“Crew system?”
“Yeah, it’s like a soft version of gangs. He had to. Once he formed his crew, others joined up and allied together. Budd lost a lot of power the end of his senior year. It wasn’t all about protecting Mason and you, but some of it was. Budd couldn’t take it out on Channing. If he did, he’d risk the wrath of all those crews. I think it was another reason he focused on hurting whoever Mason’s girlfriend was.”
The fluttering now grew into a full-sized rock, sitting right there at the bottom of my gut.
I let out a shaky laugh. “I’d forgotten what it was like that year in school.”
It’d been scary at Fallen Crest Public, but I knew it was way worse at Roussou. Their town didn’t have the factories and companies Fallen Crest did, which provided more money.
“Kate and those bitches.” Heather had been right there with me. “She’s still around, you know?”
“What?”
“Kate. She’s working at the salon in Roussou. She got alienated from her friends after that year, so she officially moved to Roussou. Transferred to Roussou from Fallen Crest for school and everything. I think she’s in the trailer court with her boyfriend now.”
I rolled my eyes. “Lovely.”
“I hate to say white trash because some might consider me white trash, but that girl really is. If she’s not doing hair, she’s at Channing’s bar or drinking in her trailer.” Heather thought for a second. “Or in front of the trailer. That court’s not bad either. I’ve got a friend who lives there, and she hates when Kate does that. Makes the whole place look bad, you know?”
“Channing has a bar?”
“It’s his dad’s, but he took it over this year.”
“Because it was time?” I wasn’t really thinking about the conversation, just going along until I heard her answer.
“No, because his dad’s in prison.”
That got my attention. “What?”
“You didn’t know?”
I shook my head. “You’ve never said.”
“Oh.” Her head lowered a bit. “Sometimes I don’t say things because I don’t want you to look down on me.”
“What?” That came from left field. “Why would I do that?”
She looked at Mason and then to Matteo, and I saw what she meant. Channing and his friends were fine, dressed in jeans and T-shirts, and Mason and Matteo weren’t dressed differently. They both wore Cain University shirts, Matteo’s without sleeves, and both had on jeans. But it was the look of them. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it was obvious Mason had money. And Matteo stood out, as if he was a league above them or something.
I hated thinking like that, but this was how Heather saw them.
This was how Heather saw me.
“I’m not rich.”
She half-snorted, half-barked out a laugh. “You literally have a choice between which mansion to live in for the summer: your dad’s, his dad’s, or even your biological dad’s.” She held her hands up. “Nothing against money. I don’t look it, but we’re doing well with Manny’s.” She shifted, her hands curving around the truck’s edge as she leaned forward. “But we’re not in range with you guys. So yeah, I think sometimes I don’t say things because of that.”
My tongue had never felt heavier than it did at that moment. “My mom used a wire to perform her own abortion. She threatened to turn Mason in for having sex with me so he’d be classified as a sex offender when we were in high school. There’s nothing that makes me better than you. Trust me.”
“I know. I do. And I know you don’t think that at all, but…” She paused, sighing heavily. “Sometimes it’s intimidating.”
“What is?”
I was getting whiplash. I’d never expected any of this from her.
“Watching how far you’re going to go with Mason and Logan, and knowing I’m going to be in the same place can be…humbling sometimes.”
Humbling? I was honestly floored. “What are you talking about?”
“Nothing.” She gestured to the guys beginning to gather together. Channing broke off to join them as Mason headed our way. “The first fight must be starting.”
“Heather.” I touched her arm.
She hopped off the truck’s bed as Mason arrived. “Nothing. Forget what I said.” She gave Mason a smile. “I’ll give you two some space.”
Matteo stood behind Mason, and she clasped him on the shoulder. “Come on, lover boy. I’ll introduce you to some friendly girls you can get to know.”
“I knew there was a reason I was attracted to you.” He looked her up and down again, but the lecherous gleam was gone. “You’re a home girl, aren’t you? You get guys, in here.” He gestured to his chest.
Heather tipped her head back, her dirty blond hair rippling, and she winked at him. “More like down there.” Her eyes dropped to his groin. “I grew up with my dad and two brothers. I understand guys.”
Matteo groaned, his hands coming to his chest. “I’m feeling the ache right here. Why do you have to be taken, and by someone who seems cool as shit?”
She laughed. “Come on. You like the name Tiffany?” Her voice faded as she pulled him around to the front of the group.
