Two years.
It had been two years since I'd gone back to school. Two years since I got out of that prison.
Two years since my step-father started beating me.
I walked out of the awful-smelling bathroom and into my room, opening the closet. The creaking noise made me shudder in disgust as I pulled out a white tank top and black skinny jeans. I could hear footsteps going around the house, telling me that James was just about to leave for work.
I slipped on the tank top and looked into the mirror. Gratefully, it wasn't see through and covered my body. After putting on the pants, I shoved through the hand-me-downs in my closet and found the jacket, hanging in the back, hidden behind everything else. I never wore that black leather jacket. It reminded me of everything that had happened that night, the blood stains and the kitchen knife and gunshots.
I forced those memories out of my head and grabbed the jacket off the hanger, shrugging it onto my shoulders and walking downstairs to find James standing in the doorway of the kitchen, hungrily looking at me. I turned on my heel and started walking outside, towards my Ducati.
Now, I'm a girl. But who said girls can't have motorcycles? I had saved all my money for this baby, and I wasn't going to let James take this away like everything else he had already taken from me.
"Hey, honey," I heard James say.
"Don't call me that."
"I can call you whatever I want, bitch," he said, grabbing my arm, and I tried to ignore the pain flooding through my wrist. "I own you, you stupid slut."
"You don't own me." I pushed him back, and he went spiralling down the driveway. I was a lot stronger than I looked.
He stormed over to me, looking around, and then punched me right in the face. I was knocked down by the impact and touched my jaw to make sure there wasn't too much swelling. Thankfully, he hadn't completed ruined my jaw, but the pounding in my head made me want to punch him back.
"You do that again, bitch, and I'll rape you to your death." I knew he kept his promises, so I nodded. He smiled evily and said, "Have a great day at school, sweetheart." before storming off towards his rusty car.
I ignored the spreading pain through my right cheek and walked towards my bike. Hooking one leg over the side, I turned the engine on and sped away.
When I saw the school in sight, my stomach knotted. I hadn't been to high school in two years, when James had taken me out to make me his raping doll. And I hadn't even gone here. When he had taken me out, the school let it slide for a few days before cornering James and asking where I was. They had been asking too many questions and James had moved us into a different city to get us away from the nosy neighbors and suscpicious teachers.
As I turned into the school parking lot, I saw people turning my way, their eyes gliding over me and then my motorcycle. I parked and stepped off, taking off my helmet and shaking my black hair out. A group of boys turned to look my way, and they were all pretty hot, I have to say. But one guy caught my attention the most.
He had dark brown hair, and his eyes were a crystal blue, watching me. His muscaler body was leaning against a wall of the school building, his arms crossed so that his muscles were flexing. He looked me up and down, and I shuddered, thinking of James. How he did that every night. How he touched me without permission. How he looked at me like I was a piece of meat.
I straightened up my jacket and fluffed my straight hair to give it some volume before heading into the school. Every guy's eyes were on mine, staring at my body. The jealousy from the girls radiated so hard it was easy to figure out what was hiding behind those perfect smiles.
I found myself thinking about Blue Eyes. I'd never actually thought that a boy was hot, unless you count the countless number of times I found myself saying it to James so he wouldn't beat the shit out of me. But other than that, there was no boy who had affected me so much.
Shit. What was I doing, just walking around? I had no idea where to go and was already lost after thirty seconds into high school.
"Need help?" A deep voice asked.
I turned around to see Blue Eyes smirking at me. I made eye contact with him, connecting his eyes to my green ones. I refused to back down like a sissy.
"What do you think?" I asked harshly. His face showed no emotion.
Why was I being so harsh on this kid? All he was doing was trying to help.
"Damn, feisty much?" He asked, his grin still plastered on his face. "The assistant principle's office is that way, Green. Unless you want to see the nurse, you can totally go that way." He pointed down the hallway where I had started to walk.
I turned around. "Don't tell me what to do."
"Ooh, a challenge. I always love challenges." He said, bending down to reach my short frame so he whisper in my ear. He must have been atleast 6'4.
"Why, because you've never had one?" I smirked. One point for Alison.
"I've had plenty. The name's Landon, by the way." He laughed. "And yours?"
I had already started to walk away. I ignored his question and turned a corner. If I didn't tell him my name, maybe he would just get a hint and leave me alone. But then again, I didn't want him to leave me alone. I didn't want to be a fucking loner and shit.
"It's Alison. Just call me Ali," I said, and then disappeared out of his sight.
Just call me Ali. Just call me Ali. Just call me Ali.
I hadn't expected someone so smoking hot to just reject me right then and there, even when I had tried to be my regular seductive ass self. I'd never been rejected in my whole life, besides in fifth grade, when I was an ugly ass nerd.
And I especially hadn't expected to see her come riding into the parking lot on a motorcycle. When she'd taken off her helmet and shaken out her long hair, I'd actually gotten hard. Just by looking at her perfect body.
What the fuck was happening to me? I was Landon Goodward, master of getting girls and and breaking up with them after I got the pleasure that I wanted.
So why was I feeling so down I couldn't get that Ali chick?
"Heyyy, Landon," a voice chirped. I turned around and was immediatelly charged by Kathlyn. Her crop top was showing most of her breasts and I started getting horny.
"Do you wanna skip and go to my house?" Kathlyn said, rubbing herself all over me, not even caring that plenty of guys were eyeing her body.
I realised Kat was waiting for an answer and looked down at her. "Nah, not today, babe. How about tonight after the party at Chris's?"
She looked disappointed but nodded. "I'll wear something sexy," she whispered before strutting away, shaking her hips. I opened my locker and Daniel Lohan, one of my best friends, rushed over.
"Dude, I wish I could tap that." He said, leaning against the locker next to mine. Why was he being so stupid? Kathyln would do 20 guys at the same time without feeling bad about it.
"Well then go ask her. Kat loves you just as much-"
"Shut up, dude, I'm not talking about Kat. I'm talking about her." He threw his head at the locker aisle across from mine, and I turned around.
Ali was grabbing a notebook from her locker. She wasn't even wearing her leather jacket - but it looked really sexy on her - and was wearing a regular white tank top that hugged her body perfectly. I caught another group of guys looking at her and one walked over to her. He whispered something in her ear that made her stiffen - and I immediatly wanted to know what it was. I saw her gritting her teeth as the guy smirked at his friends.
"You're too hot to wear something so...unrevealing." The guy said, and rubbed his hands on her bare arms. Ali stepped back but that dumbass pulled her closer, and she shoved him away. I wanted to help her, but if I did it would drag all the other girls away from me.
The whole hallway had turned silent and was watching the guy and Ali. She finally got out of his grasp and started walking away, but he grabbed her wrist. Her face changed from angry to pain and torture, and the guy said, "Where do you think your going?"
Suddenly there was the sound of a slam and the guy was on the ground. Ali's fist was raised, she lowered it when she saw him on the floor. The whole hallway was dead silent. She finally looked up, her eyes connecting with mine before flickering away and stepping back, trembling. She flicked the guy off one last time before opening the school's front doors and storming out.
"Damn, she's hot and fierce," Daniel whispered, a grin slowly spreading across his face.
"I'm gonna see where she's headed," I said. Daniel gave me really-you-stupid-asshole look which I ignored. I ran outside to see her motorcycle drive out of the parking lot and I sighed and ran to get my red Porsche. Trailing a few cars behind her, I made sure not to lose her.
She ended up parking in a plaza that looked unfamiliar to me, and she ran out. Her jacket was fastened around her waist, and she ran inside a store. I parked my car next to her motorcycle, watching as she ran inside a...dance studio?
I saw her smile at a woman in the front who handed her a pair of shorts, before scampering to help another customer. Ali ran out of my sight for a second before coming back, dressed in gym shorts. I caught myself staring at her long, tan legs as she put on some Nike shoes. She looked around for an empty studio before spotting one - right at the front of the store where I could see her easily.
