was in a long, dirty flannel shirt with a white tank top under it. She wasn’t wearing a bra either, which was pretty obvious. Her hair was pulled back without care. She had earbuds in her ears and bobbed her head as she walked toward us without realizing we were there.<
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Wes let my hand go and grabbed at the white cord and pulled the earbuds out of Noelle’s ears.
She let out a yell and jumped back. “Wes!”
“Can’t you ever focus?” he snapped at her.
“You focus,” she yelled back.
She ran at Wes and shoved him.
He stepped back and reached for her head and messed with her hair.
“Asshole,” she cried out as she swung at him.
I stood there, not sure what to think. Jealousy wanted to go wild. I wanted to slap Noelle across the face, and Wes the same. Then leave and go home to be alone. But at the same time, it was like watching a brother and sister go at it.
“You’re such a dick, Wes,” Noelle growled. She looked at me. “Hey. Sorry about that.”
“Noe, this is Aira,” Wes said. “This is the girl who lived in your house before you.”
Noelle’s eyes lit up. “So you’re the one who has Wes’s heart all messed up.”
“Oh?” I asked.
“Hey, shut it,” Wes said.
“No way,” Noelle said. “I feel like I know you. Like… you’re Aira.”
“I’m Aira,” I said.
“I slept in your old bedroom for a long time,” Noelle said.
“That’s kind of sexy,” Wes said.
I elbowed Wes just as Noelle punched him.
He blocked himself and both Noelle and I laughed.
“He’s an idiot,” Noelle said.
“You should have seen him when he was a kid.”
“Oh yeah? Spill the dirt.”
“Sure,” I said.
Noelle took my hand and we went into the house.
“Yeah, sure, I’ll be right in,” Wes called out.
Inside the house smelled like spaghetti sauce and garlic. Everything inside the house was fancy and dated. It was a one story house, definitely not the towering mansions near the ocean, but the house was huge. I felt like it went on for miles as we walked toward the kitchen.
“He flicked a booger at me,” Noelle said. “That was how he said hello.”
“Better than eating it,” I said.
“No way.” She looked back at Wes. “Gross.”
“I never did that,” Wes said.
“Yes, you did,” I called out.
Wes slipped his hands to my waist and pressed his body against me. He lowered his mouth to my ear.
“Should I start spilling your secrets, darling? I have plenty from then. Or I can just say all the things you said last night and this morning. Well, not that you had words. But noises.”
I elbowed him again.
When we finally got to the kitchen, I saw Cherry.
She was older, obviously. But it was the same Cherry. Short and full of life and fire. A grandmother figure, yet you didn’t mess with her.
She wore blue oven mitts but when she saw me she threw them to the floor and raced toward me.
“Aira!” she cried out as she hugged me.
She smelled like perfume and butter.
I hugged her and laughed. “Sherry… it’s been so long…”
“Who the hell is Sherry?” a voice asked.
Ryker walked into the kitchen with a mouthful of pretzels.
“That’s my name, dear,” Cherry said to him. “And don’t talk with food in your mouth.”
“How about that?” Ryker asked. “I always wondered why your name was Cherry. Like, who does that? I mean, what if my old man named me Banana?”
“To be fair, your father was an idiot,” Cherry said.
Ryker laughed. “Hell yeah.”
“Doesn’t say much about you, bro,” Wes said.
“You should talk,” Ryker said. “We’re cousins.”
“Will you boys shut up,” Cherry said. “I’m talking to Aira.”
Cherry cupped my face.
She was always such a sweet woman to us.
“How are you?” she asked.
“I’m okay,” I said. “My house burned down.”
I couldn’t believe I said that to her. But Cherry was just so comforting. I always confessed things to her. But being nine years old and confused about boys was very different than now.
“Oh, no,” Cherry said. “That’s terrible.”
“That’s why I’m back here. So I guess it’s not all that terrible.”
“Everyone okay though?” Cherry asked.
“Yes,” I said. “Mom and Dad stayed back there. I just… couldn’t…”
“Of course,” Cherry said. “How sad.” She clapped her hands together. “I hope you’re happy here at least. Make the best of it, right?”
“I’m very happy,” I said.
I side eyed Wes and he winked at me.
Cherry looked at Wes, then at me. “You two be careful. You’re like gasoline and a match.”
“Too late,” Wes said. “It’s already been lit. And don’t make fire comments, Cherry.”
My cheeks turned red and I didn’t know why.
It was just… wow. Like stepping into the past again.
“Is Aira really here?” another voice asked.
“Right here, Carolyn,” Cherry called out.
Wes took my hand. “Sorry about the reunion tour.”
