“Are we doing this?” Ollie places his hand on the door handle. “Cause I’m totally fine sleeping in and doing the online shit,” he offers, looking at me in the backseat.
My resolve crumbles for a brief second, and Ollie sees it on my face, because his mouth stretches into a grin.
“No, we can do this. It’s only a few more months. And this is important to Laura.” Dante sounds so much like Ares in that moment.
My shoulders slump a little as I wince. He’s right. I know he’s right. I’m just intimidated by returning to school. Plus, I don’t know if I can go back to acting like I’m only friends with the guys. I think it’s going to be obvious things have changed between us.
“It’s only a few more months,” Milo concurs with Dante, laying his hand on my thigh and gazing over at me.
“I know and he’s right. I do want this. I fought hard to make sure I could graduate. I’m not going to bail now.” I try to sound convincing, but I think they can tell I’m just pumping myself up.
Dante’s door creaks open. I keep my head down as I let Dante help me from the backseat. I pretend to be busy looking through the backpack Milo gave me to use several weeks ago. The car doors slam closed, and I’m quickly encircled by the guys. I peek up and see an easy grin falling over Ollie’s features. I can see by the slight tic in his jaw that it’s forced, but most people would never know.
“Hey.” He lifts his hand in a wave but doesn’t break from our group.
“Less than two weeks until we’re off for Christmas,” Milo reminds us.
Once we reach the doors, Ollie looks back at me. “I’ll see you in third hour.” His eyes roam over me. I lift my hand like I might reach for him, but let it fall back to my side. His face pinches before he mutters, “Hate this place.” Ollie spins on his heel and stalks off without another word.
Milo watches Ollie’s back, then turns to face me. “I’ll see you at lunch, in the lunchroom.” He stresses the last part. I roll my eyes but nod my agreement.
“See you at lunch.” Milo’s hand brushes against mine, then he’s gone, slipping into the morning hallway traffic to get to class.
Dante places his forehead against mine. Anyone looking would think he’s going to kiss me, but I know he’s not. He pulls in a deep inhale, his eyes falling closed as he does. He doesn’t say anything when he pulls back; instead, he walks away, looking over his shoulder to see me still standing in the same spot where he left me until he turns the corner.
I glance around once he’s gone, wondering how many students were watching me, and how much of a lovesick fool I looked like staring after him. A few girls busy themselves in a locker when I catch them staring, but it didn’t cause the stir I thought it would.
A vibration from my back pocket has me jerking into motion as I reach for the sleek, gold phone in my pocket. The little lock on the top pops open when it comes into view, and I run my thumb up from the bottom of my screen and see a text message from Ares.
Tapping on the bubble, it opens up to the thread with a picture of his face and the name “Dark Lord” underneath it.
I snicker and start walking to my class, looking down at my phone like so many other kids in the halls. I glance up frequently to make sure I don’t bump into anyone, but I love having something to do that isn’t watching the floor.
Dark Lord: I miss you already.
His text makes my already gooey heart a little softer.
Me: miss you too, get to work! XOXO
Dark Lord: I am, but I can’t stop thinking about you and the shower this morning. ;)
My face flushes, thinking about him surprising me this morning. Shower sex isn’t comfortable, but it’s damn fun. And the little wink is just too cute.
Me: I have to go to class. Love you and this morning. <3<3
I slide the phone into my back pocket, but the grin stays on my face as I walk into my homeroom until I see Delaney and her friends huddled together near my desk. Inwardly, I groan, but pretend to ignore them as I make my way over to my assigned seat.
“Look who’s back. Finally get that case of herpes cleared up?” Delaney asks, with mock sympathy.
I almost ignore her, almost fall back into old habits, but then I remember I don’t need to be that girl anymore. I look right into her eyes as I slide into the desk. “I’m really jealous of all the people who haven’t had the pleasure of meeting you, Delaney.”
Her head tilts to the side just a bit. “Oh, I see. You think you can get some new clothes, wash the trailer trash off, and be a new girl.” Delaney leans in a little closer. “Funny story.”
