Page 5 of Broken Princess

I have no one to brag to about all the gifts I got, ordidn’tget, for Christmas. Mom and I agreed to focus on making the holiday special for Summer. We got her new practice sneakers and athletic wear. A new computer, since she’s been using the hand-me-down I got from dad when I started the ninth grade. Her favorite NBA and WNBA player’s jerseys, and a jacket she’s been drooling over since last May. Her winter league travels to Colorado for a tournament every year. This time she’ll have the coat she wants to keep her warm.

Mom has a charm bracelet she keeps in her jewelry box. She used to get a milestone trinket for it every year. We’ve skipped a few, but this year, I found the perfect one. It looks like a damask print. It was the closest thing I could find to wallpaper to represent her return to interior designing.

There’s an influx of activity around me as classes dismiss. I lower my head, avoiding the questioning and mocking gazes when people notice me. Everyone who’s seen or heard about my ass on display thinks they can say anything they want to me. It’s the worst kind of notoriety, and I’m hoping the jokes and novelty of seeing me back on campus will wear off soon and they can get on with the business of ignoring me.

Logan

I exit the school bookstore, shoving my wallet in my back pocket, and marveling once again at the high price for bound recycled paper in the digital age. When I look up, I see Noel heading my way. I step to the right to let him pass, and he still manages to shoulder me. We have an unspoken agreement to stay out of each other’s way. This is him putting himself directlyinmy way.

“What the hell is your problem, Noel?”

“I thought that’d be obvious by now. My problem isyou. Or more specifically, the way you treat women.”

Fucking unbelievable. He has the nerve to mention my track record with women, when he’s just as likely to fuck em and leave em as I am. “Yeah, well the women seem to like the way I treat them. You should know that better than anyone.”

It’s a low blow, considering our history and what I did with the last girl he pretended to give a shit about. The corners of my mouth tip up, remembering my time with her. Yeah, she liked how I treated her a lot.

“Do you even care about the damage you inflict?”

That’s an easy answer. “No.”

I don’t. Or I didn’t. Not until this last time, and even now I’m thinking of ways to turn that feeling off because it makes me seem weak. “Now unless you’re in my face because you’ve suddenly decided you swing both ways and want mine to be the first cock you sample, I suggest you move.”

He steps aside, and I start back down the path.

“Oh, Logan.”

I shouldn’t stop, but I do.

“The closest my mouth will ever get to your dick, is when I’m between Jordanna’s legs, showing her what a real man’s mouth and tongue can do.”

I turn to face him, a bored expression on my face. “That’s not happening. She’ll never trust the motives of someone on this campus, asking her out again.”

“You’re right.” He smirks at me, putting my defenses on high alert. “Which is why she needs someone she can rely on. A friendly face. I’ve been that, consistently since the beginning.” He strokes his jaw. “And isn’t that how her relationship evolved with the guy before you? You might’ve been the one to put her in the race, but I’ll be the one helping her over the finish line. Thanks for the warmup,king.”

He’s watching me too, trying to see if his words get under my skin. They don’t because I know there’s no way in hell Jordy would fall for his shit. A little voice inside my head taunts me.Wouldn’t she?

I turn, heading towards the cafe, shoving thoughts of Noel and Jordanna out of my head. This is the last night the gang and I have to finalize our plans for the back to school bash. I’m not in a party mood right now, and I wish I could skip it. But it’s important that we present a united front.

Scrubbing a hand through my hair, I snort.United.That’s a joke. I was the only one in a closed door meeting with Dean Allen, talking about the stunt I pulled. My friends were also missing from the lecture I got from my dad about my reckless behavior.

Dad doesn’t give a shit about our games until they strike too close to home. Our lawyer said the school or Jordanna could’ve pursued criminal charges, and that I’m lucky the school handled it in-house. Obviously I screwed up, putting an animated picture of her face on that sculpture. But it would’ve been incomplete without it, and I don’t believe in half-assing my work. In retrospect, maybe I should have selected the one with her blindfolded.

“Good, you’re here.” Bella says before I can plant my ass in the seat. She knows I wouldn’t miss this meeting. Not if I want to have some peace. Her spies are still trying to follow me. Some days I let them, some days I don’t. I plaster a smile on my face, feigning excitement I don’t feel. “Where else would I be?”

“I don’t know. In your secret lair, or trying to see what’s up with the charity case.” She looks at Frankie. “Has anyone figured out why they let her come back? Did she threaten to sue the school or something?”

No one answers, because as near as I can tell, all Jordanna did was register for classes, just like everyone else.

Tabitha blows on her coffee. “Can we get on with the meeting? I have somewhere I need to be.”

I doubt that’s the truth, but the path to less drama is to pretend she does, instead of telling Bella to shut the hell up.

Frankie confirms the bar will deliver the booze and food two hours before the party, and Bella tells us she’s selected some of her favorite games to play. When her eyes slide to me, I give her a confident smirk. “Can’t wait to see what happens.”

Hal swipes through the Prospectus app, checking people off the guest list, and Tabitha looks bored with the whole thing. Once we agree everything’s in place, Bella opens the floor for new business. No one has anything to add. The meeting dismisses and I hightail it to my studio. I need to smite some metal so I don’t choke out my friends.

Three

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