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

I stick my middle finger up at him and watch as his face turns from a glare to a grin.

Shit! I look away quickly, hoping he doesn’t see how he affects me, knowing that a stupid blush is most likely on my face.

I decide to put my phone away and ignore him for the rest of the class, knowing that I need to learn whatever the hell one is meant to learn in a psychology class. I fail, though. By the time the bell goes, I realise I have no idea what Ms Harding was even speaking about.

I wait for Ayden to leave with the flow of students and then hurry out, eager to get detention over and done with so I can get out of this wretched school. Rhys is in detention once again. Apparently, detention is a daily ritual she performs due to ignoring the dress code rules to express her individuality. She hasn’t not had a detention after school for a couple of years. I wonder what she’d do if she didn’t get one?

Tasha is in detention as well, doing her time for her crimes. She does a good job of ignoring Rhys’s attempts to stir her up. I, however, find the whole thing way too entertaining, and Rhys knows it. Just like with that boy I don’t like to talk about, my friendship with Rhys has evolved quickly, and it makes me wonder why. Am I so needy that I latch onto someone so quickly? Or have I just had unheard-of luck in finding a friend I truly connect with? Whatever it is, it makes me both thankful and wary.

After detention Rhys and I walk out to find the boys waiting… and Ayden is with them. My heart somersaults in my chest at seeing him. Stupid heart! Looking over the boy's faces, I notice each one of them wears a look of unease or guilt. They know damn well that I wouldn’t be happy that Ayden is with them waiting for me, yet here he is, standing with them like he belongs there.

“Damn! Shit’s about to get real, hey?” Rhys asks, not helping the situation since she says it so everyone can hear.

“Want to come over to my place?” I drag my eyes away from the boys and focus on Rhys.

She turns her head to the side to study me. I don’t know what she sees, but she smiles and nods, linking her arm in mine. “Absolutely. Lead the way to your palace, my queen.”

My hope that the boys will back off and let me have some time with Rhys quickly vanishes as they follow us out of school.

I spin to them, avoiding Ayden’s eyes to address my friends.

“You guys can go home. Rhys will be with me.”

“Nice try Lex.” Jared chuckles, walking up to us, linking his arm with Rhys and moving us forward again. Traitor.

The other boys chat away behind us as we walk, so I plead to Jared.

“Jar, please. I don’t need you guys to come over tonight.”

“You know we’re not leaving you, Lexi. Save your breath.” He doesn’t even look at me when he speaks.

I huff, “You just come over then. There’s no need for everyone to be there.”

Rhys darts her head between Jared and me as we speak. I swear she’s going to pull a neck muscle.

“Lex stop! You need to face him, eventually. May as well get it over with, hey?” Jared looks at me this time, his blue eyes firm and serious.

I want to cry.

“You smell really nice. How have I not met you before?” Rhys interrupts, and I’m grateful.

Jared smiles down at her, “I don’t know. I’m Jared.”

“Rhys,” she introduces herself, “Lexi’s new best friend.”

“Pleased to meet you, Rhys. So where do you hang out at school?”

Rhys laughs, “Nice try, Jared. The only way I’m revealing that is while your head is between my legs, making me scream.”

Laughter rips from Jared so forcefully that he nearly makes us stumble since he’s still linked with Rhys, with me on her other side.

“Noted. I’ll be sure to make that happen.” Jared finally responds.

Rhys grins, “Are you jealous, Lexi? Because if you don’t want one of your boys to make me cum, you better say so now.”

I laugh, “Have at it, Rhys.”

Rhys grins at me while Jared frowns behind her before looking away. I want to ignore the look he gave me, but I know I won’t be able to. I need to ask him about that later because I thought we had cleared up any confusion about our relationship. His look said otherwise.

When we reach my house, the boys flow in and make themselves at home like they usually do. The PlayStation gets turned on, music starts streaming from the stereo, and Marcus and Simon head to the kitchen to seek out food. I stand just inside the living room and watch Rhys as she demands control of the stereo over Shaun. Ayden comes to stand next to me, looking taken back by the scene before him.

I try to assess what he’s witnessing through his eyes. He’s seeing how comfortable the boys are in my house, how we all seem to have a routine. He can also see the blankets on the living room floor. Whoops.

“Who slept there?” He asks, and I almost sigh at the sound of his voice. Or melt. Probably both.

“Last night, it was Shaun’s turn to sleep there with Lexi. The night before, Gaz and Me had the honours.” Simon divulges, walking back in the room with a packet of potato chips.

My eyes widen in horror. He did not just say that. Did he?

Simon doesn’t make it far into the room before Ayden reefs him back by his school blazer and throws him against the wall by the front window, potato chips flying through the air.

“You better be fucking kidding!” Ayden roars, and Marcus leaps into action to pull his cousin off Simon.

While I know I should be