Fallen Crest High

chapter THIRTY THREE





I went to my last two classes, though I didn't learn a thing. My body had gone numb again. I missed that feeling and I was itching for another three hour run. My body ached for it.

Becky chatted to me after school. I had no idea what she said, but I nodded my head at random moments and she kept chatting away. When I looked for my keys in my bag, I cursed and hit my head against my locker.

"What?"

I mumbled, "Mason drove me today."

"He did?" She straightened from a locker. "Oh, right. That makes sense, why he was here…wait…is he coming back to give you a ride home?"

Then my phone beeped and I pulled it out. He had sent me four text messages and the last one read, 'two practices tonight, then with mom and logan. Can you get a ride home? Need me to send someone?'

I cursed again. "Can I get a ride home with you?"

Becky's eyes got wide and her lips clamped together. A strange gurgle escaped her lips.

"What does that mean?"

She whispered, "Adam gave me a ride." She jumped back and pressed a hand to her mouth. "I'm sorry."

"No, that's fine. I'll think of something."

She edged closer a step. "He can't come and get you?"

I shook my head. My throat was so closed up, had been all day. "No, they have two practices tonight and their mom's in town." And that meant I wouldn't see either of them all week…probably… I swallowed over a lump.

"Hey, I bet Adam would give you a ride!" Her head bounced up and down. "Yeah, yeah. I bet he would. I think he feels real bad. He called me last night and said that he wanted to make things better with you. He wanted all three of us to be friends again."

"He did?"

"Uh, yeah. I mean, why would he make that up if he didn't mean it?" Her grin turned sloppy and a glaze drifted over her eyes.

Oh boy. I recognized that look.

She sighed dreamily, "Wouldn't it be wonderful if all three of us hung out again? And then maybe he'd realize he needed me in his life?"

I gave her a blank stare. "What do you mean? You are in his life; he gave you a ride to school."

"Yeah, I know." Her eyes drifted downwards and she bit the corner of her lip. "I was just meaning that if us three were better friends. It felt like we were going to be before, but then he got all weird and mad at you. It changed when he found out about the Kades, now that I think about it."

"Becky."

She turned to me. Her eyes clicked into focus. "Uh?"

"What's going on with you?"

Her eyeballs went from side to side. "What do you mean?"

"You're weird, weirder than normal." Then it clicked in place. "What have people been saying about me?"

As soon as I said that, she sucked in her breath dramatically and scooted away from me.

"Becky." I clamped onto her arm so she couldn't go any further. "What's going on?"

She patted her chest and it rose higher and higher. It looked like she was hyperventilating or having a panic attack. I hoped not, I needed answers.

"Becky!"

"Okay, okay." She dragged me down the hallway and into the empty theatre. It was dark where we were, but the lights were bright on the stage where a group of people stood in a small circle. I didn't care what they were doing up there.

"Spill. Now."

She looked in pain as she rushed out, "MirandaStewarthatesyouandnow everyoneelsedoestoo." She took a deep breath. "And everyone thinks Adam and Mason fought over you. Everybody knows something happened at the Elite dinner Miranda had and that you guys went there, but no one will say what happened…so…people are figuring out their own guesses."

"People think Mason and Adam fought over me?" A blast of cold air rocked me again. My stomach dropped out again and a surreal feeling of terror started to settle in. Was I ready for this? The knot had doubled in size. I forcibly swallowed one more time. I knew what would happen if people found out…

"No, yes, I mean—I don't know. We don't really know. Some people think it's about Logan. I'm not sure why, because of Tanya or something. I have no idea. Everyone knows Logan took Tanya away from Adam and we all saw that Cassandra and Adam were flirting. Now they don't even talk to each other. Something happened."

"Oh." Relief washed over me. Adam's fight with Logan over Tanya made more sense, didn't it? "Yeah, I mean, Logan wasn't nice at the dinner. He rubbed it in Adam's face."

"Rubbed it in?" A hollow laugh came from behind me. Jessica gripped her books tight and glared at me. "We heard he was practically having sex with Tanya at the dinner. No wonder Adam popped his cherry and went after Mason today." She eyed me up and down and curled her lip in a sneer. "We also heard that Emily Connsway laughed in your face. Way to go, Sam."

The theatre door was open and a small group had congregated behind us.

