by Tijan
“No.” He shook his head, his eyes becoming way too determined and way too focused on me. He moved closer again. His arm rested on the top of Maisie, and he was almost leaning over me. “What’s your damage? I mean…” He leaned back, giving me a onceover. “You’re hot.” He motioned to my car. “You drive a chill car, so you’re not hurting for money. What’s your deal? You’re just known as ‘that girl’ or ‘she’s in my class’ and that’s it. Someone thought your name was Colorado. What’s your last name?”
“My name is Aspen.”
“I know that much. Mr. Latham is a lazy fuck, but he still does roll call.” He nodded at me again. “What’s your last name?”
I hesitated another beat. “Monson.”
He was quiet a second. I could almost see him connecting the dots before his eyes went flat. “Your parents are doing that documentary thing?”
I felt a jolt run through me, my hand jerking up and taking hold of my backpack strap. “How do you know about that?”
He was right, but they hadn’t interviewed kids here. Only in Roussou. The people they were interviewing here were adults, people who wouldn’t connect my parents to me. It was one thing I’d been adamant about—that they leave the high schools in Fallen Crest out of their project.
“My brother and sister go to Roussou,” Blaise said. “I’ve heard all about the project.”
Oh.
Oh, shit.
“So those rumors are true?” I asked. Oh wow! Like, wowza wow. “Is that why you moved here? To get to know your brother and sister? I heard they were twins.”
“Jesus. Shut up,” he hissed, backing away. “That’s personal business.” He looked around, his jaw clenching. “I did my due diligence with you. That’s why I’m approaching you back here, ’cause trust me, I have no problem starting a scene. Started the day that way, and I could end the day that way. It’s no skin off my nose. You got me?”
I sucked in a breath. He was scary when he was like this—scary hot.
“Yeah. Sorry.” I lowered my voice. But it still seemed exciting to find out you have two siblings you didn’t know about. Or I would’ve been excited about it. “What are they like? Who are they? Are you close to them?”
“Shut.” His eyes got all big and mad. “Up. It’s none of your goddamn business.”
I winced. “You swear a lot.”
“I don’t care.”
He looked at me like I was an alien, but that stuff didn’t faze me. I was used to that. Hell, I preferred that. No one could figure me out that way, and this guy had come close.
I didn’t like it.
I might need to up some stalker tendencies, but even as I thought it, it probably wouldn’t do anything. I’d blurted that I had a crush on him, and he hadn’t cared. He took that in stride. Then again, why wouldn’t he? Most girls at school had a crush on him. He got laid daily, or he could if he wanted to.
Man, what would that be like? To know you could merely look at someone and they’d do what you wanted? Sexually speaking. Would I want that? If I looked at him, gave him the eyebrow wiggle, and he’d follow me into a closet?
Wait.
Guys would do that for a girl.
Some guys would.
No. That wasn’t right either.
Guys would do that, but then sometimes they talked trash about the girls they hooked up with. Though, maybe not him? I didn’t remember ever hearing him brag about hooking up with someone. Girls bragged about hooking up with him, not the other way around. And he wasn’t exclusive with Mara, but everyone knew Mara Daniels was a regular with him. He never said a word about it. That was from other people talking about seeing them.
And this morning, I’d heard what he said to Brian Strandling and what else he said to Zeke. Those words didn’t seem like they’d come from a guy who’d hook up with a girl and then trash her for it.
I could feel a definite throb between my legs, and now I was staring at his lips and pulling on my hair, as if I could imagine it was his lips and what I’d want to do with them.
Tug on them.
Pull. Twist.
I was starting to pant.
“You’re not normal.”
I shrugged. “Life goals.”
See? Stuff like that didn’t faze me. Never had. Owen had always laughed at how odd I was. He told his friends— Pain laced my chest.
I got choked up and turned away, ducking so Blaise couldn’t see my eyes.
I blinked back sudden tears.
I hurried forward, and Blaise had to move out of my way.
Then I was inside Maisie and starting the engine. “I have to go,” I said in a rush before I closed the door. A second later, I was out of there, tears streaming down my face.
Not good.
No one, no one, got to see me cry. Ever.
7
Blaise
The girl had issues. That was obvious.
I watched as she tore out of the parking lot, knowing she believed I thought she was psychotic. I didn’t think that. She just seemed like a girl who didn’t want attention. There was always a reason for that. No one grows up not wanting to be noticed; something had to have happened. But whatever it was wasn’t something I had to deal with or think about. I’d confronted her, wanting to make sure she hadn’t taken a video of Mara going down on me. I’d also wanted to feel her out, see if she was the type to blab about it, but she wasn’t.
I’d thrown a ton of shit at her, and the only thing that cracked her surface wasn’t something I said. I called her weird, and she deflected that as if it were air, but then something inside her broke through. I didn’t know what it was, but again, it wasn’t my issue.
I could walk away knowing there would be no collateral damage of her spreading rumors, but why did I care? It wasn’t like people didn’t know. A video would have been a problem. Then I’d have had to do damage to her, and there was something about her I didn’t want to hurt.
