Broken Hill High (Broken Hill High 1)

“Nope.”

I let out a sigh and start packing a bag. “Here,” I say, throwing a bag at him and pointing towards a whole lot of my school things. I mean, if I’m going to be held hostage at their place then I better have something to do when I’m busy ignoring them, and I refuse to get behind on my school work. Not if I plan on getting into college.

Ten minutes later, we’re sitting in his Escalade and driving back to the Ryder home, the one place I really don’t want to be. “How come you get a car like this and Nate got a Camaro?” I question, looking around at all the differences.

“Believe me, mom and dad would have preferred he got an Escalade too, but he wanted that. They offer to buy one for him nearly every week but he refuses. He loves that Camaro,” he explains. “He bought it about a year ago and spent every weekend working on it so he could race it.

“Seriously?” I question as I try to wrap my head around his story. I mean, I did not take Nate as the kind of guy to spend his weekends like that. I expected wild partying and girls. Not working his ass off in the garage. “I always assumed his weekends were spent four inches deep.”

“Four inches?” Jesse laugh. “Give the guy some credit. He didn’t get his reputation by only having four inches.”

I roll my eyes and am pleased when my phone ringing draws the conversation away from Nate’s dick. I search through my bag until I find my phone and smile down at the screen when I see mom with an incoming video call.

I hit accept as fast as I can and hold the phone up before me. “Hi, mom,” I smile as the realization of just how much I miss her hits me. “How are you?”

“Good, sweetie. How are you?” she says through a bad connection as she sits in my Nanna’s living room beside my father. “I hope you’re behaving for Trish and Cade.”

“I am,” I tell her, ignoring the scoff from Jesse beside me. “What are you guys doing?”

“We’re just check-” she cuts herself off. “Are you in a car?”

At that, my father’s face appears on the screen as he looks at my surroundings. “Yeah, I’m with Jesse,” I tell them before turning the phone towards Jesse then back to me.

“Oh, that’s lovely. How is he? Is he doing well?” Mom asks.

“Ask him yourself. He can hear you, you know?”

Mom rolls her eyes as Jesse responds. “I’m doing fine Mrs. Roberts.”

Mom gives an affectionate smile while placing her hand on her chest. Her whole face suddenly changes as the hand on her chest covers her mouth and a gasp comes sailing out. “Are you two on a date?”

“What?” I shriek as Jesse starts laughing. “No, mom. Jesse doesn’t date women. He objectifies them.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she says with a shake of her head. “Though, from memory, it was always Nathaniel you had a crush on.”

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I say as Jesse laughs even harder. “Nate is more of a pig than Jesse is. I’d prefer to date a doormat.”

“Oh, stop,” mom scolds. “Those boys are the sweetest boys I’ve ever met. You’d be lucky to have either one of them.”

I let out a sigh. “I’m going to hang up now,” I tell her.

“Oh, fine,” she groans. “I’ll check in with you later.”

“Alright, mom. I love you guys.

“Love you too, angel,” my father says as mom starts blowing kisses towards the screen. “Love you, sweetie. Be good,” she finally says before ending the call.

I put my phone back in my lap and look over at Jesse who’s busy smirking at me. “What?” I grunt as I narrow my eyes on him.

“You know Nate isn’t as bad as you think he is,” he tells me.

“Are you delusional? I know he’s your big brother and all, but seriously? He’s done nothing but torture me for the past few years,” I remind him.

“There’s a method to his madness,” he says. “He took you to the race last night so you wouldn’t go to the party.”

“What?” I grunt. “Why the hell not?”

“Because your quarterback was bragging how he was going to get you drunk so he could fuck you.”

My eyes widen in shock as I watch Jesse pull into the 24/7 diner. “What?” I screech. “He did not.”

“I’m sorry to break it to you, Tora, but he did. The guy is a loser.”

I let out a sigh. “Well, that would explain why he told everyone we’re dating.”

“Wait. So, you guys aren’t actually dating?” Jesse asks.

“No,” I scoff with distaste. “I mean, we made out at a few parties and he flirts a bit at school, but that’s about it.”

“Hmm,” he says to himself before opening the door and sliding out.