The Original Crowd (26 page)

Pausing, hearing Jace’s voice, Krein glanced to me, then back to Jace. His eyebrows arched as he waited. When nothing more was said, he commanded softly, “Alright, Tartar. Let’s go.”

I stared at his back as he walked away, slamming the side door behind him. The sound echoed.

“Dick,” Sasha mumbled from behind me.

Breaking out of my reverie, I turned and saw her helping Mandy.

“Come on,” I murmured, leading the way out.

Krein stood uncertainly at the door, holding it open for us.

“Taryn—” he started, but stopped and looked away.

Krein was the joker; he was the badass who played pranks, the guy everyone loved at first sight, but that façade was gone and in its place was the reason why he was Jace’s second in command—it was cold and ruthless mixed with regret.

And it hit me. Right then, right there…so much had happened that didn’t make sense. My life had been irreversibly changed. And I knew—it didn’t make sense.

Nothing made sense anymore.

As I turned and started to walk across the street, I knew. They’d done something. It involved me. It involved Brian. It involved Geezer and Grayley. And it was Jace who had done it.

As the realization started to come clear, I felt the fury build inside. My hands started shaking with each step that took me farther away. Each dull thud my feet made on the pavement.

And I glanced back. Once. I saw Krein still standing there, an arm hanging on the door.

Jace had done something.

And I’d take him down. Because, in that moment, I knew that he had fucked with my life.

*

We went to Pedlam Hospital. Which was ironic, at least I thought so. While Bryce and Grant were getting checked out, with the rest of the girls too—I slipped up the side stairs, towards Geezer’s room. Tray watched me go, so I figured he’d guess where I was. We’d be there awhile anyway. It’s the ER, they’re always busy.

I waited for a nurse to open the locked door and I caught it just as she turned the corner. Sneaking through, I silently walked down the hallway, seeing Geezer’s door was slightly ajar. I could hear the television on, more in the background and he was talking to someone on the phone.

“Dude. I know, but it’s not right. Taryn has a right to know. I know, but—just—you promised, man.”

The curtain was pulled so he didn’t see my shadow enter.

Geezer moaned, “That’s not fair. Look, I’m just saying…I won’t tell her, alright. Fuck that.” He slammed the phone down, swearing swiftly.

Then I stepped around the curtain.

Geezer hadn’t seen me. He was staring out the window, replaying whatever conversation had just taken place.

And then he turned his head, and our eyes locked.

He looked paralyzed.

I was furious.

“Taryn—”

I cut him off, coldly, “You’re going to tell me. You’re going to tell me everything. Right now.”

“I can’t, Taryn,” he began, almost desperately, “I can’t…they’ll—”

“You’re going to tell me because if you don’t I’ll send your dad straight back to prison.”

Geezer cared about three things: getting high, his father, and his friends.

Threatening his life was useless. Geezer didn’t care how he went out, as long as he was high when it happened. His dad, however, was another story. He still held out hope that they’d have some relationship, that his dad would love him one day. He knew I’d follow through with my threat without a second thought.

I’d never do the first. It would’ve been an empty threat, but this one—both of us knew it was the truth.

“If I say anything, they’ll kill him, Taryn.”

“If you don’t tell me, he’s dead either way. They’ll just get him in prison,” I returned evenly.

“Taryn,” he begged, tears brimming in his eyes, “I can’t. You don’t understand—”

“I don’t know what, not yet, but I know something’s going down. So much doesn’t add up, Geezer, and I’m beyond furious. I will figure it out,” I promised, my eyes glittering with fury in the moonlight.

Geezer caught in his breath, staring at me, and he weighed his options.

He choked out, “Brian didn’t beat me like this because of you. He did it because—”

“Geezer,” I reminded him tensely.

“My dad’s not working for Brian, not really. He’s a drug-runner from Boston. He came into town with a new crew.”

“What does that have to do with Brian?”

“Because Brian’s working for ‘em too.”

I tested my theory. “Who’s Galverson?” I saw Geezer freeze. His skin turned a chalky pale color. He looked like death warmed over.

“No one,” he whispered, looking away.

“Galverson runs the new crew, doesn’t he? He’s who your father’s working for?”

Geezer didn’t reply, but he didn’t have to. I read his body language, and it was enough.