“New clothes or not, Delaney, I’m still the same girl who grew up in a trailer, just like you’re the same cruel girl everyone pretends to like.” I let my gaze travel up and down her form. “Did you need something else? Like me to get you a juice box and your blankey?”
Her face flushes red and the boy in the next row over fake coughs, “Burn.”
“Stupid whore,” she snaps, lashing out. That I do ignore.
“Take your seats so I can do attendance,” the teacher calls out. Delaney jerks her way out of my aisle and stomps over to her seat, the two girls with her whispering furiously as they follow behind.
“Good for you for not taking her shit.” The same boy from before congratulates me. I nod my head, somehow feeling lighter for standing up for myself.
We get dismissed quickly after roll call to head to first hour. Delaney and her friends are out the door almost before I’m even out of my desk. I’m not foolish enough to think she’ll leave me alone now. She’ll lick her wounds and come back, probably worse than ever. I hope I didn’t just make things worse for myself.
First and second hour are uneventful. Thankfully, we kept up with the online assignments so I’m able to pick right back up with the classes.
I’m already in my seat when Ollie struts into the classroom third hour. His eyes are on me the moment he comes through the door. His hand brushes my hair over my shoulder as he moves to the seat behind me. “So, a little birdy told me you and Delaney had a showdown this morning.” His brows are raised in question.
I turn in my seat so I can face him and roll my eyes. “It wasn’t a big deal.” I try to downplay it, but I’m still riding a little high for not backing down from her, so a smile blooms on my lips, discounting my words.
Ollie gives me a censuring look, but he can’t fight the grin on his face any more than I can. “I wish I would have been there to see it,” he adds a bit wistfully.
I swat his arm. “You make it sound like it was a mud wrestling match, Oliver. It was like five seconds and a few words. Nothing that would probably even get us any trouble from school.”
His eyes roll up and go unfocused. “Mud wrestling hadn’t crossed my mind, but thanks for the visual.”
“Knock it off,” I say with a chuckle. More seriously, I question, “Who told you anyway?”
“Just a guy,” Ollie answers with a shrug as the teacher calls everyone to attention. “Just so you know, I think it’s epic.” He leans forward and smacks a quick kiss on my cheek.
Feeling shy, I whisper, “Thank you,” before turning around to face the front of the room.
Tugging my backpack up on my shoulders, I head toward the lunchroom. I drag my phone out of my pocket and open up the text app. The text with Ares is still open, so I tap out a quick reply just for something to do…
Me: how’s your day going?
I’m looking down at the little gray bubble that tells me he’s replying when my arm gets shoved. The phone goes flying from my hand. I can’t stop the small yelp from leaving my lips as I watch it hit the ground, then slide a few feet.
Looking in the direction I was shoved from, I see Delaney standing next to me, her arms crossed over her chest with a satisfied smile on her smug face. “You should really watch where you’re going.”
Instead of replying, I rush over to pick up the phone. A heavy pair of black boots stop right in front of me as I stoo
p to pick up my phone. My fingers are shaking. I’ve never had anything as expensive as this phone. Delaney and her need to be a dick probably just broke it.
I know those boots, know the weight of Dante’s eyes on me. I stand up and meet his gaze. “I was walking and texting,” I confess. “But she did that on purpose.” I turn my head and glare at Delaney. She’s completely unrepentant. “Hey, Delaney,” I call out, loud enough that half the hallway stops and looks.
I go up on my tippy toes and fist the neck of Dante’s shirt. I drag him down to me and plant a kiss right on his lips in front of everyone—but most importantly, Delaney. It’s probably childish, but damn, does it feel good, especially when I feel a growl rumble from Dante’s chest as he steps closer and deepens the kiss.
Much too soon, I feel him get ripped away from me, a feral sounding snarl curling his lips. When I open my eyes, I see a teacher I’ve noticed around the halls pulling his hand away from Dante’s shoulder slowly.
“No PDA in the halls.” He tries to sound firm, but the way he licks his bottom lip and the way his eyes are darting over Dante, tells me he’s not very confident.
