Lesson Six - People Are More What They Hide Than What They Show.
"What do you want?"
Riker had leaned up against my car as soon as I parked it. That only meant one of two things. He either wanted to torture me about my mother being back or he wanted something. Probably both actually, I wouldn't put it past him.
Looking over him I noticed he had gotten a new tattoo on the back of his hand. A rose tattoo I wasn't going to lie I was a sucker for tattoos. I also hated how they made him look so much better looking as well.
"You know your mother is living in my house right?" There was a type of taunting in his voice but I didn't really care. I had better things to worry about than where the woman was living.
Scoffing I slammed my door closed mentally saying sorry to my car for my actions. "I don't care what the crazy bitch does as long as it doesn't involve me."
Trapping me between his arms and the car I could see his face clearly at this distance. Sharp jawline and pitch black hair. His deep grey eyes were watching me carefully almost trying to find any reaction.
He was looking for a reaction that was all in wanted in this situation.
I'd rather be damned than show him that any of this was getting under my skin.
I'd also be lying if I didn't say he was fit. All the men in the Kennedy family were but there was something different about him, there was something darker.
There was a rumour going around that Ace didn't pass up the opportunity to take over their fathers business.
It was their father that didn't want him to take it over.
He had wanted Riker to inherit it.
Standing here in front of him I could see why that could be true. There was something about his presence that screamed power and with power came control.
I'd rather burn than let him have any control over me.
"Princess we both know your mother isn't going to stick around for long." He whispered it almost like he didn't want anyone else to hear but there was no one about. I had arrived late but I was sure most of the student body was watching from the windows.
Calming my racing heart, I looked him square in the eyes.
This was a challenge, and I took it head on.
"Oh I know that. She's the type of woman that doesn't stick around anywhere long." I didn't know what he was getting at with this. Coming here and cornering me by my own car wasn't something had completely expected. But I also wasn't caught off guard, I was always ready for anything he threw my way.
"My dad knows that too." Agreed Riker with a nod of his head. "It won't be long before he gets what he wants from her though."
Narrowing my eyes I studied him carefully. He knew something I didn't about my own mother and I didn't like it. He knew what was really going on. The one thing that had stopped me from getting a good nights sleep last night.
"Which is what?"
"Only a matter of time before you find out princess." With that kissed me on the check and walked away. I knew that was pay back for kissing him a few days ago but I didn't care about any of that.
There was something he knew and I didn't and it was about my own family.
That didn't settle well with me.
Anything that Xavier Kennedy would want from my mother would be connected to my family and that wasn't a good sign.
The details of what my mother got when my parents got divorced wasn't something I had ever cared to learn. Now that Xavier was playing a dangerous game I was more than curious to know.
After all that was the only thing I see her having that Xavier would want.
A few hours later and it was now lunch time.
Sky had dived for me when she seen me in the lunch hall. Clearly hearing the rumours about me and Riker from earlier she had started questioning me.
For the students that seen our exchange from the windows, I'm sure it looked like something was going on from how close we were. Then there was the kiss on the check. It's all I've been hearing about all day and I knew Riker knew what he was doing when he did it.
He wanted to cause trouble and he was doing just that.
"What the fuck happened between you and the smoking hot Kennedy earlier." Squealed Sky for the hundredth time as she basically threw her lunch tray down on the table. I watched as a bit of food flew off the plate but she didn't care.
"Nothing he was just asking me something." I replied taking another bite of my food. I hoped the less interested I seemed in the topic the quicker she would drop it.
Of course I was talking about my best friends right now and that would never happen.
Anything that happened in my life seemed to be the most interesting thing to go about this school.
"They said he kissed you on the check." Shrugged Jake as he ate his food. Thankfully he didn't seem to think it was a big deal either and I silently thanked him for that.
"Because he did. I think it was probably pay back for when I kissed him on Friday." I responded like it was no big deal taking another bite of my food.
Jake started to choke on his food and I just looked at him amused as Sky looked at me not sure what to say.
The whole scene was funny if you asked me. In fact I was thinking about signing up our school for a reality TV show. Imagine how much we could all make just from that.
"You did what?!" Asked Jake as he finally stopped dying and looked at me with wide eyes.
Maybe he did care about the situation more than I first thought.
"It's not what you think." I rolled my eyes at what they were thinking. Riker would be the last person I would go out with.
"I don't want to know what was going through your head. Plus I thought you were still seeing Dayton?" asked Sky trying to gather all the information she could. She loved when stuff like this was happening.
Drama was always the best thing to happen when it wasn't your own drama.
Swallowing the food I was eating I spoke up again. "It's not really seeing each other, we just mess around now and again. We actually haven't talked to each other for a few days."
"Is that wise?"
"Why?" I asked Jake curiously as I kept eating.
Food was life.
"Him and Riker are close."
"What has that got to do with anything." I asked not really paying any attention at all.
"Don't you think maybe Riker is planning something?"
Finishing off my food I rolled my eyes for what was probably the millionth time.
My friends were sometimes too paranoid.
Riker was good but he wasn't that good. I was the one to talk to Dayton first and frankly when Riker seen use kissing a few days ago he look just as surprised about the news as anyone.
"You guys need to stop worrying about Riker. I can handle the idiot myself."
