"Sage, my boy, how are you?"
Fighting a wince as Uncle Ricardo slaps my back, I grin. "I'm–"
"He's not fine." Sterling cuts me off.
"Don't buy his lies." Silver agrees as the twins sniff out the pizza coming from the kitchen.
"I'm fine." I state, glaring at them.
"Lies." They say together as Manny and Drew come in with a box of wings.
"Tell me you got more than one order because I'm starving." Gabe calls, rubbing his stomach as Avery beats him to the food.
"Hopefully some are teriyaki." My cousin grins.
"Don't you have a shoot next weekend?" Gabe snips.
"Don't eat the garlic, I'd hate for your breath to ruin your hook up tonight." Avery jabs him in the gut.
"How did you– Brenna!" He shouts and I turn to find a blonde walking into the room.
My heart stops, the color is almost identical to... All too fast I see her face and hear her laugh like she's here and not in New York. I don't notice I've dropped my phone until Emmy slaps my shoulder.
"You okay?" He asks.
"Y-Yeah, I'm f– good." I gulp, invisible glass shards slice through me.
"Oh, who's this?" Emmy looks at my phone to find a text. "Moving on already?"
Never, it's not that easy for some people.
Manny walks over and punches her brother in the gut, "Who's Chloe?"
The pain turns into rage as I grab my phone. "My bitch ass lab partner that I'm about to tell to screw off in the rudest way possible."
Chloe
The next lab is Wednesday, I'll have the report done Friday just so you know not to mess anything up.
Snorting, I lock my phone. We'll see about that.
"Who is she?" Emmy asks, somewhat apologetic.
"Is she hot?" Gabe calls and Avery hits him in the throat.
"She's no–"
"She's his lab partner." Sterling offers.
"And she's pretty." Silver says. We all stare at him and he shrugs. "I'm gay not blind."
Fair enough but she's not pretty. "Who's Brenna?"
The blonde from earlier squeaks, blushing behind her glasses. "Me, um, I, uh... I go to school with Scarlett."
"Oh, it's nice to meet you." I shake her hand and she all but dives for the comfort of the couch. It appears my sister has adopted another interesting person.
"Does this Chloe have a last name?" Uncle Ricardo asks, enjoying this more than anyone else.
"Hale, Chloe Hale."
The smile falls off his face, but he turns to the TV, making sure the volumes working for the Alabama game.
"Do you know her?" I push.
"Only through encounters at the mini mart and park." He says, dropping the matter.
So she lives on the west side of town. That would explain a few things, especially the attitude and who she hangs around.
Sighing, I focus on the TV and let the chaos around me tune out my thoughts.
*****
I've loved baseball since I came out of the womb. My mom actually thought she would have me in Florida while my dad was in spring training, but the doctor put her on bed rest and my Abuela insisted she fly home before she was no longer allowed.
I've always thought that's where my love started, but now, I don't know. The jersey I have on just feels wrong and it's not even mine. Maybe I just need to toss the ball around. In a few weeks I'll be back on the field for one last travel game. I'm just worried, that's all.
All I need is to be reminded of what it feels like.
Shoving aside my worries, I walk into AP Bio and slap a stack of papers down in front of Chloe.
"What's this?" She asks, turning the page in her book.
"Our lab report."
This gets her attention, closing the book, she laughs. "Cute, but I already turned it in."
"Yes, but I took it back and fixed your mistakes."
"I didn't have any mistakes." She grits her teeth and it's my turn to laugh.
"A few actually, here's your report." I toss it on top of the other. "All the errors I circled in red pen."
Skimming through her report, the tips of her ears turn bright red. "How could you even read to make sure they're wrong."
My pencil snaps in one motion. Leaning close, I rip her report in half. "Despite what you think, I can read." It takes more effort, but I can do it. "And I had my brother proofread just to make sure I was correct."
She gulps, uncomfortable as I lean over to her ear. "No one likes a quickie when it's sloppy."
Getting up, I turn in my work and return to find her still struggling to breathe.
"You're a pig."
"No, I'm not as worthless as you think I am." I clear my throat. "We can get together Wednesday night to do the next report together."
"Fine." She finally gives in. "Your place."
"Nope, yours."
"Absolutely not." She blurts out and I grin, someone's defensive.
"Why not?"
"My mom doesn't like to have people over." She offers quickly. "Why not yours?"
"Because I'd prefer for my personal space to not be tainted by you." I snip.
"It's your house or nothing." She says before paying attention to our teacher.
Sure, like that will happen.
*****
Wednesday night, I'm glaring a hole through the front door as I wait for the now constant pain in my ass to arrive. I didn't give into her demand; I just made a smart move. She can't kill me in my own home if I have three witnesses.
Hearing the sound of Doc Martens on wood, I open the door before she can knock. "Take your shoes off."
