“I’m two doors down in Spanish. Also, saw you get out of Gunner’s truck today. Had any trouble with Kimmie yet?”

I wasn’t sure what that meant. Kimmie was the girl from the restroom yesterday and one of the girls who had bombarded Gunner when we’d arrived. I knew that much, but as for me having any issues with her, I hadn’t dealt with that. She didn’t pay much attention to me.

“No,” I replied.

He nodded. “You will. She’s not going to be able to handle you at all.”

If he meant she would be jealous of me, then she was just silly. Gunner wasn’t serious about her or anyone for that matter. Girls who were blind to teenage boys who clearly didn’t care about them were sad. They thought the television romance was real. It wasn’t. This was not One Tree Hill. It was real life.

“He referred to me as his wingman this morning. She doesn’t need to worry about me. She needs to worry about all the girls who are stupid enough to think they have a chance at an actual relationship with him. Like her.”

Asa laughed loudly. “Damn I like you.”

“Thanks.” I was going to say more when my eyes met Gunner’s as he made his way toward me.

“And here he comes,” Asa said, once again sounding amused.

Gunner’s eyes went from me to Asa as if he were annoyed. I wasn’t sure why he would be, and if he acted annoyed, I was going to set him straight. But that wasn’t going to happen right now because Kimmie stepped in front of him, blocking his path. Which made Asa laugh again.

“One day he’ll figure out that a quickie from Kimmie means weeks of her up his ass.”

“Has he done this with her before?” I asked, watching him move her out of his way with both his hands on her shoulders. His scowl was surprising. I’d never seen him pissed like that before.

“Been happening since ninth grade. She’s an easy lay, but then she clings. We’ve all learned our lesson, but Gunner can’t seem to shake her.”

I wonder what it was about her that kept drawing him back in.

“Kind of like Ivy and Brady. Except Brady doesn’t seem to mind Ivy’s clingy ways. He lets it happen because she’s hot. I think in Ivy’s head they’re an item. Brady however doesn’t see it as an exclusive thing. But then none of the guys have tried to bang her either.”

I had been away from high school drama, dealing with real world stuff, for so long now I found it pointless. Once I’d been that girl wrapped up in a guy, thinking he loved me. Not knowing what was really happening when I wasn’t around. Never once guessing the truth until it was right there in front of me. What I thought was a broken heart then didn’t even touch the reality of being broken.

“Here’s your class,” Asa said, stopping my thoughts from going dark once again.

“Thank you.”

He shrugged and on his tall frame it looked out of place. Like that of a little boy, not a massive football player. “I’ll see you at lunch?” I think it was a question. It sounded like one. So I simply nodded, then walked into the room. Wishing I had a distraction in this period to help me push away the pain.

Like a Vacuum

CHAPTER 11

GUNNER

When I walked into Spanish, Asa was grinning at me like a fucking idiot. I’d seen him with Willa, and he thought walking her to class was one-upping me.

“I invited your girl to my party,” he said as I put my books down on the desk beside him.

“Willa isn’t my girl.” I glared at him. I wasn’t playing games with him. I had Kimmie shit to deal with. She was full-force annoying now that Willa had ridden to school with me.

“Good. I was hoping she was available” was his response, also meant to piss me off.

“Stop being an ass.”

He cocked one eyebrow. “I’m serious. Completely.”

Well, hell. I wasn’t ready for that. Willa was back, and she was all grown up. I should have prepared for one of the guys other than Brady to go after her.

“Back off,” I warned him. Why? I didn’t want to think about that.

He smirked, then shook his head. “Nope.”

Fucker.

I ignored Asa most of the period, except when Nash turned around and started talking about Friday night. We had a football game to focus on, which was more important than Saturday night and Asa’s birthday party at the field. We would all end up at the field on Friday night after the game, too. In a small town like Lawton, the field was how we spent our weekends. Away from the adults.

Serena kept staring back at me and licking her lips slowly. I guess she was insinuating we hook up, and if we weren’t currently in the classroom, I’d let her at it. I needed the tension relief. All this Asa and Willa crap fucking with my head. My choice to take Serena to the homecoming dance was simply on her skill in the blow-job department.

“I think I might sell tickets to the Kimmie and Serena fight. All the hair pulling and screaming will be hot. Think you can get them to set up a time and place so I can make some quick cash?” Nash asked, glancing back at Serena.

“Doubt it. Kimmie will go at her whenever the mood strikes. Serena on the other hand would probably be more accommodating,” I replied with a grin.

“Never got why you and West wasted time with Serena. She’s been there and done it all,” Asa said, unimpressed.

“Heard she’s like a vacuum,” Nash informed him.

They both looked at me for confirmation. I shrugged. “Her middle name should be Hoover.”

Laughter erupted from both of them, and we were all glared at by Mr. Jones. We had interrupted his porn, I would guess. The old, fat Spanish teacher rarely did much teaching. He gave us worksheets and online programs during class. A couple of kids had caught him watching online porn on his MacBook while sitting up there. Shame we couldn’t do the same. This class would be a hell of a lot more fun.