The Hills: A High School Bully Romance (Richland Heights High Book 1) Read online

  “Hey, Kiddo. Let me help you with that.” Dad’s voice sounds exactly the same as it used to.

  I spin, expecting to see the same man in the picture I was just looking at, but it’s not. Dad is skinnier. His brown hair has thinned a bit. Shades of gray fill the sides of his head. The smile is the same, and it seems genuine or he’s a damn good faker. “I was wondering whether you were ever going to get out of the truck, but I figured you needed some time.”

  Before I can fight it, he has me wrapped up in his arms as I balance the box of broken frames and pictures.

  “Hi, Dad,” I say, less enthusiastic than he’s coming across.

  “Oh, Katie, looks like some of your stuff broke. We can get that fixed up.”

  “It’s fine,” I mumble.

  “No, really. Here, let me take that,” he almost begs.

  Dad tries to get the box away from me, and I wrestle it back. “Seriously, I have it. And it’s Lawson, not Katie, you know that.”

  “You’ll always be Katie to me,” he says, his smile widening.

  “Then I probably won’t answer you.” I turn and head toward the front porch, and I hear Dad grab a box out of the truck and follow right behind.

  “Your room is at the back of the house, behind the kitchen.”

  I nod as I find my way through the house to my new room. The house smells like a mix of mustiness, coffee, and bacon. It’s small and cramped with a dark country-type décor. Not something I’d expect from my Dad, considering we used to live in a very upscale mansion with the latest and greatest of everything.

  Everything he had appears secondhand, which is fine by me. It’s what I am used to now.

  I push open the back-bedroom door and am surprised it is actually a bedroom. A quaint queen-sized bed sits against the far wall with a bright white down comforter covering it. This room smells like new paint and new furniture.

  I set the box of broken pictures on the desk beside the door as Dad comes in behind me, setting the box down.

  “The furniture arrived yesterday. Not a day too soon,” he says as he puts his hand on my shoulder.

  My stomach drops, and I feel a wave of sickness come over me. I’m not sick. It’s guilt. “You did all of this, for me?”

  “Yeah, well, you needed someplace to sleep, and I wasn’t really using the room anyway.”

  Dad could have taken credit for the room, maybe even said something nice, but instead, he just says he wasn’t using the room. “Thanks,” I mutter and then turn to grab another load of boxes.

  “Can you grab the rest on your own? I need to run and visit a few clients. I’m already a bit late. I expected you here a few hours ago.” Dad doesn’t wait for my response before he’s out the door. “There’s some leftovers in the fridge. I’ll be back later, but it shouldn’t be too late.”

  So, this is what it’s going to be like. Same thing, different parent.

  As I make it to the front door, I see Dad’s shiny black truck tear out of the driveway. The dust clears and I notice a girl standing beside my truck, holding a box.

  “Can I help you?” I ask as I close the gap between us, sizing up whether the box in her hand is mine or not.

  “You must be Katie. I’m Alyssa.”

  “It’s Lawson, and how do you know who I am?”

  “My mom and your dad are…” She fumbles for the words and I cut her off.

  “Fucking?”

  “Probably,” she says. “At least it’s been the same guy for a while now, so your dad can’t be all that bad.”

  I shudder at the thought of my dad doing anything sexual and then a small part of me feels defensive that she’s talking about my dad that way, but then I reconsider since I barely know him myself.

  “Wow, lucky lady to get such a winner,” I say.

  “Ditto,” she says, and we both begin to laugh.

  Alyssa sticks out her bottom lip and blows strands of long blond hair from her face, revealing her clear blue eyes. The rest of her hair is cut short. She’s cute but not over the top, with a tomboy sort of look.

  “What’s in the box?” I ask.

  “Dinner for you and your dad. My mother made it, so I’d suggest maybe grabbing a burger somewhere instead.” Alyssa lets out a snort and smiles. “How about I help you unload this stuff and then we go find one? I’m guessing Nick won’t be back for a while.”

  “I have no idea, but that sounds like a plan.”