So she was a dancer. Must do ballet, I thought. She looked too weak to do anything else, her body thin and fragile.
Ali grabbed her phone and pressed something. It was probably music. I watched her toss the leather jacket onto a chair and then take a deep breath. What the hell was she doing?
I saw her start moving and sat awed at what I saw. She wasn't a ballet dancer. Her moves were sharper, and I watched as she dropped it low, bending her back. I watched as she swayed up slowly. I started to go hard.
After about an hour, she stopped, and turned the music off her phone. The old woman behind the counter pulled out a water bottle and Alison chugged it all down at once. She said something to the woman, who nodded before leaving to the back of the store. Ali grabbed her jeans and jacket and left to change, coming back a few minutes later with the shorts. She placed them on the counter and walked out. Her hair was blowing in the wind. She barely noticed my car next to her motorcycle before she drove off.
I stepped into the locker hallway with my football team and immediatly spotted a scrawny nerd who was opening his locker. I nudged Daniel and pointed to the nerd, and he said, "Best way to start the morning, man."
He ran towards the kid and shoved him against the lockers. The geek yelped out as he slumped to the ground, holding his stomach in pain. A twang of guilt hit me for a second before I was kicking him. A bunch of boys had crowded around us now, watching with a smirk on their faces as the nerd started bleeding in his stomach - wait, what? Where was the blood coming from?
"Hey!" An angry shout startled us all. "What the fuck are you doing?"
I turned around to see Ali, wearing a loose white T-shirt and denim shorts, pushing past the group of boys and girls that had gathered. She looked so hot, her hair falling down her shoulders, her long legs out for everyone to see - "Move out of my fucking way!"
Her angry yell took me out of my thoughts. She pushed me to the side - wow! She was stronger than she looked! - and moved into the circle around the kid. Her face went from angry to symphatetic to horrified at the blood that was dripping out of his wound. She kneeled down beside him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
The nerd shook his head, and Ali raised his shirt, not caring that almost the whole school was watching. In the middle of his skinny, pale stomach was a cut that looked pretty deep and I cringed.
"Shit." She mumbled. She looked around and her green eyes locked on mine. They narrowed, anger flooding them again.
Turning away, she slid off her shirt. Thank god she was wearing a tank top or I wouldn't have been able to contain myself.
"Take this." She handed the shirt to the boy. "Keep it on the cut and try not to move." She helped him up and put one of his arms around his neck. A girl I didn't recognize rushed over and grabbed the geek's other arm and helped him limp towards the nurses office.
I watched as Ali turned around, walked towards me, and stood in front of me. I towered over her, but she had no problem with that when she slapped me across the face. The girls who were watching around us gasped, and Ali smirked.
I reached up to touch my cheek in stunned silence as I watched her go.
What the hell had I just done?
I'd just slapped the school's golden boy across the face, that's what. How freaking stupid was I? Now the girls would never stop giving me death stares and the whole football team was after me.
But he deserved it. Who the hell did he think he was, nearly beating that poor kid to death? The anger of seeing the cut on his stomach caused by the locker's sharp metal made me want to kill Landon. He wasn't any better than James.
I walked into fifth period History and sat down, already feeling the glares shooting my way. It was only my second day of school and I was already hated. But, let's face it, when you're used as a punching bag, of course you're going to be a bitch.
Landon walked in, and his blue eyes flickered to mine and stared deeply into mine. Shit. I'd completely forgotten he was in this class.
Every girl sighed and he smirked, breaking eye contact before sitting down in the seat beside Daniel Lohan, or whatever his name was. I shifted in my seat, trying to pay attention to Mrs. Callion, who was going on and on about some war. I could feel eyes burning in the back of my head, making me super uncomfortable. It wasn't even 10 minutes into class and I already wanted to leave.
The chair next to mine scraped on the floor. I turned to see a gorgeous blonde boy sitting next to me, his eyes focused on mine. He looked me up and down before smiling and I scoffed.
"Don't even think about it," I warned sharply.
"Wasn't thinking anything." He said back.
I turned back around to the front, trying to pay attention to the class. It was even harder with two sets of eyes burning into my back, both just as bad. I couldn't have been more happier when the bell rang.
I was walking towards the school parking lot when I heard, "Hey, wait up!"
I spun around, almost crashing into the huge body that belonged to one person and one person only. Landon looked down at me, his eyes dark and angry.
"Explain to me why you slapped me earlier?" He said.
I turned on my heel. He grabbed my wrist and I winced. The foundation and concealer I had put on their was already starting to rub off. His hold stayed strong as he looked down at me with fierce eyes.
"No. Answer my question."
"What did you expect?" I snapped. "That kid was being beaten to death. At least I can stand up to people."
"At least I'm not a bitch."
"Shut up!" I yelled. I looked at the time on a nearby clock. Fuck. If I didn't get home before 4:00, James would not be happy.
"Let go of me," I whispered. "I need to go."
"I know you dance."
A gasp escaped my lips. "What?"
He smiled smugly and crossed his arms over his broad chest. "You heard what I said."
I raked a hand through my black hair. "Listen, Mr. Goodward, if you want to mess with me, go ahead. Beat me up, you dumb piece of shit. But if you want to mess with my life, I'll make sure to do the same to you." He looked surprised as the threat I had just given, but his face composed naturally a second later.
He slammed me against the lockers, and I whimpered in pain when my back hit the metal. Landon was so close - too close. His hot breath whispered in my ear, "You're a piece of work, you know that?"
"You're acting like you've never met a girl who acts like this."
"I haven't."
I angrily shoved him back, and he stumbled. "That's probably because every girl you ever meet always bows down to give you a blowjob. Now, if you would just mind, leave me alone."
I headed out into the parking lot. I could hear heavy footsteps behind me but I didn't dare turn around to meet those blue eyes. Slingling one leg over my sports baby, I shrugged on my helmet and drove away.
I opened the front door to my house and was immediatatly charged by James, who looked down at me with angry eyes.
"Where have you been?" He snapped, grabbing my arm. "Were you out with a boy?"
"No." I glared at him.
"Good, because you're all mine tonight." He pushed the door closed and shoved me against the wall. Grabbing two bottles of beer, he flicked the tops off and shoved it in my face. "Drink it."
Knowing better than to disobey him, I chugged down the alcohol, letting it slide down my throat. James smirked.
"Ray, get down here!" He yelled. He put the other bottle in my hand, and another man came down the stairs with a greedy look on his face.
"Damn, James, you get to do this every night?" He kneeled down next to me. "Look at that body." He put a hand on my thigh and moved it upwards. I shoved it off.
"What's your name, sweetheart?" Ray asked.
"Fuck you," I answered. I didn't dare drink the second bottle, because if I did, I would probably pass out and they would do even worse things to me.
James kicked me in the stomach, and yelled, "Don't talk to him like that, bitch!" He stood up and walked into the living room, leaving me and Ray alone. I raised the bottle of beer and pretended to be drunk.
"Cheers!" I yelled, and as Ray raised his hand, I smashed the beer bottle on his head and made my escape, dashing towards the stairs. James came out of the room with an angry look on his face and saw me running up to my bedroom. I could hear his footsteps right behind me, and I flung myself into my bedroom and tried to shove the door closed. James managed to push it open, storming into my room. He grabbed me and threw me onto the bed.
"You're going to pay for what you did," He said, punching me in the face. I groaned and he started undoing his belt, ripping off my tank top in the process. James put his hands on my waist to keep me from struggling, and suddenly Ray was in the room, pulling down my shorts and panties.
"Damn, I would fuck that hard." I heard one of them whisper, but I couldn't tell who. I was so weak all of a sudden, no longer the bitch I was at school.
James finally pulled down his jeans, revealing his manhood. I looked away, closing my eyes, biting my lip to keep myself from screaming.
It only took one hit before I passed out, falling into the darkness.