I saw Wes’s mother rushing through the kitchen in the same manner Cherry had done.
She was taller than Cherry though. Even taller than me.
She wrapped her arms around me and smelled like wine and cigarette smoke.
That was her forever smell though.
I shut my eyes and let the memories flood back.
My parents never got along with Carolyn. Because they judged her for what happened with Wes’s father. And because Carolyn always wanted to take care of herself even though she was wealthy thanks to Wes’s grandfather. To me, it was my parents being petty and jealous, which only drove my father to work harder and end up with more money which was why we left Hidden.
“You are so freaking gorgeous,” Carolyn said. She held my shoulders and stared me up and down. “Good lord, girlfriend.”
I laughed. “Thanks.”
“I mean… you’re a model.”
“I’ve been telling her that,” Ryker said. He chomped on a pretzel. “And I would gladly take private pictures of her.”
“I’m going to kill him,” Wes said.
“No killing tonight,” Cherry said. “This is a peaceful dinner.”
“I mean, look at you,” Carolyn continued. “Look at your boobs!”
I gasped. “What?”
“Jesus, Ma,” Wes said.
“Don’t use that word,” Cherry said as she slapped Wes’s arms.
“Her boobs are really great,” Ryker said.
Wes went after Ryker.
He had him in a headlock and took him down to the floor.
“Shit, bro, I was kidding,” Ryker cried out.
“So her boobs aren’t great?” Wes asked.
“No. No. They’re great. Really great. But they’re yours.”
“What?” Carolyn asked.
“Ohgod,” I whispered and touched my cheeks.
“You’ll get used to it,” Noelle said from next to me. “They’re all crazy here.”
She hooked her arm into mine.
Wes and Ryker continued fighting.
Cherry picked up the oven mitts off the floor and started to swat at both guys with them to break up their fight.
Carolyn grabbed Wes by the arm and scolded him about me. That I was a beautiful woman and that I deserved respect and love. That I wasn’t just some trashy party whore that he could sleep with and leave.
It was all so much to hear and take in.
But it made me smile.
It was so real.
It was family.
“Sit next to me,” Noelle said as she took me to the large table.
It was Cherry, Carolyn, Walker, Ryker, Wes, Noelle, and me.
There were two other empty seats that were filled when Jett and Pop showed up.
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Pop stutter stepped to the table in his black jeans and black t-shirt. He sat down and took out a bottle of whiskey and twisted off the cap.
He looked at me and winked. “Got my dinner right here.”
“You’re eating solid food, Chester,” Cherry ordered as she put a plate in front of him.
I never knew Pop’s name was Chester.
“Change seats with me,” Wes said to Noelle.
“Nope,” Noelle said.
Wes stood up and went behind Noelle’s chair and picked it up with her still sitting in it.
She let out a yell and swung back at him.
“Weslee James Jackson!” Cherry bellowed.
“Oh, shit,” Walker said. “The full name.”
“Put Noelle down,” Carolyn said. “Dammit. I wanted a nice meal before work.”
“Third shift again?” Wes asked as he lowered Noelle down. He pulled his chair next to mine. He won that battle.
“Third shift pays better,” his mother said.
“Pays better,” Cherry scoffed. “You don’t need that, Carolyn.”
Everyone glanced at Pop.
He took a sip of whiskey and pointed a hooked finger at Carolyn. “You know goddamn well I’ll take care of you, sweetheart. My sons are assholes.”
“I’ll drink to that,” Ryker said as he lifted a can of soda into the air.
“Me too,” Walker said.
“Here, here,” Jett said in a deep voice as he lifted a bottle of beer. He looked at me and winked. “What about you, Aira?”
“I don’t have a son,” I said.
“Smart ass,” Jett said.
“But my father is a total tool bag,” I said.
Everyone laughed.
“Here’s to tool bags,” Wes said.
Cherry touched her forehead. “Can we say a prayer and something nice?”
“Seriously?” Wes asked.
“Make your own prayers,” Pop said. “Fight back hard. Fuck everything else.”
“Pop,” Jett said. “Not in front of the ladies.”
Pop growled and went back to his whiskey.
“Let’s just eat,” Cherry said. “I was going to tell you all I appreciate you being here. And I’m thankful for this meal. And I’m thankful that Aira is with us. And I’m terribly sorry about her house burning down.”
“Your house burned down?” Ryker asked.
My cheeks burned hot. “Yeah.”
“Oh, dear, I spilled the beans,” Cherry said.
“Cherry, that was a secret,” Wes said.
Hidden Creek Secrets (Hidden Creek High Book 1) Page 16