[|]I wasn't sure I heard right because whatever he said just sounded like something he said to sound like a joke."You're lying," I said, feeling slight anger in me.Axel frowned. "Why would I lie to you?"He had a point. I sighed and pressed the pads of my fingers to my forehead."So, you're saying you're related to Lucas Hamilton?" I asked and he nodded his head."Lucas is my brother. He's older than me by just a year. I'm eighteen. I've been in his shadow since I started this school at age fifteen and everyone knows me as his baby brother and not Axel. We both have the same parents and sometimes, I wish we don't because he doesn't act like a true brother at all."I could sense the sadness in his tone. I wanted to walk away from Axel, especially now that I knew he was related to the jerk who sent his boys to assault me. But from what Axel was saying, he looked like he was nothing like his brother."Are you one of his girls or something?" Axel asked and I flinched. "Oh, sorry if tha
[|]"Thanks for the practice," I said while waving at the other cheerleaders as they walked away, waving back at me.I dropped my hand and noticed someone out of the corner of my eyes. Axel was leaning against the side of his car, using his phone. I checked my wristwatch and then my cheerleading uniform. The outfit was an attractive one and I had noticed the way some of the basketball players had been looking at me when I did some of the simple moves with the others. So, I wondered what Axel would think of it.I took deep breaths and walked over to him. I stopped before him and he raised his head. I held back my laughter when his eyes widened and lips parted in shock."Jackie?" He whispered in astonishment and slowly eyed my body. "You look so... So beautiful. Wow, you're the only cheerleader that looks great in this uniform."I blushed. "Oh, come on. No need to lie now."Axel chuckled. "I'm not. Anyway, how was practice?""It was fun. The girls were nice to me," I replied and tugged
[|]I sighed in relief when Lucas grabbed his sister's hand and walked away. I didn't have the strength to deal with him and any complaints he might have about me selling the phone. I smiled and looked at the wads of hundred-dollar notes in my hands.I put the money in my backpack and walked to the entrance of the mall. Just before I stepped out, I saw the boys from Lucas' party laughing and walking toward the mall. I started to walk back in fear as I didn't want anything happening to me. Flashes of that night came back with so much force that I began to hyperventilate.When their eyes went to the revolving doors, I turned around and ran away, panting hard. Who knows what would happen if they saw me and cornered me in a store? I had to act fast and find a place to hide. I saw a coffee store and went into it then sat at a table that was away from the entrance of the place. I calmed my heavy breathing and ignored the looks the people close to my table were giving me."Oh, God!" I whispe
[|]My back, my legs, everything hurt!The practice was brutal and I was lucky I didn't come home with a broken body part because Maddy had lied that it was just 'movements'. I had been stretched in ways I didn't know I could go but at the end of it all, I did pretty well.Now, I was under the hot shower, calming my aching muscles. I knew that I was going to be a crying mess by tomorrow. Which way was I am glad that the game was in the evening and not early the next day?After my shower, I changed into my house clothes and walked out. I collided with a body and gasped when I felt familiar hands cupping my ass. I rushed back and wrapped my arms around my waist while staring away from a chuckling Martinez."You think I've forgotten about that little runaway stunt you pulled a few days ago? Tsk, you can run but will always come back," Martinez said and started walking toward me."Honey, I need your help!"I sighed in relief at the sound of my mother's voice then ran past Martinez who his
[|]I wasn't sure what he said was what I heard and all I could do was stare at his face in confusion."Huh?" I finally spoke and he sighed, rubbing his face."I've been plagued with what happened that night and I am very confused about who is trying to frame me. I swear to you, Jackie. I didn't—"I flinched when he got pulled away from my body. He also looked startled and when he turned around, I craned my head to the side and saw an angry-looking girl around my age. Her eyes held pain with tears that were about to roll out of them. I was confused about who this girl was until she slapped him. I gasped at the deepness of the slap as it made Lucas stagger backward.Who was this girl and why did she suddenly interrupt us when I was about to hear what Lucas had to say? I shifted my eyes to Lucas who rubbed his cheek with his hand and then looked at her."Why did you slap me?" He asked and she hissed."Is that supposed to be a question?! I just saw you kissing someone and you dare ask me
[|]"Yeah, she's with me," Axel said to the person on the other end of the phone pressed against his ear. "I brought her home."We were parked outside the Hamilton mansion and I was a nervous wreck. I didn't know if I could stay still before Lucas when he started to speak. My only hope was that we found who did this and why they did it."Lucas is coming," Axel said and I looked out the window.I saw Lucas walking out of the mansion with determined steps. I unfastened my seatbelt and opened the door then stepped out. As soon as I closed the door, Axel started the car and drove off. My eyes widened at his audacity but I became calm when he parked a few feet away from the entrance of the house. Lucas stopped in front of me and I swallowed, not meeting his eyes. "Why did you walk away?" He asked."Please, go straight to the point," I said and he sighed."Can we talk inside?"I shook my head and finally looked up at his face. His hair was scattered, leaving some locks on his forehead. He
A/N: The time skip may be a bit confusing but it's important to the next part of the storyline; them in college. I apologize if it seems too jumpy.[|]Months Later."You're fired." I've heard these words too many times and each time I did, it made me sadder than how my life was. I needed this job to save up for next year and here I was, losing it because I had been late again due to lectures."Okay, ma'am," I said to the elderly lady and took off my apron before leaving the office. I walked to the locker room and locked myself in it then rushed to the bench where I sat and started to cry."Why is my life like this?" I whispered dejectedly and wiped the fallen tears off my cheeks. "I'm just in my first year in college and I'm already having debts here and there."I had not been able to get the scholarship for some reason and it ruined my dreams of going to the prestigious college I wanted to attend. Coming to this college in California had been a second choice for me and I reluctantly
[|]Lucas' POVMy day started with the loud noises of the couple above my apartment arguing yet again and each time they did, it reminded me never to get into a relationship with someone. There was nothing but sadness, fights, and trust issues. That was why I preferred to fuck girls that I wanted and move on.I groaned as my head throbbed achingly. I had stayed up till late, trying to finish the fucking project our professor gave us two months ago. Luckily I had submitted it two hours before the deadline— the perfect time to do what I was supposed to have done months ago.As I got out of bed, I stretched my body, loving the cracks it made then crossed the room to the window overlooking the other buildings close by. Just like every other morning, I started to think about how my life has been for almost a year now. I graduated last year and got into a college close to my hometown where I had schooled all my life. Almost everyone at Redside went to this college which I hated because I wa