THORN: A High School Bully Romance (Rosewood Book 1) Page 2

  When I look back toward the entrance where they were stood, I find it empty. But the tingling of my skin tells me that I’m still very much the focus of his hate-filled stare.

  Looking around the cafeteria, I find all the groups of students I expect to find. The artistic ones still wearing shirts covered in paint, the nerdy ones, the shy girls sitting quietly in the corner, and then the group I think I need to be as far away from as possible. The ‘it’ crowd. The football players and the cheer squad who are crowded around a couple of benches like they own the place. Well, let’s be honest, they pretty much do. I might not be able to see the crowns sitting atop their heads, but they are very much Rosewood royalty.

  Spotting an empty table between the nerds and the shy girls, I head over, drop my tray down and fall onto the bench.

  I’m not really sure what I expected to happen today. But this isn’t really it. I’ve barely spoken to anyone aside from Shane all day and I already have a bunch of haters, one in particular, it seems.

  I understand that they probably don’t want a new girl coming in. Hell, I don’t really want to be here as much as they don’t want me to be, but I’ve got little choice. My life was ripped from under me and this is where I ended up.

  “There you are. I’m soooo sorry about not finding you this morning, my car wouldn’t start and my parents had already left. Nightmare. Anyway... how’s it been?” Camila says, dropping down beside me and pulling a sandwich from her bag. Camila is the one and only person aside from Shane who’s really given me the time of day since I arrived. She’s one of Gran’s friend’s granddaughters that I was introduced to. She’s great, a real sweetheart and I feel awful that I’ve been kind of forced on her. She must have friends that she’d rather be spending time with right now.

  “It’s been... fine.” I poke a chip into some sauce on my plate, but I make no effort to eat any of it. I already feel a little sick, I’m not sure adding food will really help.

  “Wow. That good.”

  “Cam. What are you... oh hey, Amalie,” Shane says, coming to a stop at the edge of our table.

  “You two have already met?” Camila asks, looking between the two of us.

  “Yeah, we crashed into each other earlier.”

  “I’m really sorry about that.” Embarrassment colours my cheeks.

  “No need. I could think of worse people to crash into. It was my pleasure.” The way his eyes assess me as he says this makes my heart drop. I really didn’t think I gave him any kind of idea that I might have been interested, but I can see hope and excitement in his eyes. I know we only spoke briefly earlier, but I kinda thought we could be friends. I’m not interested in anything else.

  “Are you coming to join the others?” he asks after I look back down at my plate.

  “Maybe in a bit. I think today’s already been a little overwhelming, right?”

  “Something like that,” I mutter. “You can go. I don’t want to keep you from your friends.”

  “It’s fine. I promised you I’d show you the ropes and I’ve already failed. Although, it sounds like you were in capable hands.”

  “Damn right,” Shane says, falling down onto the seat opposite me. His stare burns into me but I keep my eyes down, not wanting to lead him on.

  “So, what classes do you have this afternoon?”

  4

  Jake

  All morning the only thing I’ve been able to see is her. It doesn’t matter how many times I tell myself that she’s someone else entirely, it doesn’t matter. The devastation and betrayal I remember all too well burns within me. I’m powerless to do anything but let it rage. By the time lunch rolls around, I’m just about ready to smash someone’s face in.

  “What the fuck’s eating you?” Ethan asks the moment he falls into step beside me.

  “Fuck you.”

  “I’d rather not.”

  My fists clench as I try to talk myself down from shoving him up against the wall and letting out some of my frustration.

  I knew going to the cafeteria was a bad idea. I should have walked out of school and fucked off. But I didn’t. Instead, I continue walking beside Ethan, the majority of the rest of the team joining us at some point until the scent of the crappy food filters down and the vast room opens before us.

  My steps falter the moment I see her just about to turn away from the counter. I may only be able to see her back, but I know from the thick blonde hair hanging down her back that it’s her. It’s like a fucking red flashing beacon to me.

  “Shit, sorry,” someone mutters behind me, they’re not looking where they’re going and crash into my back.

  My feet refuse to move. It’s torture just looking at her but it’s like my body is quite happy to send me to Hell and back and insists I wait for her to turn around so I can get another good look at her face. It’s not like I need to, they look so similar and I’m never likely to forget the face of the woman who abandoned me without so much as a backward glance.

  “Thorn?” someone asks behind me, clearly wondering why I’ve stopped dead in my tracks.

  The second she looks up, her eyes find mine. She looks like a deer caught in headlights, the thought has the smallest of smiles twitching my lips. She should be scared. I have every intention of running her out of this place before she gets too settled.

  This is my school. My life. I’ll be damned if I’m going to spend what should be the best year of my time here being tormented by her.

  It’s not until someone bumps into her that she’s forced to drag her scared eyes away from mine and I’m able to move. Taking a step, I walk toward our usual area as if nothing happened. When I sit and wait for the others to join, I notice that the majority don’t realize anything just went down, but Mason and Ethan’s stares both burn into me. They both know me better than anyone, better than my pathetic excuse for a family, so they know something’s seriously adrift. I don’t expect them to understand. Fuck, I don’t really understand it but they’re not keeping a huge part of themselves hidden away in their bottom drawer like she never existed. They have no real reason to appreciate how much New Girl looks like that ghost I try to hide.

