Page 39 of Happenstance
“I know,” Riley frowned. “Please stop.”
“Sorry,” Shelby shook her head and took a bite out of her pastry, “It’s part of the best friend package.”
“If graphic details of anal are part of the best friend package, I’d like to apply for a new position.”
“Oh, that reminds me.” Shelby sat up a little straighter, “Logan had me tied up the other day, and do you know what that bastard did? He came out with a unicorn costume on, and not one of those full coverage deals either. I’m talking white furry buttless chaps, and matching vest, with a horn strapped to his head, which he promptly stroked and asked if I’d like to suck his horn.”
Eww.
“That’s an image I didn’t need.”
“Me either,” Harper grumbled in agreement.
“At least you only have the image.” Shelby’s eyes shifted my way. “I had to see it. I think he’s taking this unicorn thing too far.”
“Don’t you like unicorns?” I thought she did. Almost everything Logan gave her was a unicorn. It was kind of disturbing how much unicorn stuff there was.
“I used to,” Shelby muttered.
Harper let out a huff of air and quietly said, “I used to like a lot of things.”
I swallowed my pang of guilt at Harper’s words. It wasn’t me that tormented her, or made her too scared to do the things she loved, like dancing. But I should’ve been able to protect her. I’d always believed in the Order and should’ve known that under that sweet little boy, Mason Kessler was just another asshole.
Harper’s big doe eyes stared at the half eaten sandwich in her hand. She used to smile all the time, before Mason decided to show his true colors. I still remember seeing her that day in the hospital, beaten black and blue. We were only ten. Just children. I shouldn’t have had to visit my friend in that place. Harper’s dad insisted that Mason be arrested.
He wasn’t, of course. The sheriff said there wasn’t enough evidence. Funny thing is, the day before, Sean, Mason, Harper and I had spent the afternoon playing and having fun. I remember thinking how nice it was to see Sean and her smile. Their mother had left two weeks before, and I thought Mason wanted to cheer them up like I did. Guess I was wrong.
Things got better when Riley showed up at school. No one at Ashworth wanted to mess with her, or her boyfriend. Therefore, most people left Harper alone. And now I’d put her back in the Knight’s path. Well, Preston’s path anyway. Which was pretty much the same as putting a gun to her head. The only thing I could do was make sure said gun was never loaded.
“Don’t worry about your project,” I said, brushing a strand of Harper’s hair behind her ear, “I’ll be there.”
Harper was terrified that Mason would show up at her house with Silas tomorrow. Not that I blamed her. Since he came back, the youngest Kessler wouldn’t leave her alone. It was like the asshole was making up for lost time. Right now, he was standing by the school, talking to one of the cheerleaders. There was no reason for him to be out here. Parker, Micha and Logan all had practice. He should be in the cafeteria with Silas.
My eyes narrowed in on him. He was up to something. My suspicions were confirmed when Mason noticed me glaring at him. He looked at Harper, and them back at me, and smiled. Naturally, I flipped him off. That didn’t do much other than make his green eyes sparkle as he shot me a wink.
Bring it on, Kessler.
As if Mason could hear my thoughts, his lips rounded in a mischievous O. I could practically hear him saying,‘Oo, I’m game. Let’s play.’For half a second I thought he was going to come over, until the expression on his face fell away and his eyes shifted to something else.
“I see you girls out here so much, I’m starting to question the cafeteria food.”
“Hi, Mr. Lannister,” Shelby sang at the same time I turned to see her assistant coach’s big smile.
“Now Shelby,” Mr. Lannister said, dropping down on the ground beside me, “I told you to call me Luke.”
Out of all the staff at Ashworth, Mr. Lannister was the only one that seemed real. He didn’t go to the stuffy colleges the rest did, and didn’t have a rich background. If he did, he didn’t show it off. The car he drove was as beat up as mine was, and every day I saw him eating a bagged lunch. I enjoyed talking to him. He was funny and nice. Who else could I debate jam versus honey debate with?
“How are you doing, Lana? I hope you haven’t had any problems?”
He was referring to Ashworth using my situation to relocate me. Which he was very adamant I didn’t let them get away with. So far, no one had said anything. Mind you, I wasn’t sure the staff even knew I was pregnant.
“I’m good,” I whispered, and turned my face away before he could see the heat I felt filling my cheeks.
Did I mention he was also really cute? The attention he gave me was kind of flattering, considering half the girls in school gossiped about him. He didn’t talk to them though, he talked to me. We did have more in common. Mr. Lannister grew up in foster care. Meaning he didn’t have any parental memories either.
He flashed his perfect white teeth and shoulder bumped me.
God, he smelled good, and those lips…
