Maelstrom (Inferno 5)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Kalen

––––––––

The last period of the day seemed to drag on forever, but that’s usually just how Fridays go.

The last hour of anything; work, school, a test, always seems to take longer than it should.

I’m busy putting my books into my locker for the weekend, when I suddenly sense someone standing next to me. Expecting it to be Dalton, I finish unloading my backpack, before I finally turn my face to look at him.

Only, it’s not him.

It’s Missy.

The homecoming bitch who seems to have my brother entangled in her web, even though she doesn’t know it.

“What?” I ask her evenly.

“Well,” she begins, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “I was just wondering something.”

My mouth becomes a tight, straight line as I peer into her eyes, hoping that the look I’m giving will be enough to wither her into submission.

“Is this going to happen today because I’d like to go home soon?” I bark at her.

She rolls her eyes, puts her hands on her hips, and stares me straight in the eye. “Why is your brother always looking at me with those goo-goo eyes of his?”

I shrug, and without hesitation, spew venom at her, hoping she’ll leave us both alone afterward.

“Because the rumor is you’re easy, and he’s probably looking to score.”

Her mouth drops open slightly and her lower lip begins to tremble, but she holds back any tears that may be dangerously close to falling.

“You know, that could be why your mother left you,” she snarls. “Because you’re such a dick.”

My mouth instantly goes dry.

That’s the rumor?

That Hailey left me and Dalton?

The temptation to tell her the truth, just to get her to shut the fuck up, is boiling over, and just as I’m ready to let her have it, I catch a glimpse of my brother walking down the hall toward my row of lockers.

“Must be.”

It’s the only thing I can think of to say to save enough face for Dalton as he approaches. If he knew his crush hated me as much as she does for telling her the truth, it would deflate him and I don’t want to be responsible for that.

Someone in this goddamn family shouldn’t let him down, and since Hailey definitely already has, I guess I have to be the one to keep him held up.

___

“You never told me what Missy wanted,” he says as we start walking down the street.

“Huh? Oh. Nothing, she just wanted to know how I did on the Biology test.”

That was lame.

“Really?” he asks me curiously.