“I need more details.”
Breeze’s words are muffled from the popcorn she’s stuffing into her mouth. She’s sitting cross-legged in our sofa, looking at me with eager eyes.
Vi dips a nail polish brush into its bottle. “Nothing happened.”
“How do you know that? Were you there?”
“I saw her when she came home yesterday. She and Hunter aren’t going to be a thing.”
“Cadey, don’t listen to her. I demand to know what you did with Hunter on your date.”
I flinch when I hear Breeze’s excitement. She loves gossiping about relationships in general, but she seems extra invested this time.
Vi peers up at me, unable to hide her interest.
I lick my lips. “We bought Rick some boots. Hunter drove me to work and…”
“And?” Breeze presses, turning to face me.
Taking a handful of popcorn to stall, I throw it into my mouth and chew, “We ran into Dutch.”
Vi perks up. “You saw Dutch?”
Breeze looks horrified. “What was he doing at the diner? He lives, like, all the way across town.”
“Did Dutch steal you away from Hunter?” There are stars in Vi’s eyes. She’s still at that stage where she thinks all attractive people are good.
Only I know the truth. Dutch’s beautiful face and gorgeous body hides a monster that shows no mercy. Since I came back to Redwood riding Jarod Cross’s coattails, he’s graduated from being viciously terrorizing to persistently cruel.
At first, he seemed to want me out of Redwood Prep and would do anything to break me. This time, it’s like he wants to keep me in Redwood Prep and prove that I’m nothing but a servant, only worthy of his punishment and disdain.
When he said he’d ‘deal with me tomorrow’, he meant it. My back still aches from all the trash he ordered me to pick up along the quad in the torturous sun.
My blood boils. Accepting Dutch’s bullying is not just embarrassing, but it goes against my grain. I promised myself I wouldn’t let him get the upper hand again, but I didn’t have a choice this time. He threatened to ruin Hunter’s life by accusing him of dating a minor.
After what he did to Mulliez, I knew he was good for the threat. It’s why I shut my mouth and did what I was told.
But Dutch crossed a line when he left Paris in charge of watching me. That girl is an absolute nightmare. She stuck on me like white on rice and it took me a while to shake her so I could deliver my payback.
Let’s just say… Dutch will have a really nice surprise waiting in his car this evening.
“People keep posting pictures of Dutch and Cadey on Jinx’s app.” Vi continues to paint her toes.
“Are you and Dutch together now?”
“It’s not like that.” The words pass weakly from my lips.
My best friend looks suspiciously at me.
“It’s just gossip. I swear.”
“And what about you and Hunter? Are you going out again?”
I groan. After I left the diner yesterday, I texted Hunter to ask if he was okay and to thank him for being my pretend boyfriend.
His response was: The only problem I had was that it was pretend.
I haven’t had the heart to respond and let him down.
“Hello?” Breeze yells. “The perfect opportunity is right in front of you. The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.”
“I’m not interested in Hunter like that.”
“Why?”
“Because he’s… he’s…”
“He’s what?” Breeze whirls around. Her blonde hair is a mess of silky strands over her face. “He’s from our world. He knows what it’s like to struggle. He’d never judge you or make you feel small because of where you come from. He’s got a kid brother that he’s taking responsibility for. He tried to help you out before you even knew him. If someone like Hunter doesn’t deserve at the minimum, a consideration, what the hell are you looking for?”
I sit up straight, my chest heaving. Her words are a hot brand against my skin. I don’t want to face the truth they’re uncovering. I don’t want to live in a world where I admit I feel something other than hatred for the wicked prince of Redwood Prep.
“You need to get out of that psycho’s clutches before you’re really, truly stuck.” Breeze leans forward and puts a hand on my shoulder. “I’m not saying you have to jump into bed with Hunter or any other guy tomorrow. Just… don’t close the door on someone new before it even opens.”
“I’ll think about it.”
“That’s all I’m asking.” She gives me a hug. “I gotta go. My mom’s on my case about my chemistry grades. She’s forcing me to get a tutor.”
Vi waves goodbye to Breeze. “You owe me five bucks.”
“She’s not with Dutch yet, baby. I’m still in the running!” Breeze blows me a kiss and slams the door shut.
My eyes widen. “You two bet on me?”
Vi shrugs as if it’s no big deal.
I scoot to the edge of the sofa. “Vi, I know you’re a fan of Dutch’s, but I don’t want you to take it too far, okay? He’s not a good guy.”
“Yes, he is,” she insists. “I can tell.”
My heart burns with frustration. “How? Because you have a feeling?”
“Yeah.”
I roll my eyes.
“It’s not only that,” she adds. “Because of Jinx’s app, I found out he saved you from drowning once.”
My mouth opens wide. “That was…”
“And he helped you with your stage fright. I saw it.” She hooks two fingers at her face. “With my own two eyes. Would a bad guy do all that?”
“He’s done a lot of bad things too,” I argue.
“Like what?” she challenges.
I stuff my mouth with popcorn because there’s no way I’m discussing Dutch’s bullying with my sister. It would stress her out and make her worry more about things she can’t control.
She shrugs. “Whatever bad thing it was, he could have a reason for doing it.”
Her words niggle something in my brain. I never got an answer about why Dutch was trying to kick me out of Redwood, but the timing of Sol’s return is suspicious.
