Chasing Rainbows (17 page)

I glanced up, wondering what was going on.

Mr. Shilon glared down his long nose at me. "You know the rules, Miss Hayes."

"Dick," Kara muttered.

Heaving a sigh, I stood, realizing I had become the center of attention. Damn it! A snicker came from the back. Bryce. He, Miley, and Mia were probably eating this up. Mr. Shilon sat perched on the edge of his desk glaring at me like a vulture as I started across the room for the trash can sitting near the door.

Twenty-five pairs of eyes were glued on me, leaving me with a twitchy feeling between my shoulder blades. I stopped in front of the trash can and stared down into it.

"We're waiting for you, Miss. Hayes," Mr. Shilon announced in a rather bored tone.

What a douche bag!
It was my freaking birthday! My freaking cupcake!

I tossed the paper wrapper into the garbage and turned away from the can to face him. His expression changed from one of indifference to disbelief and then to anger. Slowly, I carried the cupcake to my mouth.

"Garbage can, Hayes! Now!" he yelled.

I narrowed my gaze. Someone laughed, and then the chanting began from the back of the room. "Do it! Do it!" It was a rebellious litany that joined the roaring inside my head.

His beady eyes were locked on my face as he slid from the edge of his desk and took a step toward me. I shot him a super sweet smile then opened my mouth wide and shoved the entire cupcake inside. Sticky, chocolate sweetness overwhelmed my taste buds, and I suppressed a groan of appreciation.

A round of applause broke out.

As I chewed my over-sized mouthful, my gaze wandered to Kara, who was smiling and clapping. When our eyes locked on one another, she gave me a thumbs-up.

"Quiet!" Mr. Shilon barked at the class. As I walked past him heading for my desk, he added in an icy tone, "Detention after school."

I shrugged. I'd known it was coming, but it had so been worth it. I took my seat and Kara discretely patted me on the back for a job well done. Mr. Shilon began once again calling roll and things settled back down to their usual boring routine.

"You're my hero," Kara whispered.

I stole a look at the sour expression on Mr. Shilon's face, and a smile tugged my lips.

At lunch Kara, Brandon and I sat at our regular table talking. When they suddenly fell quiet, I looked up from the heart I'd drawn in my instant mashed potatoes and discovered Miley standing next to my chair. She was alone, which I found extremely strange since her kind usually traveled in packs like hyenas. Right now, I could stab her with my plastic spork, but that required too much effort, and she definitely wasn't worth it.

"I need to talk to you," she said softly, as if she were afraid someone might hear her talking to me.

Her strawberry blond hair was swept to the side, accenting her graceful neck and flawless skin. Curious almond shaped blue eyes peered back at me, apparently waiting for me to make the next move.

"Well, go ahead and talk," Kara demanded.

"Alone," Miley insisted, ignoring Kara and watching me. What was her deal? I studied her trying to figure out what she was up to. From the tips of her toes to the top of her articulately groomed head, she was polished, coordinated and perfect. Even though I hated the thought of talking to her, I was puzzled as to what she wanted with me.

"I'll see you in class," I told Kara, glancing at her then at Brandon as I shrugged my shoulders. When Miley looked down at her phone, I silently mouthed, "It's okay." Kara nodded, but Brandon's expression was surely one of apparent confusion. I had no idea why Miley wanted to talk to me, especially when she had been nothing but a pain in the ass throughout my entire high school years.

She walked ahead of me exiting the cafeteria. I pitched my wimpy foam tray in the garbage can and followed her. "What do you need, Miley?" I asked, trying not to sound too defensive, and probably not succeeding. I just didn't trust her.

At first, she didn't speak as we walked in silence together down the hall. When we found a semi-private spot near the library, we both came to a sudden stop. She fiddled with the strap of her designer bag.
Was she nervous?

"It's alright," I said, sighing. "We can just agree from this point on to stay out of each other's way."

She lifted her face and met my look, amusement flashing ever so briefly in her baby blues. She arched one delicate pale eyebrow. "So, you're just willing to forget and forgive all the shit my sister and I have dished out to you over the past three years?"

I shook my head. "I didn't say, I'd forget," I reminded her with a smirk. "I'm not that crazy."

