* * *
I looked at the tall building with the letters that made up HIDDEN CREEK HIGH and I nodded. It could have been quite the setup here, huh? Ryland. Me. Running the halls. Controlling everything that happened from door to door. Not to mention what happened outside the doors. It was always too good to be true.
And now it was impossible.
Fucking Ryland was dead.
Dead.
Gone.
No longer breathing.
Tossed into the ground like an old toy in a box to be put in the attic and left as a memory you’d later stumble across.
And I was left in the dust.
Which was my life.
But Ryland was my fucking brother.
Our lives… our pasts… the way they connected and bounced off one another - it was something nobody knew about.
Well, to be fair, there was one person who sort of understood it.
Thinking about her made me grin.
My Surfer Girl.
And goddamn me for having them on my mind so much today, huh?
I felt soft.
That wasn’t like me.
Time to stir shit up…
The side door blasted open and I side stepped to make sure Wes was going to walk right into me.
He had his arm around his girl.
Ashley? Amber? Aira?
Yeah. It was Aira.
What the fuck kind of name was Aira?
Why not name her See-a … or Breathe-a … or better yet Piss-a.
I grinned wider and watched as Wes stopped and curled his lip.
He kissed the top of Aira’s head. “It’s okay, darling. I’ll meet you at my ride.”
“You sure?” she asked.
“Yeah. We’re good here.”
Aira gave me a set of evil eyes that could have frozen the entire ocean in seconds.
Luckily we weren’t at the beach.
Wes stood there.
I stood there.
Silence the only thing we had in common.
“Whatever you have to say or ask, just do it,” Wes said. “We can have the same conversation until you fucking leave this town for good. It doesn’t bother me at all.”
I nodded. “Good thing I have nowhere to be.”
“So you’ll be waiting outside every day for me? Waiting for me to confess that I killed your brother?”
Wes was a smartass prick.
All the same thoughts ran through my head at once as I stared at him.
He and Aira.
He and Ryland.
Ryland and Aira.
Old family fights.
New love fights.
The rumors, bullshit, blah… blah… fucking blah…
But… that old standing war with my brother? That was now my war. And the family war…? Whether my old man liked it or not, it was his dick that made me. Slapping, stuffing, squirting that thing about and one little oopsies and there I was nine months later, screaming as I came into this disaster of a world. I didn’t ask for it. But here I was. And if the rich and powerful Alexander didn’t think for a second that I knew all of the dirty family secrets - including the land war with Wes’s family - he was out of his fucking mind.
“You seem tense, Wes,” I said.
“Nope. Just annoyed.”
“Yeah. Me too, man. Me too.”
I turned and started to walk away.
“You know this isn’t going to end the way you want it,” Wes called out.
I paused and looked over my shoulder.
I grinned again.
“It’s going to end exactly how I want it, Wes.”
* * *
Nova wasn’t hard to find.
Just hang around the beach long enough and she’d be there.
That goddamn long hair of hers, always knotty and ratty from the ocean and the salt… but still the most beautiful hair I had ever seen. And smelled. And got caught in my damn mouth when we secretly spent a night or two here and there in a tent on the beach together. In forbidden seclusion, me the bastard child summer boy licking the innocence of sweet and precious Novalee away.
I lit a cigarette and lied to myself saying it was my last one.
Every one was my last one.
When I realized all it took was a bullet to end my life, smoking didn’t seem so bad.
I just need to avoid bullets. Not cigarettes.
So puff away, motherfucker.
I ran a hand through my hair and took in the sight of the ocean.
There were different ways to view the ocean. You sometimes looked at it like a vacationer. A place to sit, get sunburned, watch the waves but secretly thinking about a meeting or your boss or that you want to fucking quit your job. If you lived in Hidden, the ocean was the backdrop. Like a tree you forgot about until it blew over in a storm.
I was in-between that.
Right where I liked to be.
The dusty in-between…
Knowing my presence made a lot of people nervous. And jealous. And turned on.
I saw Nova just as I was about halfway through my smoke.
Carrying a surfboard over her head.
Wearing a bikini that showed off all my favorites places on her. Watching her each summer change from girl to woman had been something I’d never forget and never fucking let go of either. The crazy part about Nova was that she didn’t know it. She didn’t get how pretty she was. How her laid-back surfer look was probably the greatest look possible. Especially being stuck in a world of rich and fake girls who just wanted to get a ride (in more ways than one).
But that was a different town.
I was in Hidden now.
This was my home.
I’d be whatever secret my old man needed me to be so he could keep his shit together.
At least for now.
Nova put her board into the sand, standing next to it. Watching the water. Gauging the waves. Like an artist about to paint a picture. Or a musician about to play a song. She was epic. Fucking epic.
She put the board all the way down and stretched her arms into the air.
A thought hit me.
She fucking hates my guts.
