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The Trouble With You 10
“I’m not...” I pressed my lips together, swallowing the argument lodged in my throat. Because Flick was right. Until now, I had no idea she felt that way.“I don’t want to be the next Khloe Stemson. I don’t want to join the cheer squad and throw myself at the Raiders feet, that’s not what this is. I just don’t want to graduate and have all these regrets.” She wafted the list in the air with a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings.”“I’m sorry I’m such a hardened bitch who ruins your life.”“Hails...”“Joke.” I held up my hands. “I’m joking.” For the most part anyway. “I need to pee; I’ll be right back. Can I get you anything else? My treat?”“Hmm, I shouldn’t.” Her gaze flicked to the counter. “But I’d accept one of those rocky road brownies as a peace offering.”With a weak smile and a heavy heart, I stood up. “Consider it done.” Making my way inside the store, I headed toward the back where the restrooms were.Flick’s admission had caught me completely off-guard. There was
The Trouble With You 11
Little sister?He was barely two months older than me.“Yeah, like Jenna Jarvis’ pussy,” Asher snickered, and I shot him a disgusted look. “What?” He pouted.“You’re a pig.”“Naw, baby, I’m a Raider and we know how to ride real damn—”“Let’s get out of here already, I’m fucking bored.” Cameron started walking away. Asher blew Flick a kiss before taking off after his friend, but Jason hovered. His eyes still trained right on me.“What?” I barked.Without another word, he shook his head and went after them.“And you want to embrace that?” I said incredulously, dropping back down on the bench.“I didn’t… I’m not… God, you’re right,” Flick said, her cheeks still pink. But as I watched her watching the three of them stalk off toward Asher’s car, laughing and joking, I realized she did want that. She wanted to go to their stupid party and get drunk and make out with some random guy. Maybe even make out with one of them. I suppressed a shudder.I’d been so consumed with the rivalry between m
The Trouble With You 12
His eyes lingered on me a second longer, then he spun around and followed Asher. I sagged back against the counter, releasing the breath I’d been holding. Jase didn’t get it. He didn’t get why anything would take precedence over football. Over college. I guess that’s what made him different—what gave him an edge other players didn’t have. He was detached enough from life to make the sacrifices required, and then some. He didn’t worry about family because his team, football, was his family. I guess he’d learned that from his dad. But my dad hadn’t been a rising football star, and although he supported me, supported the team, he also had other things going on that required his attention.Sometimes, it felt like I was standing at a crossroads: one foot planted firmly in my dreams of football and college and the promise of going all the way to the NFL; the other remaining rooted in real life where dreams didn’t always come true and life wasn’t always fair. And balancing the two… well, it
The Trouble With You 13
With Miley I felt no expectation, no pressure to promise things I couldn’t give her. We hooked up, used each other to escape, just for a little while. And when we were done, we went our separate ways until the next time.“Why so glum, Chase? It’s senior year,” she said looking out over the party.“Do you ever get tired of it?” I asked her quietly.“I get tired of not being able to eat what I want when I want, if that’s what you mean?” Miley let out a long groan. “What I wouldn’t give to be able to go to Pepe’s Pizza and eat a whole pepperoni and onion to myself and then make myself sick on cookie dough ice-cream. But it’s the sacrifice we make.” She glanced at me, smiling.“A little birdie told me you’re going to commit early to Alabama?”“That birdie would be right.”“Nice.” I envied her being so sure, so certain of her future.“It’s a big move but it’s the best program in the country, and I want to be the best.” She gave me a warm smile. “What about you? A little birdie, also known
The Trouble With You 14
Flick hiccupped again before handing me the cannister and sticker. “Are you absolutely sure about this?”“Do you even need to ask?”“I guess not. But, Hails, you don’t need to do this, not for me.”“Hush now, I need to concentrate.” I read the instructions again, my glassy eyes making everything a little blurred. When I was sure I had it, I gave Flick my attention. “Wait here, okay? I won’t be long.” Slipping my hood over my head, I pulled the cord to conceal as much of my face as possible and slowly inched from the trees.The front of the house was steeped in darkness; all noise and music coming from around the back. I’d never been in Asher’s house before, but everyone knew his parents were rich. I had overheard kids at school talk about his infamous parties down by the lake his property backed onto. My eyes darted left and right, making sure no one was around, before I cut across the driveway to the row of cars. Asher’s Jeep, Cameron’s truck, and finally my target: Jason’s restored
The Trouble With You 15
But screw that.And screw him.“Then maybe you should rein your boy in.” I jabbed my finger at him. “I can take him messing with me. But not Flick. She’s not a part of this.”He leaned in, curling his fingers around mine. “And you don’t think when he finds out you did this, he’ll come after you with everything he’s got? Think about it, Sunshine.”“Stop calling me that.” I couldn’t think straight when he said it.Cameron’s mouth curved, only a fraction, but enough for me to know he was enjoying this. Asshole. He was just like my step-brother. Worse even, because there had been a time when I truly believed he was different. But I was young and foolish and I’d learned my lesson where Cameron Chase was concerned.“What are you going to do?” He frowned at that, so I added, “Are you going to tell him?”“Let me worry about Jason, you just worry about yourself.”“What the hell does that mean?”More voices pierced the air and Cameron glanced to the gate beside the garage. “Shit,” he mumbled. “
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He never even gave me a chance. And maybe part of me engaging in this battle of wills with him was about more than knocking him off the pedestal the school, the town, put him on. Maybe deep down, I wanted him to realize I was a good person. A person worth knowing.A sister worth having.Ugh. I hated feeling like this. Weak and at his mercy.I hated feeling like Jason’s opinion of me mattered at all.Rolling onto my side, I turned away from Flick. After a couple of seconds of silence, her voice drifted over me. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”“It’s fine,” I choked out, swallowing the tears threatening to fall.I wouldn’t cry.Not over this.And definitely not over my asshole of a step-brother and his friends.“I just don’t want to see you get hurt,” she said, rolling behind me. Flick slipped her arm around my waist and tucked herself against my back. “I know you, Hails, and I know you’d never let things go too far, but Jason? I’m not so sure about him. He has to be the best, c
The Trouble With You 17
They both nodded and I left them to it. I was right to lie to Jason. If he knew Hailee was the one behind what happened to his car... well, I didn’t want to think about what he would do. But I realized now he wasn’t ever going to give up this game of cat and mouse with her. And if he misdirected his anger at Thatcher toward her, things could still get ugly.Unless Hailee was put in her place once and for all.Monday rolled around and everyone was talking about the upcoming pep rally. It was always a big deal with the whole school showing up to support the Raiders and welcome this year’s Varsity team. Khloe had been blowing up Jase’s cell phone all day wanting to know when they could get together to plan our grand entrance. Eventually, she’d pinned him down during his free period, but I’d left him to face her alone, saying I needed to show up for class. He’d pointed out that I was already late, but I’d just grinned and got the hell out of there.I hadn’t expected to walk straight into
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