Page 8 of Wicked Savage Cruel
Adriana: I know I messed up. I’m sorry. Talk to me? Please.
Delete.
Julio: If Adriana messages you, ignore her. She and Ryker are still fucking.
I sigh.At least he doesn’t sugarcoat it.
Me: Thanks for the heads up.
He responds almost instantly.
Julio: I’ve always got your back. Miss youChica.
Me: Miss you too J.
Julio’s beenmy best friend since grade school. Ever since Mimi Johnson stole my ice cream cone in the park and called me stupid. He told her she was fugly and that my stolen ice cream would make her fat. We’ve been thick as thieves ever since.
J knows me inside and out and I know he’s always got my back. Only now he’s got it from two hours away. I hate the distance between us, but I just need to make it through this year.
With a smile still on my face, I shove my phone back in my pocket. When I look up, Roman is staring at me. He doesn’t say anything so neither do I. The other guys seem to consider me and then Emilio asks, “Hot boyfriend?”
I snort “No. Just some people from my old school.” I tell him. There’s no reason to lie.
He lifts a brow as if to say,elaborate.
When I don’t, he says, “You get dick pics from people often?”
Oh, my god. He saw that?
“What? No.” I hide my face behind my hands and all three chuckle. “It’s not what you think. God. No.” I shake my head and they laugh harder.
“Damn, vanilla. No judgment here. You can have all the dick pics you want. Tell you what, I can go in the bathroom right now and take one for you. Give me your digits and we’ll make shit happen.”
Mortification rolls through me. “It’s not…” I shake my head in a definite no before exhaling an exasperated sigh. “My ex is trying to get me back. Sort of.” I frown. “I’m pretty sure what he really wants is a booty call but that’s not happening. So, no, I don’t get dick pics often. He’s just a moron and hasn’t realized it’s over. And no, I don’t want pictures of your dick, either. Thanks.”
“Holy shit, vanilla. Your life is the prequel to a telenovela. What else you got?”
I snort. “Nothing. My life is not exciting.” A little tragic, maybe, but no one else needs to know those parts.
The guys talk football the rest of lunch. All three are on the varsity team which isn’t surprising. There’s a game on Friday but they don’t seem concerned about it. The game two weeks from now has most of their attention. It’s Sun Valley High’s rival game against the Suncrest Academy Saints. Based on their expressions, it’s a really big deal.
I try and track their conversation. Julio and I use to watch football together. Ryker plays for my old school but I never really went to his games. I’d just watch NFL with Julio and sometimes the high school recaps if the game was big enough that the news decided to cover it.
Adriana was always there, though. She was on the cheer squad. Maybe that was one of the reasons he never asked me to come?
As the guys talk, I learn that Dom is the school’s quarterback. Roman plays wide receiver. And Emilio is a cornerback. All three seem to live and breathe football. Emilio makes a point of including me in their conversation, which is a little surprising since he didn’t seem thrilled that I was here in the first place.
He peppers me with questions but I don’t have much to contribute. I understand the game. I know how plays work and I thankfully don’t get lost when Dom goes off on a tangent about a blitz the Saints made that worked out for them in last week’s game against another school. The guys are intense and it’s clear they do their homework on their opponents. I surprise them a few times when it becomes clear I know what they’re talking about and I start to find my footing a bit.
These guys aren’t that different from my crew back home. Roman is a lot like Julio. The leader of the pack, though more brooding and definitely more of a player. Emilio has a carefree attitude like Felix. He’s quick with the jokes and always wears a comfortable smile. And Dom is the strong silent type like Gabe.
I start to feel like maybe today doesn’t completely suck but I don’t delude myself into thinking that once Roman’s little punishment ends that any of these guys will want to still talk to me. Emilio already made it clear they don’t mix with the girls of this school. They can’t afford any distractions. Aside from that, it’s evident we come from different social circles. They’re the guys all the girls want and the guys all the other guys want to be. You can see it in the way everyone watches them. And me, I’m the girl who just wants to survive her senior year.
When the bell rings, Roman dumps his tray and presumably heads toward Spanish, not bothering to wait for me. I consider calling out for him but immediately decide against it. He seemed to grow more and more agitated as lunch progressed. I haven’t done anything to him so I don’t know why he has such a stick up his butt.
No one talks to me as I wander the halls trying to find my Spanish class. Roman still has my schedule and I don’t really know where I’m going. I try and ask a few students but all I get are sneers and eye rolls. No words. No help.
Yes, I’m the new girl.