  Alyssa balances the box on her knee while she reaches inside of it, pulling out two long-neck bottles of beer. “I swiped these from the fridge before I left. Hopefully, they aren’t too warm.”

  I can tell that she and I are going to get along great.

  Chapter Four

  Lawson

  “All right, Lawson, I’ll be back tomorrow afternoon. Give me a call if you need anything. There’s money on the table for food or whatever,” Dad yells through my bedroom door and a moment later, I hear the front door slam shut.

  I look at myself in the mirror one last time. I had managed to stay away from pretty much everyone in Richland all summer. I had gotten good at laying low, but Alyssa had insisted we hit this party tonight. I want to blend in and not be the new girl, but it’s inevitable.

  My white crop accentuates my tan stomach and complements my jeans that fit every curve of my body perfectly. Three years ago I was thin, blonde, boring, yet still attractive.

  I flip my auburn hair over my shoulder as Alyssa walks into my room.

  “Damn, L, you look amazing.” She hands me a beer from her cooler bag and then takes a swig of her own. “I’m pretty sure you’re going to make some new friends tonight.”

  Fuck. Exactly what I didn’t want.

  “Is it too much?” I ask.

  Alyssa stands next to me, comparing herself to me. Alyssa’s tight jean shorts were barely noticeable when compared to the bandeau top she is wearing, which strains to keep her large tits in place on her small frame.

  “You’re going to fit in perfectly. Now let’s get going.”

  * * * * *

  “Whose place is this?” I ask, taking a sip from my red cup filled with barely cold bad beer.

  “Lane’s. He’s the guy over in the corner in the white tee next to the keg.”

  Lane’s tall and thin with shaggy blond hair. His arms are covered with tattoos but still show off a good amount of muscle. I watch as he high-fives a few guys and then they slam their drinks yelling, “Furies!”

  I struggle to take a sip of my warm beer, watching all of the action from a far corner of the party.

  I’m content standing here and watching, but Alyssa has other ideas. “Come on.” She grabs my arm and drags me through the party, bumping into people and getting glares.

  “Watch the fuck out!” some girl in a tight dress yells as she’s pushed into another girl, spilling her beer. “Bitch!”

  I turn, seeing her flip her middle finger up as Alyssa continues to pull me through the mass of people. “Keep up, Lawson,” she laughs.

  When we finally stop, I’m standing next to the keg, next to Lane. He’s much taller up close than he appeared from my former position in the room. He chugs the rest of his beer, looks down at me, and smiles as he grabs the spout of the tap and holds it out to fill my cup.

  Before he can even add a drop to my red cup, a huge hand reaches out and grabs it from me. “Thanks, asshole,” the guy laughs as he fills his cup and the rest of the guys join in the laughter for no apparent reason.

  I look up and my eyes lock with his. They are dark, steely gray and they complement his short blond hair and thin stubble. He’s familiar, too familiar, and I want to hide someplace, but it’s too late.

  He opens his mouth, revealing his perfect smile. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to take it from you, I was just giving those jerks a hard time.” The guy grabs my cup and proceeds to fill it and then hands it back to me.

  “Thanks,” I mumble, ripping my gaze from his. I step away from the keg quickly, pulling Alys
sa with me.

  I can feel his eyes still locked on me, and I don’t want to look back. I want him to forget he saw me. I want him to not know who I am. To not remember me from before.

  “You’re welcome,” he yells over the crowd, and I don’t look back.

  “What the hell’s wrong with you?” Alyssa asks. “Don’t you want to make new friends, especially with hot guys who can’t take their eyes off of you?”

  “You mean womanizing assholes?” I snap back, not able to keep my words in.

  “He poured you a beer; that’s hardly harassing or womanizing,” Alyssa defends the guy.

  “Is he looking?” I ask and watch as she turns back over her shoulder. “Don’t look!” I whisper. “Don’t be obvious.”

  “No, he’s not looking. He’s probably offended you blew him off. None of the girls from The Yard ever blow off Titus. You’re probably the first.”

  Chapter Five

  Titus

  “Fuck, who the hell is that?” I lean into Lane and ask as I top off my beer again. “The hot fucking redhead. I’ve never seen her before.”