"Give it a rest, Jess." Lydia sidled up beside her and leveled her with a piercing look. "Stop making up lies, stop being a bitch, and apologize to Sam for what you did."

Jessica's back straightened. "Me? Apologize? What did I do to her? She stood there and let Logan Kade humiliate me. He used to like me and she ruined that. You ruined my life, Sam. Thanks a lot."

Jill pushed forward to stand beside them and chewed on her lip. Then she burst out, "I'm sorry for being a bitch, Sam. I was threatened because of Jeff." She waved towards Jessica and Lydia. "And I didn't want them to do to me what they did to you so I tried to be friends with them. You know, get closer with your enemies and all…that…" She hung her head and trailed off.

Jessica whirled towards her. "You're such a whore, Jill. Sam's not going to be your friend. She hates you and me. She hates Lydia too."

Lydia gasped. "I don't think she hates me. I'm trying to be her friend." She looked at me with pleading eyes. "I'm really sorry. I really am. And I don't care if Jessica hates me after this. I should never have covered for her and Jeff and lied to you. I should've apologized to you right away too." She edged closer and shoved Jessica back a few steps in the process. "I really miss you and I'll do anything to be your friend again."

"Lydia!"

She ignored Jessica and gave me a shaky smile. "I don't care if the Elite don't like you. I'll support you and stand by you the whole time. They don't scare me."

Jill sighed. "Yes, they do. They scare everybody…well, except for maybe Sam, but still."

"Hey…?" Jeff stood at the back of the crowd, and they opened for him. His face was twisted in confusion. "What's…what's going on here…? Do I even want to know?"

Jessica turned her glare off and went to his side. She gave him a seductive smile as her hand traveled up his arm. "Hi, Jeff."

"Hey!" Jill removed her hand from his arm. "I'm not going to let you sleep with him."

Jessica's eyes didn't blink. "Can you give me a ride home, Jeff? My car's in the shop for an oil change."

He blinked at her. "Uh…sure…yeah, okay."

"Jeff!" Jill seethed.

He met my gaze for a second, but shrugged at his girlfriend. "It's just a ride home. I'm not going to sleep with her or anything." Then he motioned for Jessica to follow and the two left.

Becky's mouth hung open. "I—" She blinked. "I can't believe that happened."

"Lydia, do you think they're going to…?" Jill blinked back some tears. Her voice hitched on a sob.

"Yes." Lydia didn't waste a second. "They are. I'd dump him in a heartbeat if I were you."

My eyebrow rose. This was a different side to Lydia that I'd never seen before. When she gave me a small smile, I almost gave her one back. Almost.

Jill's mouth fell open and tears started to fall down her cheeks. She wiped them away, but turned and darted down the hallway.

Lydia shook her head. "I don't feel bad for her. She knew what they did to you."

I shrugged. "I don't care anymore." I never had. "So you and Jessica aren't friends anymore? She's going to think you betrayed her for me."

"I know."

"She's not going to let that go."

"I know." Lydia gave me a sad look. "I miss being your friend. I'd like to earn that back and that's what I'm going to do from now on."

"Hey!" Becky grabbed my arm. A smile spread from ear to ear. "She can give you a ride home."

"You need a ride home?"

"Uh, no. I'm okay." Nightmares flashed in my head. I wasn't sure who knew that I was staying at the Kade mansion and I wasn't going to let Lydia be the first one to know for certain. "I'll find—or call—someone else."

"Are you sure? I can give you a ride home. It's on my way, you know."

"I'm okay. Really." Every cell inside of me relaxed. She still thought I was at David's.

"Wait. Are you still at your dad's house or…?"

I gave her a bright smile. "Speaking of my dad, he wanted me to talk to him so I'll see you guys later." I pushed through the crowd and hurried away before either of them formed more questions. People would figure it out, if they hadn't already, but I wasn't going to help it.

As I got to my locker, I grabbed my bag and phone. When I went to the parking lot, I started to call my mom, and I couldn't believe she was my last resort, but stopped abruptly. I blinked a few times, but then I put my phone away. My mom was already there. She was waiting in her convertible.

"Hi, honey." She waved her fingers at me. "I got you a coffee."

"Mom," I started as I got inside. "I really can't handle much right now so if you've got any more bombs to lay on me, can you leave them for another day?"