There was no getting around that fact.
But the thing with facts… they could change. Sometimes fast. Sometimes easy.
And sometimes it just took time.
I stepped forward and saw someone from the corner of my eye.
A shirtless dude carrying a bag, strutting toward Nova.
I paused and took in the scene.
The guy walked right up to her, dropped the bag to the sand, and then pointed to the ocean.
He then put his right hand to the middle of Nova’s back, touching bare skin. His fingers crept around to her side, gently pulling her toward him. She went along for the ride, side stepping, side hugging this motherfucker.
I gritted my teeth and nodded.
Nice play, Nova.
My heart picked up its pace, completely out of my control.
I took the last drag of my smoke and dropped it to the sand and buried it with my shoe.
I watched as the shirtless motherfucker pressed his lips to Nova’s shoulder.
She then wiggled away and pointed to the bag.
The motherfucker dropped down to his knees in the sand and opened the bag.
Nova looked back… right at me…
I grinned.
She gently placed her middle finger to her left cheek, pretending to scratch but in reality telling me to go fuck myself.
I couldn’t fucking wait to win her back… and for good.
* * *
Same routine.
Leaving my presence known by my silence.
For now.
Except the sight of Nova on the beach with that douchey looking guy was burning in my head.
I took one of my father’s expensive scotch’s and helped myself.
It was smooth and it went to my head. But not before stopping at my heart.
Which re
ally fucked things up for me even more.
So it was after midnight and I stumbled my way out of the house with an unlit cigarette between my lips. I smartly convinced myself not to drive.
But I had a hell of a walk ahead of me.
That was okay though.
I needed to sober up.
And I had enough cigarettes to last me the entire time.
I walked the beach back to the spot where I had seen Nova.
I wanted to punch the sand.
Or dig all that sand up and throw it away.
What the fuck are you even thinking, man? You’re fucking wasted, in love, and have no fucking clue what you’re doing. Go to bed and get your shit together. Or better yet… go home. Not this pretend home. Just go the fuck home. Stay the fuck away from-
“Nova,” I whispered.
Every thought in my head stopped.
I suddenly lost all desire to smoke my cigarette too.
I stood in place and watched her as she sat on the beach.
Not on a towel.
Right down on the sand.
Her knees bent.
Those long and perfect tanned legs.
The frayed bottoms of her shorts running way too close to her ass.
A hoodie covering her body and her head, a little of her blonde hair sticking out, being thrown around by the breeze.
She almost brought me to my knees.
And, no, it wasn’t the scotch talking.
I was instantly sober.
I walked toward her.
She was hugging her knees.
I knew this version of Nova like nobody else did.
A smile climbed across my face.
“Good night or good morning, babe?” I asked.
Nova looked up at me. “Elijah…”
“Your wish came true,” I said.
“More like my nightmare.”
I looked around. “Where’s your pet?”
“My pet?”
“Seriously?” I asked.
“Oh… Conor… he’s not my pet.”
“Sure he is,” I said. I crouched down to face her. “He set up the towel. He patiently waited for you to get back from surfing. Like such a good, loyal dog. He doesn’t surf, does he? He can’t even attempt it.”
“Why does that matter to you?” She asked.
“You matter,” I said.
Nova fake laughed loud. “I matter. Suddenly I matter. Wow, Elijah, I figured you to have more game than that.”
“Right,” I said. I stood back up. “You don’t like that guy. You’re trying to get to me.”
“And it’s working,” she said. “Win, win.”
“Win, win?” I asked.
“I get you pissed enough to leave… and I have a guy who does anything I say because he’s been after me for a long time.”
Jealousy ripped through me.
Nova was mean but good.
I slowly nodded.
I lit up a fresh cigarette and took a deep drag.
Then I dropped it to the sand right next to her.
“Why do I want that disgusting thing?” she asked.
I shrugged my shoulders. “Get some sleep, babe. I don’t like you out here alone at night.”
“Why? Afraid someone is going to shoot me?”
“That’s why I’m here. To figure that out. To make sure you’re safe here.”
“And if I’m not? Then what? Are you going to whisk me away to the life you lied to me about?”
“I never lied to you, Nova,” I said. “That’s what hurts the most I bet. Knowing I didn’t lie. Knowing that the truth could hurt worse than a lie.”
I turned and started to walk.
“You’re an asshole,” she called out.
I looked back and she was standing.
Her hair blowing across her face.
“I hope you realize how fucking beautiful you look right now, babe,” I said. “And if your pet doesn’t tell you that every second of every day then he’s not good enough for you.”
“And you’re good enough for me?” she asked.
“I guess we’ll find out soon enough,” I said.
I blew her a kiss goodnight.
She swatted the air as though it were real.
She showed me her cute little middle finger again.
I walked and didn’t look back again.
I had everything I needed for the night.
For now.
But definitely not forever.
