“Look—I get it, Astor. She’s a hot piece of ass. I wouldn’t mind seeing those lips wrapped around my—”
The sentence gets cut off by my fist smashing into his face. The three of us end up in an all out brawl, the sound of Coach Carter’s whistle screeching loudly and grabbing everyone’s attention. Others rush in to pull us apart, and when I’m finally dragged off a bleeding Appleton, I spot Bexley a few feet away, her eyes wide.
Our gazes lock, and I get the feeling she’s silently asking if I’m okay, like she’s ready to jump in and fight with me if I give the signal.
“Are you kidding me?!” Coach Carter growls, standing between us. “All you have to do isrun. It’s not that difficult. The three of you can head to the changing rooms. You’re done.”
Breaking my stare from Bexley, I run a hand through my hair, nodding once at Coach Carter. I feel Bexley’s burning gaze on my back as I march off, but I don’t dare look.
Letting out a deep sigh when I enter the changing room, footsteps follow behind. Coach is right behind the other two, his dark eyes bouncing between us. “Get changed and head up to Dean Lannister’s office. If the three of you decide to stop acting like animals in my class, you can come back next week and give me fifty push-ups.”
Heathering huffs angrily at the punishment but says nothing. Appleton crosses his arms with a sharp nod, glaring daggers at me.
Too fucking bad. They can keep Bexley’s name out of their fucking mouths.
I send a quick text to Tai as I’m changing back into my jersey, suggesting he arrange a little present for the assholes. Maybe a montage of all their losing matches this season—there’s certainly no shortage of them. Put them on repeat on every single screen in Willowbrook or something. Staff computers too, of course. Hell—make them permanent screensavers.
I sling my bag over my shoulder as I head out of the changing rooms, spotting Bexley and Sophia standing on the edge of the field with a look of concern on their faces. Before I can do or say anything, a booming voice shouts out from behind me.
“Beckett! Spencer! Get running.”
Chapter six
Hunter
It’s a bit of a dick move, but when the others message me to say we’re meeting up with Bexley after school to tackleOperation Who Gives A Shit, I feign injury from gym class and head home early.
While I’m able to ignore the pestering text messages that follow my noticeable absence, sadly, I’m not able to dodge the phone call that comes as I pull into my driveway.
“Yes?” I sigh when the bluetooth connects, bracing my hands on the steering wheel.
“What’s this I hear about you being injured?” my father questions, sounding far more annoyed than anything else. “You know your attendance is crucial at this point of the academic calendar, Hunter.”
My jaw clenches painfully. “It’s just one class, Father. I’ll be fine tomorrow.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Leaning my head back against the leather rest, I inhale deep before answering. “I’m just taking care of some business. I didn’t want that information getting out, so I told Millar I was injured.”
Nurse Millar and her fucking big mouth.
Not surprisingly, he accepts my excuse. But instead of perking up enthusiastically like he normally would, I’m met with a tsking sound of irritation.
“I told you not to get involved, Hunter. I’m still trying to undo your mess. The last thing we need is you three meddling where you don’t belong.”
I should just keep my mouth shut. Agree with him. It would be the sensible thing to do. Except for once, I find myself going against my better judgment, irked by his less than warm attitude.
“Youwantedme involved before.”
He scoffs disapprovingly. “This is no longer schoolyard play, child. And after what you’ve cost us, I no longer trust you and your friends to handle it. This is adult business.”
Tai and Rylan’s earlier conversation comes back to me, their comments about us being nothing more than an extension of our fathers.
At the time, I had vehemently disagreed with their opinion. After all, my whole life I’ve been conditioned to take his word as final. I am his successor, his legacy. That was my entire existence and sole purpose, especially while at Willowbrook.
And to be fair, I was fine with it.
I wanted it.