Jace wasn’t at war with anyone. He was working with them.

I walked back out the door and headed to the ER lobby. Seeing Sasha and Mandy curled on one of the couches, I moved to stand in the opposite corner, staring out the window. In the window’s reflection I saw Devon and Carter enter the lobby, looking slightly scared, but trying to hide it.

Boys.

Mandy flew into Devon’s arms.

Interesting, but I wasn’t really surprised. I knew Mandy was going to take him back. It had been an unspoken understanding between everyone in their group.

Carter grinned ruefully before going in search for Tray.

“Devon, I was so scared.” Mandy was whimpering again. In that moment I realized how spineless my adopted sister was. I loved her, I had come to love her, but—she was useless in an emergency.

“It’s okay, Mands. I’m here. They can’t hurt you anymore,” Devon was promising, kissing the top of her head, hugging her tightly.

I felt a little sick.

“Like you didn’t know they’d get back together,” Sasha remarked, coming to stand beside me. She was watching Mandy and Devon.

“I did know,” I said softly, grasping the curtain lightly. “I just didn’t want to think my sister could settle for someone like him.”

Exasperated, Sasha cried out, “You think you’re so goddamn better than us.”

“No,” I said evenly, “I just don’t let people walk all over me. There’s a difference.”

“Settle? You think that’s settling?” She gestured to Mandy and Devon. “Devon’s one of the nicest guys in school. He’s going to Columbia in the fall. He’s going to be a doctor. And you think Mandy’s settling?”

“Yes,” I turned to face her squarely, “because he’s weak and she’s choosing to let him make her life miserable
most
of the time to feel that prestige…that immediate gratification—
some
of the time.”

“You have no idea,” she cried out angrily. Her platinum hair flew in the air as she turned on me, her hands coming to rest on her pointed hips.

“I know plenty,” I returned stiffly.

Tray and Carter returned to the lobby. Bryce was being led out with Jasmine’s arm around him. Grant was supported by his sister.

They turned to go, but Grayley and Brian entered at that moment. It was obvious they were looking for me, because they weren’t surprised to see me when their gazes settled on me, standing by the window.

Geezer had tattled.

I know it’s second grade, but that’s what I thought. Geezer had tattled on me and now I had to deal with the teachers; like I was the one in trouble.

“Taryn,” Grayley began first, “you don’t know—”

I stared at Brian and said softly, deadly, “I’m going to figure it out.”

“Taryn,” Brian began softly, taking a step towards me, “you really
don’t
know. You can’t be asking questions…”

“Like why my best friend,” I sent a scathing glare to Grayley, “lied to me and told me my ex-boyfriend beat up Geezer—because of me! You didn’t beat him up because of me, it had nothing to do with me.”

“It had everything to do with you,” Brain insisted, glancing nervously at the front desk. “It still has everything to do with you.”

“Why? What are you so goddamn scared that I’ll find out? What does Geezer’s dad have to do with me?” I didn’t care about being quiet, or that I was attracting attention. I wanted to know.

I
had
to know because I knew that it had everything to do with me.

Mandy was confused, but she’d stopped crying. “Taryn? What’s going on?”

“Listen,” Brian closed the distance between us and reached for my arm, but the second his fingers touched my skin, Tray was beside me.

He didn’t say anything, but Brian let go nonetheless and watched Tray warily out of the corner of his eye.

“Taryn, you gotta drop this, okay? Listen to me, really listen to me. If you ever believed that I loved you—you gotta believe that what I’m telling you now is for your own good,” Brian pleaded.

He was such a stranger to me in this moment.

I didn’t even recognize him anymore. The boy who I fell in love with, the reckless, let’s screw the world attitude. An innocent rebel. This boy—man—that was standing in front me, I didn’t know.

“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” I whispered, my eyes finding Grayley’s and seeing the torment in them.

Grayley knew too. He’d been lying the entire time.

“Taryn,” Grayley began, faltering as I took a step back, “don’t…I’m still your best friend. I still—”

“You lied to me,” I condemned hoarsely. “You’re lying to me right now and you aren’t going to stop! I can see that you won’t.”

“Taryn—” Brian pleaded.