I grab Dante’s fingers and tug on him. He looks down at me, the amber in his eyes almost glowing. Addressing the teacher, I say, “Sorry, won’t happen again.” Dante’s shoulders slouch a little as he shoves his free hand into his front pocket.
“See that it doesn’t.” The teacher walks away, snapping his head left and right to glower at the students still standing around. “Get to lunch, or your next class,” he orders, still retreating from Dante and me.
“Classy,” I hear Delaney spit.
“Jealous?” is all I say to her, before pulling Dante down the hall.
“I think that bitch broke my phone.” I glance down at the phone still in my hand as I stomp into the lunchroom.
Swiping my thumb up from the bottom of the screen, it brightens. Spiderwebs mar the surface. “Dammit,” I curse.
“Look, it’s fine. That’s just the screen protector, see?” Dante lifts my palm, cradling the phone and twists it to the light.
“Oh.” I turn it over several times, already feeling relieved by his words. “Are you sure? It looks pretty bad.”
“It’s fine; it’s in a case. We can replace the screen protector later. I drop my phone all the time, and it’s surprisingly sturdy if you have a case. Let’s go eat, I’m hungry.” His voice is a little gruff.
I peer up at him to gauge his mood. “Are you mad about the kiss?” I decide to ask, since I can’t tell what he’s thinking.
He jerks his head and squints at me. “Why the hell would you think that?” He stops in his tracks and focuses on me.
“You sound kinda pissed,” I answer with a shrug of my shoulders.
“I am pissed off… at Delaney. I don’t want you to have to deal with her shit. Plus, I wanted to rip that teacher’s face off for pulling me away from you,” he growls.
That makes me feel a little better. A grin tugs at my lips. “How pissed was she? I didn’t even get a chance to look.”
“I didn’t notice either.” He shakes his head and continues over to the table where Ollie and Milo are already waiting. “But I bet she was madder than hell.”
“Whom are we talking about?” Ollie scoots over, giving me room to climb into the seat next to him.
“Delaney,” Dante replies, while taking the seat across from me.
“What now?” Ollie rolls his eyes.
“She shoved my arm and knocked my phone out of my hands.”
“She did, when?” Milo leans his elbows on the table, peering over at me.
“Just now, on the way to lunch.” I hold up the phone, showing them the evidence of the cracked screen protector so they can see.
“Holy shit.” Milo grabs the phone from my hand.
“And what did you do, little Muenster?” Ollie inquires, a smile already blooming on his full lips.
I look down, suddenly finding the tabletop very interesting. “I kissed Dante in front of her.”
I look up when I hear a loud snort. “That would have her seeing red,” Ollie agrees and ruffles my hair.
“Here.” Milo hands my phone back. “The phone looks okay. She needs to keep her hands to herself.” He glowers around the lunchroom, probably looking for her.
“She’s not used to people standing up to her,” I tell them, and slide the phone into my back pocket.
“I’ll say something to her.” Dante peels back the foil on one of the subs I made us last night.
“Don’t bother, that would just encourage her. Ignore her and let me deal with it.” I unwrap my own sandwich.
“As long as she doesn’t go too far,” Milo interjects, eyeing Dante.
I wave his concern off. People like Delaney are only powerful when you give the power to them. I’m not afraid of what she can do to me anymore. “I’ll be more careful,” I promise, and I will. If I hadn’t been distracted by the phone, she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to push me.
Chapter 26
Dante and I walk out of art hand in hand. There’s no point in hiding our relationship after this afternoon. During classes after lunch, I had to listen to all the whispers about our kiss.
The phone in my pocket vibrates. Dante looks down when I pull it out. “Ares?” he asks.
“I’m sure. You guys are the only ones with the number.”
“He probably gave it to our parents.” Dante pushes the steel bar on the door so we can exit the school.
“It’s Ares,” I confirm, checking to see what he wrote.
Dark Lord: Had to run out, thought I’d be home before you, but I’m running late. Be home soon.
