Just don't beat me up. If you can do that, I don't want to know what Viola can do." Brady lifted his head. "Thanks, man. I think you saved my life."
"She, huh…okay," Matt only said before he jerked a thumb behind him. "There's a whole bunch coming. Party's not the same without you, man. We brought the party to you. So…I don't think I've ever seen anything like that."
Brady laughed. "She's all prim and proper around you guys, but trust me, she's a spitfire."
"Yeah…" Matt didn't look reassured. He looked alarmed. Then we heard shouts from the path and a whizzing sound was soon in the air. Brady reacted before anyone else. His arms dropped and he jumped in the air to catch a flying football. As he fell to the ground, a perfect catch, five guys rushed around Matt and jumped on top, but he was up and running in the opposite direction. They ran after him.
"There's a clearing over there," Matt explained.
I turned back and saw it was just the two of us.
"I'd ask you out if I was pretty sure Brady wouldn't kick my ass."
"What?" My cheeks got warm.
Matt grinned. "That was hot. I didn't…Brady always said you weren't what you look like, but that— Wow. If Brady didn't have dibs on you, I'd be all about you."
I heard a husky, deep throated chuckle from behind us and turned to see Clarissa. Her hands were tucked into her frayed miniskirt, but she shook her head. "You wouldn't have a chance, Matt. Leave her alone before you scare her to death."
"I'm just saying—"
"Don't. You don't got a chance." She shooed him away. "Go play football with the rest of the manly men."
Matt started walking backwards, but argued, "I'll go, Clarissa, but only because you're right. I don't want to scare Rayna. I'm man enough. I don't need football to prove that. One thing I'm pretty sure you can attest to."
"Get lost before I start speaking the truth about your 'masculinity.'"
Matt tipped his head back and laughed, but then turned and was gone in the trees.
"He's…a handful." Clarissa shook her head and then eyed me up and down. "So what was that about? I didn't think Matt would be your type."
Flushed, I hung my head. I didn't have a type. I wasn't Matt's type and I really wasn't Brady's, but I only shrugged. "He saw me get mad at Brady about something. That's all." I didn't know what Brady was talking about. I wasn't even beautiful, much less "hotter" than Clarissa.
"Cat got your tongue?"
I jerked a shoulder up and still watched the ground. I'd never been chatty with anyone except Brady.
"Ah, hell. Here." She held out a lemonade drink.
I hesitated.
"What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing. I just—Brady said some stuff."
"Brady can be an idiot sometimes. He's way too protective of you, and if you ask me, you should drink if you want. You're not going to hell. You're not going to become someone like me. You can have fun for one night. Brady needs to lighten up, at least when it comes to you."
I remembered her words from before. "Is that what you meant when you said that stuff about letting me be grown up?"
Clarissa smiled tightly and adjusted her top. "I think Brady needs to stop holding your hand with everything and let you learn a few things."
"What do you mean?"
"You know, it's not my place. Brady would throw me in jail for saying something."
"No, no. I meant…" Did she mean…like, sexual things? Would Brady want me if I knew something more about sex? Would he…no. I couldn't go there.
"I'm just saying that you seem really cool, but I know Brady doesn't bring you around half the time. And when he does, he doesn't let you out of his sight for more than a few minutes. Tonight was the exception, but I think you had more to do with that than him. Am I right? You two have a spat or something?"
"Or something," I muttered. I didn't really know what the "something" was, but there was definitely a "something."
"That's what I thought." Clarissa turned and looked around. "I haven't been down here in a long time. I used to come here to make out with my boyfriends."
"I bet you and Brady used to come here…"
Clarissa looked at me, an odd emotion in her eyes. "No, actually. He knew about this place, but he never wanted to come here. He said it was 'precious childhood stuff'. I never knew what he meant, but it didn't bother me. Brady does what Brady wants to do. I always knew that." She swung her piercing eyes to me. "Just like I always knew I wasn't the girl for him."
I opened my mouth to ask her what she meant when we heard a smattering of giggles and high-pitched whispers. Clarissa cursed under her breath, latched onto my arm, and dragged me behind a clump of trees. I glanced at the road behind us, but she was intent on watching whoever was coming down the path.
"Clari—"
"Sshh!" Clarissa hushed me and elbowed my side. "I hate these girls."
As I looked through the branches, I saw some of the more popular girls laughing together. That was weird. I always assumed Clarissa was friends with them. She was the most popular one.
