Page 23 of Reckless At Raleigh High
Giacomo smiles, emotionless, devoid of any humor. “Well, shit. Aren’t you a little spitfire? I can see why Alex likes you—”
“I’m sorry, I’m confused. Is there something I can help you with? Because you’re on Raleigh High property, y’know. I have to get to class…and I’d hate for a member of staff to see you and get the wrong impression.Iknow you’re not a pedophile, prowling around the English block, looking for kids to lure into the back of a van, but Principal Darhower might not give you the benefit of the doubt. Things have been kinda crazy around here lately.” Sarcasm drips from every word; I’ve really outdone myself on the passive aggressive front. On its own, my statement was polite enough. A friendly warning offered to a stranger. My tone, however, is anythingbutfriendly, and paints a very vivid picture in which Giacomo is arrested and carted off Raleigh property without so much as a by-your-leave.
Alex’s father runs his tongue over his teeth, flaring his nostrils as he glances down at his worn leather boots. “You’re protective of him. I like that. It’s good that he has you in his life.”
“We’re good foreachother,” I correct him.
“I just wanted to know if he was doing okay.”
“In that case, no, Alex is doing pretty miserably right now. His little brother just died. He’ll come through the other side eventually, though. He has me, and he has my dad. We’ll both be here to help him for as long as he needs us. Now, if you don’t mind, the bell’s about to ring and I don’t wanna be late.”
Keep your damn mouth shut, Giacomo. Just keep that stupid, filthy, lying trap closed…
He doesn’t, no matter how hard I wish it. I’ve almost managed to turn away from him before he calls out after me. “Silver? Hey, Silver. That wasn’tallI wanted.”
Sighing heavily under my breath, I spin back around. “Why am I not surprised?”
“I want to make things right with Alex. With Alex’s mom gone, and now Ben, too, it isn’t right that there be should be such a massive divide between us. He’s my son, Silver. I’m his father. I appreciate your dad for looking out for my boy, but it ain’t his job. All I’m asking for is a chance. Just one chance to fix things and be there for him.”
My emotions riot, bouncing all over the place. No way in hell should he be trying to pull the old,he’s-my-son, your-dad-should-mind-his-own-damn-businessbullshit. He has absolutely no fucking right. I marshal my face into a blank mask, tamping down my thoughts. I can be mad all I want on Alex’s behalf. In the end, none of this is up to me. “Then you need to say all of that to Alex, Mr. Moretti.”
“He won’t listen. He has a shitty temper. He won’t sit still long enough for me to get the words out.”
I’m sure he’s right. Alex hates this man. He probably wouldn’t piss on him if he was on fire. “What do you wantmeto do about it?”
“Just…talk to him. Play devil’s advocate for me. Make him see that I’m genuine an’ I’ve changed. Convince him that I only have his best interests at heart. You can do that for me, can’t you?”
There he goes again, wheedling, turning on the charm, treating me like a naïve little girl who can’t see right through his bullshit. I laugh harshly, clouds of fog forming on my breath. “No, I can’t do that for you. I don’t know anything about you. I sure as fuck don’t know that you’re genuine. I don’t know the first thing about your motives. I’m guessing they have very little do with Alex’s best fucking interest, though. I won’t try to convince him of anything. If you’re serious about everything you just said, then you’re gonna have toshowhim that yourself.”
Giacomo doesn’t like my answer. He shoves his hands into his jacket pockets, slowly shaking his head. “Such a foul mouth on such a pretty little thing,” he muses.
This time, Idoturn around, and Idowalk away. “Oh, Mr. Moretti…you havenofucking idea.”
13
ALEX
It’s pathetic, really, stalking Silver. I’m her boyfriend for fuck’s sake. I’m done with the part of our story where I have to duck my head and hide every time she pauses in a hallway and glances over her shoulder. I definitely shouldn’t be trailing her out in the cold, hood pulled down low over my eyes, creeping around after her like I’m about to drag her into the forest and kidnap her.
We’ve been through so much shit since we met; there’s nothing I can’t talk to her about. Nothing I can’t say to her. But I was supposed to get stronger as time passed by, things were supposed to get easier for us, not harder, and after Ben’s death…
Fuck, I’m not the guy I’m supposed to be right now. I’ve always prided myself on knowing who I am and knowing what I want, fighting for my goals no matter how deep the shit I had to wade through became, but this version of me? This shattered, cored out, broken man, bereft and without even the smallest glimmer of hope? What good am I like this? I’m useless. I’m a fucking train wreck.
She’s broken and hurting, too. Today’s the first day back at school, and she’d rather face the sleet and the cold than walk fifty feet passed the gym, for fuck’s sake. I don’t even know how she’s mustered the strength to show up here today after all of the shit that’s gone down inside this school. She’s a fucking miracle, this girl. Remarkable, and so much stronger than anyone can possibly realize…
The icy wind blasts into me as I carefully tread through the frosted, brittle blades of grass, staying close to the building’s perimeter. Rolling my feet, heel-toe, heel-toe, heel-toe, I try not to make too much noise, but I don’t really need to worry. The snap and crunch of the undergrowth giving way beneath the soles of my boots is loud, but the low, mournful howl of the wind is louder.
Up head, Silver’s hair stirs, creating a halo of blonde and copper around her head as she turns the corner at the end of the building. One last look at her before she disappears inside the school. That’s all I really need. Somehow, that will be enough to sustain me until I can drive by her place later on tonight. Hurrying, I jog the remaining distance to the end of the brick wall, sucking in a breath and holding it in my lungs, as if that will somehow render me invisible. I’m two long strides away from turning the corner myself when I hear his voice.
“I didn’t mean to startle you. I should have called out or something…”
WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. FUCK.
Anger sizzles up my spine like a spark chasing along a fuse. He shouldn’t be here. He…he has no fuckingrightto be here. Approaching her like this…the bastard’s lost his fucking mind. My hands have already made fists. My feet move with a mind of their own, propelling me forward, urging me to run around the corner and make the fucker bleed for this outrageous intrusion, but…
Hush,Passarotto. Let him speak. Then you’ll know what he wants…and how to make him leave.
It goes against every scrap of sense I possess, but I manage to still myself, planting my feet into the frozen earth. Paralyzed, too afraid to move a millimeter in case I snap and lose all control, I lean against the wall, closing my eyes, straining to hear what’s being said against the rustling of the leaves.
