Broken Hill Hearts (Broken Hill High 4)

“Nothing,” I tell him. “I’m just tired from having to put out the fires that you three idiots keep causing. I mean, how am I always in the middle of this shit?”

A perfect smile takes over his face as he wraps his arms around me and pulls me in. “Because that’s what happens when a whole bunch of guys can’t resist having you in their lives. You’re just that incredible that even douchebags like Jackson can’t keep away.”

“Careful,” I warn him. “People might accuse you of still being in love with me.”

“Fuck ‘em,” he smiles. “Because I do. More than ever.”

“Are you telling me you’re going to find another way to get your revenge?”

“Uh huh,” he murmurs with his lips pressed against the sensitive skin of my neck.

Hope starts rising within me. “Does this mean we can get back together?”

He pulls back and looks down at me before shaking his head ever so slightly. “No,” he whispers. “I wasn’t lying about the whole protecting your future thing.”

“You know,” I say as a smile begins creeping across my face. “It seems I get into a lot more trouble without you.”

“I’m starting to realize this,” he says as his eyes sparkle, completely pulling me in and melting me from within. “Well then, just for future reference,” I tell him. “When that mystical time comes when you decide to pull your finger out of your ass, it’s not going to be easy. I’m going to make you work for it like you’ve never worked for anything in your life.”

“Is that a challenge?” he questions with his eyes sparkling like diamonds.

“I guess you’ll have to wait and see.”

We walk back down to the senior hallway and I slip out of his arms when he stops at his locker. I grin when I see Jackson walking around huffing and puffing and laugh at how much things have changed over the last few months. Jackson is quickly turning into a friend, a friend who likes to throw temper tantrums when just before that, I couldn’t be in the same room as him without trying to claw his eyes out.

“Why do you look so happy?” Brooke questions as I reach her locker. She closes the door and turns to look at me with narrowed, curious eyes. “Did Nate finally accept the inevitable?”

“No,” I laugh, “but I doubt it will be much longer. He’s coming around, and besides, who could resist all this?”

She rolls her eyes as the bell rings loudly through the school. “Come on, princess,” she laughs. “Let’s get this whole school bullshit over. I just found a new show on Netflix and I need you to watch it with me so I can talk about it to someone.”

“Fine,” I tell her. “But you better bring treats.”

“Don’t I always?”

I can’t help but grin as we go our separate ways at the end of the hallway. I guess today might just be a good day after all.

———-

I lay on my bed, looking up at my TV, cringing at this ridiculous show Brooke is forcing me to watch. I mean, this shit doesn’t even make sense. I swear, it’s like some ridiculous zombie apocalypse on steroids. I can’t understand how Brooke is glued to it.

Brooke shovels popcorn into her mouth in a way I’ve never quite seen before and I can’t help but stare. I mean, she looks like an animal starved of food. My whole face scrunches up as I watch her performance. This shit couldn’t be normal.

“Damn,” she grunts a moment later as she jams her finger in her mouth and starts picking. “I got a corn kernel stuck in my tooth,” she grumbles around her finger.

“Ugh,” I groan. “That’s the worst.”

I watch as she works on freeing the kernel and not a second later, she shoves her slobber covered hand back in my bucket of popcorn. “Ewww,” I whine, handing her the bucket. “You’re so freaking gross.”

She grins triumphantly and continues shoveling food into her gob. “What’s going on?” she questions when I pull my phone out and start playing Farmville.

“Can’t get into it.”

Her eyes widen as though I’ve committed the greatest betrayal. “Why not?”

“Ummmmm… because it’s one bad scene away from that dude turning into a zombie and eating the other dude. You know I don’t like this shit.”

“I know,” she pouts. “But I do and I needed someone to actually understand when I talk about it all day tomorrow.”

I groan and drop my face into my pillow. “Haven’t I seen enough?”

“Just one more episode?” she begs.

“Fine,” I huff, getting straight back into my Farmville game as she fast forwards through the end credits like a puppy on crack.

“So,” she says as she studies the screen closely as to not miss hitting play. “Are you about ready to talk about it?”

I look over at her and scrunch up my face in confusion. “Ready to talk about what?”