Path of Destruction (Broken Heartland, #2)(31)
She turned completely around in here chair to glare at him. Which was pretty much what he’d been hoping for minus the evil eye.
“You know what really surprises me? That you haven’t changed at all. You’re still the same arrogant, self-centered ass that showed up expecting everyone to drop to their knees because the mighty Hayden Prescott had arrived.” She paused to huff out a breath. “Well guess what? This time you don’t get your way. No matter what you say or what your deal with the Princess of Summit Bluff is or was, I don’t want to do this with you. I just want to be left the hell alone. Okay? Can you understand that?”
Her breath was coming faster and he could see the pain shadowing her face.
“Baby, I…” Hayden leaned forward.
“No,” she said, her voice wavering for the first time. “I am not going to be anyone’s baby. Not now and probably not ever. Just…stop. If you care about me at all, just leave me be. After break, I’ll be back in Hope’s Grove, where I belong, and you can forget we ever met. That’s what I’ll be trying to do.”
Her words struck him hard and fast, like being bitten repeatedly by an angry viper.
She turned around and pulled her knees to her chest in her seat. The girls beside her looked at her like she’d sprouted additional limbs.
“What a freaking head case,” he heard one of them whisper to her friend.
Hayden sighed and leaned back in his seat. Yeah, she kind of was. But she had reason to be. And even if was just in his mind, she was his head case.
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,” their principal greeted them over the loud speakers. Dr. Campbell was overweight, overbearing, and sporting a majorly obvious comb over. “We want to first congratulate you on your success this semester. Combining rival schools was a risk, but we couldn’t be happier at how smoothly the transition has gone. Perhaps the storm that destroyed Hope’s Grove High was a blessing in disguise.”
Hayden saw the tremor that rocked Ella Jane’s shoulders.
The auditorium remained deathly silent.
“Secondly, we want to wish you all a safe and happy holiday break. Regardless of your religion or beliefs, we hope that you will enjoy your time with your friends and family.”
Some kids from the AV club wheeled out two giant projection screens and placed them on either side of the one that lowered electronically from the ceiling as the lights dimmed. Vice Principal Gleeson stepped over to the podium and her voice reached a dramatic hushed level.
“And now, the reason we’ve called this assembly. We have a very exciting announcement to share with you.”
Hayden leaned forward. He could see that Ella Jane remained rigid in her seat. Her sweet sunshine-and-floral scent surrounded him and he ached to reach out to her. Whatever was coming was big, and since they’d called the tornado that had taken several lives a blessing, he had a feeling it wasn’t good.
He was right.
“Hope’s Grove students,” the administrator at the podium continued, “We would like to formally welcome you to Summit Bluffs High School. Permanently. Instead of returning to your local community center to be crammed into small rooms while trying to learn in an environment that will hardly be conducive to doing so, we have petitioned the school board to allow us to use the insurance funds to build an additional wing here at Summit Bluffs. In addition, we’ll be building a larger football stadium and field house as well to accommodate our expanding athletic teams. This week, we learned that our petition has been granted.”
Applause broke out across the room when large-scale images of a new wing, stadium, and field house were revealed. Athletes whooped and hollered. People stood on their feet.
But Hayden ignored them. Because the only person whose reaction mattered had stood up and walked out.
He closed his eyes and contemplated following her. Consoling her. Telling her it would be okay and that he was here for her and that she didn’t have to be so completely miserable at Summit Bluffs.
Her words repeating in his head stopped him.
“If you care about me at all, just leave me be.”
He didn’t know if this was possible, but he cared about her enough to try.
“Don’t f*cking threaten me,” Hayden heard his dad say into the phone. “I can have that entire town bought and sold in under a week.”
Judging from the acidic edge to his father’s razor sharp voice, now was not a good time for Hayden to mention that he wasn’t entirely sure where his grandma was.
Holiday break had been a nightmare. Hope’s Grove First Baptist Church was taking a break from the rebuild, which left Hayden at home more, trying to steer his grandma clear of trouble. For whatever reason, his dad had been more on edge lately—on his case more about not having taken as many risky bets on ball games in the fall and how much more he’d have to book during basketball and baseball season.
“I got that kid to shave those points, Richie. I can do it again if I have to. Stop hassling me about this bullshit.”
Hayden backed slowly out of the kitchen. But before he was out of earshot, he heard one more statement he wished he hadn’t.
“Nickelson is in my pocket. Hell, my son even sticks it to his daughter on a regular basis. The money for the stadium is as good as ours and the fundraiser cover-up is already in place.”
Hayden closed his eyes. The comment about Cami made him sick to his stomach. Had he chosen Cameron for himself or had his dad? He honestly couldn’t remember that far back.