Broken Hill Hearts (Broken Hill High 4)

“I’m surprised,” I tell him. “I’m used to a more… brutal Nate Ryder when it comes to getting revenge, not this evil calculating thing. It’s sexy”

He squeezes my hand. “Didn’t I promise you that I’m going to do better? If I stuck to my original plan, you probably would have been visiting me behind bars and then I’m sure your dad would really have something to say. Besides, you deserve someone you can be proud of. I didn’t want to do anything that could bring you down.”

“I’ve been proud of you since the day you explained the bullying. I love you so much, and I swear, nothing you do could ever bring me down.”

Principal Watkins groans from the door of his office. “Would you two hurry up?”

Chapter 19

Nate and I step out of Principal Watkins office with just enough time to actually enjoy ourselves before having to go back to class. I mean, we were stuck in there for nearly two hours going over every single tiny detail of the fire and how we came to discover that Ashley was the culprit.

I explained all about Sarah McKay’s Facebook page and how her photos gave us the proof we needed. There was only one little detail we skimmed over, which just happened to be how Jesse got that jacket out of evidence in the first place. He hasn’t told me the truth about it and honestly, that’s fine. I don’t want to be responsible for keeping a secret that has the potential to get him in a world of trouble.

“You good?” Nate asks as we walk from Principal Watkins’ office. “I didn’t want you to have to relive all those details again.”

I slide my hand into his and rest my head against his big shoulder. “Yeah, I’m fine. It wasn’t so bad.”

“Ok,” he murmurs as we round a corner to see the school littered with bodies. “I’m going to go find the boys.”

“Alright,” I say, spying the girls sitting on our usual hill, overlooking the football field where nearly every guy in the school is running around after a silly little ball. I mean, I really don’t get why the boys like football so much. It’s kind of pointless. “Make sure to check the locker hall. They’re probably stealing everyone’s shit while they’re not looking.”

Nate narrows his eyes on me but can’t help grinning. “Ha ha.”

I do my best to keep a straight face as Nate walks off in the opposite direction knowing for a fact that his boys aren’t going to be down on the football field. Hell, they won’t be in the locker halls either but I couldn’t possibly pass up on a chance to tease Nate. After all, if he didn’t tease me so much, maybe I’d go a little easier on him. He brings it on himself.

Brooke is busily looking around as I walk over to the girls and the way she zones in on me is almost as though I’d called out her name. I slow my pace as a wicked grin starts spreading across her face. She’s up to something and the killer is that I have no idea what.

“Can I help you?” I ask as she watches me like a hawk.

Brooke pats the grass beside her, inviting me to take a seat.

Something screams within me to run away and hide, but this is Brooke. She probably just has some nasty gossip to tell me.

“What’s up?” I say, dropping down beside her while watching her with deep suspicion.

“Oh, nothing,” she smiles, before reaching down on her other side and pulling out a sharpie.

My eyes widen in fear and I attempt to scramble away. I’ve avoided this all week and I’m not about to let her get the best of me.

“Oh, no you don’t,” Brooke laughs as she launches herself at me.

“No,” I shriek as Brooke rolls me to the ground and pins me down with her sharpie in her hand. She somehow manages to free my arm and grins as she uncaps the sharpie with her teeth. I try to tell her to stop but the laughter is coming in way too thick. And besides, telling her to stop would be a waste of time. “I don’t want a dick on my cast.”

“I’m not drawing a dick,” she chuckles with that evil tone in her voice that tells me she’s completely up to no good.

“Then what are you drawing?”

“A nice set of hairy balls.”

I gasp and attempt to get her off me by rolling around and squirming beneath her, but it’s no use. I’m going to have to face facts that I’m going to have hairy balls drawn on my cast until I get it off in a few weeks. “You suck.”

Brooke chuckles under her breath and I feel the vibration through my stomach. “I know.”