Fallen Crest Forever
Page 12
Courtney, Grace, and Nettie hadn’t said a word. They’d made me believe we were the ones ditching them, but when I looked over, he was right. They sat at a large table, along with the rest of the team, and at a separate booth with the coach and a woman I didn’t recognize were Faith and Raelynn. They both wore smug looks, like they hadn’t a worry in the world.
They purposely hadn’t told us.
Logan narrowed his eyes. “You guys didn’t know?”
“They didn’t say a word.” I clenched my jaw.
Taylor jerked back in her seat, glaring. “This isn’t going to slide.”
I shook my head. “Fuck, no.”
“Are you guys serious? You were cut out?” Logan whistled under his breath. “And you guys think it’s me who’s going to get Mason in trouble.” He laughed. “What are you going to do?” He glanced at Taylor, but she was watching me.
It was my decision.
I tried to formulate the best plan of action.
Then I saw Faith and Raelynn say something and start laughing. The woman and Coach Langdon seemed oblivious, absorbed in their conversation, but the rest of the team looked over. Faith leaned toward them, saying something, and soon that table was laughing too. The only one who seemed uncomfortable was Courtney. Grace and Nettie laughed, but not as much as the others. The three of them shared a look.
They were talking about us.
My brain shut off. I stood. I wasn’t going to be someone’s joke. Not now, and not ever. Experiencing flashbacks to my junior year at Fallen Crest Academy, with Jessica and Lydia laughing at me—leading the rest of the students in one big fucking laugh at my expense—some of that old Sam rose up.
I wove through the tables. There must’ve been some look on my face, because as I went past them, people quieted. I was drawing attention. I didn’t care about that either. I was climbing the stairs to the section where the team sat when they saw me.
A collective hush fell over the table and booth. The only two who still had no clue were the coach and the woman. I stopped between them and looked at Faith and Raelynn.
“Whose idea was it to leave us out?”
Courtney looked down at her plate. Grace bit her lip, and Nettie pressed her lips together in a flat line. I looked right at Faith and Raelynn. “Was it you guys?”
Faith flipped her dark braid back over her shoulder and stuck her chin out. “Calm down. This is for the teams from last year. It’s an early celebration. It’s not anything official.”
“Is that true?” I turned to Coach Langdon. “This wasn’t official?”
He frowned, a big line marring his forehead. “Faith, Rae, you didn’t tell the new girls?”
Faith flushed. “They just joined a few hours ago.”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s for teams. There was nothing said about last year versus this year, and even if there had been, I wouldn’t have respected that. A team’s a team.” He pointed at me, still speaking to Faith and Raelynn. “If you want to go to nationals, you’re going to want her on this team.” He looked to the woman. “Come on, Ruth. I want to introduce you to some people.” He gave the rest of the girls and myself a cursory look. “Let’s leave the team to get things right.”
Faith’s mouth snapped shut, and she glared at me as she swirled her fork through her hash browns.
“Who was that?” I asked her once they were gone.
Faith forced a tight smile and turned to talk to Raelynn, shutting me out.
This bitch—I started for her, but a hand caught my arm and tugged me back. I thought it was Taylor at first, then it registered that the hand was stronger than hers.
“Far be it from me to get involved in a chick fight,” Logan began, as Faith and Raelynn both looked up. “I’ve seen Sam in action. A fair warning: she’s not one to piss off.”
Faith narrowed her eyes. “That’s sweet. Your stepbrother is standing up for you.”
So she did know who Logan was.
She leaned forward, propping her elbow on the table and almost posing for us. “Word to the wise. You’ll never see a man fighting my battles. I’m woman enough to take care of myself.”
“So, I won’t see your rich daddy?” I shot back.
Her fake smile dropped, and she went back to glaring. “Like you’re one to talk. I know Park Sebastian. I’m well aware of who your daddy is, and you’re not hurting any more than I am.”
This bitch knew who I was. Knew who Logan was. I assumed she knew who Mason was, and she even knew Park Sebastian, the asshole who once tried to recruit Mason into his fraternity and hadn’t taken rejection well. At all.
She’d done her homework.
“So this is how it’s going to go? Full-out war between us?” I asked. “Why?”
Sighing, Faith grabbed her bag and stood up. Raelynn was behind her. Faith raised her chin, like she was too dignified to breathe our same air.
“If you’re expecting a team welcome hug, it’s not going to happen. This is my team. Those winning times are mine, not yours. And today was just a small sample of how I can make your time on the team a living hell. Stick around. I’ll turn destroying you into a hobby.”
