Cherry: !!! This is Liam. Because Grey always liked me better.
I smile and show my phone to Liam, who laughs. This game is way too much fun. I may never tell her who we are.
“You know, playing with your phone is going to get you in trouble.”
The stench of winter-fresh gum wafts over my shoulder, as the irritation seated behind me leans into the back of my head. I turn around and take in the busty redhead I’d been trying to fuck all summer. Sometimes my dick has inferior ideas.
“Nobody’s getting in trouble, Laura. Especially me.”
“A little trouble never hurt though, right?”
She smiles, trying for seductive, but I don’t bite. She’s a cock tease—loves the attention but has zero follow-through. We almost fucked twice, the last time being the day before school started. That was one more time than I had the patience for. Whatever beer goggles I was plagued with before don’t seem to be here anymore because I don’t have a shred of interest.
Laura reaches up to touch my jacket, and the way she leans in pushes her tits together so that they’re on display behind the shirt that should be buttoned higher.
“You know, my parents are gone this weekend…”
Laura’s long pause has me glancing at Liam, who gives me a nod, knowing just what I’m thinking.
“Are you making me an offer, Laura?”
“What?” She giggles and looks around to see if anyone else is listening, “I’m just saying my parents are gone…”
Yeah, I get it. But I don’t want it. Laura lost her chance. More realistically, I dodged a fucking bullet.
Liam knocks his knuckles quietly on her desk to get her attention. “Red, he’s asking if you wanna fuck him. Or me? Maybe both…at the same time?”
Her eyes grow wide at his words, shocked by his crudeness. But it’s false. She knows exactly who and what we are. Everyone does.
I smile, running my thumb over my bottom lip. The girls in this school are nothing but entertainment because they choose to be. They’re so willing to set their value based on what’s between their legs. It’s pathetic, but who am I to complain about free pussy.
“Laura, answer Liam…make us an offer we can’t refuse. Because right now, I’d rather get a hand job from my fucking grandma.”
Liam throws his head back and laughs. “You’re a dick.”
I shrug and turn my back to her again, hearing her shrill voice behind me.
“You guys are fucking assholes.”
The bell rings, and we both stay seated, turning our heads to watch Laura walk by because we are, in fact, assholes.
“I hope your new little girl toy knows what freaking dicks you are. Or maybe she likes having two dicks.”
Liam stands, towering over her and wiping the shit-eating grin off her face as she clamps her mouth shut and puts her head down, before walking out of the room. He looks back at me, shaking his head.
“Man, these girls. They’re vicious. Are you gonna hit that?”
“No interest. Have at it.”
He grabs his notebook and pen off the desk. “Nah, I’m good. She gives me penicillin vibes.”
“More like blue balls…”
He grabs his dick, wincing, and I laugh just as Kai whistles from the door with Donovan tucked under his arm. He motions for us to join them, and I nod, grabbing my bag and smiling at my favorite blonde, who’s grinning back at me.
Hi, Cherry.
Laura passes them as they stand aside from the doorway, staring Donovan down before she storms away. Donovan watches her, amused, as her eyes shift back between Liam and me.
“What was that?”
Kai smirks as I remove his arm from Donovan and usher her forward down the hall.
“Everyone hates us because you’re such a catch, Cherry.”
Liam dips in next to her, planting a quick kiss to her cheek. “They’re jealous because we love you.”
“Little do they know…” she answers, giving Kai a sly smirk and wink.
I reach down and take her hand as we all walk the crowded hall. She can bullshit all she wants and pretend we aren’t happening, but I plan to make that mandate as hard as fucking possible to follow.
Kai laughs. “Oh come on, D. Keep explaining. What should everyone know exactly?”
Liam shoves Kai, and I pull Donovan back as they playfully push at each other a few steps in front of us.
“Don’t say a word, Van,” Liam laughs, ducking away from Kai.
“Easy,” I warn them, slowing her even more.
Kai huffs an empty breath when Liam lands a playful slap against his stomach. Donovan sucks in a breath, then laughs at their fighting, as she adjusts her hand in mine to intertwine our fingers, leaning forward toward the ruckus.
“Which word shouldn’t I say, Liam? The one you don’t get to do? Like that there’s no chance in hell you ever get to—”
Her words are cut off by the hand I put over her mouth as I shake my head. “Nobody needs to hear this.”
She quietly giggles as I stand behind her, still holding her other hand, as Liam and Kai clap their approval.
A wet, warm sensation moves against my palm, making me jerk my hand away. “You’re disgusting,” I laugh and wipe it down my pants.
She wags her brows at me, turning to face me. “I licked it. Do I get to keep it now?”
I reach out and grab her blazer as it falls open, tugging her against me quickly. She glances over her shoulder at the other guys as they keep walking and then back to me, eyes unsure. The mold of her body against me makes me want everything she says I can’t have.
Staring down into her eyes, I watch her irises dilate. My face slowly drops closer to hers. “Is that the rule?”
Donovan’s lips part, shiny and full, before she licks them. “That’s the version I know.”
My hand releases her jacket, slipping inside to splay against her firm waist, the heat from it bleeding through her shirt. I lean in, pulling her even closer, and let my lips brush her ear as I speak.
“Then, when I lick you…that makes you mine, Cherry.”
Her small inhale is all I hear as I lift my eyes to the hallway, feeling as if I’m drunk. I am. I’m swimming in her, and she might be the most intoxicating fucking concoction I’ve ever encountered. My palm drops from Donovan as I brush past leaving her standing in the hall, and walk outside to join the guys.
It takes her almost three minutes to make it outside, but when she does, her face sours as soon as she sees Caroline.
“Whitmore.”
“Kennedy.”
Caroline immediately looks away to her other friends, and Donovan glances down at her phone, before searching the cars lining up to pick up.
This truce is uneasy between them, that much is obvious. But as much as I’d like to tell Caroline to disappear, I’m responsible for her, despite the fact she hasn’t spoken a word to me since the cafeteria on Monday. Not that I mind. She’s pissed because I chose a “side.” What I can’t tell her is that there was never a choice. I’ve always been on whatever side Donovan is standing.
Liam bends his knees to put his head on Donovan’s shoulder. “Come watch us practice.”
He wants more time with her too.
She pats the side of his cheek. “No. I have to go home. I have a ton of homework. I slacked today in class, trying to figure out the phone numbers of these two idiots I know.”