Page 89 of Believe In Us

“Only because I wasn’t nominated,” Ace scoffs, making us both laugh harder. “It was between him and Walker.”

“Well I’m glad he won, Stella is a shoe in for Queen. The polls showed that she was way ahead of both Carrington and Kinsley.”

“And now your Prom Queen for the Senior Graduating Class of 2020, Kinsley Carlyle.”

My heart stops, just as the cheering comes to a halt, everyone looking back, gaping at me, before turning their attention back to the stage where Kinsley joins Bass. Headmistress LeBlanc places the diamond tiara on her head and hands her a bouquet of red roses. Kinsley waltzes over, with a triumphant grin, to stand by Bass, who is glaring at her with bloodshot eyes. I can’t believe she fucking won.

Kinsley Carlyle is the Queen to my King.

Over my dead body.

Chapter

Forty-Three

BASS

“You conniving little bitch,” Jade shouts, charging toward us as I try to hurry off the stage with Kinsley on my tail. Jade’s quick though, reaching the stage and stepping to block us before we can make it off. I knew this was going to happen the moment Kinsley put her arms around me and tried to kiss me during the photo op. My baby’s a jealous one, and right now her emotions are shot through the roof making her even more impulsive than usual. I should let her charge the fucking bitch and give her what she deserves for putting her hands on me, but I can’t let Jade get in trouble, or worse hurt, because of her.

“Baby, come on, let’s just go,” I tell Jade, blocking her path toward Kinsley. I wrap my arms around her waist, lowering my mouth to kiss her, but she doesn’t let me.

“Let me fucking go, Sebastian, someone needs to teach this bitch a lesson. Apparently no one taught her to keep her fucking paws off what doesn’t belong to her.”

“You’re the one that needs to be taught to stop trying to dateout of your rank. Sebastian, stop slumming it with the help. You need to wake up darling, this bitch is trash, you are so far out of her league. We already lost Ace, you still have a chance to make it.”

Jade starts to laugh hysterically, and it’s both terrifying, worrying, and fucking sexy as hell.

“What will it take for you to learn to stay the fuck out of our business. Whatever Sebastian and I have, your feeble little mind could never comprehend.”

“You’re the one who doesn’t seem to comprehend sweetheart. There is no Sebastian and you. Don’t you get it, even if I weren’t in the picture, his father would never allow him to be with anyone like you. You're nothing but a placeholder, a pastime, something to keep him entertained until the real thing comes along. There is no future here for you, especially not with him.”

The anger that is coursing through me from the venom coming from Kinsley’s mouth is blinding. Rage once again wins the battle in me, but just as I’m about to smack the hell out of the bitch myself, my girl beats me to the punch. Or in this case slap.

“You’re the one who’s out of her fucking mind.” Jade pushes past me and slaps Kinsley across the face, reaching out and taking a huge chunk of blond hair with her free hand. It takes me a moment to react, but when I do, I wrap my arms around Jade trying to haul her off of Kinsley, while Ace jumps in and does the same to Kins. I am so tempted to let my girl have at her, but we’re still on stage surrounded by our eager classmates chanting “Cat Fight” off the top of their lungs and hollering loudly, while the Headmistress and other staff stand back watching with unbelieving expressions. I manage to pull Jade off of her, kicking and screaming for me to put her down, when I do she manages to compose herself. “You’re lucky to still have teeth. You might be pretty thanks to daddy’s money which bought you that new nose and those perky tits, but I have something daddy can’t buy you with his black card.” Jade proceeds to do something I neverfucking though she would, turning sideways to show off the small curve of her stomach.

I can’t help feeling a sense of pride, relief, and overall excitement at the simple gesture. Kinsley’s eyes go wide as do everyone else's’ as loud gasps are heard in the crowd. Oh fuck. For added emphasis Jade steps forward still cradling her stomach, “Just so there’s no confusion in your peroxide riddled brain Kins, this is Bass’s baby, a baby he fucked into me after turning you down over and over again.” Tears start streaming down Kinsley’s face, a mixture of embarrassment and realization surely going through her mind. “How’s that for being out of his league? You were practically stalking him, vagina out and ready to go and nothing, while I on the other hand, well he’s been begging me not to let him out.”

“You fucking bitch!” Kinsley charges at Jade but Ace is quick to wrap his arms around her waist hauling her into the air. “You gold-digging slut, you managed to trap him. Getting pregnant with the hope that he’d be yours. I wouldn’t be so sure it’s yours Sebastian, we all know Liam’s been following her little tail.”

It happened so fast we didn’t even see it coming, one minute Kinsley is there spewing venom from her lips the next she is screaming bloody murder. Her perfect little nose is no more, it's dripping blood and a little crooked from what I can see. She holds it while kicking up the dramatics, Stella is shaking out her hand like she just punched a brick wall instead of Kinsley's plastic fucking face. “Stay the hell away from my cousin Kinsley! He doesn’t want you, he will never want you.” She turns away to wince from the pain that is surely shooting up her arm from the shitty punch she threw. She spins again, getting a second wind “And another thing, don't you ever charge at my best friend again. If you try to hurt my niece or nephew, I'll kick your ass bitch!” Stella fake lunges at her for good measure and to all of our amusement Kinsley flinches and runs off. We all stand in shock that Stella, our resident fairy princess, just threw what could be her first ever punch, cursed out and threatened Kinsley all in onemoment. Apparently I'm not the only one surprised by her behavior, collectively we all have the same expression. Shocked and utterly bemused by our sweet little warrior. She realizes everyone’s eyes on her and shyly says “What? Those two are pregnant and somebody had to put her ass in place!”

Jade and Scar didn’t need anything else before they tackled her in a group hug. Laughing like lunatics for like five minutes they looked like proud big sisters. Jade grabs her face with two hands and kisses her forehead in a loud smooch “Thanks for the backup, Billy Badass.”

Chapter

Forty-Four

JADE

My cheeks are sore. My cheeks are fucking sore.

I rubbed my face for the millionth time today, it still feels surreal. For the first time in my life I can finally sit back and enjoy the moments of happiness I am feeling. The happiness I am constantly feeling. So much so, my damn cheeks are hurting from smiling so often. Looking back on all the memories from these last few months has me smiling like an idiot.

Bass and I left prom to have a perfect romantic night together, which ended up with the entire group getting together around 4 a.m. and heading down to Scottie’s Diner, proceeding to eat our weight in burgers and pie. Graduating a few weeks later, walking across the stage and earning my diploma, which was an accomplishment I didn’t know I’d be so proud of. Kids from the projects don’t make it this far, but we did. The five troubled teens, the wayward misfits, walked that day and overcame a statistic not many have.

Especially not here in the midst of the privileged punks.

Bass is his own category of bliss. He has done everything in his power to make me fall in love with him more every day. He comes home to the beach house every night with a different dessert for me and the baby. Well that's a lie he brings two desserts in case I don't like the first one. Meaning I get two desserts every night. I’m not saying it’s planned but it sure is a win-win for me. It doesn’t get better than this.

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