I mean, she was hot, but just this conversation told me she wasn’t worth it. No quick dip or taste. The girl had some severe damage.
And again, not my issue.
At all.
Why the fuck was I still thinking about this? I cursed, shaking my head clear and pulling myself out of whatever the fuck I was doing here.
Sick car, though. I wish I knew her better. I’d ask to drive it.
“Yo.”
I looked over. Jamie and Oliver were heading across the parking lot toward me.
“What’s your deal?” I asked as they approached. “Zeke ask you to keep an eye on me?”
They’d been like my shadow all day, and I didn’t know what they were thinking. That made me wary.
They shared a look.
Jamie shrugged, crossing his arms over his chest. I was still standing next to the truck beside where Aspen had parked, and Jamie leaned a shoulder against it. “Zeke didn’t ask us to do anything. We’re just tired of how things have been here.”
Oliver nodded.
Both seemed resigned.
Well. Fuck.
I shook my head. “We’re almost out of here. It’s too late to change anything. This ain’t worth it for you guys.”
Oliver grinned.
Jamie laughed. “Exactly.”
I frowned. “What do you mean?”
He kicked up from the vehicle and shrugged, glancing back at the school, which was starting to empty of students. “Zeke might’ve done something if you’d pulled this at the beginning of the semester. You pushed back against him. He doesn’t forget that shit—or he doesn’t with us. You might be different, but you got pull. I mean, we’re here. We’ve never backed anyone else, and he knew that’s what we did today. We were backing you. He ain’t going to do shit because it’s almost the end of the year, but man, we got summer left. There’s parties to be had, to throw, to crash. Zeke loves you, and he ain’t ever gonna let you go.”
I grunted. “That makes him sound creepy.”
Oliver shook his head, shruggi
ng. “No offense, but Allen is a bit creepy with you. He always has been. He really does love you, and not like he wants to fuck you. He’s got unconditional, agape-type-shit love for you. He won’t do anything to you, but us he might’ve fucked over. He won’t now. We’re heading into party season. He just wants to go along to get along, ya know?”
Party season. Summertime.
“I’m heading to New York.”
They both laughed. “Then we’re either all coming with you or you ain’t going to be there long.”
I studied them. Zeke had said the same to me a month ago, and my mom had laughed when I told her about my summer plans this morning. Why did everyone doubt that I was going to New York?
“I have to,” I told them. “My non-bio dad is being an asshole to my mom. I need to go make sure he’s not going to mess with her.”
Jamie held his hands up. “Whatever. We’ll come with you for that too.”
“You know Allen’s with you, no matter where you go,” Oliver added. “You won’t be able to get rid of the asshole.”
And as if to prove his point, Zeke came out of the school just at that moment. I noted neither Brian nor Branston was with him, which meant he’d specifically told them to steer clear. He walked across the lot, slowing when he was within talking distance. He kept some space between us, eyeing Jamie and Oliver.
“Hey, man. What’s the deal tonight?”
I let out a breath. I’d not realized I’d been holding it, but it didn’t seem Zeke was going to hold this morning against me. “I’m supposed to do a family dinner. You up for helping me with some distracting?”
His eyes lit up. “Your sister-in-law going to be there?”
Jamie and Oliver started laughing.
I rolled my eyes. “Shut up, douches.”
He was talking about my half-brother’s girlfriend, who was not someone to mess with. My half-brother wasn’t either, but Zeke already knew that. He’d gone against them earlier this year and gotten his car exploded because of it. He’d let bygones be bygones once he found out about my relation to them, but he knew things were dicey between my half-brother and me.
Zeke’s grin turned wicked. “What about your sister? You think her boyfriend will be there? He’s a nice little fighter dude to fuck with. Gets all hot and bothered if he thinks we’re flirting with his woman.”
“Don’t fuck with Taz.” Or her boyfriend, but I held that back because that would ensure Zeke would fuck with him. I was picking my battles here, and I was tired. Maybe that burst of anger this morning, whatever it’d been, had been enough for me? Got some of my demons out or something? Who knew.
“Yeah.” Zeke laughed, rolling his shoulders back. He was settling in, which meant he was feeling good about how things were going between us. His grin was easy. “I’m down. I can distract anyone you want me to distract tonight. I love these family dinners. Drop the word pussy a few too many times and everyone’s all up in arms.”
I grinned. For a while, that’d been Zeke’s favorite word. Pussy this, pussy that. Literally every other word was pussy. That’d been an interesting month.
“You want in too?” I asked the others.
“Hell yeah,” Jamie answered.
Oliver nodded. “Count us in.”
Maybe dinner wasn’t going to be too bad. I’d never brought these guys to the house before, just Zeke.
I pulled my keys out. “I can drive.”
Zeke got shotgun. “Have I mentioned how I’d love to make love to your G Wagon, B?”
“Fucking Mercedes too.” Jamie whistled under his breath as he climbed in.
I shot them a look, snorting. “Right, because your BMW is so low class?”
Jamie just smiled. Cocky fucker.
8
Aspen
I needed to camp. Stat.
Now.
