Chapter 3
Callyn
I didn’t have much time to think about what this could mean for me having four big, muscular, good-looking guys as friends. Zeke and Graydon kept me occupied during art. They make it hard to concentrate. I already checked Zeke out during chemistry, but Graydon is no less hot. His inky, black hair is long and thick on top and faded on the sides. I have the strangest urge to run my fingers through it. His eyes are green, like moss. He must not have shaved yesterday because he has the shadow of stubble on his face. It only serves to increase his hotness. Muscle wise he is almost as big as Zeke.
Graydon can fill out a pair of jeans. I may have looked once or twice. His biker boots were working for me. Ugh. Having them around is going to be hard because I can’t stop looking at them. They are good looking individually, but together…together the view is stunning. Even Maximus. He has your boy next door looks. Blonde hair and blue eyes. His hair is long and reaches the top of his shoulders. He smaller than Zeke and Graydon, but you can tell there is some muscle tone to him. At my old schools, I was never really into any of the boys. But these four are a different story. I feel this usual pull toward them. I want to be near them. Their presence is calming. I don’t know what to think about that.
While we were in art class when they told me about themselves and asked me questions, which I tried to deflect. I don’t have a lot of good memories and I don’t do anything. I hide in my room and study and try not to be around my father. I keep hoping that one day he will forget that I am there, but no such luck.
I’m out of here when I graduate. I won’t be coming back. The way that my father treats me, I’m glad I don’t have any siblings. I can only imagine what he could be doing to them. I shake my head. I digress. As much as I tried to keep changing the topic from me back to one of them, they wouldn’t let me. So, I gave them answers, but they were vague. I got a little break from them in gym class. Luckily, none of them were in it. Gym kept my mind occupied as well. No time to think about them while you are too busy trying not to fall over your own two feet. Athletically gifted I am not.
I make my way to study hall. The boys are already there. There is a seat open between Maximus and Graydon. Lucian is in the seat in front of Graydon, and Zeke is in front of Max.
“There she is,” Max says. “We saved you a seat.” He does a gesture with his hand toward the empty seat that reminds me of the models on the Price is Right.
I smirk and shake my head, making my way over and sitting in the open seat. I look at Max, he has this impish smile on his face. Oh, he is going to be trouble, or get me into trouble. I sneak a peek at Graydon. He seems to have a permanent scowl on his face. I just want to reach over and smooth the wrinkles that form between his eyebrows. I look away before I do. I don’t think he would appreciate my hands on him.
Instead, I take out my books and start working on math homework. I know, I know, it’s the first day and we already have homework. Well, at least I have an hour before the end of school to start it. I can hear the boys around me making plans for the weekend. I ignore it and continue working. A little while later I feel a tap on my shoulder and almost jump out of my seat. I turn around. It was Graydon. I take a deep breath and try to calm my rapidly beating heart.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you,” Graydon says sheepishly.
“It’s okay.” No way was I telling him that I thought my father was trying to touch me. I forgot where I was. It is kind of alarming. I’m always on guard because I never know what can happen on a day to day basis. I feel comfortable around them, safe. I don’t know how. I just met them.
“What are you doing this weekend?” Graydon's question breaks my train of thought.
“Oh, um. Nothing.”
“Really? Do you want to hang out with us? There is a party out at the Michaelson’s Saturday night.”
“I can’t. Plus, partying isn’t really my thing.”
“We’ll make sure you have fun. I promise nothing bad will happen. We’ll be your own personal bodyguards.”
“I don’t know. I’ll think about it and let you know.”
“Do you have a cell phone, so we can all exchange numbers? That way if you change your mind you can get ahold of us.”
“Yea.” It’s the one thing I have kept a secret from my father. He doesn’t know about it. I make sure the bills are paid. It’s the only way I can have it. I pull my phone out of my pocket. It takes a couple of minutes but we all exchange numbers. Their numbers are the only ones in there. I honestly don’t know why I have the phone. I never call or text anyone. I guess I like the security it gives me in case if I ever need to use it.
The bell rings. We all gather our things and head to our lockers. Max and Graydon are first. I keep walking, but a tug on my hand stops me.
“Where do you think you’re going?” Zeke asks.
“Trying to slip away again? That’s twice in one day. You’re starting to hurt my feeling.” Maximus gives me this puppy dog look and pouts his lips. He pushes his hair behind his ears.
The look is pathetic, but it does make me feel guilty. That is exactly what I am trying to do. “I was just going to my locker.”
“Just wait. We’ll all go together to everyone’s lockers.”
“Why? Doesn’t it make more sense if everyone goes to their own lockers, get their stuff, and then meet outside?”
“Yea, probably, but we have always done it this way.”
I roll my eyes. I really don’t have time for this. I have to walk home. I need to beat my father. Surprisingly, he functions enough during the day to keep a job, but the second that he gets home, he starts drinking.
“Do you have to catch the bus home?” Zeke questions.
“No, I just have to get home.” Max and Graydon close their lockers and we walk to Lucians and then Zeke's. Of course, mine would be the one closest to the front door and therefore last. Ugh.
“We can give you a ride home,” Graydon offers.
“NO.” I clear my throat. “No, that’s okay, I can walk. Thank you for the offer though.”
I look at Graydon and see him sharing a look with the others. After Lucian and Zeke are done getting their things, we walk to my locker. I quickly grab my bookbag and shove in all my books and notebooks. I carefully put the straps over my shoulders. Even with the bookbag lying flat against my back, it hurts like hell. The bruises are only three days old. They’re still sore. The walk home is going to be torture. I turn to look at the guys and see that they are all staring at me. Did they see how I eased my bookbag on my shoulders? If they did, no one mentions anything.
I follow them out to the parking lot. They stop by a black truck.
“You all ride to school together too? Is there anything that you do by yourselves? How exactly does that work when Zeke has football practice?” Seriously Callyn. Shut up. Since when do you open your mouth about anything. You don’t know these boys. You don’t know what they’re capable of. You have been doing this all day and you need to stop.
But one of the things that Zeke mentioned about himself in art class, was that he played football. He is a defensive end. I’m not sure what that means since I’m not that into sports, but he seemed excited about it. Graydon told me he liked motorcycles and sometimes picked up a shift at the local bike shop. He says he mostly helps clean up, but he is hoping that one day he can become an apprentice to learn to build them from the ground up.
I shake my head. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that it was rude.”
“No worries,” Zeke says with a wink. “But yes, we all ride to school together. We don’t live that far from each other. We just take turns on who is driving in the morning when none of us have to stay after school. Though usually, they don’t mind waiting. Since today is the first day of school coach gave us the day off.”
It must be nice having such close friendships. Maybe one day we can have that too. “I’ll see you guys tomorrow.” I start to walk away.
“Are you sure we can’t give you a ride home? There is plenty of room.”
I wave my hand above my head. “I’ll be fine, but thanks.” I walk the six blocks home.
∞∞∞
I put my bookbag on the kitchen chair. I look through the cupboards to see what I could make for dinner. Spaghetti and meatballs sound good. I check the freezer to see if we have frozen meatballs. We do. Ooo, garlic bread. Gathering the ingredients, I start making dinner. No sooner than I put the water on the stove, my phone vibrates. I look to see that not one, but all the boys have texted me to see if I made it home okay. I couldn’t help but smile as I reply.