Malik (Carter Brother Series Book 1) (11 page)

“Didn’t she report him?’’ I ask, tears filling my own eyes. That poor innocent girl. She was what, fifteen or less when it happened to her? It’s disgusting that he did that to her.

Denny scoffs looking at me like I’m mad, “Her parent’s didn’t believe her. My mom said her mom played it off like Kayla wanted it, but didn’t want people knowing she was a slut when they found out, so Kayla made it up that he forced himself on her. My mom even said that if she was her daughter she’d fight tooth and nail to make sure he was behind bars. In fact, I’m pretty sure my mom was the only other person bar us that
did
believe her.’’

“I spoke to her a couple of days after it happened. She was still going to school then,’’ Myles whispers making my head snap to him.

“You knew her?’’ Malik asks shocked.

“Yeah, we hung out loads during dinner time in the library when I had that research to do on a project,’’ he shrugs.

“Tell us then, man,’’ Mason says looking restless having to sit on the bed, his eyes flickering to Denny. Since we all sat down I’ve noticed him staring at her a few times.

“I feel like shit talking about this because she told me in confidence guys,’’ he groans.

“Hey, you’re not betraying her. I’m sure if she knew why she’d want you to tell someone,’’ I tell him softly, looking to Denny to see if I’m right. When she nods her head at Myles, I relax, then remember I’m sitting on Malik, so I sit back up again making him chuckle. Turning to him, I send him a glare, warning him to shut it.

“Right,’’ he says dryly before scrubbing his hands over his face. “Something happened to her in the girls changing room because when she came rushing out of there she had tears streaming down her face. I went to go after her but I heard a bunch of girls laughing inside the locker room. I didn’t go in, but I heard Hannah Gittens say that she deserved another good fucking; the dildo was being generous or something. I’d been so disgusted with what I heard I didn’t stick around, so I went to find Kayla. When I did she was at the back of the old building crying her eyes out on the phone to her mom. I’d sat down a little away from her. She looked so scared that she put the phone down without saying goodbye,’’ he huffs out, pulling at the ends of his hair before looking back up at us. “Do you really want to know this? It isn’t pretty,’’ he says, his jaw hard.

We all nod our heads ‘yes’ for him to continue, “I asked her what happened in the changing rooms first, she didn’t really want to talk about it. She just said it was girls being girls. Then I asked her what her mom was doing about that prick and why was he allowed at school after what he did to her. She laughed at me. Her laugh sounded so hollow, so sad and torn I felt bad for her. She said her mom didn’t even believe her, and that even if he did do it, it’d be the only person Kayla would get to go between those legs of hers. Her fucking mother said that to
her
.

“Then she started sobbing, I mean full on sobbing. She didn’t have anyone, no one. The school pretty much turned on her, it made me sick, and then for her own mother to say that shit to her, is just wrong. I didn’t know what to do.

“Before the bell was due to ring she asked me why I hadn’t asked her what happened. I told her that I didn’t need to and that I believed her, so I didn’t need to know all the gory details. That’s when she told me. She told me everything. How he followed her home from the church event she volunteered at. She said he mocked her at first before they got near the park by her house and he pulled her behind one of the buildings.

“After it happened she’d gone straight home, barely wearing anything and told her mom, but her mom told her to go and get cleaned up, that she looked like an embarrassment. It was only because her dad came to visit the next day that the police got involved, but then he had to leave again for work. Her mom made her go back to school and the police didn’t do anything to Davis because there wasn’t any evidence against him after her mom made her shower. She said she kept the clothing but her mom wouldn’t let her press charges.’’

I don’t even realise he’d stopped talking or that I’m crying until Malik pulls me into his chest. I hear his soothing words, but my head is still picturing what Kayla must have gone through. My mother would never have done that to me or made me go to the same place the boy was still attending. How could someone not believe her? From the little I know about her she seems like a quiet, shy, nice young lady, but Davis destroyed her. He’s a monster. I hope he burns in hell for what he’s done. I don’t even think about what he could do to me, just knowing what he did to Kayla is enough to warn me away from that prick.

“I’m going to finish that prick off like a double cheeseburger,’’ Denny says seriously, but ends up making me laugh. We’re totally going to be best friends now I know she loves Pitch Perfect as much as I do. It’s one of my favourite shows and I’ve just seen the new trailer for Pitch Perfect Two.