I was waiting for her to drive into the parking lot, riding on that bad-ass motorcycle. Daniel was talking about some girl he had been able to fuck last night, and Kathlyn was flirting with Rick, my second best friend, but I wasn't paying any attention to them. I was just waiting for Ali.
Finally, after what felt like hours, I saw the black vintage bike zipping through the parking lot. I don't know why I was so happy to see her, but I straightened up as soon as I saw her climb off and take off her black helmet.
Her black hair covered her the right side of her face as she walked towards us. I tried to turn my attention back to Daniel, who was still saying something, but he suddenly shut up. His eyes darted to Ali's face and then to me.
"Dude, look." He whispered, nudging me.
Some of Alison's hair had fallen out of her eyes, revealing a large black and purple bruise that went down to her cheek. Ali's eyes widened when she saw us looking and she scampered into the school.
Daniel ran after her. "Hey, Alison! Wait!"
His shout caused everyone to stare at him and then all those eyes were on me. I ignored them and sprinted after Daniel, who had cornered Ali against a wall where nobody could see them.
"What?" She snapped. Jealousy coursed through my veins when I saw Daniel brush some hair out of her eyes.
"Stop!" Ali pushed his hand away, eyes widening when she saw me. "You too?"
Daniel grabbed her waist and pushed her back against him. Ali whimpered, looking at me and back at Daniel before saying, "What? You're going to rape me now?"
Daniel looked hurt, and I felt the same way inside.
"We just want to know where that bruise came from." I said, crossing my arms. Ali wriggled out of Daniel's grasp and stormed past us.
"Why should I tell you? I barely know you guys." She feigned surprise. "Oh, wait, I know you two are horndogs who fuck the brains out of every girl you meet."
I was more hurt than angry, but it was true. It's not like I hadn't slept with every girl at this school.
Well, not every girl.
Ali suddenly turned around to face us. "Look, I'm sorry, okay? I...I just need a little space right now." Her voice turned into a whisper, and her green eyes darkened. "Why are you even following me? I'm a bitch that you should stay away from."
"How. Did. You. Get. That. Bruise." Daniel asked through gritted teeth.
"I. Fell. Down. The. Stairs." She mocked back in the same tone.
"Are you sure?" I moved closer. "No abusive boyfriend?"
"I'm too ugly to have a boyfriend." She crossed her arms over her chest. "Why do you even care?"
She stared me down before walking towards her locker. I didn't move, just watched her strutt past the empty hallway. I pulled Daniel into a corner just as the bell rang and students started piling into the building.
"She's lying-"
"Landon, babe!" Kathlyn said, walking up towards me. "Why were you talking to that bitch?"
"What bitch?" I knew exactly who she was talking about. Anger flooded me as Kathlyn continued to rat off names about Ali, and Daniel could easily see it.
"Kathlyn, um, can we talk about the party that you're hosting tonight?" He said, pulling her away. I watched until her curly blond hair was out of sight before letting out a deep breath.
"You like her, don't you?" A voice behind me said.
I turned around, facing my older-by-two-months sister, who was glaring at me.
"Did you hear what I said?" Lola said, walking closer.
"Yeah, I heard what you said, and what makes you think that?" I groaned, slamming my locker closed after grabbing a notebook.
"I'm your sister, doofus, did you forget?" The corners of her mouth turned up in a smile. "The way you look at her gives it all away. At least she was braver than most people by standing up to you when you were beating up Sean."
"Don't remind me." That was one of my weakest moments.
"I'm going to invite her to Kathlyn's party."
"What?" I spun around to face her. "No, you can't do that. Kathlyn is going to kill her and how am I supposed to pay for the medical bills?"
"Uh, we're rich, asshole, did you forget?"
I didn't want Ali to get beaten up, even though I knew she could take down Kat in an instant. Lola looked at me with a smirk on her face, her hazel eyes studying me. Unlike me, she'd gotten hazel eyes from our dad and I'd gotten my blue ones from my mom. Her hair was the same shade of brown as mine, though.
"Fine," I sighed. "Invite her. But don't expect her to say yes."
When I walked into seventh period English, a group of girls were around Ali, laughing. I started to walk over to them, thinking that they were making fun of her, but Ali's smile suddenly stopped me. She looked so beautiful, her hair up in a loose ponytail with pieces falling in the front. The only part that looked different on her was the purple bruise that had barely started to fade.
Ali looked up and her eyes glazed over my body before connecting with mine. The girls around her - one of them was Lola - looked up at me and shifted away. I coughed and said, "Is this seat taken?"
"No, you can sit there." She shifted in her seat, looking uncomfortable. Suddenly her cold-hearted figure what back, her eyes dark.
"So are you going?" I asked, breaking the silence. Some girls heard my voice and turned around, shooting daggers at Ali. She flicked them off.
"Yeah, I think I will. Just please don't let Kathlyn kill me," she said jokingly, and she grinned. Her teeth were perfectly white, whiter than mine. This girl was just too perfect.
I realised I had been staring for too long and looked away. "I won't. Kat will probably be too drunk to even know you're there. So, can I pick you up?"
She shook her head quickly, and my heart sank. "I would, but I'm going with Lola." She tilted her chin towards my sister, who was trying to hide a smile. I glared at her.
"You're her brother, right?" Ali asked, and I nodded. "That makes sense."
"What?" I snapped.
"I'm sorry," Ali said, and her eyes darkened again. "I didn't mean it like that. You guys just look alike."
I breathed a sigh of relief. So she didn't totally hate me. That was a start, at least.
"You know, I think we're about the same size. Maybe you could borrow something of mine?" Lola said, looking through her huge walk-in closet. One whole side was dedicated to dresses, half of which looked as if they belonged in Cinderella.
She noticed me looking at the poofy gowns and laughed. "My mom's idea. She thinks those are the type of dresses to wear to formal parties. Don't worry, I only go with these." She shoved the long dresses out of the way and revealed some low-cut, body-hugging party dresses hanging in the back.
Lola - the awfully kind sister of Landon - had invited me to Kathlyn Reed's party that was going to be held tonight. I didn't exactly like Kathlyn - and Lola didn't eitheir - but she had dated Landon in the past, so their families were close.
"Try this one on," Lola said, shoving a strapless black mid-length dress. "It'll look good with your tan."
So far she hadn't asked me about the ugly bruise forming on my face, but she kept staring at it like she was trying to figure something out. Right now, I just wanted to spill the whole story out, but if I did and James was taken away...there was no way his friends wouldn't go after me, or her. I couldn't let that happen.
"Okay," I sighed, walking into the giant bathroom in her bedroom. The walls were a metallic gold and the mirror was perfectly clear, not one smudge on it. On the counter was tons and tons of make-up, but hardly any of them looked like they'd been used. It seemed like Lola wasn't as spoiled as her mother.
I undressed and slid the black clothing on, admiring my reflection in the mirror. The dress hugged my body perfectly, covering my stomach enough so you couldn't see the bruises. My waist looked even smaller than usual, considering that James hardly gave me enough food to eat. I stepped out of the bathroom so Lola could see.
"Damn, girl, you are smokin'!" She laughed. She handed me a pair of black heels and shoved me into the bathroom. "Come on. I need to do your make-up and then get dressed myself!"
I laughed, and it sounded so good coming out of my mouth. Lola grabbed some foundation and concealer before applying it to my bruise. I flinched a little when the cold make-up touched the swelling and she frowned.
"Care to tell me how you got this?" She asked, slowly.
"I...uh...well..." I struggled for words.
Lola set down the make-up on the table and narrowed her eyes at me. "I won't tell anyone, I promise."
Before I knew it, the whole story had spilled out and I was choking out the painful memories of my mother. Lola's expression changed from symphatetic to horrified to utter disbelief. I knew this was the moment she kicked me out and told me to never talk to her again.
Instead, I felt two warm arms wrap around me and Lola whisper in my ear, "It's okay, Alison. Calm down." She grabbed my arm and opened my fists, which were clenched tightly.
