Sarah lets out a breath the same time as I do. “I’m sorry you guys are neighbors.”
“Me too.” I chuckle, but it’s in no way happy. I realized we’d moved next door to each other yesterday. Logan was wheeling his trashcan to the road, and I had just set mine out. I smiled and waved, recognizing him immediately. He glared and flipped me the bird. Embarrassed, I ducked my head and went back into the house as fast as my feet would carry me.
“I thought you guys used to be friends. What happened?”
I shake my head. “No clue.”
4
Logan
P.E. and math. Why the fuck did Danika have to switch into my P.E and math class yesterday? She’s fucking everywhere. My lunch table, my neighbor, my hallways, and now my classes. But worst of all, she’s in my head. I can’t stop thinking about her pretty little lips and what they could spill.
“Fuck!” I beat my fists against the steering wheel. I need to get this situation under control. I almost wonder if I could sit down and just talk to Danika. She used to be sweet, reasonable. But she’s been gone a long time, and people change. Hell, I have.
I punch the steering wheel, the horn sounding in the parking lot, turning a few heads my way. Fuck’em all. If anyone has a problem, they can come and tell me to my face. Otherwise, they can keep their judgmental thoughts to themselves.
Someone knocks on my window, making my racing heart jump. I look up and who is it? Danika fucking Winters. I push the button on my door and roll down the window. “What?”
“Are you okay?”
I stare at Danika like she’s stupid because she has to be. Or maybe she hasn’t figured out yet that she’s an unwelcome pest that needs to be exterminated. But the reality is that I don’t want to make Danika’s life any harder than it’s already been.
If things were different, I’d pull Danika into my arms and ask how life in California was. I want to know how she’s doing without her mom. She was my first real friend. The only person who had nothing to gain by being near me. No popularity by association—not that I was the popular one, Cooper was and always has been. No lurid acts, no leverage for one thing or another. The sad fact is, if I let her, she would still be the only person like that.
“I’m fucking fine,” I growl, rolling the window up.
Danika stands upright, shakes her head, and leaves. Good. I don’t like having her around. I’m too conflicted, torn between picking up where we left off and intimidating her to make sure she keeps her mouth shut.
I lean forward, resting my forehead against the steering wheel, and take a breath. I need to calm down before I do something stupid.
My passenger door opens and I squeeze my eyes shut, immediately recognizing the rosewater fragrance that is uniquely Danika. “Are you so stupid that you can’t take the hint?”
Danika closes the door, her scent smothering all air-space. “Probably, but something’s up with you, Logan. I don’t care that it's been a few years, people don’t change this much. What happened?”
“You know what fucking happened!” I snap my gaze up to meet hers. Why is she doing this? Why is she forcing me to say what she already knows? How could California have hardened her so much?
I grip the handle of my door and get out. She can stay inside and suffocate on her rosewater air for all I care. “Fuck. You.”
I lean against my locker and scroll through my phone, my thumb hovering over my Dad’s number. Should I tell him the Winters are back? I’m sure if he knew he would pay them a visit and remind Mr. Winters of what’s on the line. Mr. Winters, Dad, Sheriff Tomlinson, and me, we have a lot to lose if my secret comes out.
I change my mind and slip my phone back in my pocket. I can handle this myself. It would be my luck Dad would have a tail because of one of his clients, and everything would come out if he visited the Winters’ house anyway.
Across the hall, Melody sticks her foot out, tripping Danika as she passes on the way to class from her locker. The books and notebook she’s holding spill to the floor and she falls to her knees.
I stick an unlit cigarette between my lips and chew on the filter. My initial instinct is to run to Danika and help her to her feet, but I stay put. This is what I wanted. Melody will make Danika’s life miserable, I’ll add my own touch of cruelty to the mix, and she’ll be too scared to defy me.
Danika climbs to her knees and reaches for the book nearest to her. Melody raises her red-soled heel to Danika’s back and pushes her down. “Let’s get one thing straight, California. Logan is mine. Everyone here knows it, and now you do too. If I catch you even looking at him again, you’ll be sorry.”
Danika clenches her fists and pushes onto her knees again, but Melody kicks her back down.
Damn it, Melody. That’s enough.
Danika groans, but covers the sound with a dark chuckle. “Have you told Logan you don’t want to share anymore? He seemed pretty happy to have me in his car this morning. Even happier after I left.”
I smirk and light the end of my cigarette. I didn’t see that coming. Danika’s newfound edge could be problematic to my plan, but damn if her suggestion that we hooked up this morning isn’t hot.
“You little bitch!”
Melody raises her foot to kick Danika in the back again but this time Danika is ready. She rolls onto her side and shoves the sole of her Converse sneaker into the leg Melody is balancing on. Melody goes down with a shriek and Danika climbs on top of the self-crowned queen, pinning Melody’s hands to the ground with her knees.
“Get off me you little wench!” Melody screams.
Danika sits on Melody’s hips, an amused smirk playing on her face. People heading to class stop in the hallway and stare. Danika is a dead girl walking, everyone knows it, but watching someone take down the queen is a sight to see.
“You’re fucking dead. Deader than dead. You think Piper has it bad, just wait. I’m gonna—”
Danika draws back and punches Melody in the mouth. “We could have been friends. But no. You had to be an Effing.” Punch. “Bully.” Punch. “And I hate.” Punch. “Bullies!”
I take a drag of my cigarette. It’s half spent, wasted while watching my girl kick some ass and damn if it isn’t a turn on. I exhale and chuckle at the thought bouncing around in my head. I bet she’s just as feisty in bed.
Gunner snakes his arms around Danika’s waist and lifts her off of Melody, who’s a bloody mess crying on the floor. “Easy there, doll face,” he says, rubbing his hands on Danika’s arms.
She’s breathing heavily, likely coming down from the adrenaline rush that comes from a good fight. Gunner pulls her into a hug and I have the sudden urge to smash his face in. I like this fire in my chest, it’s better than the nervousness Danika inspires, or the numbness I usually feel. I know what to do with fire.
I toss what’s left of my cigarette at their feet and walk off. He needs to know that Danika is mine. And no one touches my shit.
5
Danika
Logan wasn’t in my P.E. class this morning like I assumed he would be, but surprisingly Piper was. We didn’t talk—I’ve noticed she, like Logan, rarely speaks to anyone—but she did smile at me. So, that was cool.