  Lane shrugs his shoulders. “Got me.”

  “I’d tap that,” Tanner says, looking over his shoulder as she walks away through the crowd.

  “The hell you will,” I snap back. “Go find out who she is.”

  Tanner scurries off through the growing crowd of other kids who have packed Lane’s yard. Richland isn’t huge, but when word gets out about a party, kids come from everywhere. Including those who aren’t wanted.

  “So, this is our year,” Lane says as he walks toward the ping-pong table that has been adorned with red cups in the shape of a triangle. “Seniors. Time to take back what’s ours, right?” He grabs a ball and tosses it across the table, sinking it into the front cup. “Furies all the way. Fuck the Hills.”

  “Lucky shot,” I say as I grab the ball out of the cup and toss it back to him. “It’s not about taking over. It’s about putting them in their place.”

  I walk back over to the keg and fill the pitcher that’s sitting on the table beside it.

  “New year, new rules,” Lane adds as he waits for me to return and fill the cups. A crowd has gathered around the table and they watch as I fill the cups on one side with beer and slide the pitcher over to Lane.

  Music blasts on the huge speakers that have been pulled outside and propped up in the windows of the front porch. The party has gotten bigger in the last twenty minutes, and faces begin to blend together.

  I look over behind Lane and notice the redhead standing with Alyssa. My cock twitches as I catch a glimpse of her tight stomach that’s on display from her short shirt. She doesn’t belong here. She’s too clean cut. Too attractive. Too something.

  Richland Heights High is a mixing bowl of attitudes and arrogance. Outside of school, no one seems to come together except for parties. The Yard is a bit rougher and the snotty rich kids of the Hills tend to try and take over. Most of the time.

  I can’t tell whether she’s one of the H-Girls or someone just new to The Yard. Either way, I want to get to know her better.

  “Teams,” I demand to Lane.

  Lane nods but before he can say anything, he’s cut off.

  “Sounds good to me.” The crowd parts and immediately tension fills the party. Jordan Hawthorne pushes his way through the crowd and stands next to Lane. He’s joined by Zack Davie and Harrison Hodges. Assholes from The Hill. Over the last few years, Jordan has found his way to be the king of the assholes as well as the quarterback and team captain for the Richland Heights Knights.

  Two other girls slink through the crowd and then make their presence known.

  “Hi, Titus,” Parker says in her high-pitched whiny voice. Parker is hot in a snotty, holier than thou sort of way. I’ve always thought she just needed the attitude fucked out of her and she’d be all right. Her blond hair is curled and hangs just over her shoulders, accentuating her huge fake tits.

  Missy Morgan stands beside her and looks across the crowd at her brother, Dallas, who is standing beside me. Dallas is from here, but he’s also on the football team, which is his sister’s ticket to get in with the bitchy rich girls. He tends to play both sides, which is going to get him killed, or at least hurt really bad.

  Dallas looks at her and then looks down at the ground, trying to disassociate himself with her.

  “Jordan, why are you slumming with us in The Yard tonight? You know we don’t drink your fancy-ass craft beer,” I say as I squeeze my free hand into a fist.

  “We just saw the crowd and thought we’d stop by. You know, get the year started off the right way.” Jordan turns and looks over the crowd. “Meet some of the new people,” he says as he takes a step toward the redhead. “Me and her against you and whoever.” He grabs the redhead by the hand and pulls her toward the table.

  “No, I’m… I’m really more of a spectator,” the girls says, pulling her hand away from Jordan and trying to step back into the crowd.

  He snatches her hand again and pulls her back. “What’s your name?” he asks.

  My face heats as I watch him touch her. I don’t even know who she is, but I’ve already claimed her as mine.

  “Lawson,” she says.

  Lawson. I won’t forget that name.

  Chapter Six

  Lawson

  Feeling Jordan’s hand on my wrist sends shivers throughout my body. I’m scared to death he’s going to recognize me, to remember me and that kiss three summers ago. I’m terrified he’s going to remember me as the girl he mind-fucked and told everyone else something different.

