Chapter 7
We all turned to look.
There was this guy standing at the gate–total hottie, even better looking than Jaxon, with this rebellious bad boy vibe.
When Ryder Kensington saw us all staring, his attitude deflated by half. He scratched his head, stuttering: “What… what are you looking at? Never seen a good–looking guy before?”
I stared at him for a while, then recognized those signature bedroom eyes.
Holy shit, this was actually little fat kid Ryder from when we were kids?
If Jaxon was my childhood friend, then Ryder was my lifelong nemesis!
We’d blackmailed each other with embarrassing secrets, beaten the crap out of each other, had screaming matches…
The year I had my accident, the Kensington family shipped him off to boarding school overseas.
Nobody said anything, but Willow’s eyes lit up: “Ryder! You’re back–why didn’t you tell me?”
Ryder looked at her like she was garbage: “Who the fuck are you? Do I need to report my travel plans to you?”
Then he looked at me and tilted his chin up: “Skylar, where you headed?”
Before I could answer, Willow jumped in: “We’re going to visit Sky’s hometown!”
“Hometown?”
Ryder dragged out the words, scanning everyone but lingering longest on Camden.
That look seemed to see right through everything, making Camden squirm.
Then he clapped his hands and announced: “Cool. Let’s go.”
Camden, Jaxon, and Willow all froze like deer in headlights.
I just sighed: “Great. Just great.”
My hometown was in the middle of nowhere.
Transportation was a nightmare.
After the train, we took a bus, then a pickup truck, then had to hike twenty minutes.
Willow wouldn’t shut up the whole way:
“What kind of shithole is this!”
“So fucking gross!”
“I should’ve stayed home!”
I got sick of listening and snapped: “Nobody’s stopping you from leaving.”
She immediately shut up and pouted.
Camden and Jaxon shot me warning looks.
Camol
20.4%
Chapter 7
I ignored them.
My eyes found that figure in the floral dress by the wooden gate.
The second I saw her clearly, my eyes welled up and I ran over: “Mom!”
Mom caught me, her eyes getting misty too.
She reached up to touch my face, but stopped when she saw the cut on my forehead, looking worried.
I grinned: “It’s fine, doesn’t hurt at all.”
Then she felt my head, my stomach.
I nodded enthusiastically: “Eating good, sleeping good–I gained ten pounds!”
Mom finally smiled.
She signed: [Baby girl looks pale but prettier.]
She pointed at the group behind me: [Are these your friends?]
Before I could answer, she was already going to get little wooden stools from the yard, gesturing for everyone to sit.
I nodded and was about to make introductions when Willow suddenly burst out laughing: “Skylar, you call this random country woman your mom? And she’s a mute? That’s fucking hilarious!”
Mom’s eyes went dull.
Her hands froze mid–air, looking completely lost.
I walked over to Willow with a cold expression and without any warning, slapped her hard across the face.
“No fucking manners!”
The Hartwells could treat me however they wanted–I didn’t give a shit.
But Mom was my red line!
“You HIT me?”
Willow was covering her face, screaming like a banshee.
Camden finally came alive and rushed over to shield Willow: “Skylar, Willow was just joking around. Was that really necessary?”
Jaxon was frowning hard too: “Sky, that was way over the line. Apologize right now.”
Willow saw her backup and stuck her tongue out at me smugly.
I was seeing red, rolling up my sleeves to really give them a piece of my mind.
Suddenly Ryder made this disgusted sound: “Tsk.”
“So what if she hit you?”
“Damn, Willow, did you eat garbage for breakfast? Your mouth smells like hot trash from way over here!”
That shut Willow up fast–she covered her mouth, embarrassed and pissed.
But Ryder wasn’t done. He looked at the other two and shook his head: “These are supposed to be the next Hartwells and Sterlings? You guys are idiots with no class whatsoever. Your families are screwed.”
Hana to Wreck the Game!
