Always (Next Generation The Skulls 1)

Sitting down, she waited.

The teacher continued to teach the class.

A piece of paper was slid across to her.

She ignored it.

Luke pressed a finger on top.

Picking it up, she opened to find his note.

Are you okay? I didn’t mean to hurt you.

There was no way she was going to justify an answer. Closing the note, she slid it right back to him.

Watching the teacher, she couldn’t hear what he was saying. Holding her pencil, she copied everything off the board and she’d have to go over everything with Darcy, who was no longer in school because she was happily married to Ink and was still in recovery. She was another friend she wished was still in school.

She stifled a yawn but the note was slid right back to her.

Don’t ignore me. It’s rude.

Was this guy for real?

She didn’t respond.

Again, he scribbled.

If you don’t respond, I’ll make another scene.

She responded.

Make a scene. I don’t care.

Are you okay?

This is pathetic. I’m not talking to you.

I didn’t mean to hurt you.

It takes a lot more than being thrown into a wall to hurt me.

I’m sorry.

You’re sounding like a pussy now. I’m bored.

She slid the note over for him to read. Before he could respond, she snatched it back and tore it up. There, done.

The bell rang, and Tabitha was more than happy to get the hell out of there. She met up with Daisy and they hugged. Her best friend couldn’t stay mad at her for too long, which she was thankful for. So long as she had Daisy, she’d be fine. Her best friend meant the world to her.

****

Eva, her mother, had gone all out in the Halloween decorations this year. Standing at the front gate, she laughed at the gravestones and the coffins with arms peeking out.

“You think this is too much?”

“Not at all. In fact, you better have a whole lot of candy ready. I just know we’re going to get a lot of visitors.”

“It was Angel’s idea. Each of The Skulls with a yard have decorated the whole house.”

She wasn’t surprised about it being Angel. Being the club president’s old lady, she’d brought it on herself to start working toward a better image to all of the people of Fort Wills. Angel worked so hard. She offered charity runs throughout town, helped with fairs, created food competitions, and anything with a fun edge, she was there.

For the most part, it worked.

“Look at you,” Eva said, holding her arms out.

“Mom, don’t.” She stepped into her mom’s arms, accepting her kiss to the cheek.

“You look stunning.”

She’d gotten a costume of an eighteenth-century woman, complete with a corset. To help turn it into a Halloween costume, Daisy had helped her to tear the fabric, adding on some fake blood, and of course, there was more risqué with her boobs pressed tight and up.

She looked good.

She knew she did.

“It’s a good thing Simon’s busy. Dad wouldn’t let you out because he’d know all the kinds of naughty you’d get into.”

“Oh, enough with you, Tate,” Eva said.

Tate, her older sister, laughed.

“What do you think?”

“You know I think you look beautiful, and you do.” Tate came toward her, hugging her tightly.

Once again, Tate was heavily pregnant. There were so many babies being born, it was hard to keep up with all the latest developments.

“Is Daisy ever going to come down?”

Just then, Daisy, complete in a nurse’s uniform and long white socks, came downstairs.

Tabitha knew she was going to have to talk with Lash or Anthony about Daisy. When they’d been changing, she’d caught sight of Daisy’s back and had seen a couple of bruises. One of which looked like it came from a foot, which said it had to be her biological dad. There was no way Whizz would do something like that, and no one at school would even dare touch her. They would have known if anything happened to her.

With the nurse’s uniform, there were slashes across her arm, her face was heavily made up, and her long brown hair had been curled. Anthony was going to lose it.

“Wow, I mean, wow,” Tate said.

Daisy stood, wrapping an arm around her middle, where more exposed flesh with claw marks lay.

“This is stupid. We’re sixteen. Do we need to dress up?”

“We’re going to be,” Eva said. “I’m manning the door here until nine, and then at the clubhouse, there’s going to be one hell of a party. It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Daisy raised her brow, looking toward Tabitha.

“Do not think we won’t be back to check on your guys. We will. If you’re not home when we get back, your asses will be on the line.”

Tate rolled her eyes and laughed. “Keep an eye on Simon for me, will you? Ugh, I’m sounding like a mom myself.”

Tabitha laughed. “I will, and I hate to break it to you, you are a mom.”