"Show me your bruises."
Sighing, I pulled up the dress to expose my scarred stomach, bruised and cut and bloody. The anger in Lola's eyes was unbelievable.
"You can't tell anyone." I said quietly, but loud enough so she could hear me.
"WHAT?!"
"You just - you just can't! James will come after you and kill you, right after killing me! Do you think I'm just going to let that happen?" I yelled, and then dropped my voice. "I'm sorry, Lola, I didn't mean -"
"It's fine. Now I see the reason you act like a bad-ass bitch at school." She smiled wearily. "I won't tell anyone, I promise. But you know eventually my brother is going to find out, right?"
Of course.
Of course.
"Yeah, I know." I whispered. I closed my eyes as Lola continued to cover up the bruise. She might've have been able to erase that mark from my face, but she couldn't erase the scars inside.
Finally we headed to the Reed's place. It looked just as big from the outside but was less decorative than the Goodwards'. I stepped inside, Lola right behind me, and everybody turned our way.
Lola had straightened my hair - just on the ends, since my hair was naturally silky - and used only a little make-up that showed some effort but not too much. I had added some mascara at the end to bring out my green eyes and placed two gold bracelets on my arm. As I walked inside, the guys oogled at me, and I planted a fake smirk on my face. Lola looked back at the guys and them an angry look before pulling me towards the kitchen.
I saw Landon, surrounded by several girls who looked drunk. As Lola grabbed two beers out of the cooler, he looked up and his eyes widened. They traveled from my waist to my legs, twinkling. Lola stuck her tongue out at him before handing me a beer and pulling me into the living room.
I saw a few couples already making out on the couch. Kathlyn was sitting on the floor, wearing nothing but a miniskirt and a top that looked somewhat like a bra. A boy next to her had his hand on her thigh, grazing the end of the skirt. I managed to get past her unnoticed.
Lola ran towards Daniel, who was holding a beer and chatting with his friends - everyone except Landon. Was I really so dissapointed to not see him there?
"Hey, babe." He said to Lola, giving me a nod. Just like every other boy, his gaze roamed over my body.
"You guys are dating?" I asked, looking at Lola and Daniel. The other guys laughed.
"No!" Lola said, but her face was flushed. She scampered away and Daniel winked at me. I took a swig of my beer and tried to find Lola in the mess of people grinding against each other. Sighing, I led myself out into the huge backyard and stood on the deck, finishing the last of my beer and tossing it into the trash can. I heard footsteps and spun around, crashing into Landon. I lost my footing and started to fall when an arm wrapped around me.
Landon steadied me and stared into my eyes. "No thanks?"
"Thanks." I mumbled. I sat down on one of deck chairs and started to say, "Landon, I-"
I was stopped by his lips on mine. They were so sweet, so warm, so inviting. He pushed me against the railing of the deck and licked my bottom lip, asking for entrance. I kept my lips shut and was thankful because a second later, I saw a flash and heard cackling.
I pulled away from Landon, who was grinning. Turning around, I spotted Kathlyn with two other slutty-dressed girls. They were laughing and Kathlyn said, "Would you look at that? She's really got it hard for you, babe!"
"I think she does!" My eyes flashed back to Landon. Fuck him.
Fuck him.
I stormed past the sluts and past the people at the party, watching me. Tears were threatening to break out. I hadn't even cried in two years, and now I was about to because some guy got to me?
"Dammit!" I screamed into the front yard, kicking a garbage can. All I wanted to do was get wasted and forget this night. I grabbed a bottle of beer from a package on the top of a car and chugged it down, reaching for another when somebody's hands stopped me.
I turned around, ready to face Landon, but instead looking into Daniel's brown eyes. Lola was right behind him, a fierce look on her face.
I let go of my beer bottle and it smashed into a million pieces on the ground. I slumped against the car window, drunkingly hoping that I could just die and forget about Landon and Kathlyn and Lola and James-
James. God dammit.
"Shit! Lola!" She ran over to me, looking worried. "It's past my curfew."
"It's only 9:00..." Daniel said.
"Which is past my curfew!" I yelled as I slammed the passenger door of Lola's car.
I stumbled into the house, watching Lola drive off. I had told her James wouldn't be here today; that he was working late.
Lies. All lies. He stormed over to me, grabbing my arm and throwing me on the floor. He pulled out his phone and showed me an image of something very familiar.
Me and Landon. Kissing.
"Did you not understand me when I said you were mine, you stupid bitch?" He said. "YOU FUCKING SLUT! YOU NEED TO PAY!"
He dragged me upstairs, grabbing some rope and throwing me into his bedroom. He grabbed a knife and a gun, tying me to the bed. He held the gun to my forehead and pulled up my shirt.
"I'm not gonna kill you, sweetheart," he whispered into my ear. "This is called torture."
With that, he slammed his fist down on my head, and I blacked out.
Seven Days Later
Seven fucking days.
Seven fucking days and she still hadn't shown up yet. I hoped she was just staying home because of the public humiliation that I caused her and nothing bad had happened to her.
Lola passed me in the hallway, a grim look on her face. I grabbed her arm and pulled her to the side. She hadn't talked to me in over a week, and I was getting really annoyed. What the hell had happened to Ali?
"Where is she?" I hissed. Lola didn't meet my eyes, and I grabbed her by the front of her shirt. Was I freaking possessed? Lola's eyes turned into fireballs and she shoved me back.
"I don't want to talk to you."
"I said...WHERE IS SHE!" People around us were quiet now, watching with serious eyes. They watched as I exploded at my sister, even though it wasn't her fault Ali was gone.
It was mine.
I just had no idea what to do when Kathlyn had barged in when I had kissed her. I knew she would be the one who ruined my reputation, who made me lose interest in every other girl besides her. I couldn't let that happen.
"Let me go," said Lola, who I realised I was almost choking.
"Not until you tell me." I loosened my grip a little but kept her pushed against a wall, hoping she would finally burst and say everything.
"She told you to let her go. I think you should do that."
That voice.
Fuck. That voice.
I turned around, releasing my grip on Lola, whose eyes widened at the person standing in front of me. Alison was standing there, looking as hot as ever wearing a loose white T-shirt and tight blue jeans, with a flannel tied around her waist, exposing her curves. The bruise on her face was gone, either covered by make-up or had faded away. Her lip was split though, and an ugly red scar ran under her eye.
She shoved past me and kneeled down, putting a hand on my sister's shoulder. "You okay?"
"I'm fine," Lola croaked. "Where have you been?"
Ali's mouth set in a grim line and she stood up, ignoring Lola's question. Her green eyes narrowed at me. "We need to talk."
"Oh, you want to talk? About what? Where you've been this whole time?" I yelled at her. I could hear snickering behind us, and I knew it was directed at Ali.
"Shut the fuck up! Just shut the fuck up, okay?" Her yelling was driving me mad. "I thought you would understand after calling me out as a slut who fucks boys for fun! But look at yourself! You're no better than me. So please, just get the fuck out of my life and don't ever speak to me again!"
She ran outside, her hair flying behind her as she sprinted off. Lola stood up glaring at me, and I realised that everyone but Kathlyn and those other two bitches were angry. Daniel even looked pissed off, wrapping his arm around Lola as they walked away. I was fuming.
Running after her, I saw her slump to the ground, her face hidden in her hands. She looked up and suddenly backed away, struggling to get up. I frowned.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." I said softly, sitting down next to her.
"Look, Landon, we're not right for each other and we will never be friends. You just need to hang out with your own friends and pretend that I don't exist, alright. I know that-"
I shut her up by pressing my lips to hers. For one second she didn't respond, and I started to pull away when she wrapped her arms around my neck. I bit her bottom lip and she moaned, the sexiest sound I had ever heard in my life. I took that chance to slip my tongue into her mouth and played with her own, placing by hands on her thin waist. She suddenly gasped and pushed me back, trying to find the balance to stand up.
