Rival Love (6 page)

“Can’t believe you think you’re going to eat my breakfast in front of me.” This feels like a challenge. I’m not one to turn away from a good challenge, so like a sucker I bait her on by picking up a piece of bacon. Her eyes grow wide as I lift it to my mouth. “Do it and I swear I will crush your manhood!”

“I’ll punch you in your tits.” I bite into the bacon. The taste of sweet hickory and fatty pork flavors my taste buds. “Mmmm…sooo…Ahhhhh.” My victory comes to a halt as soon as her foot connects with my boys. My stomach instantly tightens and lodges up in my throat. The lower regions of my body flood with sharp bursts of pain. The food I ingested is quickly coming back up as I kneel before a laughing Skylar. She snatches the rest of the breakfast from me and leaves me curled up in a ball on the kitchen floor.

Note to self: Never rub things in her face again, especially when she places a threat on your junk.
God, I hate her.

***

The kitchen is now clean, and I glance down at what’s next on my list.
Bathroom?
This must be a mistake. Everyone knows this is not a guy’s job. “Why am I cleaning the bathroom?”

Skylar pokes her head into the kitchen and smiles. “Because I’ve used the bathroom after you and if you didn’t know, it’s disgusting.” Her eyes narrow a little. “And if you think for one minute I’m cleaning your pee stains off the seat and floor, you’re dumber than I thought.”

Rolling my eyes, I head to the supply closet for the cleaners. Pulling on the light switch cord, the tiny room illuminates, revealing a mop, broom, dustpan, and a bucket filled with all kinds of cleaners. I gather up the bucket along with a roll of paper towels and a sponge and leave the closet.

“Can you hand me a rag?” Skylar asks when I start to close the closet door.

“Does it look like I’m your maid? Get it yourself!” She glares at me. I almost laugh at her sour-faced expression, but decide I’d be wise not to, especially after how she acted earlier. My balls are still recovering from her kick.

Heading out of the kitchen with my cleaning supplies, something slaps the back of my head, and I turn to see a roll of paper towels tumbling across the floor. Skylar laughs. “That’s for refusing to leave me alone and making me clean with you.”

Oh, she wants to play this game, does she? Fine by me. I take my bucket up the stairs and then return to the kitchen. Hunting through the cabinets, I finally find the Saran Wrap and head back to the bathroom.

Once I’m done cleaning the entire bathroom, I start to unravel the cling wrap. Stretching it across the edges, I pull it taut and smooth out any wrinkles. Two minutes later, my prank is set in motion, now all I have to do is wait.

Returning all my cleaning supplies to the closet, along with the Saran Wrap, I enter the living room and plop on the couch. Skylar eyes me from the far corner of the room. “How many things did you clean?”

“I did my list. Now be quiet, the game’s on.”

“Really, you like the Reds? How pathetic.”

“No. I like baseball in general. Go spray a plant or something.”

She makes her way toward the 55-inch flat screen and bends over. “Come on, Fletch! Get the hell out of the way.” God this girl is beyond irritating. She continues to clean slowly in front of the TV as if it were some sort of teasing dance. I’m trying my damnedest not to be turned on but Jesus that’s kind of hard to do. With each bend, her skimpy shorts show off a bit of her underwear that happens to be hot pink lace. I shift uncomfortably on the couch as she flips her hair back and starts to straighten. She walks over to the coffee table. I still can’t see shit on the TV either. Her body dips, and so does her shirt, giving me a full view of her breasts. It’s my undoing. I can’t take anymore of this. “You practicing for your future profession?”

Skylar straightens with a blush forming across her tan skin. “I hope someone takes out your kneecaps.”

I stand. Towering over her five-foot-nothing frame, I growl, “Don’t you ever wish something like that on me.” If something were to happen to my body, I’d be stuck in community college. Stuck in this small town. Stuck in this hellhole where everyone knows me, and they would talk about what a promising future I had, like they do my uncle. I’ll be damned if that happens to me.

“I’ll do what I want!” She turns away and stomps her way up the stairs.

“…A line-drive hit toward centerfield…” the TV blares, shaking my thoughts away from the evil girl.

It’s around the fifth inning when I hear, “AGHHHH! What the…
Caleb
! I’m going kill you!”
 