I would break out in hives if I didn’t get my camp on, and I had a plan formed before I’d driven Maisie all the way home from school.
School was mostly done for seniors. A few tests and a few papers to turn in, but we’d gotten most of our work completed a week or so ago. They had to have time to make sure we all had passing grades and could actually graduate. People were still showing up because they didn’t want to piss off the administration, but I was different. No one really knew I existed, except Blaise now. And my biology partner. But neither of them would care. And neither might notice anyway.
When I got home, I pulled up the last of my remaining projects. I emailed the teachers, and within two hours, I had the final details for my last assignments. My plan was to complete everything. I made arrangements to take two tests the following morning, missing my slacker classes to get that done.
Since being here, I’d never caused a problem.
My grades were good: A’s. I already had college set in stone: Cain University. My parents didn’t know that was my final choice. They thought I wanted to attend Hillcrest’s sister university because so many of my Hillcrest friends were going there, but nope. I wanted to go where my brother had gone. Nate had found himself there. I knew things had been rocky in the beginning, but that smoothed out, and at Cain was the first time I saw him happy. I wanted to go there and understand.
But back to camping. Because camping would get me through the last weeks of school.
Camping would get me through the summer.
Camping let me breathe.
“Honey?”
I stilled, hearing my mom’s voice at my door.
A polite knock came next, and I had to answer. My stomach was in knots, but I pushed back from the desk and walked over. My legs felt like wood.
My mom was on the other side, frowning, concern pulling her eyebrows together.
She wore a light summer dress, an artsy scarf wrapped around her neck with books on it, and her hair coiled up in a loose French twist. It was a mess of brown and gray since she was letting her last dye job run out. Minimal makeup, and she had on hemp sandals that wrapped around her ankles.
I already knew what mood she was in that day.
She was feeling an artsy/creative/loving/spiritual vibe. In these moments, she loved life and tried to be a beacon of light to everyone. This was the perfect time to make my request.
“Mom.” My voice went all warm and happy, and I made sure to smile, radiating peace and tranquility.
“Daughter.” A flicker in her eyes, and she tilted her head toward me.
She was on to me. She knew I wanted something.
Good thing I knew she wouldn’t mind in this mood.
Right now she wanted to go to the desert and commune with nature and take mud baths, all while dosing up on some really great pot. I never saw this side of her until she and my dad had their midlife crisis. Now this was a regular occurrence, and the vibes in the house were a lot more relaxed because of it.
“I want to go camping for my last week at school.”
She didn’t even blink. “Absolutely not.” And damn, her smile never wavered either.
“Mom.” I was getting serious now.
“Daughter.” So was she. “It’s your last year. You’re not missing any projects or memories to go camping alone.”
Well…damn.
“I’ve gotten permission to finish all my projects and tests in the next three days at school. And I can do it. I’ll have everything completed and handed in by Thursday. I can take off on Friday.”
Wait.
What was I doing?
I didn’t want my parents to know when I graduated. I’d made up a fake email for them, so everything school-related actually came to me. I knew my grades for months before my parents remembered to ask. With their old-school way of thinking, no news from my school was good news. That meant I wasn’t having problems, so they had no reason to worry about me. And straight As—a 4.2, with the new ranking system. School had always been easy for me. It was just the social scene that presented a challenge, but what parent actually waded into that world?
I needed to
go camping.
I needed it like I needed to live. This past weekend was supposed to have fed my soul, but it hadn’t.
I was going anyway. Regardless of what my mother said.
I made the decision right then and there. My projects would be done. My tests would be taken. If I didn’t show up, no one would care.
I was doing it. My mom would never know anyway.
And so now I had to distract her. I moved in, wrapped my arms around her, and buried my head in her shoulder. “I love you, Mom.”
She stiffened for a second, then she melted. “Oh, honey.” Her hand came up to the back of my head for a moment before she hugged me. “I love you too. So very much,” she murmured next to my ear. “You know that, right?”
I squeezed her. “Always.”
She sighed. “Come for dinner. Benny made Thai and your father is having a fit. You know he was hoping for tacos. Lord knows why. If he could, he’d have tacos every night of the week. Tacos and those damn cigars of his. I thought I got rid of the rest of them, but he snuck away to his editing shed. It’s like he thinks we’re oblivious that it’s his he-shed more than anything.” She paused, her smile turning tender. “You’ll come for Thai with us?”
I nodded. “Of course.”
Another hug, a soft squeeze of my shoulder, and she left, her hand grazing my cheek.
After dinner, I studied for my two tests and drew up a list for my camping trip.
I’d be back before she even knew I’d been gone.
9
Blaise
Between Zeke and Oliver and Jamie, Tasmin never stood a chance.
She came alone—no boyfriend and no brother with his girlfriend in tow. And I knew my half-bro well enough to know there was no way he would come without his woman or his friends. He had a tight group. I’d heard my mom complaining to Stephen one night that the only way they’d gotten my half brother to the first dinner was because Tasmin went behind his back to friend-guilt his girlfriend. She had come to support Taz. I don’t know what happened, but he showed up with her, and then they’d all stormed off with Taz’s boyfriend.