Chapter 5
Nova
I walked out of the water to the applause of just one person.
Conor.
Standing there in his tan, leather sandals and super white cargo shorts and light yellow polo shirt. A red towel over his shoulder, his well-done hair tossed to the side, barely moving in the breeze thanks to the gallons of hair product he used. His eyes burning right at me as I jumped through the water, fighting for my balance against the aggressive ends of the waves.
My hair was a knotty mess of salt water, with water dripping all over me.
I was out of breath.
My body actually physically tired.
In a way I hadn’t felt in a long time.
Not since…
I shut my eyes for a second when I felt nothing but sand under my feet.
I exhaled slowly.
Pushing myself too hard was a dangerous thing. All it took was one good wave and my body to cramp up and that was it. I knew my limits. And today I decided to walk a few feet past them.
Now I was a few feet away from Conor.
“That was amazing,” he said as he pulled the towel from his shoulder and opened it wide for me.
I smiled and nodded.
‘Here, babe. Take a towel. Unless, of course you like being wet near me.’
He flings a rolled up towel at me. It hits my chest and he grins big.
I hurry to throw it right back at him.
He wastes no time in throwing it over his shoulder and coming after me.
I turn and scream, going back for the water.
He comes after me.
Duh.
My feet splash in the shallow water of the shore as his hands grab my waist. He lifts me up but doesn’t pull me from the water. He goes into the water. Running forward with speed and strength.
I scream and laugh.
He somehow drops me and turns me around.
I put my arms around his shoulders and his hands touch my sides.
I wrap my legs around him.
We’re eye level.
The ocean making us bounce up and down with the waves.
‘Feel tough now?’ I whisper to him.
‘I just like it when you’re wet,’ he says.
‘Is that all you think about?’
‘When I’m near you? Yeah.’
I roll my eyes. ‘Typical boy.’
‘No,’ he says. ‘It’s pronounced ‘Summer Boy’ … remember?’
I laugh.
I put my head back, not sure how to process everything I’m feeling.
His lips touch my neck.
I lose all thoughts and the ability to think.
Thankfuckinggod.
“Nova?”
I shook my head. “Yeah? What?”
“Are you okay?”
I looked up at Conor and smiled. “Perfect.”
“Come here,” he said.
He approached me with the towel.
I slowly turned and felt him wrap the towel around my body.
I grabbed the ends and held them together.
But Conor didn’t move.
He just stood there with me.
I kept taking deep breaths, hoping to calm down.
No chance.
“You really love it out there, huh?” he asked me.
“What?”
“The ocean,” Conor said. “The waves.”
“I like to surf, yeah.”
“No, it’s not just that. It’s something else.”
; I turned my head. “What do you mean?”
“I wish you could see your face, Nova. It’s not just about surfing. It’s deeper than that. Way deeper than that. I don’t know how to describe it. It’s like… you’re home. You’re at peace. I don’t know. I just watch you out there surfing and I catch myself smiling.”
“That’s sweet,” I whispered.
“You’re sweet,” Conor said.
He brought his lips down to mine.
He kissed my lips.
Then he kissed over my lips.
Next came the tip of his tongue against my lips.
His hands moved to my hips and down and back to my ass.
He let out a groan and broke the kiss. “And your ass isn’t all that bad either.”
I laughed.
Not exactly a romantic or flirty laugh.
“Thanks, Conor,” I said.
I stepped away from him and saw the blanket he put on the sand.
I bit my lip and shut my eyes for a second.
He was very particular about the sand. And the blankets he brought were about two miles long. And he brought supplies as though we were camping for a week and were fifty miles from the nearest store.
When I spotted Kailey, Emma, and Aira, I wasn’t sure how to feel.
Right behind them came Wes (with a cigarette), Walker, and Ryker.
I felt my body tense up for no reason at all.
Well, maybe a dumb reason here and there…
“Whoa, who brought the little blanket?” Walker asked.
“Funny,” I said. “Park your ass in the sand then.”
Without hesitation, Walker dropped down to the sand. “Fine by me.”
“Hey, everyone,” Conor said in a cheery voice.
“Hey,” Wes said. He took the last drag of his cigarette.
Conor wrinkled his nose at the sight and smell of the smoke.
“This is interesting,” Emma said. “You two on a date?”
“No,” I said.
“I was watching her surf,” Conor said.
He put his arm around me.
“That’s sweet of you,” Kailey said.
“Yeah,” Ryker said. “Waiting for her top to come off in a wave, man?”
Kailey elbowed Ryker. “Ignore him.”
“My cousins,” Wes said, nodding to Ryker and Walker. “You can tell they came from the rotted part of the family tree.”
“Nothing rotten here,” Walker said.
He lifted his shirt and pointed to his stomach.
HIDDEN CREEK AGAIN: a hidden creek high novel Page 5