Me: :( miss you.
“He’s said he’ll be home soon.” I’m bummed he won’t be at home when we get there. I’ve gotten used to having all of the guys around, and I just spent most of the day without them. I was looking forward to cuddling on the new furniture that was supposed to be delivered today.
“What are we doing for dinner? Should we stop and pick something up?” Leave it to Dante to already be worried about our next meal.
“We still have plenty of stuff at the house. We can make something.” I tighten my heavy sweater around me and hunch my shoulders. It’s finally starting to get colder here. I might even need a real coat, or at least a jacket.
“Cold?” Dante wraps his arm around my back, warming me up.
“Let’s get out of here,” Ollie calls out, waving us over from the car. I can see the top of Milo’s head already in the backseat. I quicken my steps, the heat of the car calling to me.
Ollie climbs into the backseat as we approach. I close my door quickly after sliding into the front seat, rubbing my palms together. “I feel like it’s colder now than it was this morning.” I shiver again as Dante starts the car, and chilled air blasts from the vents. He flips the dial to turn up the heat.
“The sun will be setting in like an hour, it’s almost winter,” Milo tells me from the backseat. “Any more drama with Delaney?”
“Nah, I don’t have her in any of my afternoon classes. It’s not that big of a deal.” I watch out the window as we file into the exit line.
“People were still talking about it. That, and the apparently epic kiss we missed,” Ollie adds.
I tilt my head back. “I know. I heard people blowing that way out of proportion all afternoon. It was just a little kiss.”
Dante turns his head to look at me, his eyes slightly narrowed, and a smirk on his lips. “A little kiss, huh?”
“It was,” I defend as my cheeks go a little pink.
“That’s not what I heard,” Ollie singsongs.
“I heard you punched Mr. Balm,” Milo says and chuckles.
“He didn’t; he would have gotten in trouble for something like that. See? Way out of proportion,” I reiterate.
“I wanted to hit him, but it wasn’t even close. That part is exaggerated.” Dante looks left and right before punching the gas to speed o
ut of the lot.
“Did the furniture come?” Ollie asks, changing the topic.
“I’m not sure. Ares texted, said he had to run out, and that he would be home later.” I didn’t even think to ask him if it came.
“We should go to the diner since he’s not home. We haven’t seen Gran or Gus in a few weeks,” Milo suggests.
Dante looks over at me, his eyes rounded like a puppy, all hopeful. He knows if we go to the diner, Maggie will feed him.
“That’s fine with me, I hope she hasn’t been too swamped.” A little bit of guilt hits me. Even though I know it would be safe to go back to work now, I really don’t want to. I’ve been working almost full time for years. I pick at my thumb, wondering what I’ll say if she or the guys ask me if I want to start working for her again.
“You sure you don’t mind going?” Dante inquires, when we’re almost to the diner. “You’re being awfully quiet.”
I shake away his concern and the lazy thoughts. If she needs me, I’ll work. “No, I want to see Maggie. I was just lost in thought.”
“Good, ‘cause I can already taste Gus’s famous Cali burger,” Ollie murmurs, sighing wistfully.
“I hope he has some lasagna. I’ve been wanting it ever since you got it when we first hung out.” Milo places his hand on the top of the front seat, preparing to push it forward and climb out.
“You picked the burger?” I get out and wait for Ollie to climb out behind me.
“Yeah, I thought I wanted the burger, until I watched you eat the lasagna.”
Dante jogs ahead and opens the front door for all of us. The chimes ring when Ollie pushes through the next door. Maggie looks up from the counter, a wide smile forming on her face when she sees us.
“Well, lookie here.” She sets her hands on her rounded hips.
“Hey, Gran.” Milo steps up and wraps her in a hug. Her eyes fall closed as she embraces him back.
We each take a turn hugging her before we find a booth. I’m relieved when I look around and see that it’s not too busy. Maggie follows us over and leans against the side of the booth. “You guys eating, or just stopping in?”
Infinity Chronicles Book Four: A Paranormal Reverse Harem Series Page 23