Page 5 of Last Boy
“What? Did Daddy not buy her the latest sports car model?” I snort. “Please, Ryann. Let it go. Some people just aren’t meant to be friends.”
Spinning her body completely toward me, she sets her hands on my shoulders and drops her gaze. “I love you. You know this. Bitchiness and all, you’re my friend. But come on, Pop. Don’t assume the worst of someone just because it looks like their life is perfect.” She tilts her head to the side. “Because no one’s life is perfect, babe. I promise you that.”
I shrug away from her. “For months, I’ve been here. And to be here, I had to physically live here. You know what that meant. It meant I had to scramble to find Jake somewhere to move into last spring to make sure he was situated before I could move from the trailer to here.”
I exhale. “Don’t get me wrong; it all worked out. I got away from Van and his…business. And Jake ended up living at The Birches for four months, where they got him ready to be on his own. But either way, for a few weeks leading up to that…it was pure chaos, and I was sick, thinking I had to physically leave my brother or risk Brooks pulling my scholarship if I didn’t move in and start training this summer.”
I nod toward Sutton, who is now getting her shoes on by the door. “She decides Juilliard—my dream school—isn’t good enough. Strolls in here two freaking weeks into the school year when we’ve all been training since August, yet she’s the one who Jolene is acting like is the lead girl.” I shrug. “It’s bullshit. And unlike the rest of y’all, I’m not kissing her left asscheek.”
“Well, first of all, you should know by now that the only asscheek I’d kiss was if Chris Pratt walked in here right now. Because…yum.” Her expression softens. “And I get it. I get all of that. But she’s here for a reason, Poppy. She didn’t just walk away from there because she decided she was bored one day. Trust me on that.”
“Yeah, okay,” I huff out, annoyed that my closest friend drank the Kool-Aid and is now one of Sutton’s minions. “Whatever you say.”
“It is whatever I say, biotch.” She winks. “And one more thing: don’t be killing her in her sleep. I’m a ride-or-die sort of girl, but I don’t want to help bury a body. That shit grosses me out, and I’d never survive jail.” She pulls her lips to the side, widening her eyes. “Annnnd…I like her. I think, someday, you will too.”
With that, she practically skips away, calling, “I’ll be in the car,” over her shoulder.
Trudging behind her, I wave good-bye to Jolene and watch Sutton and Ryann pile into her car.
When Sutton sees me approaching, she shuts the door, and her eyes widen. “Do you want to sit in the front? I didn’t mean to just jump in the front seat.”
“Well, you’re a princess. And princesses get what they want.” I smirk before yanking the back door open and sliding into the car.
If I didn’t have to be at work in an hour, I probably would have just walked my grouchy ass home. But like every day of my life, I have no idle time. And walking and catching a bus everywhere is time-consuming as hell.
I know that my attitude toward Sutton isn’t warranted. I understand that I’m acting like a toddler whose mother just brought home a new baby who’s sucking the attention away from everyone else. But Sutton Savage could have any opportunity she wants in life. Brooks is my only opportunity. I have to prove to the dance world that I’m good enough to work for a company on Broadway.
I might be acting like a mean girl, but she’s in my way.
2
Walker
“I stand by what I said. Coach is losing his mind,” Link huffs out as we walk out of the dance studio. “We’re getting ready for the opening game. I mean, what the fuck happens if one of us gets injured, doing this shit?”
At the beginning of the week, we learned that we would be participating in a fundraiser. The team is always up for helping to support a good cause, but this time is a bit different.
We literally have to dance with ballerinas at some fancy event. Aside from Cade, we’re all pretty irritated with the whole ordeal. Balancing our class load and grueling hockey schedule is already a lot. Add in dance practice? I’m tired from just thinking about it.
“Check it out,” Elias says, nodding his head toward the side of the building. “I sense all sorts of sexy tension going on between those two.”
Following his gaze, I see one of our wingers, Hunter Thompson, in a heated conversation with one of the ballerinas, Sutton Savage. Usually, I’m not good with names, but it’s not every day that you meet the senator of Tennessee’s daughter.
Sutton’s beautiful and sassy. And I sense some sort of history between Thompson and her. No one was as pissed off as him when we all learned about this fundraiser pairing. And now, I see why when I can feel the tension between him and his partner from twenty feet away.
My dance partner’s name is Lana. She seems nice enough. And she’s absolutely gorgeous too. But ballerinas are a sore subject for me. To be honest, even the sight of ballet slippers pisses me off and reminds me of her. All Poppy did growing up was dance down every sidewalk and into every room.
“You’re awfully quiet, James,” Cade says, bumping his fist into my shoulder. “Don’t tell me you’re a salty bitch over this arrangement too. I mean, fuck, you guys…it’s dancers!”
Cade’s the type of guy who takes nothing seriously at all. Everything is a joke, and I’m not sure if he can stand silence or anything deep. He seems to mask everything with drinking, and there’s even been some chatter that he also likes to dabble in other things despite the fact that he’s already been to rehab. But out of all the guys on the team, he’s one of my favorites because he’s got a heart of gold.
“I’m good,” I mutter, not wanting to dive into the very fact that I fucking hate anything to do with dance and ballet.
“Are you though?” Nixon asks, pulling his hat down on his head further, making a few brown pieces curl from under it. “You seem grumpier than normal.”
“Wanna talk about it?” Cade pops into the conversation…yet again. “Because I’m here. And I’m a good listener, just FYI. I’m not afraid to light a candle or put on a chick flick with you either. I’m confident in my manhood enough for that type of shit.” He nods toward Watson Gentry. “Gentry’s mama keeps our closet stocked with candles. I’ll light one up any day, buddy.”
“The kid is here to take Hardy’s spot. He probably just doesn’t want to risk getting an injury before his first season as a Wolf begins, you clowns,” Link says. “I know I don’t want to get hurt right now.”