"Are you okay?" I asked her, and she nodded breathlessly.
As she stood up, a part of her shirt slid up and I gazed at her golden skin before turning away quickly.
"Come on," I said, grabbing her hand and picking her up, "I'm going to take you someplace I know you'll love."
"The gym?" Ali snorted, as we pulled into the parking lot of the Workout Center. "You've got to be kidding me."
She was back to her regular self. She hadn't even said a word about the kiss and I decided not to push it. But feeling her body so close to mine made me want to kiss her again and rip her clothes off.
"Landon?" Her voice carried me out of my dirty thoughts. "Get your ass up."
I snorted and pulled out gym shorts from from the backseat. Ali looked at me in disgust and I added, "They're Lola's."
Tossing them to her, I walked out of the car and into the gym to be greeted by Rick. He usually skipped lunch to come over here and work out, but he would always sneak some food into fifth-period. He nodded at me before looking towards me car.
"No chick?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Just then the backseat door opened and Ali came out, wearing a tank top and the Nike shorts I had given here. Thankfully she had on Nike shoes when we came here, because I don't know how she would be able to run in her heels or whatever.
Rick's gaze traveled to her legs as she walked towards us. I fought the urge to yell at him as he smirked at her. Ali raised an eyebrow and said, "Like what you see?"
Rick nodded, and Ali stated, "Horndog." She looked behind me and widened her eyes. "Landon, I think someone's here to see you."
I turned around to see a group of girls giggling, each of them wearing a pink sports bra and pink shorts. One girl in the middle fluffed her hair and walked over to me, wrapping one leg around my own. She tickled my chest and I laughed, placing a hand on her waist. Did she know me or something? Had I slept with her before?
I saw Ali being led away by Rick towards the Workout Station. I gritted my teeth at the sight of him holding her hand. I saw her surprised face when she saw all the machines gathered together. Rick laughed and dragged her to the stair-stepper.
I pushed past the clingy pink girls and walked towards them. Ali stopped and stared at me as I took my shirt off and joined them. She raised an eyebrow and turned away, tying her hair up.
"So, Ali, how does a girl like you stay so fit?" Rick asked, all while checking out her ass.
"I dance, and stop staring at my ass. Please. It makes me uncomfortable when I know somebody is checking out my butt cheeks."
I bit my lip to hold in a laugh and Rick glared at me.
"Too embarressing, huh?" Ali said. She laughed, one of the most amazing sounds I had ever heard come out of her mouth.
I hated to admit it, but I was truly falling in love with this girl.
I'd never thought Landon would actually care what had happened to me on the seven days I'd be gone.
It had been endless days of torture and being raped by James and his buddies. I hadn't been able to even wrap my head around what had happened at the party. Finally today James had suspected the school was going to ask questions, so he sent me back.
He didn't even kill me.
I jogged on the treadmill, staring out at the painted mural on the wall in front of me. Landon and Rick were beside me, jogging a little slower than me. The group of girls that had giggled over Landon were whispering and glaring at me, making me uncomfortable. I shook my hair and gave them a smirk, and they looked away.
I heard Landon chuckle at me and turned to meet his eyes. Of course I was still mad. Of course I still wanted to choke him and put him six feet under. But I had to atleast give him the satisfaction of knowing I wasn't going to attack him.
"What?" I snapped playfully. "Why don't you go tell your fangirls to stop looking at me? Am I that hot?"
Landon looked me up and down, stopping at my legs before roaming upwards. I managed to not to the same to him. His eyes were filled with lust and danger, and I turned my head away.
"You're hot enough."
"I wish I had blond hair." I mumbled.
Landon glanced at me sharply. "What?"
The sudden change of his mood made my cringe. "Oh, uh, nothing."
I slowed down the speed of the treadmill and stopped it. Landon looked at me with one eyebrow raised, still jogging naturally on the machine. I headed towards the bathrooms and rushed inside. Thankfully the stalls were empty. I looked at myself in the mirror and smoothed my hair back. I was so involved in fixing it that when the door opened I jumped atleast two feet.
It was Landon.
His huge, masculine body stood in the doorway, his mouth in a firm line. He had a shirt on, thank God.
"What are you doing?" I asked, resting my hands by my sides. He closed the door behind him and locked it.
I smirked. "Getting away from those girls?"
No reply.
"Landon, what the hell?" I said. He started walking towards me, and I backed away until I was against the wall. He didn't say anything but grabbed my arms and pinned them above my head. He was so close, I could feel the heat of this body.
Fuck. Was I falling for this guy?
"I like you with black hair." He whispered in my ear, putting a hand on my thigh. "I think all the guys do too." Then his lips were on mine. The kiss was fierce and controlling. I didn't respond for a few seconds before leaning my head forward and deepening the kiss. His hand grazed the edge of the shorts before he slipped it under. I gasped and he took the chance to slip his tongue into my mouth.
He let go of my arms, and I hesitantly wrapped them around his neck. He leaned down to kiss my neck and found my weak spot, making me moan.
What the hell am I doing? I thought to myself. This was the same guy who nearly got me killed two days ago. I moaned again as Landon's hands slid under my tank top. Shit. If Landon touched my stomach, he would feel all the bruises and never speak to me again. I pushed his hands out of my shirt and leaned back, and the warmth of his body was replaced with the chilly air of the bathroom.
"I - I, Landon -"
He growled and grabbed me by the waist, pulling me onto the sink counter. He stepped between my legs and put his hands on my thighs.
"I don't want you dating anyone, you hear me? You're mine, mine." He stepped back and rubbed a hand through his hair. "Fuck, Ali. I don't know what I'm doing."
"You don't." I whispered. "You can't kiss me, Landon. You can't touch me or date me or do anything with me. I'm not your type and you know that." I slid off the counter.
"You need to stick with your group of friends, alright? I'm not worth anything." I looked at myself in the mirror, not daring to meet his blue eyes. "Can we go now?"
Landon nodded, staring at the wall. I stepped out of the bathroom and ran off towards the front door of the gym, ignoring the ugly looks I was getting from the pink-obsessed girls.
I jumped into the passenger seat of Landon's car and waited for him to come out. He eventually did, climbing into the drivers seat without saying a word to me. His blue eyes were focused on the road. I looked at his hands which gripped the steering wheel tightly. I touched his arm and his fingers loosened up, but he still didn't look my way and I let go of my touch.
We pulled into the school parking lot. It was still lunchtime, so there were no students hanging out in the front. Landon started walking into the school but I headed towards my motorbike. He stopped and stared at me quizically.
"I can't be seen with you." I said. The lie came out of my mouth so fast. I didn't care what other people thought of me. But James was something else. If any more photos of me and Landon together leaked, he would surely kill me and then Golden Boy.
"Okay then." Landon shrugged and walked inside, planting a smirk on his face. I saw through the window as he was greeted by Kathlyn, who pressed her lips to his. I resisted the urge to gag and slung my long legs over my motorbike. I needed to dance.
I downed the rest of my beer and tossed it into a trash can. I could see Kathlyn dancing nearby with a blond-haired guy and Daniel having a drinking contest with Lola.
I had agreed to meet Rick at his party tonight, but he was nowhere to be seen. Probably hooking up with some chick in the backyard. I needed to do the same, but I couldn't find any girl tonight.
I shrugged and walked towards the dance floor, hoping to find a girl to dance with. I spotted a brown-haired chick who was pretty hot, just not as hot as Ali.
Fuck. Why couldn't I get that girl out of my mind?
I started grinding against the girl, placing my hands on her hips. I spotted a familiar flash of black hair and watch as Ali danced with her friends. She was wearing a white top and booty shorts that hugged her in all the right places, and my eyes couldn't stop roaming down down her body. I started to go hard and let go of the girl so she didn't get the wrong impression.