Chapter 11

Skylar

“…Stop making a mess, stop making it worse, stop living a lie to kill the curse…” My phone sings to me. I roll over and look down at the ground. The screen has white bubble numbers reflecting back at me that read five thirty. “Oh God, it’s Monday.” I pull the covers over my head and squeeze my eyes shut. Why couldn’t someone have invented time travel by now?

Inhaling deeply, I open my eyes and somehow manage to get myself out of bed. I’ve got to take my shower now, before that scab sabotages it. Slowly, I make my way across the hall and into the empty bathroom.

Once I finish with my shower, I head back to my room. The only company I expect to have is a bunch of boxes, not a smirking Caleb spread across my mattress toying with my iPod. “For the love of Jesus, must you start ruining my day this early in the morning?”

Caleb drops my iPod and his eyes trail my body. I tighten my grip on the towel as a burn settles on my cheeks. The nerve of him eyeing me up like this, what a pig. I roll my eyes in annoyance. “Did you need something?”

“No. Yes. I don’t know,” he mutters.

“Well, could you leave? I’m kind of in the middle of something, and the eye-screwing thing you’re doing to me from my bed is really disgusting.”

Caleb snorts. “Please. You’d be the last person I’d eye fuck. I was just making sure our arrangement is still on.”

I narrow my eyes. “Don’t worry, you’d be the last person I’d ever socialize with in public. As far as knowing Brian and talking to him at school, that won’t be a problem either. Now, get out so I can get dressed.”

“In a second.” He pushes himself off my bed and walks toward the door, which happens to be where I am. His eyes wander again, starting from my feet and stopping at my lips for a fraction of a second too long if you ask me. God, he’s so close. I can see the tiny flecks of gold in his green eyes. I blink and he smiles. “So, I wanna call a truce, you know, for what I did yesterday.”

Ha!
As if I could forget what he did to me. There’s no way I’m stooping to a truce with him. “I don’t think so. I plan on getting you back. How, you’ll just have to see. It might be today, tomorrow, might be at the end of the week.” Wait, what am I saying? Am I going to be here for a week? God, I hope not.

He cocks his head and laughs. “Really, Fletch? You actually think you can out-prank me? Fine. Give it your best shot.”

“I see something in your future, Morgan…tears!”

He laughs. “From you.” And exits my room.

Chapter 12

Caleb

“Liv, you are both going to the same place, and I wanted to get new tires on your car today,” Erin says.

“I’ve got to work though. He won’t take me.” She’s got that right. There’s no way I’m going to taxi her ass to work. I’ve got practice after school. And I’ll be damned if I let any chick drive my car, let alone Skylar.

“It’s already done. Your car is already at the shop. If you can’t call off, take a cab to work.”

I watch Skylar’s face burn crimson, and then she turns on her heels. “I should have moved in with Dad!” Then she stomps out of the house. I want to laugh but Erin looks as if she’s about to cry.

I slip out the door before anyone spills any tears, or says anything to me.

Skylar stands beside my car, arms folded, and glaring at the ground. Unlocking the car, I slide into the front seat and wait for her to get into the car.

I start the engine, ready to leave her, when the passenger door flies open. Skylar swings her long legs into my car. My top weakness: legs, right alongside eyes, smiles, and wits, so I can’t help but stare. Damn Bulldog is way too hot for her own good. A sweet scent of marmalade wafts off her and bombards me. Now all I smell is
her
. Great.

“I’m going to drop you off at the last stop sign before the parking lot. Think you can manage walking to the school steps without getting your ass kicked?” I don’t know why I’m even asking. From what she did to my balls the other day I’m sure she can handle herself.

Her burnt-orange eyes look at me for a second then she turns away with a mumble. “Do what you want.”

“I always do, thanks, but it’s still nice to ask. My parents taught me some things…” I trail off. Only a few people know about my parents. I’m certain Brian hasn’t given Erin the full story of why I stay with him. I don’t need the pity from anyone, especially Skylar Fletcher.

Her eyes are on me. To avoid any more of this conversation, I put the car in drive, mentally cursing myself for even mentioning it in the first place. “That’s fine,” she whispers.

