Page 56 of Hate Game

Seriously?

I hang my head. I miss Red. How do I make things right between us again? Maybe Mason has the answer. He is a guy and thinks like one.

I text him to see if he would like to meet up again for what used to be our every-other-night extracurricular activity.

Mason: Text me a date and time and I’m there

I fall asleep with a smile on my face. Mason is such a nice guy.

* * *

The next morning, the rumble of a motorcycle’s engine interrupts the silence inside the house. I glance out the kitchen window. Malice pulls up in his motorcycle. Behind him is Seven and Leigh coming to pick me up for school. I hurry out of the house and debate in my head whether I should say something to Malice or not. Like, “Did you stay the night with Cassie? Did you two get a hotel room?” But I don’t. Malice isn’t my guy. His business is none of mine.

I open Seven’s truck door. Leigh is already scooted close to him. Seven tips his head at me. I get in and shut the door. Leigh squeezes my hand. She understands how I feel about Malice. We drive off. In the side mirror, Malice looks after us.

On the short drive to school the same questions from last night loop in my mind.

How does someone get over their first love?

How can I repair my friendship with Red?

Once I have the answers, I can get over Malice, resume my friendship with Red, and finally go after my dream of a boyfriend before I graduate.

22

RUE

On his first day back at school, Malice does something unbelievable. He barges late into our first-period class, stomps to Mr. Bryant’s desk, and, without a word, punches him in the face.

He punches and kicks Mr. Bryant until Trace and Seven pull him off. Teachers rush inside the classroom. The principal hauls Malice out.

What the…? I look to Malice’s friends for answers. They’re hunched over and breathing heavily. Malice is a big guy, and it took a lot of strength for them to yank him off Mr. Bryant. Sirens wail in the distance. Mr. Bryant is a crumpled mess on the floor.

“What was that about?” I ask Trace out the side of my mouth as the teachers provide first aid to Mr. Bryant.

“Not sure. Maybe you can find out later when you see him.”

Except when Seven and Leigh dropped me off after school, Malice wasn’t home, and his GT-R wasn’t in the garage.

I texted and called him, but he didn’t return my messages or my voicemails. I later find out from Leigh that Malice is again suspended. I am failing at my job, but that’s not what I’m concerned about.

Malice doesn’t lose his temper without good reason.

Is he in trouble?

How can I get him out of it?

Why does he need to fight in the cage so badly?

The purse money pales in comparison to his weekly allowance. Is he fighting because my brother has something over him? Is IsaacblackmailingMalice?

This deep anger washes over me. How dare Isaac resort to hurting someone I care for after what we went through with our parents? Loyalty and friendship should mean more to him than money.

I call Trace. “Hi, Trace. Have you seen Malice?”

“He’s at the town center with Cassie.”

“Do you have a tracking app on him?” I joke.

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