Cricket (Cricket Kendall Book 1), page 8
“What the fuck? Stop doing that shit to me!”
Hawthorne snorts and rolls his eyes like I’m being dramatic. “Until you’re mated and fully break away with your own pack, you’re still my responsibility, pup.”
I barely catch myself from flinching. He only calls me a pup when he’s angry or disappointed with me. I don’t know whether to feel offended or guilty, even though I haven’t done anything wrong.
Hawthorne’s police radio interrupts us. He gets a call for a ten-sixteen, and he flips on his sirens as he makes the next turn to head to our destination. I stay quiet, but I can feel adrenaline rushing through my body.
We drive to a trailer park near one of the bigger ski resorts in town. Most of the trailers are well kept with clean yards, but there are a few that need some serious landscaping and repairs. Outside of a trailer that falls into the latter category, there’s a middle-aged couple screaming at each other. Another woman stands slightly off to the side, phone in hand, and she waves at the police cruiser as we approach.
Hawthorne reminds me not to get involved, and to stay by the car at all times. It’s the same reminder he always gives me when I come with him like this. He speaks to someone over his radio for a moment, and gets out of the car to approach the woman on the phone. I hang out for a few minutes to make sure the situation isn’t going to escalate before I get out and lean against the side of the cruiser with my hands in my pockets.
The couple is still screaming at each other, and Hawthorne calmly steps in to diffuse the fight. I’m not interested in following in Hawthorne’s steps by becoming a police officer. My oldest cousin, Rylan, is a cop too, and he loves it. But I just don’t think it’s for me. Still, I love coming along with Hawthorne just to see how he handles certain things and how he keeps control over his wolf during stressful situations.
Just as things seem to settle down, a young kid runs out of the trailer and latches onto the middle-aged woman’s leg. He can’t be more than three or four years old. While it’s not my business or my place to judge the people living here, I can’t help but feel bad for the kid. Nobody should have to see their parents fight like that, especially at that age.
Paisley rushes outside, causing my eyes to widen in surprise. She says something to the kid and gently picks him up to take him back inside. I didn’t realize Paisley lived here, and I feel guilty for having a peek into her private life with her family. I tap my fingers anxiously against my leg, hoping like crazy she doesn’t notice me.
Her eyes meet mine as she stands up with the kid in her arms, and shame washes over her features. Fuck. It’s not like we’re close, and she and her friends at school can be a little judgmental, but I feel really fucking bad for seeing her here like this. My face flushes as I wave to her awkwardly, and I avert my gaze before she can.
Hawthorne will probably still be awhile, since I’m sure he’ll have paperwork to fill out. I get back in the car, and I slyly pull out my phone to distract myself with messages from Cricket.
Chapter Eleven
Cricket
I rush around my room like crazy, trying to make sure I’m not forgetting anything. It’s only the first day of school, but I still triple check that I have plenty of folders, notebooks, and pens in my floral-printed backpack. Stella is lying curled up on my bed, watching me with an annoyed expression. I stand in front of the mirror one last time to look over my outfit. I’m wearing boho, printed shorts with pom-poms on the hem, a plain white tee shirt, my usual amount of jewelry, and a pair of red converse. If I could get away with going barefoot, I totally would. My feet already feel claustrophobic.
Aurora’s waiting for me in the kitchen, still in her morning robe. She gestures toward a plate of eggs and toast, which I gobble down quickly.
“Don’t be nervous, sweetheart. You’re going to have a great day.”
“Thanks, Ror,” I say with a grateful smile. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and I glance at it quickly. “Theo’s outside.”
My aunt gives me a cheeky smile. “He’s such a sweet boy, isn’t he?”
I roll my eyes, making her chuckle. She follows me downstairs so she can relock the door behind me. With one final encouraging remark, she waves as I step outside. Theo’s leaning against his jeep while he stares down at his phone, and he looks up when he hears the chime over the door.
Even though we only went one day without seeing each other, it feels like it’s been forever. I approach him with a shy smile and say, “Thanks for picking me up.”