I knew she did that to give Mason and me more privacy, and the humbling feeling she’d mentioned now landed smack on my chest. I felt grounded to the steel of the truck beneath me. I reiterated some of what she’d said to Mason.
“She’s a good friend to you. Loyal.”
“I don’t feel good enough for her. Not anymore.”
“And that’s why you’re a good friend to her.” He dropped a kiss to my forehead, his hand curving around and resting on the small of my back. “Come on. We can talk later. Just stick close to me.”
I angled my head back to stare up at him. “We’re staying? I thought you wanted to go right away.”
He shrugged, glancing to where Channing was standing. “I kind of want to see him fight.”
There was no ‘kind of.’ He wanted to. I could hear it in his voice, and I knew a part of Mason missed those days. It felt simpler back then. They could fight and not care about the consequences. Things were different now. Futures had to be considered. Decisions made now could harm someone’s career.
I slipped my hand into his and squeezed. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For coming here and not thinking about what I was going to be walking into.”
He shrugged again. “It’s okay. I got Matteo here and we’ll deal with whatever happens.”
I saw how he was watching Channing. He wanted to support his friend and I glanced to my friend from the reminder. I didn’t feel like the good friend to her.
“Come on.” He pulled me off the truck and his hand rested snug on my back.
He started for the fighting tent, but I stopped him. “Heather doesn’t talk a lot about Channing or even about Roussou with me. If there’s any part of you blaming her for bringing me here, don’t. It’s my fault. I should’ve known, and a part of me didn’t because I don’t talk to her about this part of her life. I haven’t been a good friend to her.”
Mason’s eyes held mine, sparking a different feeling inside. The nerves were still there, but they mixed with another kind of tension. We’d returned home, and now that we were here, we needed to face the music. It didn’t make sense to me, but what I’d said was true. I couldn’t be friends with Heather if I only got half of her. That wasn’t being the true friend I thought I was.
My mouth felt dry, and I didn’t say any of those words to Mason, but he’d been watching me. And as if he’d read my mind, as I was sure he could, his eyes softened.
He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I know, but I can’t lie. I don’t like owing someone else for covering my back. It’s nothing against Channing. I like him. I respect him, but he’s not family. Logan and Nate are, and neither one is here.” His fingers laced with mine. He started forward, leading me. “And I have to be very careful what I do. Any leaked video could be the end of my career.”
“Yeah, it’s like a soft version of gangs. He had to. Once he formed his crew, others joined up and allied together. Budd lost a lot of power the end of his senior year. It wasn’t all about protecting Mason and you, but some of it was. Budd couldn’t take it out on Channing. If he did, he’d risk the wrath of all those crews. I think it was another reason he focused on hurting whoever Mason’s girlfriend was.”
The fluttering now grew into a full-sized rock, sitting right there at the bottom of my gut.
I let out a shaky laugh. “I’d forgotten what it was like that year in school.”
It’d been scary at Fallen Crest Public, but I knew it was way worse at Roussou. Their town didn’t have the factories and companies Fallen Crest did, which provided more money.
“Kate and those bitches.” Heather had been right there with me. “She’s still around, you know?”
“What?”
“Kate. She’s working at the salon in Roussou. She got alienated from her friends after that year, so she officially moved to Roussou. Transferred to Roussou from Fallen Crest for school and everything. I think she’s in the trailer court with her boyfriend now.”
I rolled my eyes. “Lovely.”
“I hate to say white trash because some might consider me white trash, but that girl really is. If she’s not doing hair, she’s at Channing’s bar or drinking in her trailer.” Heather thought for a second. “Or in front of the trailer. That court’s not bad either. I’ve got a friend who lives there, and she hates when Kate does that. Makes the whole place look bad, you know?”
“Channing has a bar?”
“It’s his dad’s, but he took it over this year.”
“Because it was time?” I wasn’t really thinking about the conversation, just going along until I heard her answer.
“No, because his dad’s in prison.”
That got my attention. “What?”
“You didn’t know?”
I shook my head. “You’ve never said.”
“Oh.” Her head lowered a bit. “Sometimes I don’t say things because I don’t want you to look down on me.”
“What?” That came from left field. “Why would I do that?”
She looked at Mason and then to Matteo, and I saw what she meant. Channing and his friends were fine, dressed in jeans and T-shirts, and Mason and Matteo weren’t dressed differently. They both wore Cain University shirts, Matteo’s without sleeves, and both had on jeans. But it was the look of them. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it was obvious Mason had money. And Matteo stood out, as if he was a league above them or something.
I hated thinking like that, but this was how Heather saw them.
