Broken Hill High (Broken Hill High #1)(6)

I worm my hand up in between us and try my hardest to shove him away. “I wouldn’t let you into my bed if you were the last man on earth,” I spit. “You’re nothing but a pig, Nate.”

He laughs to himself before wrapping his arm right around my waist and pulling me hard against him, making a breath escape me. “You fucking love it, babe,” he says as he runs his nose up the length of my neck. A moment later, he releases me without warning and I fall back into the brick wall.

He turns his back on me and walks back down to his car as he lifts his dirty cigarette to his mouth before a puff of smoke comes billowing around him and disappears into the night sky. My hands ball into fists at my side while my teeth clench down on one another. I want nothing more than to storm up to him and smack him.

God. I take it all back. Nate Ryder does know how to get a rise out of me. Most of the time, I can control myself, but then there are times like this. It’s like he knows when I’m at my weakest and he uses it against me, then BAM, he gets me right where it hurts.

I take a few calming breaths before heading back inside. After all, now I only have a few minutes to find Brooke and drag her ass out of here kicking and screaming.

I find the girls back at the drinks table with Brooke and Bec seeing who can stomach the most shots. “Damn it,” I groan to myself as I reach them. “Brooke,” I call over the music. “We have to go.”

“No way in hell, sister,” she sings. “We’re doing shots.”

“I see that,” I tell her. “Now get your stubborn ass outside and into your car before my mother comes down here and makes you.”

She throws back one last shot before slamming the little glass down on the table and turning her glassy-eyed gaze on me. “Fine,” she groans. “But you better make it worth my while.”

“Don’t I always?” I grin.

She throws her arms around me and gestures toward the front entrance. “Alright, my fair prince. Take me home and give it to me hard.”

“Sure thing,” I laugh. “All night long.”

I don’t know how, but at precisely 12:58 am, I pull into my driveway and manage to get Brooke out of her car and up the driveway before dumping her into my bed.

I pull her heels off and laugh to myself as she promptly falls asleep.

“Is that you, Tori?” my mother calls down the hallway.

I stick my head out as to not wake up Brooke. “Yes,” I call back.

“Did you have a good time?” she questions.

“Define good?” I grunt.

“Oh dear,” she says. “Tell me all about it in the morning, k? Love you.”

“Love you too, mom,” I tell her before closing the door and walking over to my walk-in closet. I rip my dress over my head and get myself into my comfiest pajamas before ducking into my bathroom and washing the makeup off my face. I grab my hair elastic and tie my hair up into a bun before heading to bed.

I lay beside Brooke, wide awake and unable to get myself off to sleep as thoughts of my night continue replaying in my mind. It’s like an endless loop. Nate then Josh and repeat.

I mean, how could my last Friday night before senior year be so shitty? All I wanted was to enjoy myself with my girls, and instead, I get stuck with a guy who wants to use me for sex, and an asshole, desperate to make my blood boil.

Lucky me.

With nothing else to do, I reach across to my bedside table and find my Kindle before allowing myself to completely get lost in the world of ‘The Mortal Instruments’.

I don’t know when, but eventually, I must fall asleep as I wake up to sunlight streaming through the window and the sound of my parents' hushed conversation in the hallway.

I peel my Kindle off my face and groan as I push myself up out of bed. I slide my Kindle onto my bedside table and replace it with my phone. The screen lights up and I find a few text messages.

Bec – OMG!! You guys should have stayed. BEST NIGHT EVER!!!!

Courtney – Shit, you need to save me from Bec. She’s drunk off her face and dry humping that guy from her calculus class.

Courtney – Sorry, Tor… You should probably see this.

Courtney - DOWNLOAD ATTACHMENT

I hit download on the picture and watch as the little circle goes around and around. Then BAM. There he is, Josh Henderson pressed up against the wall with a blonde on her knees and his hand at the back of her head while she goes to town on him, right in the middle of the party.

Damn.

I knew that was way too good to be true.

I study the photo a little closer and take note of the way Josh’s eyes are closed in satisfaction as he tunes out all the partiers around him. It also doesn’t go unnoticed that none other than Nate Ryder is right there in the background, smirking at the scene before him.

I put my phone back down on the table. There’s nothing there that I should be paying attention to. I should just forget about it. For a moment I was on cloud nine thinking that Josh Henderson was actually into me. How wrong was I?

“Where're the pancakes?” Brooke groans from beside me as she squishes her face deeper into her pillows.

“Huh?” I grunt.

“Pancakes,” she says. “Your mom always makes us pancakes when I stay the night. I don’t smell them.”

I start sniffing around and realize she’s right. I certainly don’t smell any pancakes. “Come on,” I say, dragging Brooke up out of bed. “We might have to fend for ourselves today.”