I glance over at her; her eyes are facing the passenger window. Shock waves over me, because her being silent and not asking about my parents is something I didn’t expect. Another strange feeling plagues me, a slight twinge. Why it happens, I can’t explain. But I don’t like it.

Pulling up to the last stop sign, I let my car idle, while Skylar exits the car. “Well, don’t get your ass kicked.”

She rolls her eyes. “That’s so touching.” Her hand lets go of the door and it swings closed.

***

Making my way to third period, I bump into Derrick. “Hey, man. I haven’t seen you all day. Did Olivia come with you?”

“Umm…what?” I say in a full-out stammer.

Derrick looks at me, his eyebrows raised while his mouth forms this half scowl. “You okay?”

I shake my head. “Fine.” My eyes wander off and focus on a figure down the hall, two classrooms away from where I stand. Skylar. Her head is down, thick dark hair curtains her face, but a group of girls from the swim team stalk not far behind her screaming, “Get the hell outta here, Bulldog!” Along with, “That’s right, you better keep walking, you’re in our territory now, Fletcher! No one’s gonna protect you over here!”

Damn. I knew this would happen, but I was counting on it occurring at lunchtime, not right now.

“Hold up, did they just…” Derrick starts but I won’t let him finish.

“The bell’s about to ring,” I say and hurry toward class.

Amber Ortiz presses her hand on one of Skylar’s shoulders and turns her to face them. Skylar looks up, just before I reach the group. I swear she’s daring them to hit her. Not with words, but the way her head is held high.

“Hey, Amber!” I yell, running over to her. Skylar doesn’t even look over at me. She keeps her eyes on Amber.

Amber glances over at me and says, “Morgan, what do you want from me now? I already gave you some loving a few weeks ago. Coming back for more?”

Flashing a smile, I answer, “Oh yes, I couldn’t stay away.”

Amber squares herself toward me. I don’t want to break the eye contact. So as much as I want to check on Skylar my eyes stay on Amber’s deep brown gaze. Her mouth starts to turn up at the corners into a dazzling smile. The same one that made me notice her last year, and three months ago, and then again a few weeks ago. Yes, Amber is like salt on wounds. Burns like hell, but keep pouring it on to rid away infection. She seems to know it too. Her tongue clicks against her teeth and then she pouts her lips.

She leans in and whispers, “This weekend. My place, eight o’clock. I’ll be waiting.”

“All right.”

She blows a kiss and starts to walk off. The bell rings overhead, and I dart into civics. Skylar is sitting in the back near the windows. I don’t know why, but my feet carry me to the back. She glances up at the dry-erase board then back down at the notebook on her desk while her hand writes vigorously. I slide into the seat right in front of hers.

“Seriously?” she growls.

“You’re welcome.”

I open my notebook to a free page and start writing down everything from the board. I’m almost done copying the second sentence when a rush of pain blossoms through the back of my head. I swivel in my seat and glare at her. “What the hell was that for?” I rub the back of my head and she smirks.

“For being nice. I don’t like it. I don’t trust you, and whatever crap you got up your sleeve, I’m not falling for it. So drop the nice act and get to it. What’s the real agenda here?”

I can’t say I’m surprised that she’s asking me this. She’s not stupid. Anyone can tell that from looking at her class schedule. “I’d love to chat about this now but this will have to wait until dinnertime,” I whisper.

“You do that.”

Our teacher Mr. Munzo slaps the board with a long pointer and says, “Class, as you all know, this is Civics 101. Today we’re going to be covering the topics written on the board. Please open the book that is already on your desk to the inside cover. Write your name in the margin. When I call your name, read off the number marked in red at the top, left-hand corner. Once we have this all done, turn to page thirty-five and start reading the chapter.”

Chapter 13

Skylar

Mr. Munzo calls out names, and numbers are rattled off one by one from all over the room. The class seems to talk amongst themselves, not really caring what name is next on the list. That is, until he says, “Skylar Fletcher?”

Silence. Dead silence.

If a pin dropped you’d hear the clang bounce off all four walls. Everyone except Caleb scans the room as Mr. Munzo repeats my name. I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and let my voice carry, “Eleven.”

“Thank you. Moving on. Ryan Granger?”