Total pages in book: 135
Estimated words: 124451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 124451 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 622(@200wpm)___ 498(@250wpm)___ 415(@300wpm)
She rolls her eyes, her cheeks flushing the softest shade of red. “Shut up.”
“No can do. It’s a done deal, from here on out, you shall be known as Mag—magic vag.”
We reach Ilaria’s locker, and Arizona falls back against the one beside it, letting out a heavy breath. “This isn’t good,” she says, glancing down the hallway just in time to watch Logan and Jax walk through the doors together. Jax’s eyes are already on Ari. “So, not only is he desperate to talk, but he’s also horny as fuck?”
“Yep.”
“I’m fucked.”
“So fucked,” I agree.
We cross the hall to my locker next, and I can’t help but notice the way Ari hides behind us, peeking out to keep an eye on Jax as they make their way down the hall. The twins stop to meet the boys, but Jax has his sights firmly on Ari and won’t be letting her escape so easily.
Hudson and Addie come from the opposite direction, stopping when they reach us, and the moment they do, I notice the whispers that follow them. Questions about why they’re standing so close, what happened at the track, why she’s been away so long. Hell, there are even comments from assholes suggesting she faked the whole thing.
Addie keeps her head down but, for the most part, she seems okay. “Are you okay?” I murmur, moving in closer after shutting my locker.
She shrugs her shoulders, not really wanting to talk about it. But the longer I hold her stare, the more I can read her and damn it, she’s not okay at all.
“Just say the word and we can get you out of here,” I tell her. “If you’re not ready, we can try again next week or the week after. There’s no pressure to be here.”
“Yes there is,” she says. “I can’t keep hiding, pretending everything is fine. I need to face it to put it all behind me, otherwise, I’ll never be able to move on. Even in a fucking coma, Colby still has a chokehold on me, and I’m over it. I’m sick of him having this control over my life. I’m taking it back, and if I have to beat every fucking person in this school to make it happen, I’ll do it.”
“Damn straight you will,” I say as we shuffle along to Ari’s locker, only for her to tear it open, shove her bag inside, and bolt down the hall without another word, or glance over her shoulder.
“Fuck,” Jax mutters from right behind me, the guys at his back.
I let out a frustrated sigh and pin him with a hard stare. “Seriously? You couldn’t just give her ten minutes of peace?”
“Please,” he scoffs. “I’ve given her three fucking weeks of peace. How much more time does she need? We’re not getting anywhere while she’s avoiding me. No conversation means no progress. We’re just sitting still in this awkward mess and I’m over it. I need to know what’s going on in her head.”
“Do you even know what’s going on in your head? If she comes to you right now and says she’s still crazy in love with you and wants to be together, do you know what you’re going to say?”
“I … umm.” He trails off as he shakes his head, having no fucking idea.
“Then leave her alone. If you can’t give her a definite answer, then you have no business demanding the same from her.”
Jax clenches his jaw and stares down the hallway after her. “It’s not that easy, Bri.”
“Put yourself in her shoes,” I tell him. “She’s stood by, giving you everything you wanted from her while watching from the sidelines as you’ve fucked around with other girls, not giving a shit about how it might affect her. Then when she finally has the courage to tell you how she feels, you shoot her down like the last few years have meant nothing, but yet you still expect her to want to fuck? You’re killing her inside, Jax. If she said she needs space, then give her that space, and hope that when she’s ready to come back to you, the damage you’ve caused to her heart wasn’t bad enough to destroy the friendship.”
Jax swallows hard and turns on his heel, anger bursting in his eyes. He stalks back down the corridor, whipping his hand out to slam an open locker, the loud BANG echoing through the crowded hallway.
“What was that about?” Tanner says, stepping into me, his hands taking my waist and pulling me in close.
My chin lifts and I meet his soft stare, everything inside of me melting as I sink into him, his warm body pressed right up against mine. “I think Jax just realized that Arizona’s feelings matter just as much as his do.”
“Shit,” Tanner mutters, dipping his head to brush his lips over mine. He presses me back against the cool locker as I kiss him back, listening to the way Addison pretends to gag.