She started to leave, but I grasped her arm. When she tried to pull away, my fingers tightened. She gasped, her shocked eyes finding mine.
I didn’t take threats lightly.
She was only a few inches from me and I said, in a low, soft, and somewhat lethal tone, “You’re going to find out what I can do now. And I almost feel sorry for you.”
Her eyes widened.
I let go, and she was gone in an instant. She started to shove past Mason at the door, but thought better of it and went around him with Raelynn hot on her heels.
Logan started laughing. “Ice-Cold Strattan is back. This’ll be good. But remember, none of this can blow back on Mason.”
I frowned. It wouldn’t. I wouldn’t let that happen.
I went back and sat with Logan and Taylor for breakfast. Nate arrived not long after, and Mason joined us when the football team was told they could do their own thing. The rest of the girls from my team left the restaurant as Mason settled in. I caught their looks. Several glanced over, and I recognized the wistfulness and jealousy. Grace and Nettie didn’t look. Courtney did, but she seemed somber. She lifted a hand in an awkward wave as she followed the rest of the team out.
“You have another run today?” Logan asked.
I nodded, slipping my hand in Mason’s. “At three.”
“We’re there.”
“No.” I shook my head. This was my fight. I had to be the only one involved. Which led me to Taylor. “You shouldn’t come today.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Are you kidding? I joined because I wanted to, and because I wanted to do something with you. You need me there for backup.”
“They can hurt you to get to me.”
She shook her head. “You’re jumping to conclusions. You have no idea what they’re going to do.”
“If I run with them, I can beat them. They won’t be able to catch me.” I let the rest hang between us. Taylor wasn’t as fast. They could get to her. “I don’t want them to hurt you,” I added, flattening my hand on the table between us.
“This is stupid.” She swore. “Nothing could happen. Have you thought of that?”
Nothing wasn’t in my history. “I’ve learned to take threats seriously. I got jumped in a bathroom one time.”
Mason’s hand tightened around mine. “This is ridiculous. You didn’t join the team to deal with this bullshit.”
“Oh, you mean it’s more ridiculous than the bullshit we normally get involved in?” Logan retorted.
I looked between the two. “Don’t get involved. If you guys get involved with girl drama, all bets are off. That could bounce back on you and make you guys look really bad.”
“We know,” Mason said softly. “I just don’t handle it well when my girlfriend is getting jerked around and I can’t do anything about it.”
“You and me both, brother,” Logan added.
“Wait.” Nate leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “What are those girls’ names?”
They purposely hadn’t told us.
Logan narrowed his eyes. “You guys didn’t know?”
“They didn’t say a word.” I clenched my jaw.
Taylor jerked back in her seat, glaring. “This isn’t going to slide.”
I shook my head. “Fuck, no.”
“Are you guys serious? You were cut out?” Logan whistled under his breath. “And you guys think it’s me who’s going to get Mason in trouble.” He laughed. “What are you going to do?” He glanced at Taylor, but she was watching me.
It was my decision.
I tried to formulate the best plan of action.
Then I saw Faith and Raelynn say something and start laughing. The woman and Coach Langdon seemed oblivious, absorbed in their conversation, but the rest of the team looked over. Faith leaned toward them, saying something, and soon that table was laughing too. The only one who seemed uncomfortable was Courtney. Grace and Nettie laughed, but not as much as the others. The three of them shared a look.
They were talking about us.
My brain shut off. I stood. I wasn’t going to be someone’s joke. Not now, and not ever. Experiencing flashbacks to my junior year at Fallen Crest Academy, with Jessica and Lydia laughing at me—leading the rest of the students in one big fucking laugh at my expense—some of that old Sam rose up.
I wove through the tables. There must’ve been some look on my face, because as I went past them, people quieted. I was drawing attention. I didn’t care about that either. I was climbing the stairs to the section where the team sat when they saw me.
A collective hush fell over the table and booth. The only two who still had no clue were the coach and the woman. I stopped between them and looked at Faith and Raelynn.
“Whose idea was it to leave us out?”
Courtney looked down at her plate. Grace bit her lip, and Nettie pressed her lips together in a flat line. I looked right at Faith and Raelynn. “Was it you guys?”
Faith flipped her dark braid back over her shoulder and stuck her chin out. “Calm down. This is for the teams from last year. It’s an early celebration. It’s not anything official.”
“Is that true?” I turned to Coach Langdon. “This wasn’t official?”
He frowned, a big line marring his forehead. “Faith, Rae, you didn’t tell the new girls?”
Faith flushed. “They just joined a few hours ago.”
