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I’ve been pretending for so long that I’m starting to question if I’ll ever be able to stop and feel free for once. Part of me wishes that possibility was plausible, but the other part of me is terrified of what’s hidden inside me.
34
HADLEY
I remain fairlyquiet for the rest of lunch. Like Scarlett promised, the food is delicious, but sitting around the table with the seven of them, listening to them reminisce and laugh, makes me miss my sisters big time. By the time it’s time to return to school, I’m tired and miserable and in no mood to joke around and laugh with Scarlett. Thankfully, she decides to skip out on the rest of school and help Sofie with some sort of super-secret project.
“Are you sure you don’t want to stay with me?” she asks as we cross the bar, heading for the back door. “We’re going to have a lot of fun, and Sofie is going to teach me how to ride a dirt bike.”
“That does sound awesome,” I answer truthfully. “But I’ve missed a lot of school already and I’m trying to get my shit together so …” I shrug. “Sorry.”
She struggles not to frown. “Maybe another time?”
“Oh, totally,” I promise her as I dig my car keys from my pocket. “In fact, one of these weekends, you should come over to my house and hang out with my sisters and me.” That is, if I ever get them back.
Don’t fucking lose your shit now.
“That sounds fun.” A smile illuminates her face. “You know, I’ve always wondered what it’d be like to have sisters instead of a bunch of brothers. It seems like it’d be a lot less smelly and loud.”
“We’re definitely less smelly for sure, but my sisters and I are loudmouths.”
“Yeah, I knew that the moment I met you.” She teasingly smiles as we reach the door. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”
“Yep.” I wave. Then, noting I have approximately five minutes to get back to school before the late bell rings, I rush outside to my car.
Not a whole lot of time left to get there, but if there’s one thing I’m good at, it’s getting places quickly. I just hope another damn sketchy cop doesn’t pull me over on the way.
* * *
I manageto get to school without getting a ticket and I’m on time. As an extra bonus, I make it all the way through school without missing any classes. A first for me since we moved to Honeyton so, yeah, go me!
All celebrations aside, a gloomy cloud is hovering over my head as I stop by my locker to grab the books I need to complete tonight’s homework. My mind is stuck in Worrying About My Sisters Land, a cloudy and stormy place to reside in. But I can’t leave—can’t stop thinking about them—until I talk to them, find out if they’re okay, and get them back home. But where is home exactly? At the house I currently can’t go to without running into, as Mr. Porterson put it, an “entrepreneur?” Well, that is if Axel views his job the same way as Mr. Porterson.
“Man, I need to figure out a way to get him off my back,” I mumble as I stuff a book in my bag.
“Hey, you’re Hadley Harlyton, right?” A guy almost as pretty as Blaise props his shoulder against the locker beside mine, startling the crap out of me. As I work to regain my breath, he tries to dazzle me with a charming smile. “I think we have second period together.”
My guard instantly goes up.
Pretty boys always put me on edge. And this guy is beyond pretty. I bet some might even say more so than Blaise, but I wouldn’t agree with them. Where Blaise’s all dark clothes, studs, and leather with a few piercings and, according to him, tattoos—although, I’ve never seen these alleged tattoos, so I’m still skeptical they exist—this guy’s all wrinkle-free, button-down shirts, slacks, and … yep, just like I guessed, freakin’ shiny-ass shoes.
Seriously, you can never trust people with shiny shoes.
I shrug, grabbing my English textbook from the top shelf of my locker. “If you say so, then I guess I’ll take your word for it, but honestly, I have no clue who you are.”
“Ouch, that hurt.” He presses his palm to his chest, his grin broadening, a dimple in his cheek appearing. “You’re ruthless.”
“That wasn’t ruthless. That was mildly cruel.” I sling the handle of my bag over my shoulder and slam my locker, preparing to leave.
He hurriedly straightens and walks beside me as I start down the crowded hallway. “Well, ruthless or not, you still haven’t answered my question.”
“What question?” I ask distractedly as I check my messages.
No new messages. Dammit, I was hoping Blaise would have some info about my sisters by now.
“Your name’s Hadley Harlyton, right?” His interest in my name puts me even more on edge.
“Actually, it’s Belinda.” I use the alias I gave a couple of guys I met at the trailer that Blaise and I picked Alex up from.