Her full lips curved into a half smile of admiration. "Do you even have any idea why we both hated you so much?" She paused, apparently waiting for an answer, but I had no clue.

A frown pinched my forehead as I stared back at her, confused.
Where was she going with this?
Two girls strolled by, eyeing us with open shock. Well, that made three of us; I was as stunned as they were at Miley and me being seen together.

"Natalie," she whispered.

Wait, what?
My jaw dropped.
What did Natalie have to do with any of this?

"Why? Why now after all this time? Is this your idea of a sick joke?" I asked, with the intention of turning around and walking off, but her hand curled around my arm causing me to stop in my tracks. Her perfectly pink manicured nails pressed slightly into my skin making indentions. It didn't hurt, but it was just enough pressure to keep me still.

"This is not a joke, Addie. I feel bad about all the shit I slung your way every time we crossed paths."

"What does this have to do with Natalie?" I asked feeling even more confused.

She frowned, her pretty features drawn. "I use to have the biggest crush on Nate. He was my brother's best friend. He was at our house all the time, but no matter what I did or how hard I tried, all he talked about was how freaking great Natalie was… her and her cute but funny kid sister."

"Why the change of heart now?" I asked, not believing a word she said.

She shook her head, apparently unable to answer. That was the first time in my life I'd ever seen her speechless. It was shocking.

"Did you have a bad dream last night?" I probed sarcastically, tugging on my arm, but she refused to let me go.

"Listen, I've meant every word I've said to you, Addie," Miley replied, the mask of cattiness momentarily slipping, which briefly allowed me a glimpse of her real emotions. Maybe, underneath all of her bitchiness, she was actually trying to be sincere. "I'll talk to Mia. It gets tedious hating you over something so childish and silly."

"Can I go now?" I snapped. I'd had enough. Her fingers slid from around my arm setting me free. I didn't have time for her guilty conscience, nor did I care at this point. I needed to get to class.

"Last night, Chase called Chance and told him you were at the drive-in with a guy. I think someone may have developed feelings for you and forgot that it was just a little competitive fun and games." She smiled, a fake smile flashing her perfect white teeth at me.

I paused, looking back at her in disbelief, unable to believe and unwilling to accept what she'd said. My hands clenched, and I wondered how anyone could be so cruel. Why would Miley even tell me this? She may have thought that she'd hurt me, but she'd actually done me a favor. I was well to be rid of both Chase and Chance and their stupid game. Now, I knew their true colors.

Over her shoulder, I spotted Kara walking up the hallway toward us. Her expression was fierce, and I halfway smiled at her hoping to put her at ease. Kara was extremely protective of me, and she loved a good fight. "I gotta go," I told Miley, and was walking away when she called my name. I looked over my shoulder.

"Did you know Natalie was pregnant?" she asked softly.

Miley's face suddenly blurred before my eyes. The floor fell out from beneath my feet, yet miraculously, I was still standing.

"I shouldn't have said anything, but I thought you should know," she said, cocking a perfectly arched brow at me and pursing her lips. "See ya, Addie." Then she walked past me as I stood there reeling and headed down the hall to the stairs. That bitch! How dare she come to me offering a truce when she only wanted the chance to hurt me more.
Happy fucking birthday to me!

"Are you alright?" Kara asked, her face suddenly right up in mine.

Distantly, as if I were somehow detached from my body, I nodded my head yes in reply.

"What did that bitch say to you? You're as white as a sheet."

"Nothing," I muttered, drawing in a deep breath as I tried to remain calm. Miley's bombshell had explained so much; my mom and dad's behavior and the shouting match my mom had with Nate the day after Natalie's accident.

"I'm here for you, Addie," Kara declared, and wrapped one arm around my back squeezing me in a half hug.

I glanced over at her, trying my best to smile, but I couldn't talk about it; not, right now. I needed time to think.

"I know you are, Kara but we'd better get to class," I urged, praying my voice didn't wobble and give me away. I noted her worried expression. She wanted me to confide in her, but now wasn't the time. There were too many thoughts jumbled in my mind that I needed to make sense of first.

