The squad emerges from the building in front of us and the pair of us watch as Chelsea starts looking around for Shane.
“Go get your girl, man.”
“You don’t have to tell me twice. Call me if you need me.”
“Sure thing.”
He climbs from the car and I watch as he pulls Chelsea into his arms and drops his lips to hers.
Maybe that kind of life isn’t so bad, having a girl who looks at you like you’re the most incredible human on the planet.
Taking his advice, I throw the car into reverse and back out of the parking lot, only I don’t head home. I go in a different direction.
I park my truck out on the street and walk around the huge bushes that hide her house from the main road.
There are cars parked in the driveway but the house seems to be in silence, that is until I hear voices and kids’ laughter from the back yard.
Walking around the side of the house, I come to a stop on the corner when I find her running around playing soccer with her two younger siblings.
“Goal,” she squeals, running around with her arms above her head and high fiving her little sister in celebration. Her little brother sticks his tongue out at the two of them while stealing the ball and hurtling toward a makeshift goal that consists of two rocks at either side of the grass.
Poppy is just about to take off after him when she stops and looks over her shoulder. Her eyes find me almost immediately and her lips part in shock.
13
Poppy
The familiar shiver that I’m being watched runs down my spine and fear wraps around my chest.
With my breath stuck in my throat, I turn around, praying that he’s not here. That he’s not watching me while I play with Austin and Sofia. Life here is already hard enough without him forcing his way in and ruining that as well as my school life.
But when I look over my shoulder, he isn’t the one I find watching me. Instead I find the one person I haven’t been able to get out of my head since I ran from the locker room a few hours ago.
Our eyes lock and another shiver runs down my spine, but it’s not the same one as only a few seconds ago. There is no fear, just anticipation, hunger.
My lips part to say something but the reason I went into the guy’s locker room in the first place slams into me.
He ignored me about Preston and took matters into his own hands. The exact opposite of what I asked him to do.
Schooling my features, I square my shoulders and walk over to him while Austin and Sofia play behind me.
I pass Cooper who’s fast asleep in his bouncer, pacifier firmly in place, and don’t stop until I’m right in front of him.
“What are you doing here?”
He swallows almost nervously before his tongue licks across his bottom lip. The move isn’t intentional, I don’t think, but hell if it doesn’t affect me. I know what those lips are capable of and it causes heat to pool between my legs at the thought alone.
“I… uh… came to apologize.”
“To apologize?” I ask, my brows almost hitting my hairline.
“Why do you look so surprised?”
“I just didn’t think you had it in you.”
“What, to admit when I’m wrong?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
“Poppy, I—”
A bloodcurdling scream from behind me stops his words.
I spin around and run before I’ve even realized what the issue is.
“Shit,” I spit when I find Sofia curled up in a ball on the asphalt that runs down to the trailer at the bottom of the garden. “Are you okay?” I ask, dropping to my knees beside her and attempting to check her over.
Her sobs break my heart. “M-my k-knee.”
I look down and find it grazed with grit and fluff sticking to it. Blood trickles down her shin and starts to soak into her white sock.
“Let’s get you inside and cleaned up.”
I’m just about to reach for her to carry her inside when she moves from the ground. I look up to find Zayn with her in his arms.
“It’s okay, I’ve got her. Lead the way.”
I glance down to Sofia to make sure she’s okay, only to find her staring up at him as if he’s some kind of superhero or something.
I roll my eyes and mumble to myself. Great, he’s got another girl after him and this one’s only six.
“It’s a magical power. I can’t help it,” he says with a smirk.
He takes off for the house before I even have time to consider what the state of the inside might be like.
The second we step into the kitchen, I cringe. The air is permeated with the weed my parents have been smoking all day while we were at school and the room looks like a tornado has run through it. It’s a million miles away from what Zayn’s house ever looks like. Well aside from the weed, that’s one rule he tries to break as often as possible.
He coughs not long after stepping inside before turning to look at me. “Should these three be in here?” he asks with genuine concern on his face.
“Probably not, but there’s not a lot I can do about it,” I say sadly. I want to pretend that I don’t know what he’s talking about and kick him out so he doesn’t have to witness the disaster that is my life but it’s a little too late now.
“Fair enough.” He places Sofia down on the edge of the island before looking down at her knee. “You’re being so brave,” he says to her in the softest voice that does things to my insides. “You got a first aid kit, Pops, or are you just going to stand there staring?”
“Oh uh… yeah, sure.”
I run back outside so that I can collect Cooper before rushing toward the bathroom.
“Out of the way then,” I demand once I’m back with the box in hand.
“I can do it.”
“It’s okay, you really don’t—” My words falter when my eyes meet his.
“Just get her some chocolate or something. We decided that she deserves it, right, Sofia?”
“Yes,” she says with the widest smile. My heart drops because I don’t think I’ve seen that much excitement on her face in months.
He must sense my dejection because as I turn, he grabs my forearm. “You’re a good sister, Poppy.” His lips curl into a smile but I can’t find it in me to return it. Instead, I pull the cupboard open and pray that there’s some chocolate in there somewhere.
By the time I’ve finished rummaging around and thankfully managing to find something, Sofia is giggling behind me, her injury long forgotten.
I have no idea what Zayn is doing but to be honest, I don’t really care. The noise is like music to my ears.
“So do you think you’ve got another match in you?” he asks.
“Yes!” she squeals. “Boys against girls.” Before either of us can say anything, she’s off the counter and running back outside where Austin still is, practicing his dribble.
“She’s sweet,” Zayn says softly as we both watch her run back outside.
“Yeah, they’re good kids.”
“What’s going on here, Poppy?”
I sigh, desperately wanting to keep my secrets close, but Zayn has witnessed just a small part of our lives now, I can hardly lie or try to keep it hidden. “Not a lot, to be honest. Our parents are…”