“Doesn’t matter. It’s for teams. There was nothing said about last year versus this year, and even if there had been, I wouldn’t have respected that. A team’s a team.” He pointed at me, still speaking to Faith and Raelynn. “If you want to go to nationals, you’re going to want her on this team.” He looked to the woman. “Come on, Ruth. I want to introduce you to some people.” He gave the rest of the girls and myself a cursory look. “Let’s leave the team to get things right.”
Faith’s mouth snapped shut, and she glared at me as she swirled her fork through her hash browns.
“Who was that?” I asked her once they were gone.
Faith forced a tight smile and turned to talk to Raelynn, shutting me out.
This bitch—I started for her, but a hand caught my arm and tugged me back. I thought it was Taylor at first, then it registered that the hand was stronger than hers.
“Far be it from me to get involved in a chick fight,” Logan began, as Faith and Raelynn both looked up. “I’ve seen Sam in action. A fair warning: she’s not one to piss off.”
Faith narrowed her eyes. “That’s sweet. Your stepbrother is standing up for you.”
So she did know who Logan was.
She leaned forward, propping her elbow on the table and almost posing for us. “Word to the wise. You’ll never see a man fighting my battles. I’m woman enough to take care of myself.”
“So, I won’t see your rich daddy?” I shot back.
Her fake smile dropped, and she went back to glaring. “Like you’re one to talk. I know Park Sebastian. I’m well aware of who your daddy is, and you’re not hurting any more than I am.”
This bitch knew who I was. Knew who Logan was. I assumed she knew who Mason was, and she even knew Park Sebastian, the asshole who once tried to recruit Mason into his fraternity and hadn’t taken rejection well. At all.
She’d done her homework.
“So this is how it’s going to go? Full-out war between us?” I asked. “Why?”
Sighing, Faith grabbed her bag and stood up. Raelynn was behind her. Faith raised her chin, like she was too dignified to breathe our same air.
“If you’re expecting a team welcome hug, it’s not going to happen. This is my team. Those winning times are mine, not yours. And today was just a small sample of how I can make your time on the team a living hell. Stick around. I’ll turn destroying you into a hobby.”
She started to leave, but I grasped her arm. When she tried to pull away, my fingers tightened. She gasped, her shocked eyes finding mine.
I didn’t take threats lightly.
She was only a few inches from me and I said, in a low, soft, and somewhat lethal tone, “You’re going to find out what I can do now. And I almost feel sorry for you.”
Her eyes widened.
I let go, and she was gone in an instant. She started to shove past Mason at the door, but thought better of it and went around him with Raelynn hot on her heels.
Logan started laughing. “Ice-Cold Strattan is back. This’ll be good. But remember, none of this can blow back on Mason.”
I frowned. It wouldn’t. I wouldn’t let that happen.
I went back and sat with Logan and Taylor for breakfast. Nate arrived not long after, and Mason joined us when the football team was told they could do their own thing. The rest of the girls from my team left the restaurant as Mason settled in. I caught their looks. Several glanced over, and I recognized the wistfulness and jealousy. Grace and Nettie didn’t look. Courtney did, but she seemed somber. She lifted a hand in an awkward wave as she followed the rest of the team out.
“You have another run today?” Logan asked.
I nodded, slipping my hand in Mason’s. “At three.”
“We’re there.”
“No.” I shook my head. This was my fight. I had to be the only one involved. Which led me to Taylor. “You shouldn’t come today.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Are you kidding? I joined because I wanted to, and because I wanted to do something with you. You need me there for backup.”
“They can hurt you to get to me.”
She shook her head. “You’re jumping to conclusions. You have no idea what they’re going to do.”
“If I run with them, I can beat them. They won’t be able to catch me.” I let the rest hang between us. Taylor wasn’t as fast. They could get to her. “I don’t want them to hurt you,” I added, flattening my hand on the table between us.
“This is stupid.” She swore. “Nothing could happen. Have you thought of that?”
Nothing wasn’t in my history. “I’ve learned to take threats seriously. I got jumped in a bathroom one time.”
Mason’s hand tightened around mine. “This is ridiculous. You didn’t join the team to deal with this bullshit.”
“Oh, you mean it’s more ridiculous than the bullshit we normally get involved in?” Logan retorted.
I looked between the two. “Don’t get involved. If you guys get involved with girl drama, all bets are off. That could bounce back on you and make you guys look really bad.”
“We know,” Mason said softly. “I just don’t handle it well when my girlfriend is getting jerked around and I can’t do anything about it.”
“You and me both, brother,” Logan added.
“Wait.” Nate leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. “What are those girls’ names?”
