Broken Hill Hearts (Broken Hill High 4)

“Fuck,” Nate grunts. “He actually likes her.”

“What was your first clue?” I grunt.

“I don’t know,” he murmurs. “I just assumed he was fucking around to get under Jackson’s skin.”

“Come on,” I laugh. “He actually asked her out. It took him over a week to build up the nerve to do it. He was a nervous wreck, I had to compare him to you to so he’d find the balls to go through with it.”

Nate shakes his head and grins. “So, I’ve got you to blame for all this?”

“Shut up,” I laugh.

He lets out a low sigh. “I guess I have to start being nice to the girl.”

“Well, Jesse hated me to start with and now he’s one of my closest friends.”

“He was only nice because I threatened to beat the living shit out of him.”

“Just like I’ll beat the shit out of you if you’re not nice to Kaylah.”

He rolls his eyes. “Fine,” he groans, wrapping his big hand around the back of my neck and pulling me in. “I’ll give her a chance, but if she fucks around on him, I’m not holding back.”

“Neither will I,” I whisper before my lips come down on his.

A large body falls in beside us and we reluctantly pull apart to see Puck, collapsed down onto the chair with red, exhausted cheeks and his chest rising and falling quickly. “Holy shit, man,” he grunts before lifting his drink to his lips. “I love Courtney, but fuck, she has way too much energy.”

I laugh as I readjust myself on Nate’s lap to see Puck better. “You knew that before you started dating her.”

“I know, that was one of the things that made me ask her out. Can you imagine energy like that in bed?”

“Ewwwww,” I groan. “I don’t want to know.”

Puck winks and looks back out towards the partiers. I see the exact moment he finds Court. His whole face lights up and I’ve never been so happy for them. I’m glad some people around here are able to pull their shit together and make it work.

“Puck?” I say, gaining his attention when he starts to look like a love sick puppy, longing after Courtney. He turns to look at me and raises an eyebrow, wondering what I could possibly want. “How’d you get the name Puck?”

Nate scoffs and starts laughing beneath me as Puck’s face scrunches up. He shakes his head. “It’s nothing.”

“Nah, man,” Nate laughs. “She’s not going to stop bugging you now. You may as well tell her.”

Puck studies me for a moment and realizes Nate is right. There’s no way in hell I’m leaving without knowing the full story. He lets out a deep sigh. “When I was a kid, I was really into playing ice hockey and to be honest, I was fucking good,” he tells me.

“You’re not anymore?” I question.

He shrugs his shoulders. “Wouldn’t know,” he says. “I haven’t been back on the ice since the day I got smacked in the face with a hockey puck when I was thirteen.”

“What?” I gasp.

He nods his head. “Mmhmm. Knocked out my two front teeth,” he murmurs. “The kids at school were brutal and called me all sorts of shit until Nate had something to do with it. He started calling me Puck and it just kinda… caught on.”

I turn back and look at Nate. “Really?”

He nods his head. “Is that how you guys became friends?”

“Sort of,” he says. “We were friends before that but not as close. I couldn’t get rid of the little turd after I saved him from having his head shoved down the toilet.”

“Come on,” Puck scoffs. “You wouldn’t have it any other way.”

I look back at Puck when it occurs to me that I’ve never known him by any other name. “So, what’s your real name then?”

He holds out his hand and I take it. He gives it a light shake. “It’s a pleasure to meet your acquaintance, young lady,” he smirks. “My name is Gary.”

“Gary?” I grunt. “You’re lying. You’re not Gary.”

“Nah,” he laughs as Nate silently laughs beneath me. “It’s Landon.”

“Landon,” I say, trying it out. “Are you sure?”

He shrugs his shoulders. “Don’t know. It’s been a while since anyone’s called me that.”

“Hmmm,” I grunt. “Landon. I like it.”

The boys roll their eyes as I spy Brooke making her way towards the other dancers, dragging some guy I’ve never met behind her. I laugh as she spins around and starts dancing with the guy. He takes her hips and she thrusts her tits up so they can be seen.

Ahhh, the good old Brooke is back, which means I’m not surprised when her tongue disappears down his throat. “Alright, losers,” I say, climbing off Nate’s lap. “I’m dancing. You coming?”

“Hard pass,” Nate laughs.

“Suit yourself,” I grin.

I turn and walk away, well, by walk, I mean, I strut away like I’m hot shit. No. Correction. Not like I’m hot shit. I am hot shit.