"If you say so." Said Sky in a singsong voice as she started to eat her food.
I knew I could handle someone like Riker Kennedy.
The real issue was having his whole family to deal with. What ever they were planning I needed to make sure I was prepared for it.
After all you should always be ten steps ahead of your opponents.
***********
Sitting in maths definitely wasn't the highlight of my day.
Don't get me wrong compared the 99.9% of the population that hated it I was one of those people that actually understood everything the teacher said.
That was probably because I have been dealing with numbers my whole life. My dad has been teaching me about the family business for as long as I could remember.
The reason it wasn't the highlight of my day was because Riker Kennedy was sitting at the table beside me and he was going out of his way to be annoying.
"I'm going to kill you." I snapped making the teachers head turn to look at us both giving the both of us the dirtiest look known to man.
"Miss Anderson do not interrupt my class."
"Sorry." I replied under my breath but kept glaring at Riker who was trying not to laugh. His hand was covering his mouth trying to hide his amusement.
It wasn't working that was for sure I'm pretty sure the whole class could see it.
"Those are big words, princess." His voice was low as he made sure the teacher, Mr Kyle didn't hear us. The man hated me and I had a feeling he was going to hate me even more after today.
"They won't be just words in a minute if you don't stop." I kicked his foot away from the side of my chair. He was sliding me across the floor as I wrote down notes.
I'm surprised Mr Kyle wasn't flipping at the sound of my chair scraping against the floor.
"Now don't be mean to your soon to be step brother."
He was trying to get under my skin.
He was.
He would never be my step brother. He will never be 'my' anything. Frankly if I could get rid of him right now I'd box him up and send him the fuck away.
Does anyone want him?
"You'll never be my step brother." Keeping my voice down I tried to pay attention to what was being said in class. At this point though I was completely lost as Riker kept annoying me anyway possible.
He was now poking me in the arm with his pen.
"Maybe I could be your Step Dad." He smirked at me as he continued. We both knew he would never go after my mom doing something like that just wasn't his style. He was just trying to get under my skin. "Your mom might be a gold digger but she is good looking."
Narrowing my eyes at him I gave him a warning. "Will you just shut up. Even my mom has higher standards than you and that's saying something."
"Am I interrupting your talk?" Looking up I seen Mr Kyle who was now standing directly in front of us. I hoped he didn't hear too much of our conversation.
Probably did, teachers always heard everything.
"Yes. Actually you are, so if you don't mind." I looked at Riker like he was crazy. He must be the only person what would say something like that. I didn't know if he was brave or stupid.
"Mr Kennedy I don't like your tone." Mr Kyle narrowed his eyes at Riker but Riker seemed to pay no attention to it as he looked back at me.
"Step dad definitely sounds better than Step brother you have to admit."
"I'm going to kill you if you don't shut your trap." The whole class was now looking at us but I didn't care.
He was pissing me off.
"Now, now you don't want to get grounded." He winked at me and all I wanted to do was use my maths book and slam it against his head.
"You know what-"
"Will you both shut up!"
Me and Riker turned to look at Mr Kyle who I'll admit I forgot was even there. His face was red in anger and I didn't blame him. The whole classes attention was on us and I knew the rumours would be starting soon.
That's just what I needed. More rumours to join this day.
"Go to the office." Mr Kyle seemed to gain back his composure and walked back to the front of the class.
Grabbing my books I sent a glare at Riker. This was all his fault but he looked pretty proud of himself. As he grabbed his books and followed my lead out of the class. I actually couldn't believe I had just got thrown out of class and this time it had nothing to do with what I had done.
It was normally my smart ass mouth that got me in these situations. This time though it was the annoying teenage boy standing a few feet away. As we walked down the hall I stopped at my locker and threw my books in it with so much force they slammed into the back of it.
"You're not actually going to the office are you?"
Looking at Riker I gave him a weird look. I wasn't one for rules but I did do what I was told in this place.
It was the one deal my dad had made me make. He didn't care what I did or how I behaved but I needed to make sure I showed respect. "Why would I not? I was told to go."
"We won't get in trouble our parents pretty much own this school. Mr Walker won't do anything. He will just give us a slap on the wrist and tell us to go back to class."
Riker had a point. Our parents paid for everything in this school, Mr Walker wouldn't dare do something too us for fear our parents would take away the money.
That didn't mean that I shouldn't do what I was told.
Kind of.
"Come on let's skip." He had the keys of his motorbike in his hand. I didn't know what he had planned but I didn't like it.
Or even care to do it in the first place.
There was something wild in his eyes something that no one in his family possessed.
Something that told me that's why his dad had picked him to become the one to take over he business.
He didn't hold fear.
He was willing to take risks more so than me. I knew in that moment that if I couldn't match that wildness and risk taking nature my fathers company was going to be in trouble.
My fathers company always came out on top when it came against the Kennedy's but that was because my father was more cunning than Xavier Kennedy.
Riker looked like what he had was something better than cunning.
"Princess, are you even listening to me."
"No not one word frankly." It was a lie but I didn't care.
"Alright then have fun in the office. I'm away." He said taking a few steps back and started to make his way to the door. The guards paid no attention to him just they like with me the other day.
"Are you actually leaving?" I shouted after him as he walked away but he just put his hand up and waved, not replying.
It was official.
I hate him.