  Practice is exactly the kind of distraction I need, aside from my desire to plant my fist into Shane’s smug fucking little face. I resist the urge, for now. As our team’s quarterback and captain, they all look to me for my ability to make quick decisions and lead them to what might hopefully be a successful year. Of course I want that too. I want more than anything to have some kind of reason to celebrate, hell knows I haven’t had many reasons to do so throughout my life. But one thing I have learned is that life is generally better if you’re realistic, and I’m realistic enough to know that we probably won’t be winning the state championships this year either. That doesn’t mean I’m not going to fight like hell to try to make it happen.

  Standing beside Coach, I feel like I belong, like I’m making a difference and I can’t help my chest swelling with pride. This is what I need right now.

  Coach has already warned us that he’s hitting us hard this year and this practice session is no exception. Our first game might not be until Friday night, but he’s going to make damn sure we’re ready for it.

  Standing under the spray of the shower once we’ve left the field, I allow the water to pound against my shoulders in the hope it might relieve some of the tension.

  “What the hell is up with you and that new girl, Thorn?”

  Panicking at the mention of her, I look up, but the showers are empty apart from Mason, whose eyes are drilling into mine as if he’s going to read the answer within them.

  “I just don’t like her.” I shrug, turning off the water and reaching for a towel.

  “That’s bullshit and you know it.”

  The sounds of his light footsteps right behind me tells me that this isn’t over. I know that if anyone were to understand, it would be Mason, but that doesn’t mean I’m willing to talk about it.

  “Whatever. I don’t have
to explain myself to you.”

  “No, you don’t. But as your best friend, I kinda hoped you would.”

  Guilt twists my stomach. He’s had enough of his own shit going on recently and I’ve made him talk when he least wanted to, I should have seen this coming.

  “I just... I don’t like the look of her. She doesn’t fit here.”

  “Beautiful and sexy doesn’t fit here? Oh knock it off. You’d normally be all over that. You’re going to have to try harder if you want to pull the wool over my eyes.”

  Ignoring him, I turn and start pulling my clothes on. I don’t have time for this. I’d just about managed to forget about her blue eyes and blonde hair while we were out running plays but now they’re right fucking there again.

  “Come on, I’ll buy you a burger. It might soften you up a little.”

  Flipping him off, I follow him out toward his car so we can head to our usual hangout, a diner on the shorefront.

  5

  Amalie

  “I was intending on going home and getting a head start on my homework,” I say to Camila when she tries convincing me to go with her, Shane, and a couple of their other friends to a diner.

  “I’m sorry, but that’s not happening. I promised my gran that I’d help you settle in.”

  “Really, it’s okay. I’ll make sure she knows that you did as she asked. I don’t want you to feel like you need to babysit me.”

  “Enough,” she snaps but her eyes shine with amusement. Threading her arm through mine, she pulls me forward toward the car park. “I’m not taking no for an answer. Plus, one of Bill’s milkshakes will make all your worries disappear.”

  I don’t think that could possibly be true, but I’m up for testing it out. I really don’t want to spend the next two years being the social outcast I’ve felt today. But I’m equally as unsure if I’m really up for socialising and pretending that everything is good with my life.

  “Wow, this is like a home from home,” I say, my voice tinged with sadness as I climb into Camila’s Mini.

  “She’s awesome, right? Well, when she starts. Keep your fingers crossed.” She winks before making a show of pushing the key into the ignition and turning the engine over. Breathing a sigh of relief when it rumbles to life, she looks over at me and laughs.

  “Aces on the first day of senior year is tradition. Anyone who is anyone will be there.”

  I groan, not only am I a junior but there’s a whole group of kids who really won’t want me there.

  “I’m really not sure about this.”

  “Did something happen today? Did anyone say anything about your parents or…” Quickly glancing over at me, her eyes narrow as she tries to figure me out.

  “No, no one said anything. I barely spoke to anyone aside from you and Shane.” I keep the hateful stares I received that I think might have been worse than someone saying something hurtful to myself. At least if he’d said something it might give me a clue what his problem is.

  The car park is packed when we pull off the main road. There are kids loitering all along the seafront and spilling down onto the beach. Camila really wasn’t kidding when she said everyone will be here.

  “The guys already have a table for us. Noah skipped out on his last class to get it.”

  “Seriously?”

  “Yeah. Being here this afternoon is a big deal. Ready?” She gives me a smile I attempt to match after she’s reapplied her lip gloss in the visor mirror and fluffed up her hair a little. She jumps from the car and I rush to follow suit.

  Some of the other kids who are loitering around turn toward us, but thanks to Camila’s obscenely short skirt, I’m thankfully not the focus of their attention. I do cause a few whispers once the onlookers have had their fill of her legs.

  “Oh, there they are.”

  I follow behind as she heads toward a table full of students I don’t recognise. It’s immediately obvious why this place is called Aces. It’s all black, white, and red with playing card memorabilia everywhere. Shane spots us walking their way and smiles at me like we’re long-lost friends.

