Broken Hill High (Broken Hill High 1)

I hop out of the car and hurry around to Jesse’s side. “I don’t get it though. Why would it matter to Nate if I was going to go to that party or not? Aren’t you guys all for screwing random chicks at parties?”

Jesse pauses at the door of the diner with his hand resting on the handle as he looks back at me. “Look, we’re assholes, but we’re not complete assholes,” he says. “We draw lines at screwing girls who have drunk more than they can handle. Josh was going to take advantage of you and that doesn’t sit well with us, especially not with Nate.”

“Why especially not Nate?” I question as he pushes his way through the door.

“He’s got a soft spot for you.”

“Ok,” I laugh. “Now I know you’re lying.”

“Trust me,” he says with a secret in his eyes. “Every single time he’s been a dick, there’s been a reason behind it.”

I fall silent as millions of confusing and conflicting thoughts swarm my mind. I mean, what the hell is going on here? It’s not possible that Nate would have been doing something nice for me. It’s a thought I completely refuse to believe.

Jesse walks over to a booth before indicating for me to follow. He shoves a menu in my hands before getting busy skimming over the pages of his own. “What are you having?” he questions a moment later.

“I’m not hungry,” I tell him.

Jesse pulls out his phone, presses a few buttons, and slides it across the table to me. “Too bad,” he tells me. I look down at the phone to see a chain of text messages between Nate and Jesse.

Nate – Get Tora and give her breakfast. Make sure she eats every last bite.

Jesse – Seriously? Forget about her. I’m still partying.

Nate – Tough shit. Go now.

Jesse – Fine. You fucking owe me.

Nate – Code for the gate is 1005.

Jesse – Dude! How the fuck do you know that?

Nate – Get on with it.

“Huh,” I grunt to myself before sliding the phone back over to him.

I mean, does he like me?

No. That couldn’t be. It has to be something else. Something is going on here that I just can’t work out as it doesn’t make sense for Nate to be looking out for me.

I mean, yes, he saved me from Josh’s dirty plans by taking me to the race, but he didn’t have to be such an ass about it. He could have just said ‘Hey, Tora. I heard Josh saying this. Maybe it’s a good idea to stay away’ in which I would have said, ‘Oh, thanks. I was planning on skipping the party anyway.’

He also forces me to eat as though he gives a shit.

This makes no sense.

“So, what’ll it be?” Jesse says, indicating to the menu with a nod of his head.

I let out a heavy sigh. “I’ll go with the pancakes.”

“Good choice,” he grins.

Forty minutes later, we walk out of the diner after having Jesse scoff down his breakfast and wait patiently until I finished my whole plate. Though, he did threaten that if I didn’t eat it he was going to jam it down my throat. Apparently, he’s worked out my little secret, otherwise, Nate has spilled the beans.

We get back in his car and he drives us back to his place. Before we know it, we’re there and Jesse is walking my bag of things all the way up to my room, he even manages to place it down nicely on my bed. I thank him and he excuses himself to sleep the day away.

Nate’s bedroom door is closed and I have absolutely no idea if he’s in there or not, and quite frankly, I don’t think I want to know.

I’m way too confused by him right now.

So, with Jesse out of the picture for the rest of the day and Nate hopefully, somewhere else, I grab my Kindle and my phone and head down into the den. I make myself comfortable on the couch, making sure to stay away from the one that Nate was entertaining on the other night, and I prop my feet up.

Actually, come to think of it; there could be all sorts of DNA covering this couch. A shudder rushes through me and I run back up to my room, grab the blanket off my bed, and lay it down on the couch before climbing in for the afternoon.

I grab my Kindle and finally give myself a chance to finish my book.

Chapter 9

It’s well past three in the afternoon and I have had at least a hundred text message from the people at school, each and every one of them asking if the rumors are true.

One. Am I living with the famous Ryder brothers?

Two. Was I the girl who was at Nate’s race?