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

heard Marcus has snagged you, so you don’t need us as bed buddies anymore.

Shaun Bossier

That totally sucks, Lexi! I’m gonna miss our cuddle times!

Ayden Mitchell

Marcus has NOT snagged her!

Simon Hastings

Bit touchy, are we Aydo?

Shaun Bossier

Who’s going to watch The Office with me now?

Marcus Grady

She’s going to be too busy watching Stranger Things with me! ☺

Ayden Mitchell

Since when do you watch that shit, Marcus?

And if she’s watching it with you, then she’s watching it with me too!

Marcus Grady

Rhys got Lexi and me into it the other night. Good show.

Don’t dis’ it until you’ve watched it!

Simon Hastings

Lexi, when you get sick of these amateurs, you can always join Gaz and me for strip poker again.

Ayden Mitchell

WTF! You better be fucking joking, Hastings!

Simon Hastings

No joke, dude! The girl can play a mean hand of cards! She had me down to my jocks.

Little minx was checking me out too. Weren’t you Lexi?

That was right before we called it a night, and we slept on the floor.

Together.

Lexi was in the middle.

Ayden Mitchell

Fuck off, prick! You better watch your back!

Garrett Cole

Stop goading him, Hastings!

Simon Hastings

What? Ain’t you gonna tell him how you watched her take a shower, Gaz?

Ayden Mitchell

Motherfucker!

Garrett Cole

Well, no man! I’m pretty sure Lexi doesn’t want that info public knowledge.

Ayden Mitchell

Gaz man, you better be joking!!!!!!

Garrett Cole

It’s not what you think, so calm the fuck down!

Simon Hastings

Well, I mean, Gaz watched, but Marcus and Jared got in the shower with her.

Shaun Bossier

Simon man, cut the shit! Ayden has just walked out of class to hunt you fuckers down!!

Marcus Grady

Ayden, they are just fucking with you. It didn’t go down like that.

Simon Hastings

That’s a matter of opinion.

Marcus Grady

Ayden?

Simon Hastings

Are you serious, Shauno? Is he on his way here?

Shaun Bossier

He’s fucking gone man!

Holy shit! There are no more messages. I need to stop Ayden.

Lexi West

Ayden, STAND DOWN, PLEASE!!

While some of that stuff is true, the dickheads are twisting the truth to piss you off, and you’ve just walked right into their trap!

Ayden?

Shaun Bossier

Too late, Lexi. They are all up at the Principal’s office.

Lexi West

What? Who?

Shaun Bossier

Ayden, Simon, Gaz and Jared.

Lexi West

Fuck!

Marcus Grady

Don’t worry, Lex. I’ll sort these dickheads out.

Lexi West

I’m not speaking to any of you arseholes until you make this right!

Shaun Bossier

Hey! I’ve been well behaved!!

Lexi West

Fine! I’m only talking to you.

Shaun Bossier

☺ ☺

I can’t believe those arseholes stirred Ayden up like that! Wait. I take that back! I can totally believe it. Shitheads!

Shaking my head, I open Ayden’s private message that he must have sent right after he left for school.

Ayden Mitchell

Sorry about this morning. I guess I’m still pretty fucked up.

I really hope you are okay, and my mum isn’t hovering too much.

She felt terrible about what happened at my dad’s.

She was so upset with herself when she noticed you had left.

Anyway, I know you aren’t interested in talking to me right now because I was a total judgmental douche this morning, but I needed to reach out to apologise.

P.S. Knowing you are safe at my place is a load off my mind. X

I want to respond to Ayden’s message, but I can’t bring myself to do it. I’m scared. I’m not sure of what exactly, but I feel like I need to muster up some more courage before I have another heart to heart with him.

I decide to leave Ayden’s message for a bit, and I open the one from Rhys.

Rhys George

Girl, you are a badass, you know that?

Someone from your media class caught the best footage of you pummelling Tasha yesterday.

I swear it’s the best moment of my life. I thought the incident in the toilets was, but I was wrong.

This definitely tops it!!!! You are officially my best friend!!!

I know I’ve said that before, but I mean it way more this time ☺

No other bitch will cut it like you do!

Oh, and don’t forget about the party tomorrow night. Wear something slutty.

I’ll be in contact with times later. Maybe we can have another sleepover?

I’d forgotten about the party. Rhys had told me about it a couple of days ago and said she wanted to take me. She tried to sell the idea by saying it would be way sicker than the type of parties I usually attend. I’m not sure how she knows what that parties are like that I normally go to, but I never asked her to explain.

Lexi West

I think psycho is a better word to describe me than badass!

There’s legit something wrong with me. I hardly even remember what I did.

Can you send me the video?

I’ll have to double-check with Andrea if it’s okay for me to go to a party tomorrow night.

It’s weird as fuck having to ask someone for permission. I’ll try to be convincing.

After I hit send, it occurs to me that Andrea could very well say no. If she is my acting guardian, then I have to follow her rules. Jesus, that sounds suffocating. I’m not used to anyone caring where I am unless it benefits them.

Shaking those thoughts off, I hit the voicemail button and wait to listen to the message.

“Alexis, it’s Maxwell… ah, your dad. You need to ring me back. Your little victim charade has gone on for long enough. If you don’t want to suffer the consequences of your actions, then you should probably think about behaving first. Call me. There are some things I need you to do for me.”

What the actual fuck!

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

What a dick! My dad actually thinks I will call him back and do “things” for him! Hell fucking no! Who does he think he is? Calling me and leaving a message basically saying that I’m making shit up and then telling me, not asking, but telling me to do stuff for him.

I hate him.

“Hey, here’s our girl.” Simon’s voice rips me from the toxic thoughts swirling in my head.

I’ve been sitting in the kitchen impatiently waiting for someone to get home. Being alone with my thoughts isn’t good right now. It’s re-sparked my anger, and I’m in