He grins at me in amusement, his eyes scanning over my body from head-to-toe. When I raise an eyebrow at him curiously, he scrunches his nose up and laughs. “I think that’s the most clothing I’ve ever seen you wear.”
I shove his arm playfully. “Oh my god, shut up.”
He grins wider and looks down at my feet. “Uh, oh. Are your feet going to fall off if you cover them up like that?”
I flip him off, and he chuckles as he opens the passenger door for me. Once we’re buckled in and pull out onto the street, he tells me, “I usually drive Hollis and Cas to school too, so we’re picking Hollis up next.”
My heart skips a beat, and it feels like my stomach is filled with butterflies. I’ve been dying to meet Theo’s friends, but I’m so nervous. “Okay, cool. I’m excited to meet him!”
Theo taps his fingers on the steering wheel and gives me a guilty smile. “I didn’t tell them you’d be riding with us this morning. Hollis is probably going to be pretty surprised.”
“Are you serious?” I ask with more venom than I mean to. Theo glances at me quickly before returning his attention to the road. “Do they know anything about me?”
The expression on Theo’s face makes the answer to that question obvious. I slump back in my seat and frown as I stare out my window. When Theo gently places his hand on my knee, I force myself not to look at him or react to his touch.
“I’m sorry,” he whispers. “I know I’ve been an asshole about this. The guys have been grilling me about you all week, and they want to meet you as much as you want to meet them. I’m just…”
He trails off, and I turn to look at him. “You’re just what?”
His fingers tap against my knee, which tickles, but he looks so somber and upset that I don’t want to bring attention to it. He finally sighs and gives me the most pitiful puppy-dog eyes I’ve ever seen. “I’m worried you’re going to like them better than me.”
Oh my god. Why does he have to be so fucking cute all the time? I shake my head and grin at him. “That’s ridiculous. There’s no way I’m going to like them more than you. I only want to meet them so badly because they obviously mean a lot to you.”
Theo smiles back, but he doesn’t seem entirely convinced. “We’ll see.”
To change the subject, and to forget how anxious I feel, I ask, “What about Cas? Is he going to be as surprised as Hollis?”
Theo clears his throat. “He’s dealing with something at home this morning, so he’s going to be late. You’ll meet him at lunch.”
Well, maybe that will make it easier. Meeting them one at a time might not be so overwhelming. It takes about fifteen minutes for us to get to Hollis’s house. Theo parks outside of a charming two-story, and he quickly pulls out his phone and types out a message.
Within seconds, a guy walks out the front door, yawning and shuffling toward the jeep sleepily. My heart stops when I recognize him as the bearded-guy from the bookshop. My cheeks flush and I dart a glance at Theo. I never told him what happened. I still feel weirdly guilty, and it was too fucking embarrassing. He gives me an odd look, and I jerk my head back toward the window as I watch Hollis approach.
Oh, god. If this is Hollis, does that mean the guy I spilled my coffee on is Cas? Holy shit. How is this even possible? How am I going to get through this?
It’ll be fine. I just need to play this cool. I sit up a little straighter and slap a teasing grin on my face. When Hollis makes his way to the jeep, he surprises me by opening the passenger door. He must not realize the seat’s already taken since he looks like he’s still half-asleep. When he finally notices me, he jerks back and his eyes widen.
“Hello, Hollis,” I say in a silky voice.
He stares at me in shock as his entire face flushes. He turns his gaze to Theo and murmurs, “Um...”
Theo’s voice is a little deeper than usual when he says, “Hollis, this is Cricket.”
Hollis keeps standing there, looking lost. I have no idea what’s going through the guy’s mind, but I take pity on him. I unbuckle my seatbelt, grab my backpack, and gracefully leap into the back seat. By graceful, I mean not very graceful at all.
Theo cracks up as I struggle to pull my foot free from the front seat. “What the fuck are you doing?”
Once I’m sitting upright again, I blow my hair out of my face and flip him off. “I’m letting him sit up front, duh.”
