Page 6 of Harmony

How could he stand there like that? I know we aren’t exactly friends, but to treat me like I’m nothing? Fuck, that hurt worse than I thought it would.

What’s even worse is he called me trailer trash. Willow comes from the same trailer park I’m forced to live in, so for him to say that, it’s extremely hurtful.

Add in the anger slowly boiling beneath my skin, and my tears are the least of his worries. The rage is making my hands twitch as they form fists. I want to punch him right in his gorgeous fucking face. Knock him down a peg or two.

I don’t though. I stand instead, drawing my chin up.

“You’re a pathetic excuse as a man. No. A boy. Grow the fuck up, Nate.”

I don’t bother cleaning up or waiting for his response. I turn on my heel, walking out of the cafeteria with my head held high. Fuck him. Fuck this whole school. Their opinions don’t matter.

I keep telling myself this over and over until I calm down. I know I want to not care, but I also know that I do. For whatever reason, I care what these people think, especially him.

Pulling out my phone, I call Willow.

“What’s up?” Her voice immediately fills the line.

“Nothing. How are you?”

“Don’t start smothering me like Chase. I won’t survive,” she warns.

I chuckle. “I just needed to hear a friendly voice.”

“What happened?” The tone in her voice turns protective.

I let out a sigh. “Nothing important. I sat near the cheerleaders to try to get intel, but they were only concerned with who was going to replace Shannon. Then Nate was a dick. Nothing new.”

“Nate has been acting weird lately. Ignore him. Back to the cheerleaders, they want to replace Shannon on the squad?”

“That’s what they said. They didn’t seem too concerned about her actual death.”

“Hmmm,” she muses.

“Oh no. You’re thinking, which cannot be a good thing,” I tease.

“Skip the rest of the day and come here. I have an idea, but I want to run it past you before we go to Chase.”

“Isn’t he there?”

“Thankfully he had business to attend to. He left me with a bodyguard. Actually, how about I get you a ride? Be out front in ten minutes.”

“Fine, but only because this place sucks without you.”

I hang up the phone, making my way to the front of the building.

It doesn’t take me long to see the guard she sent for me. Thankfully, she chose one I recognize. He’s the one who let us into Rocky’s house when we were being chased.

“Thank you,” I tell the man as I slide into the front.

He nods.

“What’s your name?”

“Brian.” His answer is short and to the point.

“Well, my name is Hailee. Thank you for before and for picking me up today.”

“It’s my job.”

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