This was how Heather saw me.
“I’m not rich.”
She half-snorted, half-barked out a laugh. “You literally have a choice between which mansion to live in for the summer: your dad’s, his dad’s, or even your biological dad’s.” She held her hands up. “Nothing against money. I don’t look it, but we’re doing well with Manny’s.” She shifted, her hands curving around the truck’s edge as she leaned forward. “But we’re not in range with you guys. So yeah, I think sometimes I don’t say things because of that.”
My tongue had never felt heavier than it did at that moment. “My mom used a wire to perform her own abortion. She threatened to turn Mason in for having sex with me so he’d be classified as a sex offender when we were in high school. There’s nothing that makes me better than you. Trust me.”
“I know. I do. And I know you don’t think that at all, but…” She paused, sighing heavily. “Sometimes it’s intimidating.”
“What is?”
I was getting whiplash. I’d never expected any of this from her.
“Watching how far you’re going to go with Mason and Logan, and knowing I’m going to be in the same place can be…humbling sometimes.”
Humbling? I was honestly floored. “What are you talking about?”
“Nothing.” She gestured to the guys beginning to gather together. Channing broke off to join them as Mason headed our way. “The first fight must be starting.”
“Heather.” I touched her arm.
She hopped off the truck’s bed as Mason arrived. “Nothing. Forget what I said.” She gave Mason a smile. “I’ll give you two some space.”
Matteo stood behind Mason, and she clasped him on the shoulder. “Come on, lover boy. I’ll introduce you to some friendly girls you can get to know.”
“I knew there was a reason I was attracted to you.” He looked her up and down again, but the lecherous gleam was gone. “You’re a home girl, aren’t you? You get guys, in here.” He gestured to his chest.
Heather tipped her head back, her dirty blond hair rippling, and she winked at him. “More like down there.” Her eyes dropped to his groin. “I grew up with my dad and two brothers. I understand guys.”
Matteo groaned, his hands coming to his chest. “I’m feeling the ache right here. Why do you have to be taken, and by someone who seems cool as shit?”
She laughed. “Come on. You like the name Tiffany?” Her voice faded as she pulled him around to the front of the group.
I knew she did that to give Mason and me more privacy, and the humbling feeling she’d mentioned now landed smack on my chest. I felt grounded to the steel of the truck beneath me. I reiterated some of what she’d said to Mason.
“She’s a good friend to you. Loyal.”
“I don’t feel good enough for her. Not anymore.”
“And that’s why you’re a good friend to her.” He dropped a kiss to my forehead, his hand curving around and resting on the small of my back. “Come on. We can talk later. Just stick close to me.”
I angled my head back to stare up at him. “We’re staying? I thought you wanted to go right away.”
He shrugged, glancing to where Channing was standing. “I kind of want to see him fight.”
There was no ‘kind of.’ He wanted to. I could hear it in his voice, and I knew a part of Mason missed those days. It felt simpler back then. They could fight and not care about the consequences. Things were different now. Futures had to be considered. Decisions made now could harm someone’s career.
I slipped my hand into his and squeezed. “I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For coming here and not thinking about what I was going to be walking into.”
He shrugged again. “It’s okay. I got Matteo here and we’ll deal with whatever happens.”
I saw how he was watching Channing. He wanted to support his friend and I glanced to my friend from the reminder. I didn’t feel like the good friend to her.
“Come on.” He pulled me off the truck and his hand rested snug on my back.
He started for the fighting tent, but I stopped him. “Heather doesn’t talk a lot about Channing or even about Roussou with me. If there’s any part of you blaming her for bringing me here, don’t. It’s my fault. I should’ve known, and a part of me didn’t because I don’t talk to her about this part of her life. I haven’t been a good friend to her.”
Mason’s eyes held mine, sparking a different feeling inside. The nerves were still there, but they mixed with another kind of tension. We’d returned home, and now that we were here, we needed to face the music. It didn’t make sense to me, but what I’d said was true. I couldn’t be friends with Heather if I only got half of her. That wasn’t being the true friend I thought I was.
My mouth felt dry, and I didn’t say any of those words to Mason, but he’d been watching me. And as if he’d read my mind, as I was sure he could, his eyes softened.
He tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I know, but I can’t lie. I don’t like owing someone else for covering my back. It’s nothing against Channing. I like him. I respect him, but he’s not family. Logan and Nate are, and neither one is here.” His fingers laced with mine. He started forward, leading me. “And I have to be very careful what I do. Any leaked video could be the end of my career.”
