And you know what I've learned while I was away...
Is that no matter how many times people try to pull you down or tell you you're not writing good enough, you need to get hell back up and write for yourself not for them. As long as you love what you do, those kind of people are irrelevant. You are relevant.
• • • •
We should be travelling on a Sunday morning not on a Saturday afternoon but due to the brilliant minds of horny teenagers and thirsty alcoholics, they managed to convince the school staff and even the Principal to send us away at this time of the day.
I guess my teammates are great actors more than I give them credit for.
From the day of the meeting until today, I am stuck with a beaming Bridget and a loud Evo Cullen who happens to have grown a liking with our company. Not that I can see violent reaction from Grayson and his friend, which we surprisingly don't. Jace and Austin distanced from me and I don't want to bother myself.
"Evoooooo!" growls an angry Jaron Allen, the blonde one of Grayson's friends. He is searching the bus for the vampire wanna-be and the subject of his pursuit is hiding by the seats and his body is literally on Bridget and I's laps.
"If you don't get the hell out of her lap, I will hand you over to Jaron," Grayson threatens.
The three of us look up at him. We didn't even notice he's close. Poor Evo reluctantly remove himself from his protections a.k.a Bridget & I and winces when Jaron exclaims.
"What the fuck did you do to him?" Bridget asks out of curiosity.
The absence of hostility between her and Grayson's friends is setting my curiosity level at its peak. I think I should stop overthinking this and accept the possibility that maybe the petty Queen is done with her pettiness over the other party.
But that's not really it.
"Mixed Icy Hot with his shampoo?" Evo says as he grins at us.
Bridget guffaws and I can't help but shake my head. Us girls look at each other and I know then and there what's going on inside her head. It's the same as mine. Evo is a natural prankster, could be a perfect fit for the Lexus Troublemakers.
"Guess he got a page or two from your book," Grayson says as he chuckles at his friend.
Jaron is getting closer and his fists are pumped into fist. I will to if anyone did that to me. I can't imagine how prickly his scalp is feeling.
"You are so fucking dead, Evo," he says as he lungs for the poor prankster. Nah, Evo's still lacking the sense of not being caught. My friends and I are professionals in that department.
"You don't have to get so angry at me," Evo says, half-confirming he did that. I absentmindedly face palm myself.
Bridget leans to him and whispers, "It's kinda your fault. You literally turned his head hot."
Evo glares at Bridget before he gets collared and pulled up by Jaron. I see no movement from Grayson. He doesn't look like he's close to preventing a fight and neither does Bridget and I.
"Hey, brother," Evo greets and half of the school bus chuckle. This boy is a natural.
"I kind of miss Jace," Bridget murmurs so low so that only I could hear. But as I look up, mighty Grayson is eavesdropping.
The door of the school bus opens and speak of the devil, Jace Whitely should appear. He has his duffel bag strap across his body and his eyes are half-searching for a place to sit on and for us, his girls.
As his eyes land on us, he sighs in relief. He walks his ways towards us only to sit down to a vacant place five or six seats away from us. Bridget nudges me, telling me she sees it too. I did my best not to react because that's who I'm supposed to be.
If the two of them are thinking that I'm going to break and buy their new level of pettiness, then they got another thing coming. They're the ones who suddenly distanced themselves to us without a solid reason. If it's all because I watched what happened between Aust and Grayson, they're delusion if they think I care.
"Okay okay okay, that's enough, you monkeys," a girl appears in between of Jaron and Evo.
She's one of Grayson's friends, one of those who seem to look at me like I'm a meal or I've grown a third head. A tough tomboy, as I see.
"Thank goodness for you, Sam," Evo sighs in relief and briefly hugs her before facing us again.
A hand grabs poor Evo by the collar and drags him to the adjacent seats. We all look at Grayson who's eyes are hard at him. "You're sitting with me."
I choose to ignore the suggestive looks, the wiggling of eyebrows and the silent chuckles from his friends. And even from my own bestfriend.
• • • •
It was a long and excruciating bus ride. Especially when you're surrounded by not just one but two fellow athletes who happen to have motion sickness. Even though you don't have one, once you get a sniff of their gut contents... you'll sure want to puke as well.
Evo's eyes are already forming tears due to his attempts of stopping himself from following suit. It's a hard thing to do but hello, his pride and dignity are in line if he didn't.
As the bus slowly stops, Coach rises from his seat at the very front and clears his throat. Now all eyes are on him. As if I'll listen to every word he'll say.
"House rules first people before I set you all out of this bus!" he shouts. He holds out a finger, gesturing for his first rule. "One, no one dares to come late tomorrow for the show game. Two, no lurking out the halls at night and sleep as early as possible so you're all in the right condition for tomorrow. And three, no one is to get out of the four corners of this building and do as you pleases without coming through me. Understand?"