Nothing about that night was making sense anymore.
CHAPTER NINE
"Who are they?"
She leaned close and her voice tickled my ear. "Angela and Nicole. They're the ring leaders, but they all hate me. I'm so tired of it."
"I thought you were friends with them."
Clarissa shuddered. "No way. I'm not friends with Angela."
"…a cow, seriously."
"I don't understand what he sees in her, in both of them."
"Totally. Brady has such bad taste in women. I mean both her and Clitty Clary."
Clitty?
Clarissa whispered, "Clitoris."
Oh—OH!
"They're both sluts. They probably just lay on their backs for him. You know that's why he's not dating any of us. We're better than that. We have lives. I mean, if he dated me, I wouldn't be waiting on him hand and foot like they are. Did you see her? She jumped when he told her to play the game. Pathetic."
"She's got no social skills. None at all."
"She's a whore. I bet she spreads her legs three times a day for him. Brady's just so used to getting whatever he wants whenever he wants. I mean, you can't really blame him, but I just wish he'd open his eyes and see that he could do so much better."
"He totally could."
"No doubt."
"Um, yeah!"
"Her name is Rayna. How stupid of a name is that."
"Her and Clarissa. They're both stupid names."
"I wish he had more motivation in life, at least when it comes to girls. He could have me, not that I'm saying I'd date him or anything, but really. He could do a lot better than that girl. She doesn't even have any friends."
"Rayna?"
"Who else do you think I'm talking about? Brady is nice enough to be her only friend. Who'd you think I was talking about?"
"I don't know. I thought maybe…Clarissa?"
"Clarissa Cumberly has friends, she's got all the friends she needs. Male. Hello—her name is Cum-berly for a reason."
They all laughed.
My hand clenched over my stomach. Clarissa patted my arm. And then I heard…
"She really needs not to be a charity case. Brady needs to wake up and see what he's wasting away with. She's not pretty. She's not anything. She's nothing. She's boring. I don't understand why he wastes his time with her. It's gotta be about the sex. She must put out for him whenever he wants. Really. How sad is her life?"
"Totally."
"No doubt."
"Really."
"She doesn't even talk in class. She goes to the library. They're so wrong for each other."
"That's enough," Clarissa growled and surged forward.
I clamped a hand on her arm and shook my head when she looked at me in question. I couldn't…I couldn't do it. Everything they said was right. I had sex with Brady. I wasn't popular. I wasn't the right girl for him. I didn't even understand why we were best
friends. I blinked back tears.
"Rayna, no…" Clarissa started.
I didn't want to hear those words spoken to my face, spat at me. I couldn't—they were all true anyway.
"You do not let them win. They're wrong. They’re the pathetic ones."
But it was true, and I couldn't even tell her how true it was. I had slept with Brady, twice. I did feel like his charity case for our friendship. "I have to go. I'm sorry…but I…I have to go."
I broke away and started down the road. Clarissa shouted my name, but I ignored her as I wiped away the tears. I might even be pregnant with his child. Then they'd all know how right they were.
I walked back towards the house by the road and tried telling myself that I wasn't my mother's child. I wasn't that girl. I had tried not to be her. Those girls were wrong…and I didn't even want friends, much less friends like them. I wasn't the girl they were talking about, except...I sighed as I faced the truth. I didn't know if I could resist him. If he tried again, I would be the girl they were gossiping about.
Hugging myself, I wiped a tear away. I was Brady's charity case. He was too everything, too much for me. Brady belonged in a different world. He was from a different league. Brady could live his life. I'd live mine and not go to parties like this again. We'd be okay. He could be with the Clarissas of the world. And me…who was I kidding? I'd stay with Viola and Neil until they kicked me out. They needed me. Everything would be okay. I'd be okay. Brady would be more than okay so why did I still want to cry? I was being logical.
I hadn't walked far before a car drove past, braked suddenly, and reversed to halt beside me. I tucked my chin down and headed forward. I didn't want another heap of ridicule. I wasn't ready for it to be hurled at my face this time and not behind my back.
"Rayna?"
Shocked, I gasped and saw who I never thought I'd see again. Kid smiled from behind the wheel of some sports car. Beside him sat Joshua, the stupid kissing cousin that I didn't like. It almost dampened my excitement of seeing Kidrick, but I just blocked him out.
"Kid?"