I cut in, yelling, “Shut up! I don’t even know who you are anymore. Do you think I like this? That I like realizing that the guy who I wasted five years of my life on isn’t real. That everything…everything was a lie.”

“It’s not a lie. It wasn’t a lie,” he pressed desperately. “You have to believe that…I didn’t even…I didn’t even find out until…”

“Shut up!” Grayley hissed, shoving him back.

“But, Gray, it’s Taryn. It’s—”

“I know, you dumbass! Shut up.” Grayley punched him, and realizing what he’d done, he whirled to me, his eyes wide. Panicked.

I had all the answer I needed.

I walked over to Brian and asked him quietly, “Who was the bracelet for?”

The bracelet that I had seen in his room. When I’d broken in to screw with his computer. Brian didn’t keep bracelets. He didn’t buy them, he didn’t even steal them and it had been bothering me.

Brian didn’t break into places. That had been my job. The bracelet was an item I would’ve stole—from a personal account. Someone’s private safe. It wasn’t a bracelet that was found in a store that could be swiped up with the mere flick of a hand.

That’s why it bothered me.

“Who was the bracelet for?” I asked again.

“You,” he whispered, glancing nervously at Grayley.

“Where did you get it?” I demanded.

“That’s enough!” Grayley cut in, shoving Brian away. “Fine, Taryn! If you want to judge us, tell us to go to hell, fine. We’re done listening to your rants. When you realize the mistake you’ve made, you know where we are. You can come and apologize…and maybe…maybe things will be okay with us.” He turned and pushed Brian out the door, the sliding doors shut with a soft swish, just on their heels.

Oh yeah.

I had the answer I needed.

Tray drove the first car, with Carter driving the second, and Devon drove Amber’s car. Everyone scattered between the three vehicles. Mandy rode with Devon, Grant and Bryce rode with Carter, and the girls—one guess on who they rode with—in Tray’s, with me. Amber ended up riding shotgun with Jasmine and Sasha in the next two seats. I rode in the back, but I was quite okay with that. I would’ve ridden in Carter’s car, but Tray grabbed my elbow at the last second and steered me his way. When we got there, the seats had already been taken, so I climbed in the back.

I didn’t join in the conversation, but I didn’t sleep either. Instead I stared out the window, replaying everything in my head.

The day had started out good. I’d felt good. Got into a little spat with Amber, realized I’d never like Mandy’s friends, and I had a tiny vacation with Tray at his home. Then the night had ended with my world being shattered.

And now I was starting to realize I didn’t know what was up or down anymore. Or if I was just turned backwards because everything was coming at me from behind. At breakneck speed.

I was stumbling. And I hated that feeling.

I tuned back into the conversation, and realized Amber was going off about some senior girl, Aidrian Casners—the name was familiar. I think I remember Jasmine refer to her as the ‘white-trash’ that Tray had slept with at one of his parties.

Huh.

Okay, it bothered me…a little, but I was more focused on my past relationships.

Apparently, according to Amber, Aidrian had dared to wear
her
skirt to school last Friday. Then she had the nerve to hit on Brent Garret—a senior on the basketball team. Guess Amber had staked
her
claim but the white trash didn’t heed it.

Maybe she couldn’t read invisible signs.

I tuned back out.

Tray pulled into his driveway and everyone filed out. Amber was still chattering, with Sasha adding her two cents. Jasmine was glancing, uneasily at me. Then I saw Mandy, who was holding Devon’s hand as they traipsed inside Tray’s.

All of the guys immediately zeroed in on the fridge. Bryce and Grant both got fresh icepacks. Carter pulled out some pizzas and Tray emerged from the basement with a twelve pack in hand. He slid a beer to each one of us. Even Amber and Sasha took theirs gratefully. I was half expecting a complaint and a whine for a margarita. But nope. Everyone took a bottle.

I grabbed mine and wandered outside, where I curled up at a patio table.

I felt my phone vibrating and pulled it out.

Jace.

I answered it and then slammed it back shut, fully aware it was a little pathetic, but it was a little something I could do to piss him off. A little something at least.

The next call was Geezer.

I didn’t pick up for him either. Instead, I pushed the phone away from me.

I kept hearing his voice. His plea for his father’s life. I heard Jace’s own words. Walking away meant leaving the bad stuff behind. Go have dinner with my family. Jace seemed a lot more prepared for me to walk away than Brian had.

