Broken Hill High (Broken Hill High #1)(57)

I walk through the school on Monday morning on the way to my locker and the first thing I notice is that she isn’t here, though, her car was in the lot so I know she’s here somewhere, she’s probably just avoiding me. I even managed to get here early so I could have a chance to talk with her but I guess it’s going to be a waiting game.

Josh, however, is here. He comes striding up to me and leans against the locker beside mine. “Is there something you need?” he questions.

“I heard you were giving it up for Nate,” he says.

I flick my eyes up towards him and see a hint of anger behind his eyes. “What’s the matter, Josh?” I question. “Jealous that I could be interested in someone other than you?”

“No,” he scoffs. “Just wanted to see if the rumors were true. You know, the second he gets what he wants out of you, he’s going to move on.”

“You mean, the same way you would have?” I question. “The only difference between you and Nate is that he wouldn’t have to get me drunk first.”

His eyes narrow and I see I’ve hit a sore spot. He must hate that he’s the quarterback and is supposed to be the most popular guy in school but no matter how hard he tries; all the attention is still on Nate and Jesse. Josh has a handful of cheer skanks and that’s about it.

I slam my locker and turn to face him front on. “You know, while we’re on the topic of the differences between you and Nate, I might as well point out that he would never take advantage of a girl.” Josh’s brows pull down, unsure of what I’m talking about. “Nate would never allow some jealous bitch to talk him into sexually assaulting another girl just so she could get her petty revenge and humiliate her in front of the whole school.”

His eyes widen as he realizes that I know all about his and Elle’s plan to strip me naked and have him assault me on camera. I step in dangerously close and tilt my chin up towards him. “Just so you know,” I whisper. “If you even think about touching me again, I’ll destroy you.”

A hand comes down on the locker beside me while another takes possession of my waist before a strong body presses into my back. “Is there something you need, Josh?” Nate says from behind me.

I sink into him while ignoring the eyes of everyone in the hallway. Josh’s eyes flick down to me and I grin back up at him with a promise to follow through on what I’d just told him. “All good,” Josh says before stepping back and turning away. He walks off down the hall and I turn around to face Nate. “Hey,” I say quietly.

“What did he want?” he asks.

“He wanted to know if I’d let you screw me over yet.”

“And what did you tell him?”

“That I’d prefer you to screw me over than him.”

The corner of his mouth lifts in one hell of a sexy smirk as he looks down at me. “Hell yeah, you did,” he says. “Though why do I feel like you’re only telling me half the story?”

“Because I am,” I say as I push up onto my tippy toes and press a kiss to his lips, again, not caring about the eyes on us and the gasps that are heard all over the room.

I step away from him to find Brooke watching us with a scowl. She turns away, slams her locker door and storms up the hallway. “Shit,” I groan as I sink back into Nate.

He wraps his hand around my waist and kisses my neck. “She’ll come around,” he tells me before he releases me and walks away.

I lean back against my locker and give Courtney and Bec a smile as they come and go while I wait out the warning bell. Ten long minutes later, it finally rings and I make my way to my first class of the week by myself.

I fall down into my chair, pleased that by the third week everyone has decided to stick with the spot they chose the first week of class, meaning all other spots are taken when Brooke walks in. She scrunches up her face when she walks in and realizes that it’s time to face the music.

She walks forward and takes her seat beside me while doing a fantastic job of looking anywhere but at me. “Brooke,” I say before sighing as she continues to ignore me. “You have to talk to me at some point.”

She looks over at me as Mr. Miller turns to face the class “No, I don’t,” she says as Nate strolls in through the door, not giving a single fuck that he’s late again. Though, it makes me wonder where the hell he goes every morning. I mean, I only saw him ten minutes ago, it’s not like he was late for school. My wondering is cut short as Brooke narrows her eyes. “Oh, look,” she snaps. “It’s your secret boyfriend.”

“Brooke,” I groan as Nate walks past me and touches my shoulder on the way. I lower my voice as to not gain the attention of Mr. Miller. “He’s not my boyfriend. We’re just…” cringe.

“Just what?” she demands.

I look back at Mr. Miller who’s scowling at us and I give Brooke an apologetic look before facing the front.

Brooke scoffs and shakes her head. “That’s what I thought,” she murmurs under her breath.

I open to a new page on my notebook and silently rip a page out before writing down a note.

Can we talk about this?

I slide the note across to her and watch as she reads over it, I expect her to scrunch it up, but instead, she writes out a reply before sliding it back across to me.