“You’re going to eat him?’’ Mason asks wide eyed, but I can see them burning with lust when he looks at her.

“No shithead, it’s from a film. Fat Amy says ‘I’m going to finish him off like a cheesecake’, I love it,’’ she shrugs, her cheeks a little pink when she realises how excited about it she seems.

“Fat Amy?’’

“Yeah, she’s the fat one in a group of a capella singers.’’

“They call someone fat on television, isn’t that like sexist or something?’’

“No she calls herself fat Amy so skinny bitches like you don’t say it to her,’’ Denny says, throwing the words that Amy uses from the movie making me giggle.

“You are Acca-Awesome,’’ I say giving her a high five leaning over to meet her halfway.

“You Acca-believe it girl,’’ she chuckles back.

“Max Xavier Carter, where the fuck are you?’’ a manly voice booms from downstairs, stopping our nerd moment.

“Oh fuck,’’ comes from Myles.

“This is going to be fun,’’ laughs Mason.

“I’m screwed,’’ comes from a groaning Max as Malik shouts ‘up here’ to the voice.

“Who is that?’’ I ask worried.

“It’s our eldest brother Maverick, but people call him Mav,’’ Malik answers just as Maverick walks into my room, his face murderous.

“You, get the fuck home now. We’re having words. You can’t skip anymore from school,’’ Maverick yells at Max who just sits down not seeming to care.

“You’re not my dad, so stop acting like it. It was one fucking lesson, okay, maybe two,’’ he adds when his brother gives him the eye.

My eyes watch between them, but they keep going back to Maverick who is incredibly hot like his brothers. His hair is so dark it could be classed as black, and they match his dark eyes. He’s taller than the other Carter brothers and you can tell by the lines above his eyebrows and the way he holds himself that he’s the eldest and taken on much more than his years should have. He’s also more muscular than the other brothers.

“No I’m fucking not thank God. You’d know what I’d be doing if I was,’’ he glares making everyone snap their head to him. Denny and I look at each other and shrug, knowing there’s a deeper meaning to that comment Maverick just said. All the boys are giving him death glares before Maverick gives up and sighs, his jaw finally relaxing along with his body.

“You’re going to get into trouble,’’ Maverick says more calmly.

“They don’t even care Mav, stop worrying, no one will do shit,’’ he grins.

“You’re wrong. We had a phone call from social services earlier basically saying if we can’t reign you in then we lose custody of you.’’

All the brothers jump to their feet, Malik putting me down gently to the side before joining his brothers.

“They can’t do that,’’ one growls.

“I’m not living with strangers,’’ Max says seeming to be bothered about skipping now. I move up the bed next to Denny watching the boys argue amongst themselves.

“No one will want your ugly ass anyway,’’ Mason says earning a slap from Max.

“How hot do they look all standing together,’’ Denny whispers.

I giggle looking at her, nodding my head in agreement before I turn my attention back to the boys.

“Look, I’m fucking tired. I’ve had a shit day at work and I don’t need to come home to this Max. I need you, no, I need you all to pull your weight. We’re a family. We haven’t fought so hard to stay together just for you to go fuck it up now,’’ Maverick says, looking to Max when he says the last part.

“I’ve got homework to do anyway, so I’m coming back round. Harlow I’ll see you tomorrow at school and you Denny,’’ Myles says before walking to the door.

“Sorry about this,’’ Maverick says to me making me stunned for a few seconds before I quickly shoot up from the bed. He’s fitter now I’m standing up and I have to lift my head to meet his eyes. Denny stands next to me in awe, her mouth forming an ‘O’. Both of us must look like a right pair with our mouths hanging open with wide eyes.

“That’s okay,’’ I squeak out.

He grins at me, “I can see why my brothers like you, you’re cute.’’

“Um...’’

“Jeeze brother, she’s going to pass out,’’ Max grins.

Maverick just rolls his eyes before holding his hand out to me, “It’s nice to have finally met you Harlow,’’ he says shaking my hand before turning to Denny doing the same.

Once he’s gone and takes Max with him, it’s just me, Malik, Mason and Denny left in the room, the silence deafening.

