“How was it?” Flick grabbed my arm as soon as I filed out of the room, keeping me close to her as we fought the crush.
“Is math ever fun?” I gave her my best smile, and she returned it with a pointed look.
“Okay,” I conceded. “It was bad. By game night I fully expect to be forced to wear the foam Eagle costume and be thrown onto the field to receive a public beating from Vinnie the Viking.”
Flick smothered a chuckle. “I’m sorry. I know it’s not funny, but that conjures up all kinds of crazy visuals.”
“Gee, thanks.” I pressed my lips together, rolling my eyes, as we made our way down the hall. If I concentrated really hard, I could almost block out the insults.
Almost.
“Do you know what really pisses me off?” I said as we reached our locker bank. “When Cameron humiliated me, no one stood up for me. But now they all think I’ve been cavorting with the enemy and everyone is on a personal mission to defend them. It’s pathetic.”
“It’s football,” my best friend shot back.
I traded some books and closed my locker. It was history next, the only class I shared with Cameron… if he showed.
“Okay,” I announced as we stopped outside my next class. “Wish me luck.”
Flick rested her hands on my shoulder. “You got this. And if anyone gives you shit, just remind them that you ride Raiders and suck Eagles dick. Hell, girl, that’s jersey chaser goals right there.” She winked before spinning me around and shoving me into the room.
All eyes fell on me as I walked to the back of class. I liked to think I had excellent patience when it came to my fickle classmates, but after an hour of being kicked in the back last period, a seat on the last row seemed like the safest bet.
“Eagles whore,” someone whisper-hissed as I passed them. But I didn’t bite. I didn’t hang my head or lower my eyes.
I wouldn’t give them the satisfaction.
But my silence only fueled them, and the hushed insults began to ripple around the room like a rising wave, until the teacher, Mr. Henson finally intervened.
“Sorry I’m late, Sir.” Cameron burst into the room and I dropped my head onto the table with a muted groan. I could survive fifty-five minutes of hearing I was a traitorous slut, but I couldn’t handle hearing it in front of him.
His eyes found mine across the room, growing dark as he began to stalk toward me.
“Mr. Chase.” Mr. Henson sounded pissed. “I’d like you take your usual—”
“Change of plan, Sir.” He didn’t even look at Mr. Henson. “I’ll be needing a seat at the back. Jones,” Cameron addressed the guy beside me. “Move.”
The low rumble of chatter followed him as he reached the desk beside me. The guy already sitting there almost tripped over himself to move.
“Now, if everyone’s in their seats,” Mr. Henson cut Cameron with a harsh look, “We can get started.”
Ten minutes into the lesson, Cameron rapped his pen against the edge of my desk. “What?” I mouthed, our hushed voices drowned out by the discussion happening between the teacher and a couple of kids up front.
“You okay?”
“What do you think?” I whisper-hissed, returning my gaze to the front of the room.
I ignored Cameron for the rest of class. When the bell finally went and everyone started packing up their things, a paper projectile landed on my desk. I casually opened it, keeping my hand over the page to avoid any wandering—namely Cameron’s—eyes. Someone snickered as I balled up the vile note and stormed out of there.
I’d barely made it out of the door when I heard, “Who the fuck wrote this?” The harshness of Cameron’s voice reverberated through me, making me flinch, but I didn’t glance back.
I couldn’t.
“Hailee, wait,” he called, but I started pushing through the crowds as fast as I could.
I thought I could handle it. I thought it didn’t matter what people said about me; the lies they told. But apparently even I had a line. And that line was a detailed account of what someone thought a traitorous whore like me deserved.
Traitorous whore.
Anyone who knew me, really knew me, knew I didn’t date, let alone hook up with random guys.
Tears burned the backs of my eyes as I burst through the main doors into the fresh air. But I wouldn’t cry. Not over a bunch of kids who had been all too happy to ignore me for my entire high school existence. Besides, it was anger, not pain, I felt.
“Hailee, would you just wait up—”
“Go away, Cameron.” I waved him off over my shoulder as I made a beeline for the parking lot, ignoring the fact he’d called me by my name and not that stupid nickname he usually loved so much.
“Hey.” His hand curved around my shoulder.
“What do you want from me?” I spun around, shrugging him off, narrowing my eyes right on him.
“I...” His response died as he stepped back, putting some distance between us. He swept a hand over his short hair.
“Just leave me alone, okay?”
But Cameron didn’t move. He didn’t do anything. He just stood there, watching me, his expression dark; his gaze so intense I felt stripped naked. I went to walk away, but he moved quickly, his hand snagging my wrist. “It’s been like that all morning?”
“What do you care?”
Something flashed in his eyes, but he didn’t offer me an answer, and I let out a heavy sigh. “You know,” I said. “All I wanted was to get through senior year. I knew nothing would change with Jason, knew he’d still be obsessed with playing his stupid games. But I was fine with that. It was between us. I could still stay in the shadows…”
“I’ll fix it,” he said cryptically.
“Fix it?” My voice was incredulous. “You do know it’s your fault I’m in this situation, right?”
“If you hadn’t gone to that part—”
“You have got to be fucking kidding me? What is wrong with you? I’m seventeen, Cameron. I’m supposed to be going to parties, meeting boys, and getting drunk. But wait, I can’t do that because you and my asshole brother made damn sure of it.”
A couple of kids walked by us, their eyes wide with curiosity. Cameron grabbed my arm and pulled me toward his truck until we were secreted away between his vehicle and the one beside it. “I know we give you a hard time but it’s better this way.”
“Better?” I sucked in a harsh breath. “For who? You? Jason?” Anger vibrated in my chest as I glared at him.
“I…” he breathed out. “Look,”—Cameron pressed his hands either side of my head, caging me in. “I only did what I did at the pep rally because Jason was ready to destroy you.”
“So you were saving me? Please.” Bitter laughter rose up my throat. “You did what you did because you’re just like him. He dishes out the orders and you come running like a good little—”
“Watch it, Sunshine.” His words were low. Gravelly. As if this was all some game to him. But it wasn’t a game, it was my life. And it was falling apart all because of them and their stupid rivalry with Rixon East.
“Or what?” My back pressed further into the side of his truck, pinned in place by his intense gaze.