The Rebel of Raleigh High (Raleigh Rebels #1)(84)
“I’ve always been cooler than you, Moretti.”
Alex reaches out, taking a piece of flyaway hair and tucking it behind my ear. His hand cups the side of my face, and I lean into his touch. I feel so damn light. Like I could lift up off the ground and just…float away. “I think you may be right,” he says under his breath.
“What the fuck is this?”
The sour, angry note to the voice at my right brings me crashing back down to earth. It’s Zen. And behind her, Kacey…
Both of them are wearing their cheerleading skirts, white socks pulled up to their knees, and matching expressions of disbelief. “Alex?” Zen says sharply. “I thought after the other night, you and I might be spending some time together.” She sounds reproving, like she’s telling him off. Alex looks to me, eyebrows raised, like I might be able to explain why the fuck she’s speaking to him like that.
“Don’t look at me,” I say, laughing quietly. “This one’s all you.”
“Was I even speaking to you, slut?” Zen sneers.
In a heartbeat, Alex's back is straight, shoulders drawn back, anger flashing like liquid mercury in his eyes. “Watch your fucking mouth,” he growls. “Call her that again, and we're gonna have issues.”
Zen’s mouth falls open. She looks stung. Hurt, even. “But…I’m sorry. I don’t get it.” She screws her eyes closed, shaking her head, curls bouncing. “Silver’s scum, Alex. She’s a fucking nobody. Everyone at this school knows she’s poison. You can’t seriously want her over me.”
“I’d take just about anybody over you, but that’s beside the point. Silver’s fucking magnificent. She has more brain cells in her little finger than you spiteful, nasty little cunts have to squabble over between you. The fact that she’d even look at me twice makes me the luckiest bastard in the world. Now kindly fuck off. We’re bored of looking at your average, ordinary faces.”
Holy fucking shit. Alex can’t know much about Kacey and the girls I used to call friends, but he couldn’t have thrown a better insult if he’d tried. Average? Ordinary? Fuck me. Kacey’s spent every waking moment of her life doing everything in her considerable power to make sure everyone around her sees just how extraordinary she is. She glowers at Alex over Zen’s shoulder, her fury twisting her features into a mask of hatred.
“You really shouldn’t have said that, Alessandro. You’re a lowly piece of trash we decided to pick up off the side of the road out of the goodness of our hearts. Most guys at Raleigh would have ripped their own right arm out of the socket to be given a front row seat at that show we put on for you. You do not reject us.”
“Funny. I seem to recall rejecting you over…and over…and over…”
Kacey grabs Zen by the arm, digging her fingernails into her skin. She looks like she’s about to go nuclear. “You have no right to insult my friend.”
Alex’s expression is blank, untroubled, as he steps forward and leans down, shoving his face into Kacey’s. His voice is frighteningly calm as he says, “The insult was for the both of you. That’s a nice act though, playing the good little friend. I’ve heard all about how you really stand up for the people around you. I thought you were more of a leave-’em-broken-and-bleeding-in-the-gutter-after-the-boy-you-like-raped-’em kinda girl.”
Oh no. Oh no, no, no. I don’t want this. I won’t be able to handle this if he says one more thing about…
“I mean, what kind of lowlife does that?” he snarls. “Who’s jealous of a girl for being assaulted, for fuck’s sake? There must be something seriously wrong in that coked-out brain of yours, Winters. I almost feel sorry for you. I can only imagine the therapy bill…”
“You’re dead,” Kacey snaps. “Fucking dead. Jacob’s going to fucking murder you when he finds out what you just said to me.”
Alex tuts under his breath. “You think I haven’t dealt with worse than you and Jacob Weaving, little girl? You people may have money. Your parents might be stuck up assholes who think they’re too good for the rest of this town, but do you honestly think you can beat me down with an empty threat? Jake isn’t gonna do shit to me. He’s going to end his campaign against Silver. He’s going to give her a wide berth if he knows what’s good for him. And while Silver’s deciding if she wants to change her mind and have me permanently disfigure him for what he did to her, you psychos are going to avert your eyes any time either one of us walks by you in the hallway. Do…you…hear…me?”
Kacey blinks rapidly, shrinking back on herself. To be fair, she doesn't look away, but the set jaw and her defiant sneer aren't fooling anyone, least of all me. He's obviously scared her. It's a miracle that I'm even capable of such emotion, but…I feel sorry for her. Students have gathered around in fives and sixes, all watching the exchange, and no one has come to her aid. Some of my classmates are even laughing behind their hands, whispering to one another with smiles in their eyes.
This is what it’s like, Kacey. This is what humiliation feels like. Stings, doesn’t it?
Zen’s the one who pulls Kacey away. She spits and curses, shoving me out of the way, dragging Kace behind her. Kacey yells back at us, though, ever the one to get the last word in.