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Off-Limits 1
LilyEVERYTHING IS GOING to be fine.I chanted the words like a prayer in my head as I stared at myself in the mirror.It was the first day of senior year. A day for feeling excited and eager and cautiously optimistic. A day to make bucket lists and plans for the future.A day to smile.But my smile was fake, and my bucket list contained only one item: survive.“Let’s go, Lilster.” My sister Poppy poked her head around the door, smiling. “Ooh, cute outfit.” She gave me the once over.Anyone would think it was her first day of senior year, but no, my sister was a junior. A confident, bubbly, popular junior.And I was… a wallflower.Shy, meek, Lily Ford.“I’m coming,” I said, checking my reflection for the last time.You’ve got this.With a weak smile, I grabbed my backpack and followed Poppy downstairs.“Good morning, my two favorite girls.”“Morning, Mom. Something smells good.”“I made blueberry pancakes.”“Hmm, my favorite,” Poppy said. “Where’s Peyton?” she asked, but seconds later
Off-Limits 2
“I CAN’T BELIEVE she’s—yep, she got in Sean’s car.”Ashleigh, Poppy, and I watched as his car drove off with Peyton inside. Mom and Dad would freak if they saw her going with him. Sean Farrow wasn’t exactly a star student. But that was Peyton, always falling for the diamonds in the rough. She craved attention. I didn’t blame her though, she’d had a tough life.People often didn’t understand why we were friends. The wild child and the wallflower. Peyton Myers was everything I wasn’t. Beautiful, confident, and strong-willed. But she was also damaged. Damaged in a way only other damaged people could understand.I understood.We were different in all the ways society deemed important, but our souls were the same.She didn’t judge me or my issues just as I didn’t judge hers.“God, I wish I was as brave as her.” Poppy let out a soft sigh.“Oh yeah, Pops,” Ashleigh teased, “and which guy’s car would you be climbing into?” “No one’s,” she rushed out a little too quickly.“Wait a second.” My b
Off-Limits 3
“Yeah, but I didn’t think he’d…”“What? Choose the trailer trash over Cheer Barbie?”“That’s not what I meant.”“Oh, I know exactly what you meant, Linds.” Peyton flashed her a saccharine smile. “Happy first day back.”Ashleigh snorted, but I rolled my eyes. “Peyton,” I said.“It’s okay, babe. Lindsey was just leaving, weren’t you?”“Yeah, whatever. Come on,” she said to her friends and they turned and sauntered off.“Do you have to poke the bear?” I hissed.“Oh, come on, Lil. She deserved it. Lindsey is a grade A bitch, who, might I add, is only going to get worse now it’s senior year.”“I wish you wouldn’t encourage her.”“Peyton’s right,” Ashleigh nodded, “she deserves everything she gets.”The hall ushered into silence as a group of guys entered the building. Not just any guys.Rixon East Eagles.They all wore their red and white jerseys, moving as one. A ripple went through the air as the whispers started, rising like a wave hurtling toward the shore.“Holy shit, they have balls,
Off-Limits 4
“Okay, okay,” Coach boomed. “Quit bitchin’. I want you changed and out on the field in ten. If you won’t listen to me in here, perhaps you’ll listen to me out there.” He stalked off, his anger rippling through the air.“What do we do, Thatch?” Bryan asked me.“You want to play football, Bry?”“Shit, yeah, but they don’t fucking want us here anymore than we want to be here.”“Suck it up, buttercup.” I slammed a hand to his chest and patted. “If you want Michigan to come knocking, you’re going to need to show them what you’ve got.”“I don’t know, Thatch… It’s their territory.” His eyes flicked over to where Monroe and his guys were changing into their uniforms.“Look. Forget about them and focus on the game.”“Yeah, I guess.”We got changed, reluctantly pulling on the white and blue jerseys one of the assistant coaches gave us. It felt wrong to be in their colors, but I guess we weren’t Eagles anymore.We were Raiders.And fuck if that didn’t feel like some kind of treachery.“RUN IT AG
