Cross the Line

His lip curled, and he took a threatening step closer. “Stop trying to take my fucking place, then. If you do, you’ll regret it.”

“Really? Want to bet on that? Seems like your friends like me. Coach likes me. He told me I was integral to the team,” I goaded. “Everyone’s replaceable. Even the mighty Kian Courtland.” I needed to stop provoking him, but he riled me up and I couldn’t seem to help running my mouth whenever he confronted me.

For the first time, a flicker of uncertainty appeared in his eyes, and I was struck with a pang of regret. “Hey, I didn’t mean—”

He interrupted me. “Why are you looking at me like that? Are you gay or something?”

His low question seemed to echo all around us, and I swallowed nervously. Now was the moment of truth.

“Yes, I am.”

There was complete silence in the room. He just stared at me, sucking his bottom lip into his mouth and worrying at his lip ring. Making a snap decision, that I hoped wouldn’t end up with me getting sucker punched, again, I stepped closer than I’d ever dared before. Our bodies were touching now, my cock abrading against his thigh as he shifted position, trying for nonchalance even though there was a raging inferno swallowing us whole. Inclining my head, I lowered my voice to speak in his ear, attempting to keep my tone controlled. “Are you?”

“No.” His emphatic denial came out far too quickly, but he hadn’t moved from his spot, and as I pressed my hips to his, the layers of material between us did nothing to conceal the rigidness of his cock against my own.

I smiled, dipping my head to his neck and inhaling the subtle, heady spice of his addictive scent. “Could’ve fooled me,” I murmured.

“I fucking hate you. You’re nothing to me. Nothing.”

Yet still, he didn’t move.

“Is that so? Why aren’t you moving, then? Anyone could come in here and catch us like this.”

My words suddenly jolted him into action, and he pushed at my chest so hard, I staggered backwards, crashing into the bank of lockers.

“Stay the fuck away from me.” He stalked off towards the doors, wrenching them open and disappearing from the room.

I straightened up with a sigh, rubbing at the back of my head where it had slammed into the locker. I’d pushed him too far, and now he was gone.

One thing I knew for sure now, though, was that Kian wanted me—even though he didn’t want to want me.

That, I could work with.

4

HALLOWEEN

I took the mask Xavier handed to me, slipping it over my face and flicking the switch to activate the lights. Everything was suddenly bathed in a yellow glow, and I held up my phone to take a selfie.

I chuckled at the image. Neon yellow slashes in the shape of an X covered both eye areas, and the mouth was outlined in yet more slashes, approximating a huge, sinister grin. After uploading the image to my social media so my friends back home could see it, I pulled my hood on top of my head and melted into the crowd of guys.

Initially, I’d been a little disappointed when Alstone High hadn’t seemed to be planning anything for Halloween. Back at home in the US, my whole school would’ve been celebrating, and the entire neighbourhood would have gone all out with decorations. Here, everything seemed disappointingly low-key in comparison.

Now, though, standing around the back of the haunted house with the sounds of the county council-organised Fright Night carnival echoing through the evening air, things were looking up. I half listened as Carter began barking out instructions, my eyes constantly straying to the guy in the red mask standing to his right.

Kian.

We’d avoided each other for the rest of the week at school. Yeah, we’d ended up sitting at the same table at lunch, and we?

??d shared some of the same classes, but neither of us had spoken. I’d caught him watching me, though, his gaze always dark and contemptuous, but there was a heat to it that hadn’t been there before.

Carter reeled off a list of dos and don’ts relating to some shit involving capturing girls, but since I wasn’t going to be doing that, I didn’t pay attention. Instead, I remained fixated on Kian. As if he was aware of my scrutiny, he turned his head in my direction.

I sucked in a breath as the group of guys began moving towards the front of the haunted house, headed up by Carter, Xavier, and Kian. When Kian drew level with me, he paused for a moment, his voice a taunting drawl. “A yellow mask for the golden boy. Appropriate. Shame you have to sit this little game out, huh?”

Leaning closer, I whispered my words for his ears only. “Maybe I’ll take part in the chase. Maybe I’ll catch myself a delinquent.”

“Don’t even fucking think about it,” he growled, shouldering past me.