“Want to watch a film?’’ I blurt out.

“Do you have Pitch perfect?’’ Denny squeals happily.

“Do I? Of course I bloody do,’’ I say in mock horror.

“Yes,’’ she jumps up and down before bouncing onto the bed, moving across to lie down.

The lads look to each other before shrugging, and then move to sit on the bed with us. I’m cuddled up to Malik, and even though I protested at first, he eventually won in the end demanding I’d be more comfortable, which by the way I am. Then we settled in to watch the movie for the rest of the night.

When they finally do leave for the night I look out my bedroom window at the street below and a flicker catches my eye and I see a shadow on my front lawn. Moving quickly I shut my bedroom door and get into bed hoping to at least get a few hours sleep to be prepared for what tomorrow will bring.

I’ve ended up spending the day at home today instead of going to school. I’d woken up with another nightmare at three this morning about my parents, but instead of the usual nightmare I have about them being attacked, this one was about how unhappy they were about me moving on so quickly after their deaths. It had really gotten to me to the point I’d gone for a three hours before I made my way back home to get ready for school.

Just like he’s done for the past two days, Malik was waiting outside for me this morning to walk me to school. He’d told me Wednesday morning that he didn’t want me walking alone. Had it not been for the fact I love spending time with him, I would have flipped at him about treating me like a four year old.

Everything had gone okay on the way there, even my locker hadn’t been touched, but then when Myles handed me a new key for a new lock, I’d found out the reason why. No one could have done anything to my locker because Myles had the locks changed.

Then when I got to registration I got talking to Denny about an argument she had with her parents the night before. She mentioned something about them being overbearing and controlling. She told me that her mother called her an ungrateful, spiteful, young child and that they should have given up on her when they had the chance.  The thought turned my stomach, but then Denny got angry and wished they were dead, or that she had different parents. I know she didn’t mean what she said, well I hope anyway, but even still, Denny is lucky to even have her parent’s.

The whole conversation just brought back a lot of bad memories, memories of losing my parents.

Anyway, that’s the reason I’d gone into the office and asked to call my Gram’s to come and pick me up, telling her I didn’t feel well. She had even said to me that morning I looked pale and asked if I was okay. I honestly thought I’d be okay being busy at school, but I’d been so wrong. Everything that has been happening, plus my continuous nightmares have been weighing on me. Everything seems to be moving too fast and there isn’t anything I can do to slow it down.

I miss my parents; I miss them so badly that lately I’ve been feeling guilty about enjoying life with my new friends. It’s been just over six weeks now since they died, but every day it kills me just a little bit more inside. The guilt I feel every time I laugh, or relax into my life eats away at me. I think it’s the reason for my nightmare last night because deep down I know my parents would want me to be happy. It also might be the whole Davis predicament I’m in and not having them here to protect me like they normally would.

I guess I just don’t feel like I deserve to be happy when they’ll never get to do anything again. My heart breaks for my mom who will never know how her favourite TV series will end, or do all the things she wished she could when I left school. For my dad who will never get his sports car he had been saving up for or getting the promotion he had applied for. It also kills me I’ll never have them each and every day to talk to, or to have them watch me grow up, to have kids, to get married.

Moving over to face the wall in my bed, I let the tears fall freely, curling up into a ball. It’s not the first time I’ve cried today and it certainly won’t be the last.

It’s close to dinner time when the door to my room opens. The floorboards in this house are old and creaky, so trying to sneak up on someone is impossible. Thinking it’s just my Gram’s I stay curled up staring at the wall like I have done for the past few hours thinking about my parents and the life we had and will never get back.

I’m surprised when my bed sinks down. My Gram’s hasn’t pestered me once today. Well, that’s a lie. She tried to get me to eat at lunch time, but I pretended to feel sick so she left me alone and went back downstairs.

“I’m not hungry,’’ I mumble out quietly.

“And here I was thinking the McDonalds Mason has left to go and get would cheer you up,’’ Malik says making me scream and jump.

“Shit! What the hell are you doing here? I thought you were my Gram’s,’’ I scold him, my hand placed over my rapidly beating heart.

“Ah, well, I’m too good looking to be your Nan, plus the wrong gender. I’m all male, baby,’’ he winks sending those crazy butterflies off in my belly and making my lips crack into a smile.

