Just friends.
"Ok kids today we will be running the obstacle course in the woods out the back" he starts walking out the door ignoring the groaning from some members of the class, "two laps of the track to warm up and then straight to the obstacle course when you’re done. You are being timed!"
I finish stretching with the guys and Rylie and we're the first ones to set off on our warmup laps. As soon as my feet start off, some of the anxiety and stress melts away. I quickly finish the warmup laps and make my way over to the obstacle course. I'm ridiculously excited to try it since we had nothing like this at my old school and in my eyes an obstacle course is just a giant play park! I carefully walk along the long balance beams, then run to the next obstacle, a long tunnel with debris and leaves lining the bottom.
Bring it.
With no hesitation, I drop to my hands and knees and crawl through the tunnel.
"Now that's a damn good sight" Trick growls behind me.
I roll my eyes but keep going. I absolutely do not put added sway into my hips as crawl forward, nope not at all.
"How come you got to go in behind her, asshat?" Cash grumbles from further back.
“Because I beat you and got here first, dumbass" Trick chuckles in reply.
I roll my eyes but can't help the smile that breaks through.
I come out the other side absolutely covered in debris and mud but loving it and sprint to the next obstacle, which is one of those walls with the rope that you've got to use to climb it. I'm sure there’s a proper word for it but fuck if I know what it is. The rest of the course is just as fun, and I almost wish we could run it again but the lessons almost over. Rylie, the guys and I, are some of the first people finished and I can't help but grin.
"That was so much fun" I exclaim.
"You're not like any other girl I’ve ever met, Dragonfly" Riot grins at me.
"Thank fuck for that" Cash adds causing my grin to widen even more.
"Well done you lot" the coach compliments, "you can leave early since you're the first ones finished."
"Come on girl, we want to get to the showers before the rest of the girls finish, trust me."
My heart starts to beat faster, shit I hadn't thought about that whilst I was doing the course. I'm not good when it comes to showering anyway, it makes me feel too vulnerable. Showering in a changing room filled with other people even if they are girls, is my idea of a nightmare. Stupid, I would've been more careful not to get as muddy as I am, if I'd thought about it more carefully but I was just having fun for once! As it is though, I’m too covered in mud and leaves to consider waiting until I get home to shower.
Without saying anything to the guys, I race into the changing rooms and grab my stuff, including my other knife, there is absolutely no way I can shower here without both of my knives. I'm aware of the odd looks the guys were throwing each other before I raced in here, but I just don't give a shit about that right now, I need to be done before anyone else comes in here. I just have to be.
I rush into the shower rooms that are attached to the changing room and my tension dissipates the tiniest amount as I see a few individual shower cubicles, that makes a difference. I'm not as easy to get to if I'm in a cubicle. I grab one in the back corner, feeling safer with a brick wall on two sides and I start to scrub myself clean as fast as possible, making my skin red raw in places but panicking too much to feel it. Just as I turn the shower off and start to dry, refusing to exit the cubicle and dress in the changing room, I start to hear the other girls come in and the showers next to me switch on.
My heart rate picks up and my breathing becomes uneven, my movements becoming clumsy in my haste and panic. My only saving grace is that no one is trying to get into the cubicle I'm in, if they were, I'd be having a full-blown panic attack and not the mini one I’m currently being assaulted with. I manage to get myself dressed, although my vision has now started to tunnel. As soon as my boots are on, I rush out of the door ignoring the insults thrown at me and Rylie calling after me.
Got to get out, got to get out, got to get out.
The words roll on repeat through my mind as I bust out of the changing room. As soon as I'm out, I can breathe a little easier but since my breathing has been so erratic, black spots are floating in front of my eyes and my head feels like it's stuffed with cotton wool. My back hits the wall and I slowly slide down it as I bring my knees to my chest and try to get more air in my lungs.
"Ever?" Luc crouches down in front of me and studies my face. Whatever he finds there causes his eyes widen slightly. He sits down properly still facing me and shuffles forward until his strong legs are touching mine, surprisingly that small amount of contact seems to help, and my next breath is easier. He slowly takes my hands his, his thumbs rubbing soothing circles on the backs of them.
"Hey, Ever. You ok?" He studies my eyes, which have been locked on him since he sat down. I couldn't look away if I wanted to. He's keeping me grounded. "What happened?"
"My own bedroom wasn't safe; you can imagine how unsafe the bathroom was" I say quietly watching as anger darkens his features.
"Explain" he barks, his entire body tense and instead of it scaring me it settles my nerves even more.
He cares.
"A couple of men that worked with my dad tried to get in when I was showering. The first couple of times they tried I don't think they were really trying to actually get in, they just wanted to scare me and let me know they could if they wanted to. As I got older the attempts became more real. One guy got in and I sliced him up pretty bad before he could do anything. Similar to what I did to the guy that tried to get into my bedroom, but I didn’t stab this one in the stomach. I then noticed the cameras that'd been put in there. My dad never stayed at the trailer, only using it for business, so I was the only one that used the bathroom to shower." I shudder and Luc’s grip tightens on my hands keeping me grounded and helping to stop the memories from dragging me under. "After that I started getting to school extra early and showering there, I could only do it when I knew no one else was there otherwise I'd have a panic attack. Which is what just happened, I didn't think. I forgot I wasn't normal" my head drops as I whisper the last words.
