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

offers me the joint he’s smoking, and I don’t even hesitate to take it.

Bringing it to my lips, I drag the smoke in, letting it seep into my lungs, and I close my eyes, savouring the feeling, eager for the effects to kick in.

“Queen Lexi is being naughty. Can I be naughty too?” I open my eyes to peer up at Rhys. She’s grinning down at me, which makes me smile. “Sure, if you have your own joint.”

“Girl, that’s my joint you have.” Dale quips, and I roll my eyes at him before taking another drag.

“You gave it to me because I’m on my period.” I grin, blowing the smoke up into the sky as Dale makes a gagging noise.

“You little liar. You’re not pissed because of your period. It’s because of Ay-.”

“Rhys, don’t you dare say his fucking name!” I hiss.

“I like the angry version of you,” Bell states matter-of-factly, and I roll my eyes.

“I do too. It’s turning me on.” Rhys smirks at me before snatching the joint and taking a drag.

I don’t try to get it back. She probably just did me a favour. The last thing I need is to go to my next class baked out of my mind. I also don’t want a repeat of losing my memory, or to become a drug fucked zombie like my mum and Mike.

Shit, why do I keep making bad choices?

“Everything turns you on, Rhys.” Tillie nudges Rhys with her shoulder before taking the joint from her and having her own fill.

“I’m a sexual being. What can I say?” Rhys seductively drags her hands over her breasts and cups them.

“You could keep it to yourself. I don’t want to hear that shit. Or see that. Stop groping your tits!” Dale hisses at Rhys, and she pokes her tongue out.

Dale and vampire boy, whose name I found out is Alister, starts talking about some game called D&D that they are going to play this weekend, and Rhys nudges Dale over with her foot so she can sit next to me.

“You okay?” She asks, taking my hand in hers. Her tone is serious, so I meet her gaze and shrug.

“I saw him just before lunch, coming out of the counsellor’s office. You didn’t know he was coming back?” Rhys’s voice is low, and I appreciate her not blabbing it to everyone. This shit is personal.

I shake my head and then rest it on her shoulder. Rhys lays her head on mine and takes the joint off Tillie to take another drag before holding it to my lips so I can have one last intake before it’s all gone.

“I can feel your phone vibrating in your pocket.” Rhys giggles. “It’ll be your reverse harem trying to find you again.”

“Probably,” I feel relaxed, but not as relaxed as I was on Saturday night when I got wasted at Simon’s.

I purposely don’t take my phone out of my pocket to check the messages. I can’t deal with the guys right now. I just need a breather, so I selfishly enjoy the company of my new misfit friends for the rest of lunch.

When the bell goes for last period, I drag my feet to my new Psychology class. Another new class care of Abbey’s stupid parents. I mean, why the hell would I be interested in psychology? This is just another class I’ll probably fail because it has no relevance to my interests or my ability.

Ms Harding, my year eight science teacher, is standing at the whiteboard writing something that I don’t understand when I walk in. A quick look around the room, and I’m ready to turn and walk the hell out.

Ayden is in this class. Seriously?

To make matters worse, the only empty seat is at the table next to his. Not happening.

I walk to the back of the room where Sally Davis is sitting and glare down at her.

“Move!”

“What?” She looks at me, confused.

“I want this seat, Sally. Move.” I can feel eyes on me, but I ignore the onlookers and keep my focus on the red-headed girl cowering before me.

“But, there’s a spare seat over there.” She points and I smile. It’s not a friendly smile.

“Yes, I know. That’s your seat. Go fucking sit in it.”

“Is there a problem, Lexi?” Ms Harding’s voice travels from the front of the room, so I turn to her.

“Nope. Sally was just telling me she wants to sit closer to the front, so I’m being kind enough to swap with her.”

Miss Harding smiles, “That’s nice of you, Lexi. Thank you.”

“Anytime,” I smirk and turn back to Sally, who’s bundling up her books to move.

When the desk is free, I sit and open my laptop. Unfortunately, even though I will myself not to, my eyes still seek Ayden out. I quickly regret that when I see the disappointment etched across his face. The frown he shoots me across the room almost breaks me, so I glance down at my laptop screen, fighting back tears and the need to scream.

Taking my phone out, needing to distract my thoughts, I go on the group chat and read through the usual messages that the boys send me when I do a runner from them. Then a notification lights up the screen with a message from Ayden.

I debate whether to open it. I’ve been waiting to hear from him since I sent the drunk text, and now that I have, I’m not sure I want to know what he has to say.

Of course, I’m lacking the ability to control my curiosity, so I open the message.

Ayden Mitchell

What was that? Since when do you act like Tasha?”

Oh, he did not just compare me to Tasha fucking Pritchard?

Lexi West

<< middle finger emoji >>

Ayden Mitchell

We need to talk.

Lexi West

<< middle finger emoji >>

Ayden Mitchell

How old are you?

Lexi West

<< middle finger emoji >>

Ayden Mitchell

Lex, come on. We should talk.

Lexi West

To you, my name is Alexis!

I look up from my phone to watch Ayden as he reads my message, and he flinches before shooting me