Page 10 of Kings of Westbrook High

I raise a brow, watching her light it. “Who says I want a friend?”

“Trust me.” She says, blowing her fucking smoke in my face. “In a place like this, you'll be lucky to have a friend like me.”

I lick my lips, releasing her because I can't deny she's got my attention. “Is that right?”

She nods and offers me a smoke, shrugging when I wave her off. “Heard you choked out Maddison this morning.”

“Madison.”

“The head cheerleader.” She explains, tipping her chin at the group of brats leaving the salad bar across the street.

They scowl when we pass them and I grin. “They hate you.”

“Yep.” She grins back. “I fucked Madison's boyfriend by accident when I first moved here at the beginning of sophomore year.”

I snort. “By accident?”

“What?” She lifts her hands, feigning innocence. “Not my fault he didn't tell me he had a girlfriend. The guy was a shit fuck anyway. I did her a favor.”

I laugh at that, enjoying her, which is weird because I don't usually play well with girls - or people in general. I don't have many friends besides Dean, and even he can't stand me half the time. The only reason he keeps me around is because I'm good at what I do and I keep my mouth shut while I'm doing it. Once he's done with me, he'll cut me lose and we'll go our separate ways, which is fine by me. I learned a long time ago the only person I can count on in this world is myself.

I like being on my own.

It's better that way.

“What's your deal with the Kingston brothers?”

I lick my lips, not bothering to ask who she's talking about. “What do you mean?”

“Do you know them?”

“No.”

“Then what the hell did you do this morning to get their attention so fast?”

“Beats me.” I lie, rolling my eyes when she raises a brow like she knows I'm full of shit. “I ran into the big one in the hall first thing, then the blond bitch ran her mouth so I choked her out, then he came to her rescue and put me in my place for all to see.”

“Damon.”

“What?”

“The big one's name is Damon.” She explains, pushing through the main door. “The twins, Wren and Kai, they're eleven months younger than him. I can't tell them apart just by looking at them but I know Wren's the one who smokes a shit load of weed and Kai's the one who fucks anything that moves.”

I eye her, laughing when she smirks. “You included?”

“Maybe.” She teases, wiggling her brows. “I didn't realize who I was dealing with at the time, though. The Kingston brothers are hot but they're not boys to be messed with. If you try and fuck them over, they'll fuck you twice as hard and they'll make it hurt.”

“Sounds kinky.”

“It's not.”

I frown at that, stopping at my locker to grab my books for next period. “Why does it sound like you're trying to warn me?”

“Because I am.” She stresses, raising her brows. “For some reason, you're on their radar, and trust me, that's the last fuckin’ place you wanna be. They have rules, and if you refuse to follow, you can consider yourself as good as done here.”

I lick my lips, unable to resist. “And what are the rules?”

“Their word is law. They say jump, you say how high. It’s as simple as that.”

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