Luc slowly reaches out and gently grabs my chin, tilting it up to face him. "I'm not going to lie Ever, I want to find every single one of those fuckers and beat them to a bloody pulp" he growls rage simmering in his chocolate brown eyes, I get the sense he wants to say something more but he shakes his head, his reddish, brown man bun coming lose and releasing the strands so they hide the shaved sides of his head.
He doesn't seem to notice but I can't help but stare at his strong jaw and plump lips. Even with his features arranged into a savage glare, he's utterly gorgeous or maybe because of it and that's just so fucking dangerous. I shake myself free of the dangerous thought and focus on what he’s saying.
"I mean, what about your fucking dad didn't he do something?" He growls. “And what did you mean he didn’t stay there where the fuck did, he stay?”
I cringe knowing that the next words out of my mouth will give more than a hint into what my life was really like.
"Who do you think put the cameras up" I growl, and his jaw drops unable to comprehend what I'm saying, "his associates offered him money if he put cameras up and gave them the tapes. They said it was the least he could do since he wouldn't sell me until I was eighteen. I saw the cameras before they got any videos and got beaten for no longer showering there" I finish, my voice small. I hate sharing these things, but I trust these guys and it might help them understand me. “As for why my dad didn’t live there, he had a giant house with a pool and everything on the good side of town, that he paid for using the money he got from his various unsavoury dealings. I was only allowed there when he was pretending to be a good father for social services, otherwise I was at the trailer where he did most of his business dealings from.”
Luc closes his eyes tightly, his hands squeezing mine as he takes deep cal
ming breaths. When he opens his eyes again the rage is still there but it's leashed, barely.
"I am so, so sorry you had to go through that. I can’t believe your fucking father. Ever I swear it’s a damn good job he’s already fucking dead!” he seethes.
I tilt my head slightly, studying him. Those weren’t just words, I truly believe that he means what he said. What the hell have these boys been up to since I left?
“Never again, Everleigh" he growls resting his forehead against mine, his shoulder length hair falling forward to curtain us. We stay like that for a minute, accepting comfort from one another until my heartbeat finally returns to normal.
"Come on Luci, turn round and I'll put your hair back up."
He chuckles but without complaint turns round so I can do his hair. I may not have been a girly girl when we were growing up, but I always loved playing with the guys hair, and they'd always let me, even growing it out more, so I had more to play with.
“Damn it, you got so big, Luci" I say, unable to do his hair whilst I’m still sat down. He chuckles as I stand up.
The hallways are starting to fill back up and quite a few looks are being thrown our way. I chose to ignore them as usual and start to finger comb his hair back into its usual bun, I lightly scratch his scalp and he groans in response. I stop what I'm doing, still holding his hair in one hand as I lean right over his shoulder and poke his cheeks so he turns to look at me, I raise my eyebrow and he shrugs shocking the shit out of me when two dusky pink dots appear on his cheeks.
"Holy fuck Luci are you blushing?" I giggle, finding it absolutely adorable that this giant man is blushing.
"Who's blushing?" Jensen grins bounding over with the other guys following.
"It feels good" Luc grumbles ducking his head.
I feel a bit bad making fun of him, so I lean further forward and lick his stubbled cheek, just like him and Jensen did to me. He turns wide eyes to me, and I just grin and go back to playing with his hair.
"No fair" Jensen grumbles, watching me play with Luc’s hair. "Me next?" He adds, perking up a bit and I just stare incredulously at him as he grins and bounces up and down like a damn puppy.
Seriously.
"Jensen you'll have to wait until later to get your hair played with, I get the feeling that if you get to have a go now there'll end up being a line, since I'm not sure the rest of us would mind having our hair played with either. Pretty damn certain we’ve all missed it." Cash says scrubbing his hand through his short brown hair, "might have to grow it out again" he mutters quietly, my heart squeezes.
These guys are killing me with this friend thing. I finish putting the band in Luc's hair, grabbing my bag off the floor. Whilst the guys are arguing about who gets to go next when we get home, I wait for Luc to stand and then step closer to him, lowering my voice so only he can hear.
"You can tell the other guys what I told you, I don't have it in me to tell it again and I know you guys don’t keep secrets from each other."
Luc searches my eyes again and nods once, I can still see the barely contained rage swimming in the depths of his eyes and I know he needs to tell the guys for his own peace of mind too.
"I'll tell them in the car ride home but Ever they're going to hate it as much as I do. How can I put this," he takes a breath his eyebrows scrunching, "ok, putting it simply Babe, we're going to be clingy bastards for the foreseeable future. Most likely forever so you better get used to us always being there."
I start to laugh before I take note of his serious features, I swallow down the knot of emotion that tries to rise, when I realise he's being deadly serious.
"Ok" I say simply, my voice quiet and small. I’m fairly sure if I tried a longer sentence, I'd end up blubbering like a baby. What are these guys doing to me?