"Hey! What are you doing?" As he bent forward and got a better look, he sobered. "What's wrong?"
I took a moment, just a moment, and drank in the sight of him. I hadn't seen Kidrick for two years. He'd been the best of friends with Brady and now…something shifted inside of me. I hadn't realized how much I'd missed him until he was here and in front of me. I wasn't supposed to talk to him—so said everyone.
"You look…," I started. "You look good."
Dark chocolate eyes. Muscular shoulders. A chin with a little cleft in it. Two lips that showcased two dimples. Not to mention the luscious black locks on his head. Clarissa had said he was a legend and it was true. He'd been the counterpart for Brady in almost every way and now he was back…and causing trouble.
"Hop in. I'll give you a ride." He jerked a thumb in the backseat. As I moved to the door, I was surprised as Josh scooted backwards.
Kid smiled when I got in. "Are you cold? It's a little chilly out there."
I…I didn't know what to say. I didn't know what I could say so I babbled, "Nice car. Did your dad buy it for you?"
Kid chuckled. "No. I bought it myself, Rayna."
Oh. That must've sounded contrite. I shut my mouth with an audible snap.
Josh groaned in the backseat, but Kid chuckled, "I'm not the spoiled brat that everyone thinks I am. Everything I have, I earned myself. Promise."
I looked anywhere except Kid, but I felt his eyes on me. Then I heard him ask, gently, "You were upset about something?"
"Probably about that douche," Josh grumbled.
Kid snapped, "Shut up."
"What? I'm just saying—"
"You need to shut up. You don't know what you're talking about. You know what—get out. You can walk to the party. It ain't far."
Shocked, I turned wide eyes to Kidrick. I couldn't believe he'd kick his cousin out.
"You serious?" Josh ground out.
Kidrick glared at him. A second later, Josh threw open the door and barged out. He slammed it, but Kid rolled his eyes and kicked the car into gear to shoot forward. He rested an arm on the seat behind me and remarked, "No worries. He'll be fine. I'm just going the rest of the way to the party. That's where you were, right?"
I nodded, feeling ridiculous. I'd been crying. Kidrick had suddenly shown up. I had no idea where Brady was, but it was for the best if Brady and I weren't friends anymore. Maybe…I glanced at Kid, measuring him, and wondered if I could tell him what I felt. Maybe he'd understand, but would he? Brady had punched him. My grandmother had prohibited me from seeing him. What was wrong with Kid? I didn't understand it. He seemed so genuine.
"Okay. That's where I'll take you. I'm sure Brady will be wondering," Kid remarked lightly.
I wondered if he meant how he said it. And then I felt a little bravery kick in from the alcohol. "Do you really care if Brady's looking for me?"
Kid swung his chocolate eyes my way. "I'm not here to mess with you and Brady. He's your best friend, Rayna. I remember that."
"He punched you."
Kid shrugged. His black tee shirt displayed sculpted arms. "He had reason. It's why my father dropped the charges. It's between Brady and me."
Somehow I wasn't so sure. "Why'd you call me then?"
Kid froze for a second and then pulled the car over. After putting it into park, he turned and I gulped underneath the weight of those dark eyes. Nothing stirred in me, not like with Brady, but there was something there, something that I couldn't quite put my finger on.
"I called you because…" He seemed to choose his words with caution. "…You know what? You're graduating next week. That's celebration enough. Everything else can wait."
It wasn't okay. I knew something was going on. So I asked, another testament to how powerful liquor can be, "Why doesn't my grandmother want me talking to you? What is it about you that no one wants me around you?"
Kid opened his mouth, but nothing came out of it. Seeing the stricken look in his eyes infuriated me. He was just another person keeping things from me.
I threw open the door. "I don't need this. I can walk back to the party."
"No, Rayna. Get back in the car. I'll take you."
I hesitated. "Are you going to tell me why my grandmother doesn't want me talking to you?"
He jerked a shoulder.
"Kid." I tried to sound stern.
"I can't tell you the exact reason, but I can guess. That's going to have to be enough."
He was exasperated. I didn't care. It was just like how I was with Brady. I saw a battle and I pounced. We used to be friends too.
"I…" Kid seemed flustered, like he wasn't sure about what he was about to say. "I…my father has some kind of history with your grandmother. I think that's what it's all about, but I don't know for sure. Viola hasn't ever met me so I don't think it's personal.