I grabbed my phone and flipped it open to the contacts. I’d kept Cammy’s number because she went through a phase. She’d been determined that Jace had cheated on her with me, that he was in love with me. So she called, every fucking day and night. She’d leave threats, send text messages with the intent to harm and detail of how she was going to enjoy making me hurt.

I kept her number so I knew when not to answer.

If Jace made a deal that involved me, Cammy would be the one to spill.

I dialed her number and heard her answer, a moment later.

“Cammy,” I greeted, knowing she knew exactly who was on the other end.

“Taryn,” she replied guardedly.

“I have a question for you, Cam.”

“Oh really?” she asked sarcastically. “And how may I help you?”

“You answer me, I’ll tell you the truth about me and Jace,” I offered. She didn’t want to know, but I knew she couldn’t
not
know.

She’d take the deal.

“What’s your question?”

I stood up and paced. “You hang around Jace. A lot more than he realizes. There’s been so many times he’s told me you weren’t there, but you always were and I’m thinking that you have your own little way to get in there—a way that Jace doesn’t know about.”

“And your point?” she demanded hotly.

I was pissing her off.

“I wanna know if Jace made a deal? It would’ve been a deal made a long time ago.”

“He’s made a lot of deals,” she said vaguely, but I heard hesitation in her voice. She knew something, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to share.

“It would’ve been with Galverson.”

Cammy was quiet, but I could almost hear her thinking.

“Taryn,” she sounded weary, “you shouldn’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

What the hell?

“Are you trying to be smart?” I asked, harshly. “Just tell me the deal.”

Then she spilled the beans.

“Galverson’s from the east coast. He brought a crew into town.”

“What are they doing here?”

“They’re doing shipments. I heard Jace say something about the new storage building, they needed more guards or something. I guess it got broken into.”

“What are they storing?”

“I don’t know, but do you really have to guess?” she murmured scathingly.

Drugs. But where’d the bracelet come from?

“When did this get set up?” I mused, more to myself than her.

“Galverson showed up four months ago.”

A month after I left.

Cammy continued, “But I remember Jace talking to him on the phone last year.”

Last year.

I waited for the golden question till the end. I asked, “You hear any deals my name was slipped into?”

Complete silence.

“Cammy,” I urged.

“Taryn, seriously, I don’t think you know what you’re doing.”

“You wanna know the truth or not?” I shot back swiftly.

It worked.

Cammy snapped, “Fine. Yes. Last year, Jace said he was making arrangements for you. I don’t know what he was talking about or what those arrangements were, but those were his words. It’s your turn. You and Jace. What’s the truth?”

I lied, “We were telling the truth the whole time, Cammy. We never were together.”

“But Brian—”

“I lied. Brian needed something to keep him away, but it was never true.”

She sighed, a long sigh of relief.

“Thanks, Taryn,” she murmured before hanging up.

I sat down, mentally and physically exhausted, and downed the rest of my beer. I could hear laughter from inside, but I wasn’t in the mood to be around anyone. Especially those people.

Then again, who am I to judge? All my friends turned out to be liars and back-stabbers.

I heard Mandy laugh. I hadn’t heard her laugh in a long time.

So I stood and went inside, pausing in the doorway, seeing Mandy glowing, wrapped in Devon’s arms. Again.

They were all standing around eating pizza. Sasha was off to the side, standing by Amber and Jasmine.

“Taryn, want some pizza?” Carter asked, holding up a slice.

Sasha’s eyes darkened in irritation.

I’d been accepted, but she hadn’t

“Sure.” I grinned back, moving to grab a piece, squeezing in beside Tray. I was surprised when he gave way and instead pulled me against his chest, with me standing right in front of him. He leaned back against the counter, with one hand on his pizza, and the other splayed on my stomach, anchoring me against him.

I was more shocked to see Jasmine give me a small smile before she turned towards Bryce, eating her tiny piece of pizza.

Mandy was laughing again, her arms wrapped around Devon’s neck. He was trying to eat, but she wouldn’t let him. Both were smiling at the stupid game.

“I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m thinking I might skip tomorrow,” Grant announced, hoisting himself up on a counter.

