Page 11 of Hate Game

RUE

“Are you doing okay?”

I glance away from the passing scenery and answer Shay. We’re in Red’s Escalade, heading back to his place.

“You’re not,” Red says from the driver’s seat. “I can hear your teeth chattering.”

Called out. “Then turn on your stinking music.”

“Hey, I’m not appreciating the moodiness. I did dive in and pull you out.”

“I swam out,” I reminded him. “And it wasn’t just you who jumped in.”

“Yeah, man,” Winslow says. He’s riding shotgun. “We’re a team. There will be no abandoning our girl in her time of need.”

“Pfft. Like I needed any of you. I’m the best swimmer.”

“Thank fuck Riley taught you. With all the lakes around here, she made sure you wouldn’t drown.”

They have crushes on my sister, and I don’t blame them. She is a goddess in the kitchen, baking these yummy cakes and cookies. When she bakes for my friends, they ogle the sweet treatsandkiss up to her. Riley is beautiful on the inside and is the sweetest, kindest person. She’s also beautiful on the outside with her amber eyes, angelic face, and full red lips.

“For your information, mysuperbswimming skills were self-taught.”

“Speaking of skills, Mason is hiring.”

“He won’t hire me,” I tell Shay. In the corner of my eye, he’s on his phone, texting my friend, Bailey. They started dating soon after homecoming.

“Just because you cockblocked him at that party doesn’t mean he’s unwilling to give you a job.”

“It’s not that. Anyway, I spend enough time with you and Leigh.” They work at the auto parts store in the town center. “We don’t need to be work BFFs too.”

“I’m not looking for us to be joined at the hips either, but I’m tired of hearing you complain about being jobless.”

“Like I said, he won’t hire me.”

“Why is that?”

“None of your business.”

“As your friends, we have every right to snoop,” Winslow says.

These boys are persistent. “This business has nothing to do with our crew. Let it go already.”

Shay sets his phone between us and jerks his thumb toward the back of the Escalade, where my suitcases are. “Rue, you can’t go from my place to Winslow’s to Red’s week to week. Eventually, someone will find out you have no place to go.”

“So what? That’s my problem and no one else’s.”

“It becomes a problem if our parents find out. You don’t have the best rep.”

“Thanks for having my back. You’re a swell friend, Winslow.”

“There’s no need for sarcasm. My parents will cut me off from competing if they knew you’ve been staying at the house.”

“I didn’t take a thing.” I slide down in my seat and cross my arms. I stopped thieving the moment I was fired from my last job.

“It doesn’t matter. You stole when you were younger. Got mixed up with the wrong crowd. You can’t shake your bad rep.”

Shay’s right. No matter how hard I try to walk the straight path, something happens to get me off track. I stare out the window. Soon, we’ll drive by Malice’s parents’ place on our way back to Delridge.

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