Page 5 of Brutal Days

Phoenix punched my arm. “I just developed a theory, seeing as you’re pretty fixated on that girl.”

I tore my gaze from where Sky had gone and leveled it at my cousin. “What?”

“It feels like karma. The parties Shane and I throw are the Savages’ epic downfalls.”

“What are you talking about?” I didn’t like where he was headed.

He leaned closer, whispering conspiratorially. “Riley… now Sky?”

“Fuck you.” I shoved him away. “Just because Cole met Riley at one of your parties doesn’t mean I’ll end up with Sky McCormick.” Though, I wouldn’t mind her under me for a while.

I twitched my head in Shane’s direction, where he was making out with Tracey in the pool.

“How’s that going?”

Shane was the only one who’d committed to one girl besides my brother and Riley.

“The devil’s own?” Phoenix growled. “It’s still going strong. Shane’s blind where she’s concerned.”

“He’ll wake up eventually.”

Tracey was opportunistic as hell. When Shane had shown interest in her two years ago, she’d locked that down hard because everyone knew our paths would lead to the NFL. No one else in the school showed promise to become a professional athlete. And everyone knew Tracey wanted that type of life. Why Shane couldn’t see it was a mystery to all of us.

“I don’t know,” Phoenix said skeptically. “He might need divine intervention or something to get his head out of his ass.”

“Or his dick out of her magical pussy.”

Phoenix snorted. “Or that.”

“So, how do you know Sky?” I gave up trying not to ask. The chick was permanently fixated in my mind.

“Lit class. She took an F on a major paper because she refused to read theScarlet Letter. Said it demeans women.”

“Huh.”

“She could’ve just watched the movie. Demi Moore rocked that role.”

He kept talking, and I pretended to listen. It was bad enough that I’d asked about her. And I wanted to know more but needed to find a way without coming across so thirsty.

CHAPTER FIVE

SKYLAR

#HunkyHSMan-ho

Ifinally got Gia to calm down after the nightmare at the Bennetts’ barbeque bash with Damon Savage. Her face was splotchy and swollen, but she’d stopped hiccup talking, so that was progress. We huddled in her tree house, something we hadn’t done for a very long time, and I wondered how it could still hold us. It wasn’t far off the ground, but I worried. Since Gia was older, her dad hadn’t kept up with whatever needed to be done to the wood to maintain it.

“Let’s go back into the house. I feel like a giant.” I shifted carefully. “And I weigh too much for this place to support me safely. It could come crashing down at any second with us in it. Not good.”

Gia snorted. “Please, you’re like half my size.”

I frowned. She had a terrible body image, which was completely unreasonable. I wanted to beat the shit out of anyone who’d contributed to her low self-esteem. She had curves and was a little on the bigger side, but she was a knockout, in my opinion. Screw the skinny, I-starve-myself look. It didn’t do anyone any good.

“Stop pointing out how small my boobs and butt are. You’re giving me a boy-body complex.”

“You know that’s not what I meant.” Gia rolled her red-rimmed eyes. “I would kill to look like you.”

“Homeless?” I mimicked her and rolled my eyes. “Come on, seriously. I’m freaking out here, and I think I smell your mom cooking sauce. I’m starving.”

---