No one murmurs an agreement. Not even a single person nods. Coach looks at each of us, hoping to gain even just a slight movement of agreement but nobody moved a muscle. He claps his hand and up we all go.
"We'll train before dinner," he announces and that's when everybody responded with groans of protest.
Bridget, unintentionally, let out a small laugh. Loud enough to catch everyone's attention. And since she is standing next to me, all eyes divert to me and are asking me the question, 'do we have to listen to Coach about tonight's practice?'.
"No practice tonight. I need you looking pleasant and not exhausted," I tell them and everyone cheers.
I am certain that I can feel someone drilling a hole through my skull. I did my best to ignore him and piss him even more. That's what you get for putting me in charge.
We all climb out of the bus. As soon as I step outside, I breath the fresh Detroit air. But my moment is cut short when Jaron accidentally hits me with his big duffel bag, sending me forward and nearly stumbling to the ground.
I glare at him and he widens his eyes before mouthing a quick 'sorry' and disappearing in just a blink of an eye.
"You sure do know how to scare people," Grayson steps beside me and I look up to cock him a brow.
Grayson chuckles. He feels a bit relaxed compared from the day when he's gone mental and compared from Austin and Jace. Speak of the two, I catch them stealing glances to our direction as they play good boys by helping our fellow athletes get their bags from the bus's compartment.
"Still not talking to them?" Grayson notices and asks.
"You really might wanna check on your nose, Grayson. I think it's on other's business," I spin around so I could walk the hell away from him but as expected, he follows.
"That's the only time you actually talked to me directly and it's about my nose?" he says and smirk.
"We never really talk, Grayson," I try to shut him down. If this conversation goes south, I feel like I'm going ballistic.
"We stopped," he says and before I could even spat back at him, he slows his pace until we're a few feet away.
My relief is also cut short by Coach who's standing high and mighty just at the entrance door of the hotel we're all staying for the rest of the away game. He seems to be waiting for me. Talk about the stern look and folded arms on his chest. Yup, that stance is definitely directed to me.
"A word, Harley..." he says and I close the distance between us.
I stop in front of him and do the thing I do best, scare him with my cold and blank eyes. He quickly turns away.
"How can I help you?" I ask.
"Harley, I don't appreciate your authority when it comes to dismissing my athletes," he calmly says and I have all the intentions to make him break through this facade.
"You see, Coach..." I smile at him. "I did not dismiss them. They were all willing not to take orders from you. I just gave them an option."
I can see a vein popping on his forehead and his body is rigid. I don't mean any disrespect but he certainly put himself into this.
"Now it's not really my fault if you lack the respect they need to follow you. Respect is earned, Coach. Just because you're old and with a position doesn't mean you get to have that..." I snap my fingers. "...just like that."
I continue my track towards the hotel and leave the rather angry Coach to himself. He's here with us because we still need teachers to be our guardians since some of us are under 18. If only Lexus could've just sent anyone rather than him.
"Harley!" Bridget exclaims, half of her body in between the elevator doors, stopping it from shutting.
I shake my head as I make my way to her and other more people waiting to ascend the build.
I am shock to see Austin and Jace in the same elevator as Bridget and I but I didn't give them more reason to feel awkward, which really shouldn't be. It's them who's doing all the distancing.
Bridget and I's shared room is a typical but sophisticated room. I wonder how much did Lexus pay for this. I'm sure as hell it is not cheap. Every bit of the room is white and cream colored. I somehow hate this hue.
"Look what I brought with me," Bridget says as she slowly and playfully pulls out a bottle of tequila out of her bag. She wiggles her brows and giggles to himself. This girl is pure evil but I'll give her plus points for this.
I walk to her bed and take the bottle she extends to me. She then pulls out a bag of what seems to be lemons and well, a bottle of iodized salt. Talk about an evil girl scout.
"Go ahead, thank me," she says and then chuckles. She jumps out of bed and runs toward the door.
Don't tell she invited people over.
"I invited the squad," she says as she twists the knob and in goes our merry band of thirsty vixens.
All of them enter the room as quiet as possible and when Bridget shuts the door, they all jump and scream in controlled voices so no one will know that we're up to something.
"What?" Bridget asks me as I give her a look of slight disagreement. "We're not cheering tomorrow. We're just here because we're a part of the team. So technically, we can appear with hangover."
"Damn right," one of our girls say as she wrap her arms around Bri's shoulders. "What you say, captain?"
I look at them one by one and all are expectantly waiting for me to agree. I roll my eyes at them and they all squeal. It's my way saying I give in and I'm sure, they will not take no as an answer.
Besides, I need a drink or two... hundred.
• • • •
We finished a litre of tequila and some are getting really really petty and talkative and happy. I'm glad we don't have to drink more because if we still have mo——
"We still have more!!!" Bridget shouts, raising a bottle of yet another tequila to the air. Where the hell did this she-devil get those?