I settled down next to Daniel, who had a bottle of whiskey in his hand. He hadn't finished the whole thing and I took a sip, letting the burn slide down my throat. Lola grabbed it from me and downed the whole thing.
I heard some chanting: "Chug! Chug! Chug!" and turned around to see Ali drinking a huge bottle of tequila. I watched as she chugged down the whole thing without stopping. When she finished it she slammed the bottle on the table and pumped her fist in the air. I stared in awe as she was congratulated by the chanting group, many of which were guys checking her out.
I swallowed the anger I was feeling and stepped off the stool I was sitting on. I was about to walk over to her when I spotted Jackson Merrfield walking towards her. Shit.
Jackson was on the football team, but we weren't friends at all. In fact, we hated each other. I'd caught him in bed with my first girlfriend, and it was his fault that I'd turned into a shitty player. Jackson was known for having wild sex with girls and then dumping them. It was rumored that he'd roofied a girl once just for the fun of it.
He walked over to Ali and placed his hands on her hips. Even in her drunk state, she stiffened up and turned to face him. She shook her head and said something that I couldn't hear before trying to get out of his grasp. Jackson didn't let her go, instead leading her to the backyard door. She stumbled after him and I found myself following them. Daniel and Lola noticed my distress and followed.
I stepped onto the deck quietly. I could hear some mumbling and then the sound of a punch. Even in the darkness, I could see two shadows against the fence.
Jackson's voice erupted from the silence. "What the fuck was that for? You're a bitch!" I heard a pound and then a moan. Ali.
I started walking over to where Jackson was leaning against Ali. I nearly choked at what I saw. He was holding her by her throat and touching her there.
"You know, this wouldn't be so hard if you would just fuck me." Jackson whispered. He pulled her forward and slammed her against the fence so hard I thought her head would break. She let out a scream before slumping to the ground.
My vision turned red and I yelled, "Let go of her!" Jackson turned around, surprised, still holding onto Alison. "I SAID LET GO OF HER!"
Jackson smirked and touched Ali in that spot again, and I lost total control. I tackled him to the ground and started punching the shit out of him. Daniel ran over to Ali, who looked unconcious. I angrily shoved my fist into Jackson's face, pressing my knee into his stomach. He began to cough up blood, but I could care less. How dare he touch my girl like that. That son of bitch deserved to die.
Jackson pushed me off of him and I landed on the ground. He sent a punch to my face but I stopped his fist before it could hit me. He managed to knee me in the gut and punch me in the jaw once before I was on top of him again.
A crowd had gathered onto the deck, watching with terrified expressions as I fought against Jackson. I was about to send an angry punch to Jackson's battered face when Rick's hand stopped me and pulled me away. Jackson moaned and put a hand to his cheek, rolling over.
I spat on the ground, ignoring the throbbing pain in my right cheek. I ran over to Ali and smoothed her hair back, looking at her pale face. She mumbled something I couldn't understand and I picked her up bridal-style, ignoring the whispers coming from the crowd. Daniel spat out, "Move!" and the crowd parted into two, letting us pass.
I turned my head to see Rick standing over Jackson, one foot on that dumbass's chest. I nodded at him and walked into the house, still carrying Ali in my arms. Her hair was falling in her face, but I could tell her eyes were closed. It shocked me I had never seen her so vunerable.
I set her in the passenger seat of my Porcshe. She slumped over, drunk. She wasn't totally unconcious, but it didn't seem like she was in her right state of mind eitheir. I ran over to the driver's side and jumped in, speeding off as the party people stepped out onto the front lawn.
I rolled down out a window and was driving to the limit, just to get Ali home as quickly as possible.
And, of course. I didn't know her address.
I cursed and turned onto my street, parking in my garage. Hopefully she wouldn't mind if she stayed overnight. I picked her up and stepped into my empty house. My parents were out on one of their business trips again. They never really knew what went on with me or Lola, they were so busy.
Carrying Ali upstairs, I set her down on my bed and grabbed a black T-shirt and sweatpants from my closet. I set them down on the nightstand and turned off the light. Sleep consumed me and I hesitantly laid down next to Ali, placing an arm around her thin waist before drifting off.
I woke up to a pounding in my head like no other.
Tiny fragments and pieces of last night drifted into my mind. Downing the bottle of tequila. Dancing. A guy leading me outside. Pain.
"Dammit." I sat up, trying to ignore the throbbing in my head. Damn tequila. I sat up and my eyes went wide when I saw the giant room. Shit. This was not my room.
I turned around and saw a group of photo frames hanging on the wall. I recognized the familiar face and freaked out.
Blue eyes, brown hair, sharp jaw.
I was in Landon's room.
"What the hell?" I mumbled, and tossed off the warm covers. I had never felt anything so soft. The material felt like a cloud, something I hardly ever got to touch because I slept on the wooden floors every night.
I noticed a pair of clothes sitting on the table next to me, by an alarm clock and a water bottle. My cell phone was sitting next to it as well, vibrating every few seconds. I groaned and slid off the bed, my uncomfortable dress making it even harder to stand.
I heard footsteps and turned to the door to see Landon leaning against the frame. His mouth was in a grim line and he walked towards me, grabbing the clothes and placing them in my hands.
"Go change," He ordered. I shrugged and followed his finger to the bathroom, knewing better than to speak and just make my hangover worse. I washed my face and combed my fingers through my hair, staring at my reflection when I was finished.
The red cut under my eye had become a scar, but it still hurt like hell when I brushed my finger over it. The slit on my lip was still pretty visible, but there were no bruises on my face that could be seen very clearly. I grabbed Landon's clothes and stared at them for a few seconds before shrugging them on. The black shit hung loosely to my curves, and the sweatpants were tightened two times so they could fit. I tightened them once more before stepping out.
Landon was laying on his bed, studying a photograph of him and a girl, their lips pressed together, arms around each other. He perked up when he heard me and dropped the photo, turning around to face me. His eyes roamed over my body and I studied them as they filled with lust and longing.
He walked over to me and placed a hand on the small of my back, pressing me against the wall. I shivered at his touch and looked into his eyes. Why did this boy have such an effect on me?
"Do you remember what happened last night?" He said, his right hand still roaming around my lower back. I gasped when he put the other one on my thigh, and looked at his mouth, expecting him to smirk.
It stayed in a flat line.
"No, not really." I said, and the pounding in my head got ten times worse. "I was too drunk."
He looked surprised, but angry suddenly replaced his features. His jaw clenched and I stepped back before realising there was nowhere to go.
"Do you remember that boy who lead you outside? He nearly killed you, Ali. He had his fist around your throat and he slammed you against the fence and he - he touched you there. Ali, he touched you." The whole thing spilled out of his mouth so fast I didn't have time to react before his lips were on mine. He pressed me against the wall and had his hands in my hair, his left hand tracing down my leg. I responded without thinking of the consequences and wrapped my legs around his waist, pressing him closer to me. He moaned and I pulled back, letting go of him.
I slid out from under his arms and sat on the bed, hanging my head. Dammit. I was freaking ashamed. Not only had I let some random boy touch me last night in the worst area possible, but I was rubbing against Landon, the biggest player at our school.
I was turning into a slut.
"I'm a slut," I burst out, a tear sliding down my cheek. I bit my lip to stop myself from saying anything else stupid.
I didn't look up at Landon as he walked towards me. He tilted my chin up with his finger and said gruffly, "Look at me."
I found myself staring into his crystal blue eyes.
"You're not a slut." He stated. "You're my girl. You're the only girl I want to kiss, alright? And don't do that."
"Do what?" I asked sharply. His mouth turned up into a smirk and I resisted the urge to slap him across the face to wipe it off.
"That." He nodded to where my teeth were clamped down on my lip. "Stop. It makes me want you, and I don't want anything to happen that you'll regret. Or not regret."
"Shut up, asshole!"
He feigned hurt, placing a hand over his heart. He leaned forward and whispered in my ear, "Did I tell you that you look sexy in my clothes?"