"Why?" She demands as I'm already moving for the kitchen.
"My house, my rules."
Eventually, she files into the kitchen and I say nothing as she sits down. We work in silence for close to an hour, glaring as we correct each other's errors on a shared google doc. Whoever said communication is needed to be successful never put two people who hate each other in the same room.
"Your house is nice." Chloe finally offers, studying the kitchen.
"Thanks, I guess." That was not something I expected her to say. Those types of comments are usually reserved for the adults who talk to Scarlett.
She snorts. "You have such a nice place to live and you don't even understand how well off you are."
"Excuse you?" I must've heard her wrong.
"This house is beautiful. It has doors that lock and a security system, so bars aren't a necessity on the windows. You feel comfortable enough to leave sporting equipment on the front porch knowing it won't be stolen." She continues on. "You're spoiled."
"Shut up." I snap, knowing she has no right to lecture me on this.
"You have nice clothes and a new car. You're going to graduate and go to one of the best colleges in the country and it's not because you're smart. It's because you know how to throw a ball. That silver spoon must feel nice as it feeds you your life."
"Well you can take my apparent silver spoon and shove it up your ass." I spit.
"Sharing would be too much for you, wouldn't it?" Her eyes burn in resentment as they glare at me.
"What do you want me to share?" I demand. "A house my parents left to us because they're dead. A life we have because my parents set up smart finances and my uncle is successful. Do you want me to apologize for shit I didn't ask for?"
It's quiet for a minute. I would move back to the shack my dad grew up in if it meant I had my parents. This stuff is nice but it's just stuff.
"I didn't realize." She mutters.
"What, that my parents died?"
"No, I knew that." She waves me off. "I hadn't realized how unobservant you are."
"Didn't you just transfer this year?"
"No, we've had class together since sophomore year. That's when I transferred."
"Then how come I've never seen you before?" She's lying, I think I'd notice an opinionated recluse like her.
"Because you were too preoccupied with your beautiful girlfriend and chasing after your sister." She says and my heart stops, remembering the words Ella said to me. That's not true. "While you were off being praised as some wonderful person for simply being friends with Ashton, I was studying."
"Some people have friends, I'm sorry yours aren't as good as mine." I shrug. "I'd be miserable if Wes Michaels was the only person who liked me too."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
Someone is definitely a little sensitive. "Your boyfriend is the biggest asshole I know and maybe if you took a break from riding his dick you would see I'm not an ass."
"And this conversation is doing what to prove you're innocent?" She counters, ignoring the topic completely.
"It's proving what a hypocritical bitch you are."
"You know nothing about me."
"And you're some expert about who I am?" I counter.
"I know who you are." No one knows me. Literally no one. "You're a spoiled brat who decided to hate the world just because he got dumped. You don't even have it in you to realize you've always been like this. No one can love someone who only loves himself."
"Get out."
"What, did I–"
"Get the fuck out!" I scream, slamming my computer shut. She doesn't get to walk into my home and criticize my life and who I am when she knows nothing.
Studying me for a minute, she begins to shove her shit into her bag. I watch, not bothering to hide the hate from my face.
The garage door opens and Scarlett walks in, a smile on her face. "Hell– oh, who are you?"
"Leaving." Chloe says, bumping into my sister as she lets herself out.
Controlling my breathing is difficult but the slam of our front door is enough to humor me. "She seemed..."
"Horrible. Bitchy. Rude. Inconsiderate." I offer.
"Pleasant." Scarlett concludes and I shake my head.
"I'm gonna go shower." I excuse myself.
"Bubs, are you okay?" She asks, worried eyes checking over me.
"Just tired." I assure her, turning around.
Carrying myself upstairs, I'm careful to not slam my door shut. I'm careful to play music in my bedroom. I'm careful to close my bathroom door. I'm careful to wait until the water is burning into my skin before I shout.
As the tears blur with the water, I sit on the shower floor and feel my emotions wash away.
*****
The twins don't say anything on our drive to school the next morning. They heard what was said last night. They know I know they know. They just don't want to piss me off.
Parking, I let Saffron kiss my cheek before she runs off to class.
"You okay?" Sterling asks.
"Do you have to ask if you know the answer?" I counter, grabbing my bag.
"Fair point." Silver reasons, opening the back door to yank his twin out.
Locking the car, I'm already pulling up my music when a hand grabs my shoulder. Today is not the day. "What."
"Talk to Chloe like that again and I'll have no problem rearranging your face." Wes promises me.
Sucking on my teeth, I shove his hand off me. "Touch me again and I'll have no problem kicking your ass again."
"This won't be like last time." He promises and I catch his hand before he can punch me.
"Secondly, you should ask your little Chloe about the horrible things she had the audacity to say to me within my own home. Respect is a thing; she should learn it."
