Trouble at Brayshaw High (Brayshaw, #2)(6)

Anger and cageyness stare back but he blinks them away, a mask now slipped in their place. He walks away without a word.

I jerk forward, ready to go after him but I force my feet still, reminding myself the shift in the house is my fault and the way I’m reacting to it isn’t who I am.

I’m not a frail girl affected by the actions of a broody boy.

So I locked him out twice now, so what?

With a sigh, I toss the weak ass joint to the carpet and drop back on the mattress where I stay for the remainder of the day.

Yeah, I’m not even fooling myself.

This is gonna suck.





I’m stuffing my phone back in my pocket right as Cap walks in. “That was Leo,” I say.

“And?” Captain pushes.

“He said Coach ran into Perkins’ office and slammed the door shut.”

“The fuck?” Royce steps closer.

“I have no fucking idea.”

“We can’t even miss a fucking day anymore without shit going south.” Cap shakes his head, annoyed by all the bullshit.

Raven comes down the stairs right then and all our stares lift.

She stops in her tracks, her eyes flying between the three of us as her slow steps carry her farther down. While her features remain perfectly expressionless, I know those eyes and dread bleeds through the stormy grey.

“We leave in five.” I don’t look at anyone as I say it, and I’m in the car before they’ve even had a chance to grab their shit.

I glare at the traitorous orchards as I wait.

Until two nights ago, I liked the seclusion of the trees that surround us, blocking us from the outside world, but the dark blanket it provides helped her get out without tipping us off to what direction she went.

Where’d you go, baby, and why you pulling away?

I groan, running my hands down my face.

She’s making me a weak bitch. Maybe the distance she’s forcing is what I need to fucking detach a little.

Maybe I should tie her ass to the bed, legs spread, arms out, and show her some pretty pain to make her talk?

A grunt leaves me, and I hit the steering wheel, hiding my eyes behind my shades as the three exit the house.

They slide into their seats, and knowing something is happening with Perkins, we skip the donut shop and are pulling into the parking lot of the school in minutes.

“What’s our plan here?” Royce questions angrily.

“No plan,” I tell him. “We go in and figure out what the fuck is going on.”

Royce nods and steps ahead, Raven following behind him.

Cap trails a little slower, so I stay at his pace, meeting his stare when he looks to me. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

I frown at the building thinking the same damn thing.

“Let’s go.”

Leo meets us at the door, Royce already standing there grilling him, Raven at his side.

“Coach is out now, but they’re already in the gym getting ready for the assembly,” he tells us.

“Fuck.” I shake my head. “I forgot about that shit.”

Leo nods. “I think you should wait until after.”

“I think you should keep your thoughts to yourself,” Royce bites back with what the three of us are thinking.

Leo tenses, but quickly shakes it off, moving out of the way with a tight shrug.

I meet Cap’s stare.

“Let’s go in, we’ll pull his ass out.” Royce yanks the door open and we step through.

Soon as we’re inside, the bell rings and people rush to take a seat, but we head straight for Coach.

He quickly breaks from Perkins and rushes our way, his face etched in anger. “Sit. And stay sitting.”

“Talk, and talk now,” I demand.

He glares but does as he’s told. “Your dad called. I’ll explain, but I need you boys not to fight me on this, no matter how bad you want to.” He looks between the three of us, his eyes pausing a brief moment on Raven before he walks off only to turn back one more time. “Sit.”

Royce’s jaw clenches, but he only groans and moves for our seats – the first-row of bleachers in the center of the rest.

Captain moves next.

Coach Brail is one of the only people we trust around here when we’re forced to count on other people, but even I admit right now it’s real fucking hard to keep my cool when tension is so fucking high between us all. To say we’re on edge is an under-fucking-statement.

The office lady turns to usher Raven off, but I stop her before she can speak on it. “She sits with us.”

The woman clamps her mouth shut and gives a tight-lipped nod.

As soon as I drop my ass down, Coach catches my eye, narrowing his own. He tips his chin.

“The fuck’s he trying to say, Madman?” Royce hisses beside me.

I shake my head slowly. “I have no fucking clue, but he wants us to stay in line.”

“Fuck him,” Royce quips and I can’t say I’m not on the same wavelength of thinking. “It’s our fucking line, he’s lucky we let his ass on it.”

The crowd dies down as Perkins pulls the microphone to his mouth.

“Good morning everyone,” he addresses the room. “It’s an exciting time, and even with our ... unexpected and disappointing loss this week, we’re going into playoffs tonight as the number one seed over Graven Prep.”