"I wear your clothes better than you ever will." I smirked and pushed past him, wiping the wet tear away with my hand. I grabbed my phone and checked the texts I had gotten overnight.
James had sent me one saying he would stay at a friends overnight, but in a much more offensive way. I snorted and deleted it so Landon wouldn't see it. Another was from Lola asking if I was ok, and I texted back I was fine. She must have stayed at someone's house last night.
I looked up and Landon was gone, so I rushed downstairs. He was talking to someone on the phone, holding the phone in one hand and bracing himself against the counter with the other. I pulled my hair into a ponytail and settled down on one of the chairs.
He motioned for me to go outside, listening to the person on the other end of the line. I walked out the front door, bracing myself in my heels, and saw my motorbike lounging on the driveway. I had never been so happy to see it. I just wanted to get away from Landon.
I slung one leg over as Landon came outside. He looked surprised that I was already trying to get away from him, but his face turned expressionless again as he smirked.
"You're leaving already?" His eyes roamed around my motorcycle and then up my body. Horndog.
"Why? You're gonna chase me?" I joked.
His smirk turned into a full grin and he dashed into his house before coming back with a set of keys. He opened his car door and stepped inside, rolling the window down.
"Yeah, I think I will." He said, watching me.
I felt a smile rise on my face. Forget James. I could suffer through a rough beating tonight. I deserved a little fun once in a while.
I realised Landon was staring at me and scoffed.
"Fine," I said, turning on my motorcycle and backing out of the driveway. "Let's do it."
Damn, this girl could have been a drifter or something.
Ali pretty much just sped through cars on the road without stopping or apologizing, and I was forced to do the same. I had never seen a girl look so bad-ass; most of the girls I had slept with had Beetle's or something girly.
I am so sexist.
I watched as Ali turned onto an abandoned road that had barely any traffic. I followed her grinning, sharply turning my car. I sped up and she noticed it, twisting the throttle on her motorbike. Shifting into a different lane, I caught up to her and grinned through the window.
"I thought you could go faster than that." I stated.
Ali smirked and pressed her foot on the gas of her Ducati, driving off. She hadn't put on her helmet, which was strapped to the back of her motorbike. I sighed and drove after her.
"Slow down," I moaned.
Ali just laughed, but she agreed and traveled beside me. Even over the roar of her bike, she said, "You looked so surprised the first day I came into the parking lot."
I flushed at the thought. I had actually been really surprised when she had taken off her helmet to reveal herself. I'd contained the wide eyes and jaw-dropping, though. Daniel and Rick didn't really care - they stared forever.
"Shut up." I managed. "What did you expect?"
She chuckled. I didn't understand how she could ride that damn bike with those heels and no helmet. She is going to get herself killed one day.
She noticed me staring and took her eyes off the road for a second, looking down at her shoes. She giggled and bit her lip, causing me to go hard. Fuck.
I shifted and she looked up, still clamping her teeth on her bottom lip. Her eyes widened and she started guffawing, resting her head on the head of her bike. She didn't even rear off the road. I finally found a comfortable position so my erection didn't press against my pants.
Ali stopped laughing and looked up at me. I could see she was biting her cheek to hold it in. I glared at her and she wheezed out a breath, stopping abruptly. Her hair fell in face and she puffed it out of the way.
"I'm sorry - it's just that the tiniest things girls do will make guys horny." She said, smiling cheekily.
She had changed so much since the first day of school. She seemed so much more...comfortable now. She had loosened up a lot - but she was still a goddamn bad-ass.
"You're glad I'm in this car." I mumbled.
Her head shot up. "Excuse me? Was that a threat?"
"Annnnd you heard me."
"Damn right I heard what you said." Ali stepped off her motorbike. I held back a grin and opened my car door, stepping outside and watching as she walked towards me. She slammed me against my shiny red Porsche and raised her hand as if to slap me. I caught it before it could hit my cheek and her eyes widened in surprise when I pressed her against me.
Then her innocent look was gone and her eyes narrowed. "How many times have you used this on bimbos?"
"Uh...thirty, at least."
She checked her watch, still pressed against me, and yelled out, "Shit! Landon, we just missed like ten minutes of school. James is going to kill me!"
I tilted my head. "Who's James?"
She looked angry and then swallowed. "My step-dad, dumbass. Now come on."
With that, she stepped away from my hold, and drove away on her motorcycle. I sighed and followed her, and in about fifteen minutes we drove into the school parking lot.
I realised she was still wearing my clothes, but she didn't seem to care, looking down at them and shrugging. No one would probably notice, since they looked natural on her. She smiled at me once before heading inside. I missed her as soon as she left my sight.
I stepped out of English, followed by Kathlyn and her chirpy blonde friends. I was seriously getting so annoyed of them trying to make a move on me when I had another girl I wanted.
I opened my locker and saw Ali walk through the hall, catching the eye of every guy in the hall. They were practically drooling over her, and even Jackson - dammit, he was here - was staring at her. She didn't see him, but instead spotted me.
She started walking over, and raised one hand to wave when she spotted Jackson. Her eyes flashed with pure hate and anger as Jackson smirked.
"Damn, boy, isn't it sad that you didn't get some and you got beat up like shit?" She said, leaning against someone's locker and staring into his eyes.
Someone snickered and Jackson looked around, his eyes blazing.
"Who was that?" He growled. His eyes landed on a scrawny kid in the back, trying to hide behind another group of kids. He stormed over and grabbed the kid, raising his fist. Before he could do any serious damage, someone had stepped in front of the boy, grabbing Jackson's fist and holding it tightly above his head.
"You shouldn't do that." I heard Ali growl, pushing the kid behind her and pushing so close to Jackson he stepped back. They were in the middle of the hallway now. I started inching my way towards them, praying Ali wasn't going to get hurt.
"It's kind of sad to say that you aren't even able to punch someone, right?" She motioned to his fist, still stuck in the lock of her hand.
"You bitch," Jackson said. The bell rang above but nobody moved. They were all focused on the middle of the hallway.
Ali looked as if she was about to slam her fist into his face, but instead she took a deep breath and laughed. She let go of Jackson's arm, setting it down by his side as if he were still a kid.
"Next time you touch a girl -any girl- like that, Jackson, I swear I will rip your throat out and feed you to the dogs. And get a damn girlfriend. You seem so miserable."
With that, Ali stalked off, her mouth set into a firm line. Jackson looked surprised at the threat she had just given him, and I laughed. He turned my way, flinching when he saw me. Good. He deserved it.
The coach had kicked him off the football team after finding out what he had done to Ali at the party, and most of the team besides his two buddies had been pretty happy. He was annoying as hell.
Lola finally had to lead me away, but I could still feel Jackson's eyes burning into my back.
I met up with Ali in the parking lot later that day. She was surprised when I walked over to her instead of the group of girls who were always trying to make me their boyfriend. Even Kathlyn had been super shocked when I waved her off.
"What are you doing?" Ali hissed.
"Saying hello." I said, smirking. She sighed and looked behind me, as if expecting a rampage of girls to attack her.
"Don't worry. Kathlyn stormed off to go rub herself on the football team."
Ali's eyes went wide. "Does that girl ever not get horny? She's more whoreish than you."
"I'm not a whore."
She feigned a gasp. "Ok, you're not a whore. Let's go with man-whore." She slung her legs over her motorbike.
"Man-whore?" I raised an eyebrow.
"Man-whores are guys who are whores, buddy."
I huffed and crossed my arms, glaring at her. I knew what a man-whore was, and I definitely knew I was one, but I wasn't going to admit it.
"Don't be afraid to admit you love this," I said, gesturing to my body. Ali rolled her eyes, averting her eyes away from my chest.
"It's great," she said. "For attracting sluts."
"You're so mean," I whined, trying to keep a serious face. "It's not my fault I'm so hot, babe. My perfect body and sexy face-"
She smirked before saying, "And a small dick."
