Page 19 of Darkened Truths
My stomach grumbles in protest. After getting back last night, I refused to leave my room again, fearful of running into certain people I don’t want to see, so I didn’t have dinner. Ava swiped me a few small things from the cafeteria, but I wanted nothing from her. Now I wish I hadn’t thrown them away. She was just trying to be nice, and I was a total bitch.
She rolls over and our eyes meet from across the room. “I’m sorry for being a bitch. You’ve been nothing but nice to me and I shouldn’t have acted the way I did. You were only trying to make me understand.” Breathing deep, I push it out. “I’m scared, Ava. I don’t know how to navigate this place.”
She swings her legs over the side of the bed and walks over to mine, sitting on the edge.
“I’m sorry you found out like that. I really thought you knew. I’ll help you anyway I can. You have Zander, Wesley, and Julien’s numbers. They’ll help too.”
How is she so optimistic? I scoff and scrub my hands down my face. “Julien would rather watch me drown.”
She smiles and shakes her head, her curls bouncing with the motion. “You’d be surprised. I’ve known Julien for a few years now. Wesley too. They’re my unofficial brothers and protective to a fault. If Wes told me to give you all their numbers, there’s a reason.”
I don’t know what those three want. However, me being at Pointebreak isn't it.
“How does that work? Aren’t all your families part of different gangs? How can they work together?”
Ava’s laugh is melodic. “Gangs.” She shakes her head and continues. “Mutual agreements. Well,” she drags the word out, “sort of. Dad wasn’t happy when Zander became friends with them, which I told you yesterday, but he doesn’t say much about it anymore.” She shrugs. I can sense there is more she wants to say, but she holds back. Rome wasn’t built in a day, and she’sshared more than her fair share of information. I’m thankful for that.
I inhale and nod, understanding what she’s not saying. Then stand to get ready for the day. The showers are full by the time I get down there and when I finally get to hop in; the water is lukewarm at best.I should have showered last night like Ava.I shiver as I run back to my room, my towel wrapped tightly around me. Ava sits at her desk calmly putting on makeup. I bite my lip as I dig through my drawer for my panties and bra and wonder how I’m going to get them on with her sitting here. She watches me in her mirror and opens her mouth in an O shape when I hold my items up to show her. She closes her eyes and I dry off in record speed and pull the undergarments up.
“All set, thanks.”
I blow dry my hair and the soft blown out tendrils frame my face. Another thing good ‘ole dad taught me. Always look your best. Even if I wanted to look like I just rolled out of bed and threw on a potato sack, I wouldn’t be able to do it. And for some reason, I don’t think the other students would take kindly to me looking like a frump. Not that it should matter, but I have the impression that a certain look is to be maintained, even if it didn’t specifically state that in the documents. My mind would also scream with me to go back and make myself presentable. And trust me, I thought long and hard about doing that today. But maybe if I blend in, everyone will leave me alone.
I look at myself in the full-length mirror and fidget with my hair. The uniform is like any other I’ve worn, but I feel like a fish out of water in it. In my other schools I’d have worn a chunky heel with it, or maybe even a cute pair of wedges, but think better of it and I opt for my red converse. I pick a piece of lint off the black button down and smooth out a wrinkle. Taking an unsteady breath, I blow it out before grabbing my bag to head out for breakfast with Ava.
“Ready?” she asks, bouncing with excitement.
“Ready as I’ll ever be.” I shrug and try to smile.
The cafeteria is full and buzzing with energy, but we snag some food, and my eyes are definitely bigger than my stomach, but since I didn’t eat last night, I figured I could use the extra calories. Eggs, pancakes with butter and real maple syrup, along with fresh fruit, fill my plate. We sit at a table with two other girls I recognize from the bonfire but didn’t catch their names, and I offer a polite smile and a hello. Ava waves at one girl as we sit and dig in.
“Darcy and Julie, this is Riley. She’s my roommate,” Ava introduces me. I smile warmly and shake their hands. They exchange a look with one another and Darcy forks some eggs and pops them into her mouth. Though she remains silent, the smirk playing on her lips sends a shiver down my spine, making me instantly wary.
My smile fades and I place my fork down, giving them my full attention. “What?”
“Nothing,” the blonde girl, Darcy says. There’s a beat of silence before she huffs and continues. “There are rumors since Saturday at the bonfire that you’re off limits. The Kings deemed it so.”
I furrow my brow and wait for her to elaborate. “Come again?” It seems those three are everywhere I don’t want them to be. It’s crystal clear who actually runs Pointebreak. And the administrators aren’t it. I wait for more but when it doesn’t appear she’s going to elaborate I say, “Well, I don’t know who told you that, but ignore whatever you’ve heard. No one speaks for me.”
I glance at Ava, and she smiles at me, nodding in agreement. I’m thankful to have someone on my side.That asshole. It must be Julien. He’s the only one of the three that has been out to get me. My face heats when I remember exactly how Julien broughtme to the brink and then denied me. Or how I thought Zander was going to eat me out in the woods, but stopped. And then there’s Wesley and his damn kiss and how, for sure, I thought he was going to push for more. I dreamed of that kiss last night. Which made it all the harder to wake and face reality this morning.
Actually, if I’m being honest, I dreamed of all of them last night. I woke several times wishing I had my very own room so I could have taken care of my frustrations; because that’s exactly what they caused. Maybe I would have finally gotten a decent night’s sleep. Although, with the thought of the first day of classes looming…probably not.
Ava’s lucky. I’m sure everyone knows who her brother is by now and that’s also why they are being so nice to her. Not that she doesn’t deserve it, because she does, but it makes it easier. No one is going to mess with her and risk getting on Zander’s bad side. Maybe if I play my cards right, they might take me under their wing of protection, too.
My phone burns a hole in my pocket. Finally, a school uniform skirt with pockets. Thank goodness for small miracles. I should text Julien to tell him to get bent and not to speak for me again. I should put that message out there for all of them. Stand my ground and let them know they can’t screw with me. The nerve of that asshole!
“Good to know.” I turn toward the male voice behind me, almost forgetting what we were talking about. He has pushed his chair back, butting it against mine. “Hey baby, I’m Derek.” He offers me his hand and when I don’t take it, he shakes his head with a laugh. “It ain’t gonna bite you to touch it.”
Is this guy serious?
I narrow my eyes and rake them up and down his body. Not bad looking, but too cocky for my taste. “I’m not your baby.”
He narrows his eyes as he assesses me, then relaxes and slides into a casual smile. “Not yet, but I bet you and I could have a lot of fun.” He lowers his voice and leans in closer to my ear, the heat of his breath making the hairs on my arms rise. “Heard you let Julien Azarian have a piece of you. I can guarantee I’d treat you better than that piece of shit. Plus, wouldn’t it be fun to fuck with the King of Pointebreak?”
I rear back, not knowing whether to slap this sorry excuse for a man, or run out of here with my tail between my legs. Humiliation sears my skin, leaving me raw. I feel hot and cold all at the same time. While his approach is reprehensible, messing with Julien has piqued my interest. Is that the rumor spreading through this place? That I let Julienfuckme? I glance around at the other tables, but most students aren’t paying attention, too engrossed in their own conversations. Thank God for small miracles. I assume most of the school was at the bonfire, but how many people could actually know what happened between us? Ava shrugs when I look at her for an explanation. I didn’t even tellherwhat happened, so it’s not like she would have known it from me. As it turns out, the rumor mill works just fine around here.
Which leaves three.