"Hey guys" Rylie calls as she walks up. "I've got to run so I can grab the motocross bike before dad goes to work. Where am I meeting you?"
"You know the woods on October farm?" Riot asks.
Rylie nods.
"They're owned by Trick’s granddad and we've made a trail through them for the bikes, we'll meet you at the entrance?" He explains.
"Sounds good see you there" Rylie shoots me a look, asking if I'm ok, of course she noticed my freak out earlier.
I vaguely remember her calling out after me when I rushed through the changing room. I smile slightly and she grins in reply before giving everyone a wave and jogging down the hallway.
The guys and I start following at more leisurely pace, Rafe swinging one of his massive arms around my shoulders, it's almost automatic to put my arm around his waist, he squeezes me tightly as he listens to the guys. I put my other hand in the back pocket of my jeans to give it something to do, as it desperately wants to be on Rafe’s stomach and that is not in the friend zone, especially since I’m certain that if my hand was on his stomach it’d want to explore.
"What the fuck" I mutter, Rafe turns to me raising his eyebrow in question.
I pull out a folded piece of paper that I know for a fact wasn't in my pants before. I open it up and read it aloud, the other guys turn their focus to me as soon as I start talking.
"My sweetest Ever Rose, your beauty is beyond comprehension. I saw the way you looked at me. We will be together soon my love." I stare at it before it’s snatched out of my hands and read over by the guys.
"Where did you find this?" Trick demands.
"In the back pocket on my pants, which means this freak was in the girls changing rooms and in my fucking locker" I growl and go to reach for the note to chuck it but Cash pulls it out of my reach.
"It might be a good idea to keep them, it seems fairly harmless at the moment but if you get any more I think we should inform the cops. I've got a bad feeling and I don't like it" Cash explains when I glare at him.
My glare softens substantially once he’s explained his reasoning though. When we were kids Cash's 'bad feelings' were legendary and almost always right. The guys relaxed postures instantly stiffen, preparing for anything. Cash's 'bad feelings' really were that accurate when we were kids and they must still be if the guys are taking it this seriously.
"Ok, I'll keep it although it really does give me the heebies and I'd rather burn it" I shrug and stuff it into the pocket of my backpack.
"I mean it Ever, one more note and we go to the police. I'm not risking it; you've already got enough going on" Cash adds tension radiating off of him.
"I promise" I say smiling softly at him.
I don't think I'll ever get used to the fact that these guys care for me.
"Heebies?" Riot asks changing the subject.
"Yeah you know heebie jeebies?" I shrug and they all burst out laughing as we finally make it through the front doors and down into the lot.
"You curse in pretty much every sentence, yet use words like heebie jeebies" Jensen chuckles and I just shrug grinning as I pull on my helmet and swing my leg over my bike, turning the key and starting it as I get comfy.
"A beautiful contradiction" Riot grins and I'm so fucking glad my helmet hides my flaming cheeks right now.
"See you back at Trick’s" I say before speeding out of the parking lot, I can't wait to have a go on the bikes at the track.
It takes barely any time at all to get back to Trick’s house and the guys pull into the driveway right behind me. I can tell by the tension in their bodies that Luc has explained a bit more of my past to them. I brace myself, readying for their rejection or judgement. I should know better already, they each get out of the car squeezing me tightly, one by one. Each of them whispering the same words to me fiercely...
Never again.
I can feel tears gathering in my eyes and emotion trying to crush my chest.
Fuck me, will I ever get used to these beautiful men. I know I've only been back for a couple of days, but they've already proved to me over and over again that they care. I just don't understand why.
"Last one in doesn't get one of Jenny's cookies" Jensen yells raci
ng towards the door and providing a much-needed distraction.
I haven't had homemade cookies in years, so with that in mind I race ahead pushing my way past all of them and end up in a head to head dash against Jensen. Deciding the thought of fresh homemade cookies severely outweighs any moral implications, I might've had, that would normally prevent me from playing dirty, I grin wickedly.
"Boobs!" I yell at the top of voice barely holding in the laughter.
Jensen skids to a stop in front of me and spins so fast he almost ends up on his ass. I hear the guys crash into each other behind me, cursing and I barely manage to hold in my laughter as I dart around Jensen's gaping form and race into the kitchen, grabbing the plate of cookies of the counter and backing into one of the corners with the countertops at my back. The large breakfast bar in the front of me is creating a somewhat enclosed area where I can protect my cookie hoard. I get to my protected corner just as the guys shake off their shock and come racing in.
"That was mean Ever" Jensen says fake pouting and I chuckle.
"Cheating!" Riot declares grinning.
"It was not!" I say indignantly, "no one made a rule that said I couldn’t yell boobs" I smirk and the guys chuckle.
Jensen, Luc and Cash take step forward their grins turning wicked as they eye the plate of cookies in my hand. As they take another step forward, thinking they have me trapped, I grin mischievously at them causing them to pause. That pause is all I need as I use their momentary distraction to run for the large breakfast bar. I jump and slide slightly across to the other side keeping the plate of cookies balanced before I land on the other side and race around the table, putting it between me and them.
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