I was about to retort something sarcastic back when Jackson walked by, with one of his buddies. His checked Ali out bottom up and made a "perfect" sign to his friend. I stiffened, which Ali clearly saw as she turned around. Her eyes hardened, but she turned around before Jackson's eyes met hers.
"I'm leaving." I heard her say in a low voice.
"Ali, kiss me." The three words came out so quickly. I wasn't even thinking, and Ali could easily see it when she looked up in surprise.
"What? No-" I cut her off by pressing my lips to hers. She jumped in surprise before responding and pressing against me. I asked for entrance and she granted it, thankfully. A few seconds later she pulled back and smiled before revving her engine and twisting her throttle. She gave Jackson a two-fingered wave as she pulled out of the parking lot.
I watched her leave, speeding onto the main road, looking sexy and bad-ass at the same time. Jackson turned to glare at me.
"You just get all the girls, don't you, Landon?" He said, venom dripping off every word. "And I thought she was a "no-boys" type of girl."
I stared him down, glad that I was two inches taller. He finally backed down when one of his dumbass buddies said, "Let's go, Jackson, it isn't worth it. We're wasting our time."
Jackson sighed and turned around, flipping me the finger. "Fine," he barked to his friends. "Move it."
I couldn't help the grin that spread on my face when he stalked off. I deserved that kiss from Ali, but Jackson didn't seem to agree.
But who gives a shit about him?
As I pull into my driveway, I see James drunkingly nodding his head in the front yard. In his hand is a half-empty bottle of beer, and another empty one on the grass. Our neighbor, a single man who is balding in the middle of his head, gives us a disgusted look before returning his gaze to his plants.
Our neighborhood isn't very special. It's more run-down than full of potentiol. Our house is a mess inside and out. I mow the lawn every week and try to keep in good condition, if by chance someone ever wants to buy this house in the future. I've repainted the front part of the house with the cheapest paint I could find, and fixed the hinges on the front door so it's not floating open during the night. Still, it looked like shit, and everyone could see that.
Our neighbors - who hated us so much I didn't even know their name - had the complete opposite of us. They had hired a couple of horny workers that stared at me every time I passed them to repaint, refurnish, and replace the shingles on their house. It looked like a mansion compared to ours.
I parked my motorcycle and stepped off. James didn't even look my way as I stepped through the sloshy puddles of alcohol, trying to keep my shoes from getting dirty. I pushed through the front door, thankful to be away from the insane man sitting on the porch.
I went upstairs into my plain, white bedroom and unlaced my Converse. These were my favorite white high-tops and I wasn't going to let James ruin these. I slipped them under my bed and changed into some loose shorts and a T-shirt that was from my old school, Westfield High.
Memories flashed through my mind, bringing a sharp pain to my chest. I had loved those days, even with James being an asshole. He hadn't even been that bad; just calling me a few heartless names when he got mad. He hadn't been a cold-blooded murderer back in that time.
I had been a well-known gymnast, not the motorcycle-rider I was known as now. I wasn't a goody-two shoes ever in my life, but I had been better and more vunerable back then. Especially when I was a freshman, following the lead of all those stupid seniors. They had forced me to do things I would have never done in my whole freshman year.
When I'd become a sophomore, I had started saving up money for a car before my mind switched to a Ducati sports bike. The senior boys that year had started to make moves on me as I grew breasts and my features became sharper. I had even dated one of them before realising what an asshole he was when I caught him making out with some other girl in his car.
Ever since then I'd had a problem with boys, and James didn't make things any better. If only he could stop hurting me in my weakest spot and find a girl who actually found the type of things he did to me pleasurable.
I sighed and slammed my textbook shut. Homework could wait. I needed to walk and sort out my mind - and get rid of those memories before they came to haunt me any worse.
The night breeze left me calm and collected as I walked on the empty sidewalk of the street. A few people were heading out of small shops and into their cars. I saw a woman struggling with keeping a hold on her son, who was whining as they headed out of the grocery store.
"But Mom!" He yelled. It was cute; he couldn't have been more than 4 years old. "I want candy! Please?"
I shrugged and walked over to them, kneeling down next to the boy and tapping him on the shoulder.
"Hey buddy, I'm Ali." I said, smiling. "How about I buy you a candy bar? Your Mommy doesn't seem to have the money to buy it for you."
His frown turned into a huge grin. "Yeah!"
I looked up at the woman, who had a grateful smile on her face. I nodded to her and walked into the grocery store, trotting over to the candy aisle.
I grabbed some milk chocolate and a few candy packets before heading to the checking aisle. The man didn't hesitate to look me up and down before dropping my items into a bag and handing the bag to me.
I used twenty dollars out of the one-hundred I had saved from my mom's money jar. I sighed as the money disappeared from my hands.
That sadness faded away when I stepped out and saw the little boy's expression. His whole face lit up and he grabbed for the bag, and I gently passed it into his hands.
"There you go," I said softly.
"Thank you so much. I thought he would never stop crying." The woman said, her eyes crinkling as she smiled. Her gaze fell to her son. "Logan, what do you say?"
"Thanks, Ali!" Logan gave me a tight hug and I chuckled before letting him go.
"Bye guys," I called after them as they headed towards their car. Logan and his mother turned around one more time and waved before driving off.
I started walking again when I heard footsteps behind me. I stiffened and waited for someone to drag me away into the alley and rip off my clothes.
"That was nice," a familiar voice said.
I spun around and came face to face with Landon smirking down at me.
"So the bad girl does have a good side?" He said calmly, staring down at me. He was atleast 6'4, and compared to my 5'6, he was a fucking giant.
"Shut up, Goodward." I shoved him lightly on the shoulder and started to walk away when he grabbed my arm.
"Where do you think you're going?"
I snorted. "Home?"
Landon raised an eyebrow and looked around. "I don't see your bike anywhere."
I chuckled, unable to hold a grin back. "That's because I walked, dumbass." I pointed to the sidewalk and trailed it towards the grocery store.
"You walked." Landon said sharply. "Do you know how fucking dangerous that is, Ali?"
I glared at him, crossing my arms over my chest as I stared him down. "Landon, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself, you know. I'm 18, alright?"
He smirked, the corners of his lips turning up playfully. "Taking care of yourself? Baby, I can take care of you so much more."
"Dammit, Landon, you're so fucking nasty." I glared at him, causing his smirk to break out into a full grin. "Why did I ever meet you?"
Landon laughed, causing a warm sensation inside of me. "I know you wanted to, baby."
"Don't call me that." I hissed. "And I would have never met you if you had stopped bothering me. Now let me go, I have somewhere to be."
Landon chuckled, but he let me go as I walked away. I could see his silhoulette in the moonlight, leaning against the wall of the grocery store. I raised my hand to say goodbye before rethinking it and setting it by my side. I could almost see the smirk on his face as I turned my back to him.
I barely made it back to my house before my curfew. I took a deep breath before opening the door, greeted by a table full of James and his friends. Their eyes roamed over my body and face before turning back to their poker game on the table. Three tall stacks of bills were laying in the middle.
James snarled, "What are you looking at? Go do something."
I crossed my arms and flipped him off before heading upstairs. Opening my bedroom door, I sighed at the messed up bed sheets and books thrown on the floor. James and his friends must have used my room to mess around in. Hopefully he hadn't a hooker to the mess.
Sighing I changed the sheets - who knows what they could have done - and switched into boy shorts and a long T-shirt that covered the shorts. Climbing into bed, I switched off my lamp, hoping that James wouldn't come into my room at midnight like every other night. Maybe he would just stick to his gambling game and let me go for one night.
I stayed awake until 12, waiting for the door to open and my step-dad to stumble inside my plain, white room, but he didn't. I guessed God let me live for tonight.
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 16.04.2016
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Widmung:
I dedicate this book to my sister who helped me come with this amazing idea.