Chapter Three

Darius

Leaning against the counter, I watch as Leah shows her friends around my fucking house like she has the right to! I have to bite my cheek to keep from lashing out at her. Corv lost his shit at me today in the gym. He went on a rant about how I have to let this grudge I have against his sister go. Corvin thinks Leah and I stopped being friendly because she told her friends about my mom. That was a lie and the only one I could think of to throw him off track that his sister rocked my fucking world and then blew it apart. Aside from Corv and the guys, Leah was the best thing in my life until she fucking betrayed me!

I didn’t give her a reason why I ended things, I just ghosted her.

When Corv and me came back for Thanksgiving one year and she walked through the door with Gary Hayes, my hatred for her only intensified. She knew better than anyone that Gary is and always has been my arch enemy on and off the field. The bastard plays for the dolphins and we are set to play them for the first game of the season. We are the two top teams and they beat us last year in the finals.

“Glare any harder and your face will crack.” I turn to see Beck leaning against the wall opposite me. He has this look whenever he knows something he shouldn’t, and right now, he has that fucking look. “How long?”

“How long what?” I snap, He crosses his arms over his large chest and gives me a dry stare.

“How long have you and Corvin’s little sister been sleeping together?” I keep my face blank but inside I am a fucking mess. If Corvin ever found out about me and Leah he would kick my ass and I’d let him.

“No idea what you’re talking about,” I say as I pour myself another drink. I don’t like drinking but Leah being around is fucking with my head, so I need something to take the edge off.

“Hm, see, the thing is even when we were in high school you would always pick her out of the crowd. You were always the first to check on her when we got in late to make sure she was sleeping and whenever she needed a ride anywhere you gave it to her.” I keep my gaze facing out the window and try to act unaffected by his observations. “Then the last week before we left for college, you changed. You went from being the overbearing big brother to the jealous ex.” I spin toward him as that last word exits his mouth. I didn’t realize he had moved until we are standing chest to chest. Beck is a few inches taller than us all and he uses that height difference to his advantage.

“You don’t know shit,” I seethe.

“See, your answer should have been to laugh off my claim or tell me I was seeing things and talking out my ass. You confirmed what I already knew, without confirming it.” Before I can rip into him, Corvin enters the room. Beck and I take a step back from each other as we face our friend.

Either Corvin is already tipsy and didn’t notice the tension in the room, or he just doesn’t give a fuck as he saunters over to us, steals the beer from my hand and shouts. “Let’s get drunk bitches!”

This is going to be a long fucking night!

Living where we do everything is within walking distance. Corv, Saint, Crue and the three girls all walk in front of us, while Beck and I take up the rear. Ever since shit with Leah went down, Corv and I have drifted apart. It isn’t his fault and he constantly asks what happened to us… why we aren’t as close as we used to be. How do I tell my best friend I stopped confiding in him and going to his place for holidays because his sister turned my world upside down?

“I can’t wait to dance the night away!” Leah’s excitement pulls me from my thoughts. I grit my teeth to keep from lashing out at her and saying something dumb like, you can dance right the fuck out of my life again .

“Shayla always throws the best parties,” Saint cuts in. “All the cheer squad will be there and those girls can ride a dick like no other.” At Saint’s words Crue slows his steps until he is walking on my other side, shoves his hands in his pockets and keeps his gaze down. I don’t know what the hell is going on with him but I have my suspicions. I just don’t want to be the one to voice them until he is ready to admit it.

“Our team could beat the cheer squad,” Katie says in a matter-of-fact manner, causing her two friends to cheer and whoop.

“What’s the difference between your crew and cheer squad?” Leah balks at Saint like he just said the most insensitive thing in the world. The three girls slam to a stop forcing me to stop walking or risk bumping into Leah. Her back is to me as she stares ahead at her brother and Saint with her hands on her hips. Her perfume assaults me and I fight the urge to not lean in closer and take a whiff—she’s always smelt like strawberries and the ocean. A scent I know too well and have grown to hate!

“For one, cheerleaders are there to entertain and hype up the crowd and team through acrobatics, stunts and tumbling. Dancers, our art form is pure, as we tell you a story through the movement of our bodies and make you feel something each and every time we perform.” The conviction in her tone as she explains her craft would be awe inspiring if she wasn’t such a conniving bitch.

“So, what you’re saying, is you can role play?” Saint says as he wiggles his brows suggestively. I shoot him a glare right as Corvin smacks the back of his head.

“You’re a real fucking dick!” Corv grits out before continuing on to the party with the rest of us tailing after him. I can feel her peeking over her shoulder at me every few seconds but I ignore it. I’ve barely spoken two words to her since I left for college. Every time I look at her all I see is her in that bed with him ! I shake my head to rid myself of those fucking memories, I can’t deal with that shit tonight.

Yesterday is history !

I repeat over and over again in my head until we get to Shayla’s. The front yard is littered with students drinking from red Solo cups, and at the sight of us, they all come stumbling over to try to gain our attention. The girls flirt while the guys try to appear interesting enough to hold our attention in the hopes of joining our crew, but they will never be one of us. The five of us built something for ourselves that no one can ever take from us—none of our families, except for Saint’s, are wealthy, so we built our own wealth and have enough money to live three lifetimes over. I look around the packed lawn and that’s when I notice Leah and her friends have slinked off. I dart my gaze around and that’s when I spot her on the porch talking to… Garrett-fucking- Jones, her brother’s enemy. The guy is vying for Corvin’s start position and hasn’t been shy about making it known to everyone but us .

I’m gonna fucking ruin you, Goldielocks, is my last thought before I sling my arm around some random girl and lead her inside to get me a drink. The moment we pass Leah, I feel her gaze on me, so I turn my head, quirk a condescending brow and shoot her a wicked smirk before pulling the girl under my arm even closer and stalking away from her, relishing in the hurt look in her eyes.