  No, Jordan doesn’t remember me. I don’t look the same but neither does he. He seems taller. He’s definitely bigger. His arms stretch the white designer tee that I know he overpaid for. His arms are spotted with a few tattoos and complement the rest of his perfectly filled out body.

  I shiver again at the thought of being even a little attracted to him in spite of our sordid history.

  I twist my wrist, breaking from Jordan’s grip and he smiles. “Feisty, I like that.” His perfect smile almost blinds me and for a moment, I lose myself in his eyes and remember what it was like when those lips kissed me all of those years ago.

  I liked it. A lot. He and I could have been something. At least that’s what I had wanted for a split second.

  “I’m a hell of a lot more than feisty,” I say, rubbing my wrist, “and if you grab me like that again, I can promise you will find out.”

  Jordan bites his lip and fights back a bigger smile and smirks.

  “Leave her alone and let’s play,” Titus yells from the other side of the table.

  “Are you in or out?” Jordan asks, tossing me a ping-pong ball and watching as I snatch it mid-air.

  Before I can answer, I’m pushed to the side from behind. “She’s out,” the girl says, extending her hand toward me, palm up, waiting for me to drop the white ball in her hand.

  “Let her play, Parker,” Jordan demands.

  “You know you want me…” She pauses a split second for effect, “…as your partner.”

  Parker flips her platinum-blond hair over her shoulder and bats her eyes at Jordan before she locks her deep brown eyes on me. She shoots me a fake smile and then motions with her fingers to give her the ball.

  Instead of handing it over, I flip the ball over her head and land it in the cup on the opposite end of the table. The crowd hoots and hollers, and I shoot the girl a sly smirk. “I didn’t want to play anyway; he’s all yours.”

  She spins on her heel, pretending the embarrassment I just dropped on her didn’t happen and wraps an arm around Jordan, but he keeps his eyes locked on mine.

  My heart pounds, and I can feel it in my throat. So much for flying under the radar and keeping it low-key. As I turn, I run into the girl who had pushed her way through the crowd with Parker.

  “Nice shot,” she says and extends her hand. “I’m Missy.”

  “Lawson,” I say, grabbing her hand
and shaking it briefly before Alyssa pushes her way closer.

  “Missy,” Alyssa says curtly. Missy is dressed in tight white jeans and a tight, low-cut silk top. Her long brown hair falls over her shoulders and she seems genuinely nice, until Alyssa goes on the attack. “Don’t let Missy fool you, Lawson, she’s from the Yard, too. She lives on Upton Street. Her brother is Dallas over there.” Alyssa motions to the guy standing beside Titus. Dallas is younger-looking and cute. He’s tall and lanky but not in a goofy sort of way. “Dallas is on the football team, like most of the pretty boys from The Hills. That’s why she’s all friendly with them. The H-Girls all think Dallas is cute, so they let Missy hang with them.”

  “So what, Alyssa,” Missy snaps back. “I’m allowed to have friends outside of here. And that’s not why they are friends with me.”

  Without missing a beat, I chug the rest of the beer in my cup. “I need a drink; anyone want to join me?”

  Missy looks back over her shoulder, almost as if she’s looking to see whether she’ll get in trouble for associating with me and Alyssa and then follows us to the keg where we all get another drink.

  “Is she always like that?” I ask Missy.

  “Parker? Yeah, she’s laid claim on Jordan, even though he really doesn’t seem to have much interest in her. He just broke up with Skylar Lucas a few weeks ago.” Missy leans in and takes a swig of her beer. “Apparently, Skylar was a bit too clingy for Jordan and jealous. She wanted him by her side twenty-four/seven and that’s not his thing. He was bragging that after he fucked her, she kept saying she was in love with him and shit.”

  Missy laughs and takes another swig.

  “You believe that?” I ask.

  “No. Maybe. Not sure and I honestly don’t really care,” Missy says. “Jordan has a reputation for going through girls.”

  The moment she says those words, the summer before ninth grade flashes before me again.

  “Sounds like he’s a real asshole.”

  “He is,” Alyssa adds and Missy nods in agreement. “Boys like Jordan do what they want and get away with it.”