The girls cheer and I guess that's my cue to leave and let them drink like fishes. They're the ones who're going to have massive headaches tomorrow and not me. So I make my way out of our room and look for anything as close to a terrace where I could breathe fresh air and lower down my alcohol level.
Lucky enough, this hotel has it's one floor that serves as a lounge with terraces on both sides. Fresh air sweeps in from one hole to another and I can't help but feel in awe, because I have it all to myself. Dim lights and only the sound of the fountain can be heard.
My head begins to throb. Not the kind that usually makes me collapse on the floor and wake up on a hospital bed. This one is bearable. But it's a headache nonetheless.
I walk towards the steel bars that fences the terrace. The cool metal sending shivers to my arms down my spine. The wind caressing my face and making my hair dance. The lights from surrounding structures and buildings resemble the night sky.
My twin brother is afraid heights but he's always been fond of city lights and starry nights. How I wish he's standing with me right now, staring from this terrace and talking about the game tomorrow. It is our usual scene, a football game with me as his cheerer. He's a good football player, the best for me actually. Some even joke that he draws power from his twin a.k.a me.
Maybe that's true. We draw power from each other. And I have no one to draw from since I'm all alone.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
I scrunch my face. Why does this spawn of Satan keep on following me around? I didn't turn because I expect him to join me and lean against the steel bars the way I do.
"Why are you here?" he asks and I roll my eyes.
A minute has passed and I remain silent, ignoring him and the weird vibe that's radiating off of us. Grayson side steps so he could lessen the distance between us and before he could take another one, "Don't you dare. I will throw you out of this building, Grayson."
Grayson laughs, a laugh of triumph. He purposely did that to get a reaction out of me. Why didn't I see that coming!
"Loosen up, Harls," he calls me by that name and my annoyance in him is growing by the second.
How can I freaking loosen up if you're just inches away from me and wearing a wife-beater?!
I mentally slap myself for including what he's wearing. This is all because of that tequila. Good thing I stopped before I get too stupid.
"The boys are out," he informs me—or rather, dares to start a conversation with me.
"And why are you here?" I give in. Damn that tequila and damn Bridget for bringing it.
"Not my scene anymore," he admits and for a bad boy, that's kind of a revelation.
I twist my head and finally get a good sight of him. The darkness of the night and the light of the city lights have different effects on his glorious face. And I badly want to touch it.
"You?" I scoff. "Drinking and clubbing isn't your thing?"
Grayson shakes his head, eyes are sincere even though his mouth is smirking. "Girls. It's not my scene anymore. The boys went out to strip club to have their...... fill."
If only I could muster a disgusted expression in my face, I would've. So I remain neutral but I look away from him.
"None of the cheerers are in their rooms so they figured they'll just go somewhere else."
I nearly told him that I was just with the girls, as in the entire squad are with us. Drinking like fishes and dancing like strippers. Our room turned into a strip club.
"Hold on. You smell like..." Grayson's face is inches away from me, his nose sniffing me like a dog, so I lay my palm flat on his face and pushes his head away. At least I get to touch that face. Points for me.
"You want me throw you out?" I dare and he shakes his head but he is looking at me like I've grown a third head.
"You went out to a bar?!" he asks and I could see that he's trying not to sound angry pr shock but he is failing.
"Nope," I narrow my eyes at him as I try to contain my irritation. What's with him about me going to a bar and having drinks? Is he my chaperone? "And if I did, so what, Grayson?"
"It's late in the evening, Harley! You are not supposed to be out on you——" I cut his sudden violent reaction off. His voice is booming all over the empty lounge area.
I hold up both my hands to him and say, "Calm down. The girls are drinking in our room. I didn't go out."
Grayson sighs in relief and his tense shoulders sag. I'm no fool but with the way he reacted, it's as if he's my..... nevermind. Instead of dwelling with him and clouding my thoughts, I think I better go back and check with my girls.
"I'm gonna go back now," I tell him with my flattest tone and before I could even make a second step, a hand circles my wrist, stopping me. Not again.
"We need to talk," he says, eyes pleading and in pain. This is how I saw him back in the quarters. The day when he...
I gently pry his hand off my wrist. "Let's not make this anymore confusing, Gray."
"You're confused because you know it's——"
"Stop!" I exclaim and he takes a step backwards, his back hitting the bar. "I'm not confused, okay? I just said the wrong word. Let it go and stop playing with me."
I start walking back to my room and even made it to the fountain when Grayson exclaims, "You're not confused? You're not starting to think about us? Then tell me why did you call me Gray, Harley?"
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
Shoutout to those readers
(not just on my stories but also on others)
who never gets tired of motivating
writers like me by simply showering
us with your kind and empowering
words. ❤️
You guys have no idea about your effect
on us and with how we write our stories.
You fuel our passion.
You keep me/us going.
And for that,
FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART...
Thank you and I love you so much 😭🥰
- Elle.