Her smile slipped a bit. "Are you okay, honey?"

I stared at her. Had she not been there when I stormed out of the classroom? "I'm perfect."

She laughed. "Well, I don't know about that, but you're pretty good."

My mouth wanted to fall to the ground. Where had the mom from this morning gone? She professed she wanted to change and now I got the Barbie fake mom again.

At a stoplight, she let out a deep breath. Her voice dropped to a normal tone. "Well, I'm sorry about those bombs, but I do have one to drop on you." She paused for a beat. "Your father's in town."

I closed my eyes.

"And he wants to meet you."

"Oh no."

"Tonight."

I wanted that run. I needed that run right now.

I looked at her. "How long is he in town?" My voice came out breathless.

"It depends on you." She held my gaze until the light turned green. As we started forward again, she gripped the steering wheel with clenched knuckles. "I don't like that he's here, but he is. David's going to flip about this."

My heart was pounding again. It was a horse track. "Mom, I can't…"

Her hand clasped onto mine and she squeezed it. "I'm sorry, honey. I really am, but your father's a jerk. If I tell him you don't want to see him, he won't believe me. He'll show up anyway and I'd like to avoid that, if possible."

"Mom." My voice was a whisper now. "I can't. I really can't."

She kept driving and we were almost home when she murmured, "Okay, honey. I'll tell him you're not ready."

Everything sagged forward at that. As soon as we got home, I unbuckled and bolted for the door. I was back on the pavement within ten minutes with my running shoes on and my headphones in my ears.

Three hours later when I turned into the driveway, my stomach had stopped rumbling. Everything was numb in me, it was the way I liked it, and I was blind to the three cars I passed as I let myself inside. I trailed through the house and eyed the droplets of sweat that slipped from me. I doubted my mom would care, not that I ever did, but the small grin that formed on my face was wiped away when I went past the dining room.

A man sat at the table with my mother and James. He had striking blue eyes and broad shoulders. He looked in his forties with a strong jaw and a lean physique. Confidence and authority exhumed from him. As he turned towards me, he never blinked. I felt pinned under his gaze and steeled myself. He was trying to read into me, as only Mason tended to do sometimes.

"Sam, honey." Analise jumped up. "You're back from your run."

I couldn't answer her. I couldn't look away from this man.

She laughed nervously. "This is your father…Garrett Brickshire."

"You're the hotshot lawyer from Boston?"

The corner of his lip twitched. "You're the pain in the ass daughter I never knew about?"

"My mom said you were a jerk." I paused. "That was an understatement."

"She said the same thing to me." He stood and my eyes widened. He kept standing up. And he towered above my mom and James.

"How tall are you?"

"I'm six four. How far did you run?"

I would've shrugged, but my body couldn't respond to me anymore. "I have no idea."

"You're not training for a marathon?"

"I run to run."

We were locked in some form of battle. Neither of us could look away, neither of us could back down.

His mouth twitched now to a mocking grin. "You should keep track of what you do. Your achievements define you."

My lip curled upwards. "Then I'm not worth your time. I don't have any achievements. You can go back to Boston and your hotshot lawyer life."

He blinked.

He broke. I won.

Then he laughed in a smooth baritone voice. "Yeah, you're my kid alright." He turned to Analise. "I still want the test done, but I'm 99% sure she's mine."

She huffed out, "Like I'd lie to you after seventeen years, Garrett."

He chuckled. "I think you lie so much you don't know when you're not." His eyes met James. "No offense to your future bride. I'm sure she loves you well enough."

A look twitched in James' eyes. "You've seen her for yourself. Now you can return to your hotel to wait until Samantha is ready. I believe she should determine when and if she's ready to meet with you again."

The cockiness vanished in Garrett's eyes and he drew himself to an impressive height. He reached for James' hand. As they shook, he said, "I've heard of a James Kade. Though the circumstances are strained, I'm glad to have met you."

"You as well, Mr. Brickshire."

They studied each other for a moment. It reminded me of the exchange between David and James earlier, but this one was different. There was an edge to it that I hadn't felt in the classroom with David.

Then the moment was broken as Garrett passed by me. "I'll see you later, kid!" He thumped me on the shoulder before the door shut behind him.

I needed another run.