Always You (Love Hurts 1)

“If you can handle this one, then I have a few others that are pretty good too.”

I raised my eyebrows at him. “You think I’m going to hide under the bed or something?” I teased him. “All I watch is horror movies, Mr. Reid. I’m pretty sure I can handle this little thing.” I winked at him.

He laughed, running his hand through his hair, that beautiful smile appearing on his face. Ugh, he was making me weak at the knees.

Wrenn, say something else! I opened my mouth, and then closed it again. Great, now I look like a freaking goldfish.

“Okay, well, we’ll see. I mean, this makes The Birds look like a comedy.”

“Uh-huh,” I said, still not convinced. I pushed the DVD into my backpack and smiled at him. “Well, thanks. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow at my aunt’s?” I said, raising an eyebrow.

“Maybe,” he murmured, holding my eye contact.

***

“So, what did he want?” pressed Kassia.

I laughed. I was barely out of the door when she pounced on me.

“Did you see Paige? Pissed off, is all I can say. You better watch your back.”

“He just wanted to see how much of the syllabus I’d already covered in my old school,” I fibbed. I didn’t like lying to Kass, and I wasn’t even sure why I did. All I knew was that I felt like I wanted to keep our little connection to myself—for a while, at least.

Kassia looked disappointed. “Is that all?” she said, glumly.

“What were you expecting? That he swept the junk off his desk and threw me down?” I snorted.

Kass grinned at me. “Well, I like that idea. Not only the idea of him doing that to you, but me doing that to you. Or maybe both him and me.”

I shoved her playfully, knowing she was messing around. She had a girlfriend, Trina, who she’d been with for the last six months. Trina didn’t go to Tennerson. She went to a public school in town, which was part of the reason Kass didn’t live on campus this year.

Kass’s parents were very cool. They accepted her sexuality, and loved Trina, and me, like we were part of the family. Which felt good. Especially those times when I missed my own family, so much. Layna was great, but she reminded me so much of my mother that when I was at my most down it was hard to be around her. If you’d seen them side by side, you’d pick right away that they were sisters. They had shared the same blonde hair and brown eyes. Both Jordan and I had taken after my dad, and Mom had hated that. She used to say she felt left out, because we all looked so alike.

“Come on. Let’s get out of here. I’ll have you back in time for dinner.” She linked her arm through mine. I nodded my agreement and whipped out my phone to text Layna and let her know where I was going.

As we reached the parking lot, we were confronted by Paige, Deena, and Stacie, all three of them blocking our path. Paige stood in front, hands on her hips, her lip curled up in disgust

“Well if it isn’t the two lesbian lovers,” she sneered, as the other two girls giggled. Apparently anyone who spent time with Kass was a lesbian by association. Kass stepped forward until she was almost nose to nose with Paige.

“Get out of my way now, Paige.”

“Or what? What are you going to do, Kass? Run off and cry into the arms of your little lover?” She thrust her finger toward me.

I shook my head, anger boiling inside of me. This girl was such a nasty piece of work. I tapped Kass on the shoulder. “Come on. She’s not worth it. Let’s just go,” I muttered, glaring at Paige.

“Yeah, listen to your girlfriend and run away, dyke.”

Kass began to laugh as Paige stared at her, shocked. “You know what I think, Paige? I think deep down, you want me. I think you lie in bed at night imagining my fingers inside of you, teasing you. I think you’re aching to feel my tongue sliding between your legs, and you know you’ll never have me.” She smiled sweetly and grabbed my hand, walking around the three of them, giggling to herself.

“That was brilliant,” I cried as soon as we were out of sight. “Fucking awesome, Kass. You told her!” Secretly, I wished I had that kind of confidence. I’d love to take Paige down a peg or two.

Chapter Six

Wrenn

As I glanced out the window of Kass’s Jeep, I thought about my future. And my past. And how I couldn’t wait to leave this place.

“What made you decide to stay at Tennerson’s?” I asked her. “I mean, I hate it but I don’t have a choice. I know your parents would let you move if they knew how much shit Paige and her skanks put you through.”