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“Hey,” he calls after me.

I ignore him and keep my feet moving. I’d rather be in my first class with Josh and Elle than deal with what’s going on with Nate.

I sit in class with Courtney, dodging glances from Josh, while Elle sits with the other cheerleaders, whispering and laughing while ignoring the substitute teacher. Though I don’t miss the way she keeps looking over here, so whatever secret it is that Jesse threatened to expose must have done the trick. For Elle to so quickly back down, means that her secret is enough to destroy her. Though, that doesn’t stop the curiosity coursing through me.

I get on with my school work, trying my hardest to keep my mind off Nate. Mainly the way he touched me and made me feel wanted. I feel that’s something I’ll never find again, not the way it was with him.

By lunch, I collapse down into the cafeteria bench beside Brooke. By now, every one of my friends have had their head bitten off by me at some point today and I hate that I’m being such a cow, but I can’t help it. My heart is hurting and if they want to continue laughing and discussing petty things, then I’m bound to snap.

“You still in a sucky mood?” Brooke questions besides me, making the other girls halt their conversation as they seek out my answer.

I prop my elbow on the table and lean my head into it before looking across at her. “Yep,” I say before pushing my tray of food away, though this time, it’s not my body issues that has me not wanting to eat, it’s the fact that I’m so ashamed of myself that the thought of allowing Nate in like that makes me feel sick to my stomach.

“Noted,” Brooke teases. “Let me know when you’re ready to re-join the world,” she adds before turning back to the girls and getting on with their conversation while giving me a chance to continue sulking in peace.

I don’t feel that familiar stare on me so I take a deep breath and brave looking over there. I let out a sigh of relief when I find he’s not there, but Jesse is, and he’s watching me with calculating eyes, probably still wondering what the hell is up with me.

I give Jess a little smile and turn back to my table, which is when the door of the cafeteria opens. Nate walks in with a girl from my health class tucked under his arm and the sight has me ready to break down.

I was played like a fucking toy.

I watch with anger and hurt as they walk across the cafeteria and over to his usual table with his friends. He sits down and the girl falls into his lap before his eyes flick across to me. His stare cuts into me like a knife and I want nothing more than to go over there and tear him a new asshole.

I flick my eyes away as the sadness seeps out of me, leaving only anger behind. I want to hurt him just like he hurt me and the way the girl seals her lips to his has me pulling out my phone and getting him where it hurts. His best friend. Parker Jones. The one guy in the school who anyone can depend on for a good time. The guy who believes any hole is a goal.

Tora – Hey! What’s going on?

I look across the cafeteria to Parker and watch with a grin as he pulls his phone out of his pocket and scans over the message. His eyes flick up and he looks across at me with a seductive smile.

Parker – Hey, babe. Not much. What are you doing tonight?

My grin widens as his message is telling me that Nate hasn’t said a word about what happened between us. If he had, Parker would have deleted the text and never responded. I hit reply.

Tora – I’m free tonight. Come over?

His eyes flick back up to mine and I can practically hear him from across the room as he says, “Fuck yeah.” Nate looks across at him and watches as he types something on his phone. A second later, my phone chimes.

Parker – Aren’t you staying with Nate and Jess?

The way Parker looks back up at me has Nate’s eyes cutting across to me as he realizes who Parker is texting. I give Parker my man-eating smile from across the room and hash out my reply. I hit send a moment before Nate steals the phone out of Parker’s unexpecting hands.

Tora – Not anymore.

Parker tries to steal the phone back as Nate scrolls through the messages. Anger flashes in his eyes and I grin to myself for a job well done. That grin only gets bigger when Nate pushes the girl off him and flies to his feet. He throws Parker’s phone across the room and it smashes against the wall before he glares at Parker. “Stay the fuck away from her,” he demands with every eye in the room on him. A moment later, he barges his way through the door of the cafeteria and disappears.


Tags: Sheridan Anne Broken Hill High Romance