The Resident Badboy

Chapter 23 • Rivals Of The Year

           As soon as Paul pull's away from me, a hand grabs him by the shoulder and drags him back. The hand belongs to no other than his bestfriend, Ian, who's glaring at him for what I sense is because of his lack of tact.

           "Let's go," Allison says in a low voice but with pure authority that made every single athletes and Prescott bystanders scurry away from the scene.

           I guess she's now the boss given that she's got a better view of my book and probably even took a page or two. If anything, I'm proud. She could be the best but she can never be me. I watch them all go except for one.

           "Hey," he smiles at me and I smirk back. He shakes his head in a you-still-hasn't-changed kind of way before taking a step forward.

           "Clarke," I acknowledge him.

           He then engulfs me in a brief brotherly hug. "You know they're just acting like that because..." he trails off.

           Even though Lexus people are behind me and are taking the scene, I will still do and say whatever want to. Prescott means a lot to me too. They could go all ballistic and hurt later but Clarke has always been the realest and the less biased of all.

           "Because they felt betrayed," I continue his sentence and he nods slightly.

           Clarke reaches for my arm and squeezes it. "And also because they're kinda hoping you'll withdraw from this."

           Of course they would. I've shared a different kind of connection—or should I say relationship—with them and no mother ever turns her back from those she had raised. I then feel sets of eyes heavy on my back. I'm not going to say this for the sake of Lexus feelings.

           "Clarke, you know I won't. They are my people, too," I say in a plain voice which surprisingly Clarke takes as sincere for he smiles at me and nods understandingly.

           "I know, babe," he pulls me towards him and plants a soft and chaste kiss on my forehead. Austin and Jace crosses my mind but leaves as fast as it had come.

           "Just do what you have to do," I tell him. It's my way of somehow saying that I've never forgotten where I came from. My heart did not split into two. I grew another one of the other.

           "It's really good to see you, Harley. We all feel the same," he says and after one lingering look, he's off to babysit my little Prescott wolves.

           Relief floods through me as the thought of Clarke and fair few other keeping those who've gone rabid at bay. Prescott will do what they know they need to do for the school. Even if it means they have to forget me and everything we've all shared before.

           That's fine by me.

           A hand suddenly places itself on my shoulder, starting me a little, and when I look up, I see Grayson staring down at me with unhooded and uncaring expression. "Let's go, babe."

           Those who have ears that heard what he had just said and minds that were able to decipher who's Grayson is copying, chuckles. I, on the other hand, raises my eyebrow at him.

           "We all need to talk," I jerk his hand off of me in a violent and irritated manner that catches him by surprise. I force a smile to him before turning to everyone. "Let me tell all of you how your actions and your tempers, when not leashed, will result to Lexus' downfall. Meet me at my room in an hour."