"You need to stop thinking so much. Don't worry about what that bitch said. We're still on for tonight, Addie. No backing out. It's your birthday. You need this. We are going to have fun even if I have to kidnap you and hold you at gunpoint." When I glanced over at her, she smiled and nudged me in the side with her elbow. "Fun," she repeated like it was some sort of foreign concept to me. I forced myself to smile back at her and together, we walked up the hall toward Mrs. Watkins's room, but my mind was still buzzing with Miley's words.

Chapter fourteen

A
FTER SCHOOL,
I
FOLLOWED
K
ARA TO
D
EVON'S
apartment. She'd finally gotten her ride out of the shop; a suped up little black Escort that had needed a new alternator and an exhaust system. It had roared like an angry lion on steroids. I'd been ashamed to ride with her. Her mom had refused to let Devon get his hands on it since he'd upped the horsepower and altered the hood and bumper.

Devon was still hanging out with the guys down at the shop, and Kara decided we should wait for him back at his apartment. Then we'd go on to the spillway from there. She'd been pestering me all day about Jake. I'd told her countless times no, but I was sure that it wouldn't be the last time she would mention his name to me.

After everything that had occurred last night, I still halfway expected to hear from Chance today. Even though he'd behaved like an ass, he knew it was my birthday. It was hard to be happy when my heart and mind were twisted up with all of these emotions. I didn't know how I should feel or what I should think about anything anymore.
Why did life have to be so complicated and confusing?

Kara pulled into one of the empty parking spaces directly in front of the five-story brown brick building where Devon lived. It was a little run down, but it wasn't too bad, especially since I knew what Devon paid for rent.

Kara's Escort gleamed in the sun as I pulled in beside it. I cut my engine and pulled the key from the ignition then grabbed my phone from the console checking it. No messages or calls. Nothing.

At a sharp peck on my window, I glanced up to find Kara waiting patiently by my door. Well, not waiting patiently, if I were being honest. She was practically bouncing up and down. She was Kara, after all and I didn't have the heart to burst her bubble by telling her what Miley had said. Kara was super excited about tonight. I leaned over and grabbed my backpack from the floor.

Maybe Chance had finally decided to listen to me. Maybe he'd given up. Still, I caught myself thinking about what might have happened if I'd let him inside the house the night before.

"Get that look off of your face, Hayes," Kara ordered in her sassy voice. She knew me too well. She stood before me with her hand on her hip, wearing a scolding frown. Her mini-skirt was so short that I was surprised she hadn't received an after school detention right along with me. She'd stayed with Devon at the shop as I paid my penance for the cupcake I'd wolfed down in front of Mr. Shilon and the whole class.

"Only good times tonight, Addie girl," Kara promised with a broad smile and a mischievous look in her eyes. She grabbed my hand and pulled me along behind her toward the building. Her blue tank top was exactly the same shade as the cloudless sky and it matched her eyes perfectly. She was rushing me, and I suddenly remembered I'd forgotten to lock my door, so I twisted around and aimed my key fob at the car until I heard the horn beep.

"Why are we in such a hurry?" I asked, as she walked around the corner of the building and came to a dead stop in front of apartment number 107.

"Don't be mad," she begged as she slid her key into the lock and turned.

"What are you talking about?" I asked. This was going to be bad. Any time, Kara asked me not to be mad; I usually ended up pissed as hell at her.

"Last week, Devon got a new roommate." She didn't have to tell me who it was, I already knew.

"Let me guess," I said, tapping my finger against my lips as if I were thinking and watched her smile grow even wider.

"I swear, it wasn't on purpose, Addie. I really thought the two of you would hit it off." She pushed open the door and thankfully from the quietness that greeted us, it appeared no one else was at home. "Chill out, he's at the shop with Devon. He was asking about you, though. I do believe he's smitten."

"Shut up! You and your Regency romances," I said, laughing at her. I didn't really want to hear it. Jake liking me was the last thing that I needed right now.

I walked past her, dropped my backpack on the floor and flopped down on the couch where I immediately sank down and gravitated to the middle. The springs were broken. The place was messy, but I'd expected worse. It actually wasn't too bad for two single guys. I'd always thought it kind of small, but the rent was dirt cheap. The kitchen sat off to the side. Everything was open. Kara pointed at the closed door behind the couch, and I twisted around in my seat to watch her. I knew the first room was Devon's then there was a bathroom in between, and then another room.