Broken Hill High (Broken Hill High 1)

“Shut up and unlock your damn car,” I tell her.

She grins and hits the button before I peel the door open and slide myself in. Once I’m in the safety of her car, I finally give myself a chance to look around. I see Josh walking down to his Jeep with some random cheerleader under his arm. There’s Jesse and his best friend Tyson, who are probably figuring out where they are partying tonight as, after all, it’s Friday night. Then last, there’s Nate, walking down to the parking lot with Ashley under his arm. I follow his movements as he gets to his car and she slips in the passenger side. I let out a breath. It doesn’t look as though he had any plans on driving me home from school after all. Maybe I’ve gotten away with it for tonight.

Chapter 7

I lay back on my couch as the music sails right through my home. It’s so good to be here.

I know I was only away from my place for a night, but since last night, I’ve realized I’ve been taking advantage of my home. I should be taking pride in the time I get to spend here as I never know when it will be ripped out from under me by brooding teenage boys.

Courtney struts around my kitchen, making herself a sandwich while Brooke lays on the opposite couch, flicking through the channels on the TV.

“Hey, what’s going on?” I hear Bec’s voice call from the front door.

“We’re in the den,” I yell back.

Not a moment later, she waltzes in and drops her things on the hallway table before falling into the seat beside me. “I heard a rumor about you today,” she tells me.

“I know,” I groan. I mean, how many times am I going to be asked about this? “And yes, it’s true.”

“Really?” she shrieks with wide eyes. “You’re actually dating Josh now? It’s official?”

“Huh?” I grunt as I sit up straighter. “What the hell are you talking about? I’m not dating Josh.”

Brooke bursts into laughter at my misfortune while Bec gets a look of complete disappointment over her face. “Oh,” she says. “He’s apparently telling everyone that you guys are official now.”

“You’ve got to be shitting me,” I groan as I pull my phone out from my jeans pocket. “I’ve hardly spoken to the guy since school went back.”

I start typing out a text.

Tora – WTF?!!!!! We’re dating now?

He responds almost instantly and has my blood boiling.

Josh – You’re welcome.

Tora – Did it occur to you that maybe I don’t want to date you? You’re going to have to try a little harder than that.

Josh – Challenge accepted, baby!

Josh – Bush party tonight at Maxen’s. Come with me.

I roll my eyes at his last text. I mean, that’s more of a demand rather than a question. I turn my phone around and show the girls. “Apparently, there’s a party on Maxen’s property tonight,” I explain. “And we just got our invitation.”

“Hell yeah,” Brooke says, jumping to her feet as Courtney walks in with her sandwich, completely lost as to what’s going on.

Their excitement is contagious, but I don’t know if I’m going. I mean, it’s at Maxen’s place and being Nate’s cousin, I’m sure both the Ryder boys will be there. No thanks. That’s a hard pass. I’ve had enough of those boys to last me a lifetime. The last thing I need is to be partying with them.

Though, with the boys out for the night, that would give me a chance to go over there and get all my crap back without being interrupted.

Brooke practically bounds out of my house with a promise to meet me tonight so she can get home and decide on what she wants to wear. I shake my head at her excitement. Brooke is the wild one and she’s had a thing for Maxen since we started going to school together.

I get it, he’s devilishly cute and has the same dark eyes as Nate and Jesse. He’s a bad boy through and through and I don’t doubt that given the chance, he would take Brooke for the ride of her life, only it’s her heart I’m worried about. Don’t get me wrong, Brooke has had plenty of one night stands and random hook-ups, but she’s never once had feelings for the guy. It was always just fun.

But Maxen… I don’t know. He has the power to hurt her and I don’t like it one bit.

Courtney and Bec eventually disappear to get themselves ready as well and I find myself sitting here alone. I consider myself a bit of an introvert. I love being alone, especially as it gives me uninterrupted hours of reading time, though, right now, I’m not feeling it.

Maybe it’s empty nest syndrome. Mom and dad are gone and over the past week, there’s been a lot of me time. Maybe too much me time.