Page 26 of Fractured Mind
We bustle through the front row of cheering fans and move to the center, where five seats remain vacant. Ruby takes a seat, tugging my arm to ensure I settle into the one next to her. Maree is on my other side, glaring daggers at the side of my head. Her hatred toward me doesn’t go unnoticed.
“Frickin’ fantastic,” I mumble.
Ruby’s eyebrows pull in and she leans closer. “What did you say?” she asks loudly over the crowd’s noise.
“Don’t worry.” I shuffle over toward her, turning my shoulder to Maree so I can ignore her.
Ruby leans forward, looks beside me, and rolls her eyes. “Put the claws away, Maree.”
“Why should I? She’s no one special.” Her words are sharp.
I flinch but agree with her statement because I am no one special.
A shadow covers me, and when I gaze upward, Ashton and Jackson are staring at Maree with a chilling gaze while Levi’s mouth forms a cruel smile. “You really are dumb,” Levi says with a cold laugh. “Being a bitch to one of the few people Ashton cares about... But let’s get one thing straight”—his voice goes from playful to serious—“she’s with us. You upset her, and you will deal withallof us.”
Maree visibly swallows.
“Move somewhere else.” Ashton’s harsh tone has me sitting up straight in my seat.
Maree gulps. “What?” she asks weakly. “But... I always sit here.”
“Not anymore, you don’t.” With every word, Ashton’s hostility rises and his patience declines.
Her eyes fill with tears, and she scrambles out of the seat, grabs her bag, and scurries away.
Jackson’s lip curls. “I’ve always hated her.”
Levi chuckles and puts his hand on Jackson’s shoulder. “You hate everyone.” Jackson shrugs and sits and leans back lazily in his seat.
Ashton takes the seat next to me, where Maree was sitting. Since our last conversation was tense, I squirm in my seat, not knowing what to say.
Levi moves his head forward to gaze at Ashton. “You know Maree won’t let that go. She’s a vindictive bitch.”
“Nothing we can’t handle,” Ashton replies, but Levi doesn’t look convinced.
The shouting and cheering start when the cheerleaders start their show of dancing and gymnastics. The speaker announces our school’s team, and as the players jog out onto the field, the shouting grows louder. Levi and Ruby cheer and yell Roman’s name.
Everyone’s eyes are glued to the field, but Ashton leans closer to me. “Can we go somewhere quieter?”
I nod, biting the inside of my mouth. When I touch Ruby’s arm, she turns to me, and I gesture to Ashton. “We’re going for a walk.” She tries to suppress a smirk before turning back to the game.
I follow Ashton, and we walk until we’re far from the crowd but still have a view of the field.
He stops and turns to face me but looks deep in thought. “Did you watch football games at your old school?” he asks.
“Umm . . . maybe once or twice.”
He raises his brow. “Not your thing?”
“Not really. But I’m happy to be here for Roman.”
The game starts, and Ashton smiles out at the field. “Roman has carried his team through the season so far.”
They support and have each other’s backs. I’ve never had that. I attempt to force that envious feeling down and watch the game. “Have any universities recruited him for football yet?”
He nods. “A few have shown interest, but he’s waiting to see what we’re all doing.”
I stare in surprise. That’s a big deal. Determining their education based on where their friends will be. “And what areyoudoing?” I ask.