The Help (Kings of Linwood Academy 1)

“River wanted to see if you were really as good as Ethan said you were.”

I huff a breath, leaning back against the headrest. “Well, obviously I’m not.”

A deep chuckle falls from his lips. “Nervous?”

“No,” I lie.

“You’re usually better at bluffing than that, Pool Girl.”

I flip him off and turn my head to look out the window. I should probably be more careful about how I act around him, but now that I’ve been here for several weeks and he’s never made a move to get me fired, I’ve relaxed a little. Enough to not just take his shit lying down.

“Don’t worry,” he says after a minute. “River’s smart, and he’s patient. It might take a while, but I’m sure he’ll come up with something good.”

“Not helping, asshole,” I mutter.

His burst of laughter fills the car, and I almost grin, despite the worry eating at me. He seems to like me best when I’m giving him shit, and maybe that’s another part of why I’ve stopped walking on eggshells around him.

Still, though…

This fucking favor.

The rest of the day passes without any word from River. And the next day too. I see him in class and in the hallways, but he doesn’t even mention the bet I lost. He acts like nothing has changed, and that only puts me more on edge.

On Wednesday night, I agree to go to a football game with Lauren and Andrea, two girls from my Calculus class. They’ve been to every game since school started, and they keep telling me how much I’m missing out by not going. Personally, I don’t see it. But hey, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it, right?

The weather is getting a little chilly, so I slip on a light jacket and scarf before heading back to Linwood to meet up with them. The game is actually kind of fun, although it feels weird cheering for a sport I know almost nothing about. I didn’t go to many football games at my old school either; it was just never something I was into.

But as I watch our team play and the cheer squad do their routines, Iris and Savannah’s frequent catfights in the locker room start to make a little more sense. This is important to them. Their whole world revolves around these nights, around who’s on top of the pyramid or who gave the best performance. They live and breathe for this shit. It’s admirable, in a way, even though I don’t really understand it.

The Linwood Lions win, and after the game, there’s a house party at another mansion a few miles away.

It’s about as packed as the last party I went to, and I notice Lincoln, River, Dax, and Chase right away. They’re holding court in the large main living room; the twins are entertaining everyone with their loud, charming voices while River and Lincoln languidly sip their drinks.

Chase catches sight of me and winks as I pass, but I just keep moving. Those boys have all been on my mind way too much lately. I need to get serious about keeping my walls up around them. I’ll do whatever stupid favor they want, but I’m not looking to be their friends.

I lose track of Lauren and Andrea almost immediately as they squeal and run off to join another group of friends. I’m sort of regretting coming to this party at all. I feel a little anti-social at the moment, and I know it’s the stupid bet still hovering over me that’s making me feel this way.

God, I hope River just gets it over with soon. I can’t take this fucking waiting.

I grab a drink, then tug my phone out of my back pocket and text Hunter.

ME: Hey Dummy. Guess what I did tonight?

HUNTER: What?

ME: Went to a football game

HUNTER: What????

ME: I know right? It’s almost like I’m a real high schooler or something

HUNTER: Was it fun?

ME: Ehhh

HUNTER: Bahaha!! Okay at least now I know you’re not an alien impersonating Low

ME: Nah. But I kind of wish I was