“What are you doing here?’’ I ask once I’ve calmed down. Then I realise I look a mess. I’d literally thrown on one of my dad’s old t-shirts that I kept with a few other things of my parents when I got back from school this morning. Not only do I look a mess wearing it, but I’m only wearing panties on underneath. My hair must be a wild mess from tossing and turning all day in bed and I’m willing to put a fiver down that my eyes are red and swollen from crying most of the day.

“You look gorgeous as always,’’ he smiles moving my hand away from where I’m trying to tame my wild bed hair. “And to answer your question, Granddad has taken your Gram’s out to see her friend Edna so I told her I’d make sure you ate. We have to choose our emotion for art class tomorrow anyway so this gives us a chance to do it. You are coming tomorrow, right?’’

“Edna? Is that the crazy old lady who calls every two minutes ranting about someone trying to steal her gnomes?’’

“That would be the one,’’ he laughs.

“You have a great laugh,’’ I blurt out not meaning to.

He smiles warmly at me with his head leaning forward an inch and I honestly believe he is going to kiss me, but then the bedroom door slams open with Mason and Denny in tow, making me raise my eyes at them. Did they come together? Or did they just happen to be outside at the same time? Not that I don’t like Mason, I do, but to like him with my best friend? Nu-huh.

“I come bearing food,’’ Mason yells making me wince. I’ve gotten so used to it being silent all day, apart from when my sobs filled the room that his loud voice makes me wince and grab my head to keep it from exploding.

“Yum,’’ I mutter sitting up in the bed. Malik sits up against the headboard, his long, muscular, lean legs stretched out in front of him. It’s still hard looking at him and remembering he’s a student. He looks so much older than his years. His large arms strain in the black t-shirt he’s sporting with a pair of worn out denim jeans. He looks freaking hot. When his eyes catch me ogling him he gives me that panty dropping smirk. The one that brings out those sensual dimples that make me want to nibble at them. Freaky? I know.

“What?’’ he mouths, so the others don’t hear him.

I just shrug my shoulders, grabbing the bag of food Denny passes me wearing a smirk on her face.

“What?’’ I ask her, wondering if I’d missed something. “Did you ask me something?’’

“No, but then I don’t think you would have heard me if I did, you were... preoccupied,’’ she grins.

My cheeks flush red and I want to hide under the covers. How in the hell do I do this to myself? Not only did I get caught by the man I was actually ogling, but from my best friend too. Life can be so cruel.

“So what are we doing for the night?’’ Mason asks.

“I thought you were working?’’ Malik growls.

“That was before I found Denny outside waiting to be let in,’’ he smirks at his brother, but also giving me the answer to my silent question from earlier.

“Well, we’ve got to do our art project, so you’ll have to annoy someone else for the night.’’

“What about Denny? Denny, you fancy coming to see my room to watch a movie?’’ Mason flirts making Denny blush.

“As much as that invitation sounds exciting, I have plans.’’

“Who with?’’ he asks sounding curious and kind of... jealous.

“My parents. They have me going to this dinner thing tonight. I just wanted to pop by to check on Harlow,’’ she shrugs. “How are you doing? You rushed out pretty quickly this morning in registration. What was wrong?’’

“Nothing really, I just felt unwell, so nothing major,’’ I lie, not wanting to talk about my parents in front of everyone.

“You sure?’’

“Positive. I’ll be back tomorrow, so you can stop missing me,’’ I tease.

“Damn straight girl,’’ she chuckles before grabbing her bag. “Right, I’ll see you guys later,’’ she waves, her eyes lingering on Mason a little longer. When he doesn’t look up she sighs, walking to the door, but before she can open it to leave, Mason stands up calling her name.

“Do you want a lift? I’m going to go into work as there’s nothing else to do around here. I’m not playing third wheel with these pair,’’ he sniggers.

“We aren’t a couple,’’ I say offensively.

“You keep telling yourself that,’’ he teases before looking back to Denny. “So? Want a lift.’’

“Yeah sure,’’ she grins looking excited about it.

He smiles, staring back at her longingly before grabbing his bag of food and following her out.

“And then there were two,’’ Malik says and when I look up at him I find him grinning.