Off-Limits 5
He chuckled. “We’re not all assholes. So long as you don’t come looking for trouble.”“I can’t make any promises.” If Monroe kept pushing, eventually I’d snap. But I was hoping to avoid that.“You can do it.” Aaron clapped me on the shoulder before moving around me. “Come on,” he said, and I followed him inside.It wasn’t like I had much choice.“WELL, will you take a look at that.” Bryan let out a low whistle. “It’s like a fresh pussy buffet.” “Dude, I’m eating,” I quipped, stuffing another fry into my mouth.“Yeah, and hopefully I will be later.” He grinned, sticking his fingers up to his mouth in a V and licking.“Fucking idiot,” Gav said. “But he’s not wrong about the pussy. Case in point.” He pointed over to a group of girls in the lunch line.I recognized them from this morning in the hall.“The blonde is hot. Hey, Thatch, isn’t that the girl who called after you this morning?”“Dunno, is it?” I shrugged. She was a cute thing, sure. In that obvious hot girl kinda way. But it was
Off-Limits 6
It was senior year. My last year of high school. Did I want to spend it hiding in the shadows? “He’s so small,” I said, watching her bathe the kitten.“Someone found him behind a dumpster.”“I don’t know how people can do that, just abandon them.” My heart ached for the small, helpless animal.Mom’s passion was the rescue center she managed. I’d grown up in A Brand New Tail, sitting right at this counter, watching her work her magic. The kitten purred as she scrubbed his fur.“We’ll have him as good as new soon enough.” She smiled over at me. “Still thinking about following in your mom’s footsteps?”“Maybe,” I said around a small shrug.“You’ll need to make a decision eventually, Lil.”“I know.” But the prospect of college terrified me. Everyone said it was a chance to find yourself, to learn who you really were. But for someone like me, it was an unknown quantity that made my stomach drop just thinking about it.“You can stay local, sweetheart,” Mom said, as if she could hear my thou
Off-Limits 7
“Sorry, I forgot my cell.” She noticed the tension between me and Ashleigh and added, “What’s up?”“Nothing.” I smiled. “Leigh is worried about Peyton. Aren’t you?”“Uh, yeah. I’m worried—”“Worried about what?” Peyton ducked into the car beside Poppy. “Sorry, I overslept.” “Let’s roll.” Ashleigh pulled into the steady stream of morning traffic.“So I heard Lindsey is having a party Friday and I was thinking we should go.” “Hell yes,” my sister said.“Lindsey, really?” I balked.“It’s senior year, Lily,” Peyton added. “I know she’s a bitch, but everyone will be there.”“I don’t think so. You can go, but I’m not—”“Lily, don’t do this. Don’t let what happened back then ruin your senior year. You’re stronger than that.”“Peyton has a point, Lil,” Ashleigh glanced over at me. “It’s one party. What’s the worst that can happen?”“Come on, Lilster, please,” Poppy implored. “You know Mom and Dad won’t let me go unless you go.”“She won’t want me there.” Any more than I wanted to be there.“S
Off-Limits 8
“Sweetheart, can I come in?”“Sure, Mom,” I said, and she slipped into my room.“Still not dressed?”“I don’t know what to wear.”“Well, I think anything will be an improvement on that.” She glanced at the fluffy robe wrapped around my body and chuckled. “Jeans and a t-shirt will be fine, baby. You don’t want to give your dad a heart attack.”“Yeah.” He’d been in a mood ever since Poppy announced we were going to the party tonight. Of course, he’d tried to say no, but Mom quickly intervened and reminded him we weren’t kids anymore.“I’m proud of you, you know? This is a big step, Lily.” Mom gave me a reassuring smile and left me to get dressed.I pulled on a cropped, black t-shirt emblazoned with metallic stars and some cropped jeans. Pulling my hair into a loose ponytail over one shoulder, I braided the ends, and added a touch of lip gloss.“Here goes nothing,” I said, grabbing my purse and making my way downstairs.Peyton and Poppy were already waiting. “You look hot, Lil.” My best
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