"That's golden coming from you." He snorts.
"I am the golden boy for a reason." I smirk, anticipating the fist he sends me way.
Someone shoves us apart and I'm almost disappointed to find Zayne shoving Wes towards the doors. "Walk it off before you do something stupid."
Waving as Wes heads for the doors, I focus on the guy now staring at me.
"You okay?"
"Just dandy." Call me Yankee Doodle and stick a feather in my hat.
"A few of us are thinking about getting a bite of food tonight after practice." He starts. "The twins are more than welcome to join."
"No thanks." I shove past him.
"Wes won't be there."
"Who cares?" I demand, turning around. "I don't need your stupid pity invites to hang out with people I've never talked to before."
"You never really gave us the option." He counters, shouldering his bag.
"Bullshit but we're seniors." I don't need some second-rate filler friend group to pass the time. "We aren't friends, don't try to change that now. In a year I'll just be that asshole you knew."
"Rhodes, man, I'm just trying–"
"Stop trying." I cut him off. "Stop trying to pity me. I don't want it."
I don't need it.
"Maybe you should look in the mirror and then get back to me." He says and I stop walking.
"Collins, go to hell and take Wes and Chloe with you. I hear it's especially pleasant this time of year, maybe you can get some sort of deal."
"Don't worry, we'll save a spot for you."
Snorting, I shove my air pods in. "Don't bother, they already have a room waiting for me. My name's on the door and everything."
I would know, I see it all the time in my dreams.
*****
Picking at my lunch, my patience dwindles the longer Wes glares at me.
"Can we flick him off?" Conner asks, continuously glancing over at the asshole's table.
"No." Sterling says.
"Pouring milk on his head would be more effective." Silver concludes, definitely imagining how it would feel to give our enemy a douse of chocolate goodness.
The stares continue and I refuse to snap when he winks at us.
"I'm leaving." I state, standing up.
"Where to?" They ask.
"Melissa's, can't get expelled if she's there to stop me." I answer, steeling Sam's chips as I go.
Storming down the hall, I throw the door open. "Mel, I need– What the hell are you doing here?"
Chloe is propped up in Mel's desk chair, her feet on the desk as she writes in a journal. She ignores me.
"Where's my aunt?"
"Out." She states, not looking up.
"So that gives your free range to sit in her room like you own it?" Because it's rude to put your feet on someone else's belongings.
"I don't know, is it okay to barge into someone's classroom while shouting?"
"Get out." I snap.
"No, you can't kick me out of here like you did your house. The world doesn't always have to please– What are you doing?" She demands as I grab the back of her chair and roll her towards the door.
"Removing the pest from the room." Might as well become an exterminator.
"Stop it, you insufferable pig." She drops her journal as she clings to a desk, taking it with her as I continue our journey.
"Insufferable pig?" I repeat, I've heard worse. "Tell your boyfriend to stay out of my face."
"Tell your sister it's rude to interrupt people having an argument."
In one swift motion I dump her onto the ground. "It's rude to treat an adult poorly and yet you still did it."
"She's not an adult." She scoffs.
"Newsflash the deed to our house is in her name and she pays the taxes. She's an elder, respect her." Or else I'll physically remove her from our house next time it happens.
"Too bad I've always has issues with authority." She snips, standing to her feet.
Why does that not surprise me? She likes to fight everyone and takes orders from no one.
"I don't care what issues you have, I have enough of my own, but if you think you can treat me like shit just to justify whatever hate you have for me you have another thing coming to you." I say, stepping towards her.
"Yeah, what are you gonna do, Gigantor?" She asks, angling her head up to look at me.
"I'll make you as miserable as I am." I promise with a whisper. No one's ready for that sort of pain. I don't think she'd survive.
"What the hell is going on here?" Melissa asks, holding a cup of coffee as she takes us in.
Taking a step back, I realize how it could've looked. I don't know which possibility is worse. Her thinking I was making a move or if I was threatening the witch.
"I was just looking for you." Chloe says, picking her journal off the ground. "But I'll come back."
Watching her run from the room, I plop myself into a desk. My aunt just stands there, completely lost. "What, she pisses me off!"
Taking her chair back to her desk, she shrugs. "I didn't say anything."
She didn't have to.
*****
Hi, this is me updating to try to catch LIH up to ITE & LIL. It's gonna be a second my dudes, but it'd fine.
Chapter 6 will be posted as soon as I write chapter 7 and tbh im so excited for y'all to read it!! There's a BREAK THOUGH!!1
My first day of class this semester is tomorrow and LSU IS THE NATIONAL CHAMPS, IT WAS A GOOD NIGHT.
JOE BURROW IS AN ICON, GEAUX TIGERS
ok, enough fangirl, I hope you enjoyed this chapter