Deep (Heavy Hearts Book 2) by Sarah Duncan (reading tree txt) 📕

minutes after Rhys and I parted ways outside my English class. It had been edited to cut out some of the words I had with Tasha and her bunch of bitches. Like when I asked Abbey if she’d shown Tasha the pictures I sent her. For some reason, Rhys had cut that out. She had cut out anything too personal to my situation, and for that, I am thankful.

“It’s my jam. It’s what I do. Easy peasy.” Rhys skites, shrugging her shoulders, “I sent the full version to Cynthia, though.”

I almost choke. “What!”

“Quiet please, Miss West.” Mr Ellis, the sub teacher, glares at me from his desk.

Rhys giggles, “I know you got in trouble for fighting too, but that cow over there will be dealt a bigger punishment for it, and for that, it’s well worth spending every day after school in detention with me. Don’t you think?” She smiles wide, extremely proud of herself.

Shaking my head in disbelief, I stay quiet for a few minutes taking in everything that’s happened today. I’m exhausted, and it isn’t even 4pm yet. As if I’ve willed it, Mr Ellis announces that detention is over, and I watch as Tasha practically runs out of the room, nearly tripping over twice on her way out. Does she think I’m going to do something, like chase her and grab a fistful of her hair before slamming her head into a concrete pole?

Okay, so maybe I really do need professional help!

Strolling out of the room behind Rhys, my tummy drops, knowing that I have to go back to an empty house. What if it isn’t empty? What if Mike is back? Maybe I can ask Rhys to come home with me?

“Oooh, look at your fellas all lined up in a row.” Rhys smiles wide, and I glance up to see Marcus, Jared, Simon, Garrett and Shaun waiting for me, leaning against the walkway railing. Rhys walks up to each of the guys and checks them out from head to toe, raking her dark eyes over them like they are a smorgasbord. She doesn’t even try to hide what she’s doing, and they just watch her curiously.

Have they been waiting out here the whole time I was in detention?

“Tell me, Lexi, which one makes you scream the loudest?” Rhys asks, raising a black painted nail to her lips in thought.

I would have gasped in shock if it weren’t for the looks on the boy’s faces. Jared frowns and then directs his blue gaze down the line as if wondering which one of his mates is the one that makes me scream. Garrett’s blue-grey eyes widen, and then I swear I see a pink blush heat his cheeks. Of course, Shaun looks like his usual smug Casanova self and nods his head like he’s imagining making me scream. Poor Simon looks flustered, and Marcus eyes Rhys with heat in his dark gaze.

Well, well, well. I think Marcus likes what he sees.

“Rhys stop. They’re only friends. Stop conjuring up bullshit that isn’t real.” I try to scold her, but in true Rhys style, it doesn’t faze her one bit, and she shoots me another cheeky grin. Rhys George is a little troublemaker who likes to stir up trouble. I think I like her even more.

“The guy who makes her scream isn’t here.”

I swing my attention to Marcus, not missing the bitterness in his deep voice.

“What the fuck, Marcus!” I yell, not able to hold back.

Rhys turns to me, blocking Marcus from my view, “Oh, do tell. Who is the guy that makes the one and only, Lexi West, scream?”

“You know what, I thought I liked you, but I was wrong,” I say through gritted teeth to Rhys before storming off.

“Oh, you still like me, girl! I’ll see you tomorrow.” I ignore Rhys when she calls out as I head straight for the school exit.

The boy’s voices and footsteps sound behind me, so I know they are following, but I continue to ignore them. My emotions are all over the place, and Rhys has successfully made me think about Ayden. Or maybe it was Marcus who did that since he referred to him. Either way, Ayden is on my mind, and as much as it hurts, I don’t want the thoughts to go away. I want to drown deep in the memories I’ll forever cherish.

Stuffing my earphones in my ears, I hit my Heavy playlist on my phone and let the music flow through my chaotic mind. I haven’t listened to it for a while. Most of the time, when I’m alone now, I’m too scared to have too much sound going on around me in case I don’t hear the moment that Mike or my dad try to pounce. I know the boys are behind me right now, so I allow myself this moment while we walk to listen to the music that speaks to my soul.

In my peripheral, I notice Jared step up beside me before he pulls me to his side while we walk. Although his scent isn’t the same, I try to pretend that for a moment, it’s Ayden who is walking with me. I miss him so much.

I kind of expect the boys to veer off to head to their own houses, but they don’t. When I walk through the door of my house ten minutes later, so do the five of them. I don’t tell them, but I’m so grateful they are here. I don’t want to be alone, especially in this house.

Knowing that they’ll be hungry, I go to the kitchen and start cooking up some meaty party pies and sausage rolls before heading up to my room to change. As I pass the living room, I continue ignoring them because I’m still pissed about their overkill smothering earlier. I’m also trying to avoid talking about my run-in with Tasha.

When I reach my bedroom, I hesitate outside the door like I always do since returning from Melbourne. My mind flashes with a memory