  “Amalie, good to see you.” The enthusiasm in his voice is a little too much as he slides from the booth he’s sitting in to allow me to join their group of friends. Camila takes the seat opposite me and cuddles up into Noah’s side. I can’t take my eyes off him as he gazes down at her and drops his lips to her temple. She looks up at him with such adoration and love that it makes my heart ache and a lump to form in my throat.

  I’m soon distracted when a boisterous crowd comes stumbling through the entrance. My stomach drops when my eyes find him. His obvious hatred of my mere existence radiates from his every pore.

  Once again, his steps slow as he stares at me. His lips set in a thin line, his eyes dark and haunted. As he continues staring, I can’t help but feel like he’s not really staring at me but through me, as if I’m a ghost he can’t believe he’s seeing. I don’t know about him but I sure as shit haven’t seen him before. I’m pretty sure I’d have remembered if I had because although his presence sends a tremor of fear through me, I can’t deny that he’s hot.

  His dark hair is short at the sides then longer on the top, his haunting eyes that have studied me from afar today I can now see are royal blue, and his body. Well... let’s just say that it’s obvious he’s part of the football team because he is cut. His white t-shirt is pulled tightly across his wide shoulders showing off his sculpted chest and flat abs. I’d put money on there being one seriously impressive six-pack under there.

  Thoughts of a man’s body has thoughts popping into my head that I’d rather not think about right now. I already feel vulnerable around all these strangers who already know too much about my life and how I ended up here, I don’t need the past and the emotions it comes with making me even weaker. Especially while my skin’s still prickling from his stare.

  “What the hell?” Shane asks, looking between me and the guy. “Do you know him?”

  “Nope. Never seen him before until this morning. He seems to have some kind of issue with me though.”

  Dragging my attention back to the people surrounding me, I see that everyone is looking between the two of us expectantly.

  “You sure you don’t know him?” Camila asks. “He seems pretty interested in you.”

  “I’m very sure. Who is he?”

  “Who is he?” Alyssa, another of Camila’s friends, repeats much like I would imagine she would if I’d just asked who Donald Trump was. “That is Jacob Thorn. Captain of the football team. King of Rosewood High and every girl’s wet dream.”

  “Not every girl,” Camila quickly adds, looking up at Noah like he just hung the moon.

  Eventually his friends must get fed up with the hold up and they drag him off and over to the empty table at the other side of the diner. That doesn’t mean I lose his attention. I might refuse to look over, but I feel his eyes on me. My skin heats and butterflies flutter in my belly at knowing he’d rather stare at me than have fun with his friends. I know it’s because he clearly hates me but my traitorous body doesn’t care right now.

  “If I can teach you anything about Rosewood High, Amalie, it’s to stay as far away as you can from that lot. They’re nothing but trouble.”

  “You sound like your gran.”

  She shrugs, not in the least bit offended. “I’m serious. I have no idea what’s going on with you two, but you’d be best to shake him off as soon as you can and forget him and any of the other football players exist.”

  “Hey,” Shane complains. “We’re not all bad guys.” He nudges my shoulder to make sure I hear his words.

  “Good to know.” Although, I must admit that I’m more shocked than relieved. I guess he has the body to fit the image, but that doesn’t explain why he’s sitting here with the ‘nobodies’ when he could be over there with his team, living the high life.

  “I don’t know how you can put up with playing for those assholes.”

  “I don’t play for th
em.”

  “Whatever,” Camila says, waving him off like she’s heard the same argument a million times.

  Their conversation soon turns to the year ahead, what parties are meant to be happening and the pep rally on Friday before the first game of the season. They all look at me like I’ve got three heads when I ask them to explain what exactly a pep rally is. They seem to forget that I come from a completely different world.

  Camila bounces in her seat as she runs through what I can expect followed by demanding that I’ll be there because not attending is a sure-fire way to get myself on the ‘bullied list.’

  I refrain from explaining how I couldn’t really give a crap about all that, but I figure that if I’ve got to spend two years here, then I might as well not paint a target on my back.

  “Anyway, you’ve got to be there so you can attend what happens after.”

  “What happens after?” I ask with trepidation. The excitement dancing in her eyes makes me nervous.

  “You’ll have to wait to find out, but it’s epic. The party of all parties. Plus, you’ll get to do it twice. Not many people get that chance.”

  6

  Jake

  Mason’s words don’t leave me the entire ride to Aces. He’s right of course. She is beautiful and sexy, no one with a pair of fucking eyes could deny that. She’s too beautiful. That’s the fucking problem. Anyone with looks like that can only have evil on the inside. I’ve experienced it and it’s not something I have any desire to repeat, which is why she needs to go. We don’t need that kind of poison around here. We’ve already got enough assholes roaming the halls at Rosewood High.

  The place is packed but I’m not concerned we won’t find seats. The booths at the back are practically reserved for us. We own this place and Bill knows it. If it weren’t for us and our reputation, then his place wouldn’t be filled with kids day in and day out.