Page 22 of Brutal Days

“What’s going on with the girl you brought to lunch? What was the point of that? Jessica’s pissed, and you know that’s not going to end well for the girl.”

“Not really my problem.” I shoved another forkful in my mouth. “And her name’s Gia. She’s friends with that Skylar chick. Remember her? She was taking pictures and notes at our last practice of the summer.”

“Oh yeah. She hates sports.” Shane smacked my arm. “Tracey’s afraid of her.”

I grinned. “I have a feeling things are going to get pretty interesting at school. What does Tracey think she’ll do?”

“Dunno,” Shane said around a mouthful. “Something about Skylar doing something to some girl in elementary school. I wasn’t listening. And who the hell cares anyway?”

“I’ll have to find out from Sky.”

The door slammed again, and I tensed. I hadn’t checked my phone yet to see if Dad or Raelyn had texted, so I wasn’t sure who was walking in. When Phoenix came into the kitchen, all my tension melted.

“Hey, what happened with Monica?” I ask. “You hit that?”

“Her parents came home unexpectedly. I bailed.”

“You going back?” Shane pushed away his empty plate.

“Doubtful.” Phoenix piled food on a plate, put plastic over it, then put it into the microwave. He leaned against the counter, crossing his arms, and his silver eyes zeroed in on me. “What’s up with the girl at lunch today?”

Shane laughed. “I already asked him that. He still hasn’t come clean. And remember the hot girl with black hair who came to our football practice and got under Damon’s skin?”

“Yeah, Skylar McCormick,” Phoenix said then grabbed his food from the microwave when it beeped. He joined us at the island. “What about her?”

My hand tightened around my water, almost as if out of jealousy. But that would be total bullshit because I didn’t care about her, except for getting in her pants. Still, I wanted to know more, and Phoenix had a class with her last year. “What’s she like?”

“She’s cool, in a way. And she’s smart. I heard from Noel Simon—”

“Doesn’t Noel have a crush on you, Phoenix?” Shane laughed. “She hot, in a sexy librarian kind of way. What is she involved with? Debate team?”

“Aren’t you dating someone?” Phoenix’s gaze sharpened. “Or are you looking to branch out, finally?”

“Shut up. You know what I mean,” Shane said.

I wanted to smack him for interrupting and taking the conversation in another direction. My cousins fell silent, and Phoenix went back to eating.

“No one cares about Noel,” I snapped.

Phoenix didn’t bother to look up from his plate and shoveled another mouthful in before responding. “And class president.”

Fuck.I guessed we were still talking about that chick.

“So, did you sleep with her?” Shane pressed the issue.

“No. Noel’s a guaranteed stage-five clinger,” Phoenix said. “I’m not up for dealing with the persistence she’ll show.”

I’d had enough. “What did she tell you about Sky?”

Shane and Phoenix exchanged grins.

“Like a dog with a bone, man. She’s really under your skin,” Shane teased.

I was close to punching him. But he didn’t have the answers I needed, and a fight would be another distraction. “Phoenix.”

Phoenix swallowed another bite then set down his fork. “She got a scholarship to the academy. They only give one award per grade per year to students who can’t afford the tuition. It’s a big deal. Noel said she’s gifted, or that’s what she heard the counselors saying about her essay that won.”

“I had no idea. But I can see her winning it.” I was aware that she was smart, just not that she couldn’t have gone to the academy without a free ride. But Sky lived with only her mom, so maybe they didn’t have as much money to afford the academy as Gia’s family. The academy wasn’t cheap. We just didn’t think about it because Dad paid my tuition, and our granddad covered the cost for my cousins’.

---