Broken Hill High (Broken Hill High #1)(23)

“Alright,” she smiles before turning hopeful. “It’s not too late to change your mind.”

“Still not going,” I tell her.

She rolls her eyes and blows me a kiss. “Love you, party pooper.”

“Love you, too,” I laugh. “Remember to use protection.”

With that, she pulls away and I hear her laughter flowing freely through her open window. As she disappears down the driveway, I turn around and face the big house.

A moment later, I push through the front door and head up the stairs to find my things. It’s time to put this day to rest.





Chapter 8


I wake on Saturday morning feeling like absolute shit. My head aches, my body aches, and my poor little nose is all stuffy. I peel my eyes open into the bright light that’s streaming into my room and groan as I push myself up to sitting. I’d say I’ve got the flu.

I reach across and hit the little circle button on my phone to see the time, but instead, I find a crapload of text messages and wonder how on earth I didn’t hear my phone going off all night.

I grab my phone off the bedside table and bring my hands down into my lap as I read through them.

Josh – Baby. You coming?

Josh – Where are you?

Brooke – Holy crap! This party is awesome! Get your shit together and get down here!

Josh – I thought you wanted to party?

Brooke – OMG!!!!!! Dickhead just showed up. I think he’s looking for you. OH NO! He’s coming this way!!!!! SAVE ME, TORA!!!!!!

Brooke – Yuuuup! Nate’s definitely looking for you. You’re in trouble, missy! He said something about his cigarettes.

Unknown – Where the hell are you, Tori?

Unknown – Tora?

Unknown – Damn it, Tora. Stop ignoring me. Where are you?

Josh – Did you seriously stand me up?

Brooke – BEST NIGHT EVER!!!!!!!!

I lay back down on my bed with a groan. First off. Josh can get stuffed. I’m not in the mood to deal with that crap right now. Second, I know it says unknown, but there’s no mistaking who was sending those messages, and to be honest, I have no idea how the hell he found my number. It doesn’t matter anyway as that’s another message I won’t be responding to.

I bring my phone up above me and bring up a new text to Brooke.

Tora – Sorry I didn’t respond to your messages. I was dead asleep. How’d your night go? Did you finally seal the deal with Maxen?

Brooke – Shit, Tora. What are you doing????? It’s only nine in the morning!! No Maxen, he was a little busy with his head between Elle’s legs. I’ll catch him next time!

Tora – WHAT??? Elle strayed from the football team? NEVER!!!!

Brooke – I know! There’s going to be trouble in cheer practice on Monday. Little miss pom-poms broke the rules! Speaking of the football team… Josh was looking for you all night… so was the broody asshole.

Tora – Ugh! Don’t remind me. They can both go to hell!

Brooke – Whoa! Laying it on thick this morning.

Tora – Sorry, I’m not feeling well.

Brooke – THEN GO BACK TO SLEEP.

With that, I put my phone down beside me and close my eyes. My head continues to pound and my nose needs a good blow. Reluctantly, I peel myself off my bed and start searching through my desk drawers for the painkillers that I threw in here after the migraine I had a few weeks ago.

I find them sitting at the bottom of the drawer and grab them before heading into the bathroom for a glass of water. I send them straight down the hatch and work on blowing my nose before deciding I may as well take a nice hot shower.

I stand under the welcome stream of hot water, letting it wash away all my troubles… well, not really, the second I step out of the shower they’re all going to be right where I left them, but at least in this box of steam, I can pretend.

I wash and condition my hair before shaving my legs. I mean, if I’m destined to feel like crap today then I might as well look good doing it.

I turn off the taps and reach for my towel before stepping out and looking at myself in the mirror. I get myself all dried up and wrap the towel around me. I pull open the door and go to cross my room when I pull myself to an alarming stop at the person lying in my bed.

My mouth drops open as Jesse Ryder lays with his head squished into my pillow, watching me gawking back at him in my towel. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I shriek as I pull my towel tighter around me, pleased I decided not to strut out here in my birthday suit like I usually do.

“I’ve come to get you,” he tells me. “The order has been given and I will be delivering.”

My face scrunches up as I study him. “What are you talking about?”

“Nate wants you back at our place,” he explains.

“Ugh,” I groan before crossing the room towards my closet and searching through my clothes. “I’m sorry you got your ass out of bed and came over here, but it’s not going to happen. Nate is an asshole and if he wants me to play along with his twisted games, then he owes me an apology first.”

“Ha,” Jesse barks out. “That’s never going to happen.”

“Then you might as well get going,” I say, pulling out a pair of jeans and some underwear.