“Huh?’’

“I honestly didn’t think we’d get rid of him. He’s been acting weird since we watched that movie Tuesday. I swear, I could have kicked his ass yesterday for being a grumpy shit,’’ he chuckles.

“He doesn’t seem the type to be grumpy,’’ I say before taking a huge bite of the double cheese burger Mason had gotten me and moans. I’ve missed junk food. My parent’s only let me eat it every few months or so. They were all about healthy eating and shit. My Gram’s is also the same, but I have noticed the way she will eye cupcakes in town through the window, so I don’t think it will take much persuading on my part to get her to break.

“Oh he’s not. Anyway, have you had anymore thoughts on the project? I came up with an idea earlier and wanted to run it past you?’’ he says.

“Shoot,’’ I tell him, shoving about five fries all at once in my mouth that makes him laugh and shake his head at me.

“She said that they were going to separate emotions right, but work them into one painting or drawing etcetera. So I was thinking it’d be easier for us to draw what emotions we see in each other.’’

I think it over for a few minutes wondering if that’s even wise considering. Not that I’m not intrigued as to what he sees in me, I am, but it could also be something I don’t want to know.

“And what do you see in me Malik?’’ I ask when I manage to gain some confidence.

“Sadness, pain, light,’’ he says sadly. “What about me?’’

I think that over looking at him in the eyes, trying to forget what he sees in me as I’m unsure what to think about his light comment, “Honestly?’’ I ask hoping he doesn’t want me to name his emotions, but then he nods. “Darkness, but you’re searching for more. Okay, maybe I haven’t said that right,’’ I mutter. “When I see you I guess I see more than emotion. I see past the hurt, the pain, the anger, I see you. You’re a fighter.’’

“No, you are right. My whole life I’ve been surrounded by darkness and as cheesy as this may sound to you, you’re my light. The minute I set eyes on you, you blinded me. You knocked me for six and you never even knew it,’’ he says looking down at his hands. My belly flips over, shivers racing down my spine from his words. Malik doesn’t talk much; in fact, he’s never given much away about himself other than the basics, so for him to tell me this much is a massive step. It also makes me like him even more knowing he can be honest with me and not put on an ‘I don’t care’ facade like any other teenage boy would do.

“What happened to you?’’ I whisper out loud.

“I...my dad, my mom, they weren’t like your parents Harlow. They weren’t good people. After mom left when we were just kids, and my dad, my dad, I wish he’d have left us when we were kids,’’ he says, his eyes distant and his body rigid. I don’t want to pry anymore knowing that whatever it is that is running through his mind right now is haunting him. Softly, I rest my hand against his warm shoulder, slightly rubbing it to soothe him. Then he flinches making me jump, like my touch had burnt him. Shaking his head, like he’s getting rid of his demons, he looks at me with that cocky smirk of his, only now it doesn’t reach his eyes.

I smile back, letting him know I’m not going to press anymore. When he’s ready to talk to me about it I know he’ll come to me. The connection between us is strong. It’s strong enough to make me trust whatever this is between us and not think about how fast everything is moving. Sometimes it feels like it’s moving too slow, but then I remember we haven’t known each other that long.

“So what shall we do?’’ I ask gesturing to the topic.

“I think those could work. Might be a bit gloom and doom, but it will work. Do you have any idea on what picture to draw?’’ he asks me, as we start packing all the food wrappers up.

I think about it for a while, lying back down on my bed to get comfy. Malik follows by lying down next to me, our arms pressed together and our pinkie fingers lightly touching. I can feel my little finger inching to move closer, to link it with his, but I don’t want to look like an idiot.

As if reading my thoughts, Malik reaches the short space between us, but instead of linking our little fingers together, he interlocks our hands together. His large hand feels warm and good wrapped around my tiny one and it has me wishing we could stay like this forever.

We stay this way for a while, both our minds going over our projects or at least mine is trying to, but all I can think about is his hand in mine and how good it feels to be there. Plus, I really want to know what the hell is going on between us, if there
is
an us. It’s another thing that confuses me about him. He acts like we’re a couple, but I’m pretty sure my memo got lost in the post or something. I don’t even know when it happened or how. Then again I would never pursue Malik like he has me, so in a way I’m thankful to him making the first move.