Since the fourth member of The Kings turned up, Dutch’s threats have changed. He no longer seems obsessed with getting me to leave Redwood Prep. He doesn’t even mention it anymore.
Does Sol have anything to do with the reason Dutch wanted me out of Redwood so badly?
I snort and shake my head. It doesn’t matter. There’s no reason in the world that would make it okay to ruin so many lives.
“It’s not that simple.”
“Maybe it is,” Vi says, like someone wiser than her thirteen years. “Maybe you and Dutch are the ones who are making it complicated.”
DUTCH
“Holy Freaking Mother Of—” Zane rakes his fingers through his wet hair and sends sweat flying all over my guitar.
I shove him back and clean my baby with the edge of my shirt. Unfortunately, my T-shirt is wet all the way through to my Redwood Prep vest. We’ve been perfecting our set for hours in the Redwood Prep practice room and the A.C. isn’t doing a thing.
“Is this some kind of new self-harm crap?” Zane grabs my hand and lifts it to the light. My fingertips are a rough, raw mess of callouses and blood. “You keep going like that, you won’t be able to play a guitar without pain.”
Finn gives me a stern look. “Zane’s right. You’ve been shredding day and night since leaving the diner yesterday. You need to give your hands a break.”
“I’m fine,” I growl.
“Shut the hell up, man,” Zane bellows. “What part of this looks ‘fine’ to you?” He shakes his head. “All for a freaking girl…”
“This has nothing to do with that girl,” I bite out, unable to even say Cadence’s name without feeling a burning in my gut.
Every time I close my eyes, I see her winding her arms around that smug punk with the convertible. He called himself her boyfriend. Boyfriend? Who the hell gave her permission?
“Why don’t you try handling your demons in a healthy way? Like going for a jog? Knitting? Screwing a cheerleader’s brains out? At least then, it won’t mess up your playing hand.” Zane huffs.
Finn studies me. “I think we should call it a night.”
I want to argue, but I generally find that Finn’s advice is worth listening to.
With a heavy sigh, I set my guitar on the stand.
My phone buzzes.
It’s Paris.
I press ignore. I gave her one little task just to piss Brahms off and now the chick thinks it’s an invitation. Maybe, when I’m not so irritated, I’ll put her mouth to good use. Until then, I have no need for her except to be a tool I use to get under Brahms’ skin.
“Did you find out anything more about that guy from the diner?” I ask Finn, slipping a hand into my pocket as we walk down the dark, empty hallways of Redwood Prep.
Finn shakes his head. “Nothing worth finding out. He grew up in a group home. Has a little brother. Works at a mechanic shop. Normal guy. Cadence could do worse.”
I glare at him.
The little smirk on my brother’s angular face says he meant to tease me.
I glance away without giving him the reaction he’s looking for.
Redwood Prep looks like a horror movie after dark. The shadows flicker like ghosts. Our steps echo loudly and there’s an answering stillness as if we’re waking up an ancient beast.
Moonlight spills over the parking lot outside. We’re one of the few cars left. The rest of the vehicles belong to the football players, who are still at practice.
Sports and the arts have a healthy competition here at Redwood, but I take pride in the fact that our band’s popularity is helping the arts to edge ahead of the game.
“If you’re looking for a weakness to exploit,” Finn says calmly. “There are many.”
I curl my fingers into fists.
“I’m down if the plan is beating him up,” Zane says, noticing my stance. “But I suggest you do that after your fingers heal. All that guy will have to do is poke one of your callouses with a pin and you’d be totaled.”
“Nice to know you have faith in me,” I mumble.
Thoughtlessly, I open my car door. In an instant, a gush of empty plastic bottles, papers, trash bags and who knows what else tumbles out of my car and lands in a heap at my feet.
“What the…” I peer inside my truck and my mouth lowers in shock.
Trash is piled up to the roof. The stench is unbearable and I clip my nose.
Zane steps on the runner and looks at me over the roof of my car. “You got on Brahms’ bad side recently?”
Finn laughs. Or at least I think he’s laughing. I can’t see him thanks to the mountain of trash blocking my sight.
I notice Zane round the car.
“Look,” he pushes a hand through the garbage, “there’s a note taped to the window.”
Picked up the trash. Have fun with your own kind.
Zane bursts out laughing and starts snapping pictures of my desecrated truck.
Finn joins my side. “That’s bold. She wanted you to know it was her.”
Anger sweeps my chest and back, storming into my face. This truck is my baby, as much as my guitar is. It’s almost painful to look at the damage. How the hell did she find the time and energy to pull this off?
My jaw flexes. I’ve always known that Cadence had claws, but it looks like the little cat is using her teeth to bite me.
Jinx: Prince Charming’s Royal Carriage Gets A Smelly Make-over
Someone left a very special surprise for our Prince Charming this evening. Sources say his royal steed was seen vomiting a trash heap. Someone isn’t playing very nice with the Crown Prince of Redwood.
Oh well. Perhaps, since Cinderella is used to traveling via giant pumpkins, she won’t mind sitting in a pumpkin without its nasty guts removed.
I wonder who was brave enough to start a war with the royal line at Redwood Prep? And will they be able to survive when the Prince delivers his revenge?
Stay subscribed and find out.
Until the next post, keep your enemies close and your secrets even closer.
– Jinx