Hollis winces and awkwardly slides into the passenger seat. He won’t look at either of us.
Theo taps his fingers on the steering wheel and frowns at Hollis. “Dude, what the hell is wrong with you? You and Cas have been bugging me all week to meet her. And now you’re acting like, I don’t even fucking know! She’s going to think you’re a weirdo.”
Hollis clears his throat and chokes out, “I’m sorry. I don’t, it’s just...”
“We sort of met the other day!” I exclaim. I still feel super jittery, but I feel so much worse seeing Hollis uncomfortable. If I can play it off like it wasn’t a big deal, maybe he’ll relax and talk to me like a normal person.
Theo goes still and then spins around to look at me. “What? When?”
Hollis shuffles lower in his seat, and I grin at Theo. “Hollis came into the bookshop while I was covering for Luca.”
Theo’s nostrils flare, and he glances at my wrist. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
I tilt my head at him and frown. “I didn’t know he was your friend. We barely talked for two seconds before Stella scared him off.”
Hollis lowers himself even further in the seat, looking like he wants to disappear into the floor. Theo frowns at him in confusion and demands, “Hollis, tell me what happened.”
Hollis seriously looks like he’s going to die from embarrassment. I attempt to cover for him again. “I told you, he—”
“Cricket,” Theo cuts me off, using the same authoritative voice he used on Hollis. “I want Hollis to tell me.”
As he speaks, it feels like something tingles against my skin. It’s similar to how my magic feels sometimes, and now I can’t speak. I frown and sit back, glaring daggers at him. I don’t like this at all. He grins at me when he sees that I’m listening to him, turns to Hollis, and raises his eyebrows.
Hollis groans and rubs a hand over his face. “Goddamn it, Theo. On Friday, I went to Flora & Feathers Books to get something new to read. When I saw Cricket,” he pauses on my name and glances at me in the rearview mirror before turning back to Theo. “I-I thought she was really pretty. I walked around the store trying to think of something to say, and I was so distracted that I grabbed the first book I saw without paying attention before I went back to the register to talk to her.”
Theo taps his fingers against the steering wheel. We’re still idling in the driveway, and we’re going to be late for school if Hollis doesn’t hurry. I tap my foot in annoyance at Theo for making us do this, especially because I still can’t fucking speak.
Hollis sighs. “Cricket made a comment about the book, and when I realized what I’d picked up, I was so fucking embarrassed that I just wanted to get the hell out of there. But then her cat started rubbing itself all over me. I ran away as soon as it stopped.”
Theo’s eyes widen in delight, and he gets this dumbass grin on his face. “What book was it?”
Hollis groans. “God, please...”
I can’t take it anymore. He’s obviously way more embarrassed than I am. Plus, he called me pretty! I decide to save him from saying it out loud. I grin at Theo and cheerily tell him, “It was ‘She Comes First: The Thinking Man’s Guide to Pleasuring a Woman.’”
Theo laughs so hard, and poor Hollis covers his eyes with his hand, which is seriously adorable. I sit back and watch them. Eventually, I sigh dramatically. “You know we’re going to be late now. So, thank you, Theo.”
“Worth it, little witch.” He chuckles, wiping a tear from his eye.
“Oh my god, you’re crying? Jesus, it’s not that funny. Hollis will never be my friend now, you idiot.” I cross my arms over my chest and slump back in the seat, totally pouting.
Theo finally pulls the jeep out of the driveway and laughs. “Don’t be ridiculous. Of course he’s going to be your friend.”
Hollis is still blushing, but he’s not slumped down in the seat anymore. He looks back and forth between me and Theo curiously. When his eyes meet mine, I give him a warm smile. He gives me a shy smile in return.
Sounding slightly unsure, Hollis asks, “So, how did you guys meet?”
“Aurora introduced us. She’s Cricket’s aunt,” Theo says.
