Page 15 of Vendetta

My blood boiled. I wanted nothing more than to walk over to Cashton and slap him across his stupid smug face. Butthat wouldn’t make the situation any better, and would only ruin this day for everyone if we were to start fighting right here.

Fuck it. If he wanted to act this way, two could play this game. I would make it crystal clear to the rest of the group who the victim was in this situation. He was more than welcome to show his true colors for everyone to see, and I would gladly sit back and let him dig himself into that hole.

“I’m fine, really.” I said, wiping the blood away from my nose with the towel. “I’m sure it was just an accident.” The last part came out through gritted teeth, but it seemed to work. TJ stopped his advance on Cashton, the look of confusion evident on both of their faces at my defending him.

I smiled as sweetly as I could through the pounding headache, letting everyone know I was okay. “Really, it’s no big deal. I’ve gotten plenty of concussions when I did cheerleading. I’m no stranger to bad falls and head injuries. I knew there was a possibility of getting hurt when I agreed to try.” I continued.

The girls exchanged a knowing look, clearly not buying that I had gotten over it so quickly, but eventually settling on either side of me rather than saying anything. TJ shot an unsure look over at Cashton before turning back to me, telling me to take it easy for the rest of the day.

I didn’t want them to have to end the day early to take me home, and what I had said about cheerleading was true. I had gotten more head injuries than I could count, and I knew what a concussion felt like enough to know that I should be in the clear. I would probably have a major headache for the rest of the night, though, so I was grateful when Bexley pulled a bottle of Ibuprofen out of her bag and handed me two.

TJ took over driving the boat, Cashton making his way back to the platform to sit with Zayn as Nate got set up in the water. The music kept going, but the vibes on the boat had shifted slightly, everyone seeming to have picked up on the fact that something was going on between Cashton and I.

He wanted to play dirty, but I wasn’t going to stoop to his level. All hopes of us getting along had pretty much been thrown out the window at this point, but I wasn’t planning on giving him the satisfaction of thinking he was able to get to me. So, I put my brave face on, mentally cursed him out, and then turned back to Olivia and Bexley as if nothing had happened.

Cashton Astor could go to hell.

CHAPTER 7

LANDRY

“Never have I ever…” Nate started, pausing to think of a good one. “Played a musical instrument.”

“Really? That’s all you’ve got?” TJ asked, rolling his eyes as he shoved Nate over, his folding chair tumbling sideways.

After the day out on the lake, we had hitched the boat back to Zayn’s Bronco, its massive tires kicking up dirt as he had pulled it up the ramp. None of us were ready to leave just yet, so we had decided to stay for one last warm evening by the water.

The guys had scavenged for rocks to form a fire pit, gathering branches and kindling from the surrounding woods and Zayn using his ever-present cigarette lighter to spark a small bonfire that soon crackled to life. The warm glow reflected off the lake’s surface, the soft hum of crickets breaking the silence of the night as the flickering light cast long shadows and painted our faces in hues of amber.

Both Bexley and Zayn took a drink, Zayn running his tattooed fingers through his jet-black locks as he turned to his left to raise an eyebrow at her in question.

“You play an instrument?” He asked.

Bexley pulled a strand of her red hair behind her ear. “Yeah. I mean, I used to, I guess. I played Piano growing up. What about you?”

“He played the drums in a rock band in high school.” Nate answered for him. That, I could actually see. I certainly would not have pegged him as the high school marching band type.

“Alright TJ, you’re up.” Nate announced.

TJ and Olivia sat to my left, sharing a seat as Olivia sat on his lap. Bexley sat directly to my right, with Zayn on her other side and Cashton directly across the fire from me. The summer was warm, the perfect last night of summer.

“Never have I ever” TJ started, looking directly at Zayn as a smile took over his features. “Lost my virginity to a MILF.”

Zayn lifted his drink to his lips, using the cigarette in his other hand to flip TJ off. Nobody else in the group moved, yet none of the guys seemed surprised by this information either, clearly already having been aware.

“Liv?” TJ asked, his blond hair glowing bright in the light of the flames as he looked dotingly down at his girlfriend.

“Never have I ever been arrested.” She stated without pause, looking around the group with a smug smile.

“Oh, fuck off.” TJ joked, taking a drink along with Zayn and Cashton. I so badly wanted to ask more, grateful when Bexley asked for me. Her eyes were wide, this information clearly a shock to her.

“Arrested? What for?”

Nate pointed to TJ announcing “Public Intoxication,” then towards the other two, “Fighting, fighting.”

So Cashton had been arrested for fighting? I had to admit that I hadn’t expected that, but I guess I didn’t know much about him after all.

“Landry, you’re up!” Olivia told me and I wracked my brain as I tried to think of something I hadn’t done that might get some people to drink.

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