“I’m right there with you, buddy,” Bryce mumbled, raising an icepack to his bruised face.

“Taryn,” Jasmine spoke up, a slight tremble in her voice, like she was scared to talk to me, “is it true that you might talk to Coach Greenly?”

“Who’s Coach Greenly?”

“The swim coach,” she shrugged self-consciously, “at least that’s what Mandy said.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

“You swim?” Grant asked curiously.

“Yeah.”

“She made junior varsity at Earlington when she was in the seventh grade,” Mandy proclaimed proudly, with a smile.

“They trounce us every year,” Bryce mumbled around his swollen cheeks. “They’re state champs—I have to hear about it every holiday. My cousin goes there, she swims too.”

“Mom says that Taryn’s good enough. She could maybe even get a scholarship somewhere,” Mandy gushed, while I wanted to kill her.

I finished my pizza and leaned fully back, feeling Tray’s arm tighten around me, resting on my thigh.

Mandy cleared her throat and asked, the first to brave it, “So, what are you going to do, Taryn?”

I didn’t play the dumb game. I knew exactly what she meant, and everyone else did, because everyone waited.

So I answered honestly, “I’m going to find out the truth, and I’m going to make them pay.”

That was me being nice because I said it without cursing. Look at me, so grown up.

“So,” Carter spoke up, “what are we doing the rest of the night?”

Amber laughed. “I think we should put a movie in.”

“I think we should have sex,” Carter countered swiftly.

“Hell, the movie can be foreplay,” Bryce interjected, cursing a second later when he grinned.

“Bryce!” Amber cried out.

“This is my sister, you guys,” Grant mumbled, rolling his eyes.

Amber wrapped her arm around his shoulder and murmured, “Oh, my poor little brother—can’t handle that his big sis has sex. Sex! I tell you.”

He shoved her away, looking disgusted. “Don’t ever say those words together. Ever.”

Amber laughed and then shrieked when Carter swept her up in his arms and threw her over his shoulder.

He led the way downstairs.

Mandy and Devon settled on the farthest couch, Mandy curled up in his lap, both looking content.

Carter was already starting a movie by the time the rest of us sat down.

I settled at the end of a second couch when Tray returned from the bathroom. He walked to me, lifted me up, and deposited me in his lap. I barely reacted, but closed my eyes, feeling his arms encircle me and I pillowed my head against his shoulder.

I woke later on and realized Tray was carrying me up the stairs. A little bit later he laid me down on his bed and stripped down to his boxers. I grinned. “Wanna change me?”

Tray knelt over me on the bed and slowly peeled my shirt off. He left my bra on and then undid my pants. Slowly, he slid them down my legs. Smoothing his hands back up my legs, his fingers slid underneath my thong straps and his thumbs rubbed gently against my hipbone before pulling them off.

Then he bent and pressed his mouth there.

I arched my back, suddenly wide awake.

“Tray!” I gasped.

He chuckled, but continued.

When I came, he lifted his head and slid his hands up the side of my body, underneath my bra straps and slid them down. He unclasped my bra and threw it to the side.

I wrapped my legs around him and deftly flipped him over, an old wrestling move. Seeing he was startled, I straddled him and slid my body down his, my mouth lingering on his chest as I moved down.

I bent my head taking him in my mouth, and when he gasped and then arched, I grinned enjoying the torment I was putting him through.

“Fuck,” he groaned a little while later.

The fun was over when he tucked me underneath him and reached for the nightstand.

I closed my eyes, my head falling back against the pillow when I felt him cover my body. My legs wrapped around him when I felt him slide into me, and my body moved right along with his.

Both of us were groaning within seconds.

*

I woke up a few hours later and checked the clock. It was already seven in the morning. I nudged Tray awake and whispered, “I need to go to school.”

“’Kay,” he mumbled as he rolled over.

I nudged him again. “You have to drive me. My car’s there.”

Sleepily, he reached for his pants and grabbed his keys inside the pocket. He passed them to me, and yawned. “Park it in the lot.”

“Thanks,” I said happily as I climbed over him and headed into the shower. Tray had moved all the needed essentials into his bathroom the previous day—it had been our agreement. I’d been scared he wouldn’t get around to it, so I made him do it that instant, otherwise I wasn’t going to sleep over.