Hollis looks like he wants to ask us more questions, but we’ve just arrived at the school. I feel a pit of dread in my stomach. I bite my lip nervously when I see the crowds of students making their way into the large brick building. Theo pulls into a spot easily and jumps out to open my door. He holds one hand out to help me down and grabs my backpack in the other.
Once I’m standing beside him, he puts an arm around my shoulders and starts leading me to the front of the school. Hollis walks behind us. There are several people giving us strange looks as we make our way closer to the door.
I sigh quietly and admit, “I wish I had Stella with me.”
Theo stops and turns to face me. “Aww, don’t be nervous. It’ll be fine. Here, hand me your schedule. Hollis, let me see yours too.”
Theo holds my backpack up so I can dig through it to grab my schedule. I’d been able to register for classes earlier in the summer while I was still in Florida. I hold it out for Theo so he can compare it to his and Hollis’s.
“Okay, look!” he says. “You’ve got first period with Hollis, and second period with me. You’ll be with us at lunch too. Plus, you’ve got two classes with us tomorrow. You’re going to be fine!”
That makes me feel a little better. I pull a pen out of my bag and scribble their names next to the classes they share with me. It somehow calms me down, and I think it will reassure me if I see their names there every time I look at my schedule.
Theo blinks and gives me a weird look. “Are you left-handed?”
“Um, yes?”
He stares at my hand and narrows his eyes like he’s confused. Hollis chuckles quietly beside us. Theo snatches my schedule out of my hand and squints at my handwriting as he scrunches his nose up and laughs. “Are you sure?”
“Shut up.” I giggle, snatching it back. “It’s not that bad.”
“It’s fucking terrible! Hollis, look at that.” Theo points to my barely legible writing.
Hollis leans in and bites his lip to keep from smiling. I’m surprised when he meets my eyes and teases, “I’m kind of worried to see what your right-handed writing looks like now.”
I giggle again and shove the schedule into my pocket. “Whatever, screw you guys.”
Theo throws his arm around my shoulders once more and continues walking into the school. I lean against him and smile over at Hollis. I feel a lot better now and think maybe today won’t be so bad. We’ve barely taken a few steps inside when a bell rings overhead. Theo walks with me and Hollis all the way to our first class. A few people greet the guys as we walk by and give me curious glances.
When we’re standing outside the classroom door, Theo hands my backpack to Hollis. He uses that weird authority-sounding voice again and says, “Take care of her.”
Hollis frowns at him, almost like he’s offended. “Of course.”
Theo lifts his hand up and ruffles my hair. “I’ll see you next period. Hollis will walk you there.”
Chapter Twelve
I watch Theo walk away before turning back to Hollis. He gives me a friendly smile and leads me into the classroom. The classroom is set up with nine tables lined up in three separate rows with two chairs at each table. There are some people sitting down already, and Hollis walks over to one of the empty tables closest to the windows. He sets my backpack on the table and pulls my chair out for me without saying anything.
“Thanks,” I mumble, feeling shy now that Theo isn’t here.
He smiles at me, and I realize all over again how attractive he is. His eyes roam over me quickly, and I feel butterflies stir in my stomach. Hollis looks back up and clears his throat. “So, um, you just moved here?”
I nod, happy for the distraction. “Yeah, from Florida. I’m staying with my aunt.”
He tilts his head and smiles. “I imagine it’s different here from what you’re used to.”
“Yeah, but I love it here already. Theo’s been showing me.”
Hollis nods and bites his lip. “I knew he was, uh, seeing someone, but he didn’t really tell me anything about you.”
Cue more butterflies. It’s like I feel relieved that I’m able to tell Hollis I’m single, but I’m also still totally crushing on Theo. What is wrong with me? I give Hollis a tight smile and say, “We’re not together like that.”
Hollis sits up straighter, and his pretty blue eyes light up. I’m totally not making this up! He smiles brightly and says, “Oh.”
The bell signaling the start of class rings, and a few more people quickly shuffle into the room. I notice Paisley walk in, looking slightly out of breath like she was rushing here. She glances around the room, and her eyes fall on Hollis. Her entire face lights up and she smiles in his direction.
