Real Girl (Aston Creek High 4)

I raise a brow. With the tone in Rivers’ voice, I feel as though there’s a story to be heard there, but seeing as though the property I grew up in is currently going up in flames, I might wait to hear the story another time.

I hear windows shattering and moments later, thick black smoke starts billowing out of the house. “Come on,” Slade says, tugging on my arm as we see the flames completely taking over the lower level. “It’s time to go.”

I shake my head. “No. I’m not leaving. I want them to see me. They need to know it was me who took it all away from them.”

“Sky,” he begs.

“No. I’m staying. You can go and wait in your Dodge if you want, but I’m not moving until they know what I did.”

Slade watches me for a long moment, his eyes narrowing as he tries to see through me, but I’m a closed book. No one in, no one out. After what feels like a lifetime, he finally nods and steps back beside me. “Okay,” he murmurs. “We wait.”

The five of us stand in silence, listening and watching as the flames grow wildly and out of control, and as I take it all in, I feel as though this fire is a symbol of my life. Ever since I was four years old, my life has been dictated by someone else, it’s been a mess of pain, terror, and sadness and now it’s time to take it all back.

I deserve to find happiness and what’s more, I deserve peace. I’m done fighting. I don’t want to do this anymore so this has to be it. I’m too exhausted to keep going. I’m not saying that I’m giving up. If Lucien were to keep coming for me, then I’d find the strength, I’d borrow it from somewhere until it’s over. I just don’t want to have to keep fighting. I never should have had to in the first place.

The flames soar high into the sky and my fingers start twitching. Where the hell are they? They should be running out of here, desperate to save themselves.

“Someone’s bound to notice the smoke and call the cops soon,” Damian warns, saying what we’re all thinking but not wanting to say.

This needs to hurry up. It’s one thing getting busted for this, but I don’t want the boys getting in trouble too.

I nod and turn to Rivers and Noah. “You guys don’t have to stick around for this. This shit is on me, I’ve already dragged you in enough.”

Rivers shakes his head. “I’m not going anywhere,” he promises. “I’m part of the reason you ended up here in the first place. I want to make sure you get out and that this is really over.”

I give him a warm smile and nod. “Thank you,” I whisper, hating that I’m allowing my emotions to get the best of me. Now isn’t exactly a great moment to have a sob fest over my new connection with the kid who murdered my mother.

Jesus. I really am fucked up.

There’s another bang that has my head whipping back toward the house. I have no idea what must have exploded but knowing Lucien, it could be a number of things. Hell, I know he has illegal fireworks in the basement and a shitload of things worse than that. I wouldn’t even be surprised if there are actually explosives inside that house somewhere.

Noah starts to get fidgety and I can see he’s ready to bail. It wouldn’t be great for his career if he was to get caught here. I’m about to tell him and Rivers to get going again when the garage door of the mansion opens and Lucien’s SUV comes barreling out of it.

I grin.

“Showtime.”

The SUV comes flying up the driveway, desperate to get away from the fire. It’s roaring toward us but we stand as one, not one of one flinching at the threat. As the SUV’s headlights shine upon us, the driver hits the brakes, bringing the SUV to a screeching halt.

There’s silence for a beat as everyone calms their racing hearts and then it’s on.

The passenger door flies open with the mansion burning behind it. “You did this, you little bitch?” Maria shrieks, throwing herself out of the SUV and flying toward me in her silk nightdress that showcases her big, fake bouncing tits which are demanding to be strapped down in one hell of a supportive bra.

Her hand flies out and for a moment I expect Slade to step in my way, but he knows I need to be the one to handle this. She’s so fucking predictable. My hand snaps up and like lightning, I catch her wrist between my fingers. “You’re damn right, I did it.”

Before she can even squeal, shriek, or scream, I shoot my other hand out in a tight fist and punch her right in her fake as shit nose. A satisfying crunch sent blood spurting in every direction. Shay had gotten her at the wedding and now this…fuck, I’d hate to see her nose afterward.