Frustratingly, it came up empty, though his leaving home at such a young age made more sense now. If he’d been behind bars for the better part of a decade, that meant whatever crime he committed happened when he was still underage. Which also explained why there was no mention of it in the news.
I tossed my phone on the bed, unable to relax. I could feel the anxiety multiplying within me, like cells splitting and replicating. Already, I felt suffocated in this house, and I’d barely been back an hour.
Remembering I still had to talk to Kean, I changed out of my uniform and into a jumper and a pair of jeans that were in dire need of a wash. They’d have to do since everything else still needed to be unpacked. I snuck downstairs and out the back door. When I reached his house, it looked like Kean had already invited some friends over. I worried my lip, not so enthused to talk to him while he had company, especially if Sally was in there. She was the absolute last person I wanted to see.
I was about to turn and leave when the door opened. Kean stood in his jeans and expensive hoodie, a gleam in his eyes. I suspected he’d had a few beers since I last saw him.
“Estella,” he said, drawing me into a hug. “You came back.”
“Yeah, I, um, I’m not staying,” I replied, pulling away and his smile faded.
“Is something wrong?”
“No, nothing’s wrong. I just … I’ve changed my mind.”
Now he looked pissed. “You changed your—"
“I’m sorry for leading you on,” I was quick to add. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
He shook his head, an angry laugh escaping him as he levelled me with a mean look. It was startling. He was normally so friendly, always with a smile on his face. “You’re a fucking tease.”
I stared at him, taken aback. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me,” he sneered.
At this, several of his friends came out to see what was keeping him. Just like I suspected, Sally was among them. Claire, too. Great. Just what I needed.
“Did you shag her yet or what?” One of his friends asked drunkenly. “Because this has taken you so long it has to be a record by now.”
“Nah, think I’ll have to accept defeat. She’s too much of a prude to give it up,” Kean said with a cruel twist to his lips.
I glanced at Sally and saw her wearing a satisfied smirk. I frowned as my brain worked overtime. “Looks like she’s finally putting it all together,” Sally said as she brought her catty eyes to me. “Did you think he really had a crush on you? I bet him months ago that he couldn’t get with the holiest little virginal saint in my school, and I was right. Kind of disappointing. I thought you might’ve at least gotten some good sex out of the whole thing, Estella.”
“You …” I trailed off, looking from Sally to Kean. “I was a bet?”
Kean shrugged, looking like he found the whole thing terribly amusing. “I mean, I didn’t mind doing it since you’re hot and all, but yeah.”
Wow. I really was cursed. Even Kean’s crush on me was fake. He’d been putting on a whole nice guy act all this time. Hurt swelled in my chest, not because I liked him, but because he’d planned to use me, and I’d almost fallen for it. I was so glad I hadn’t, but I was angry he’d gotten to kiss me. I wished I could take it back.
“That’s really low,” I said. “I thought you were a nice boy, but it turns out you’re a creep just like your father.”
“Oh, shit!” Another of his friends exclaimed.
Kean stepped out of his house, coming to stand over me. “What did you just say?”
A dark cloud descended, and a flicker of the fury I’d felt when I confronted Vee for lying about Dad’s will trickled out. I was so sick of people messing with me.
I met his gaze, my expression fierce. “I said your Dad is a creepy, old bastard, and you’re probably going to end up just like him.”
“Are you going to let her talk to you like that?” Sally interjected, arms folded.
“No, I’m not,” Kean said, his arms swooping out to grab me, but I moved fast. He tried again, snatching hold of my wrist and twisting it so violently it hurt. I suddenly remembered I was wearing the old jeans I had on when Noah and I snuck into Principal Hawkins’ house. The same ones I put his Swiss Army knife in, and I hadn’t yet given it back. Acting instinctively, I slid my free hand into the pocket, deftly flicked open the knife and wielded it at Kean. I slashed at his hoodie, and he instantly let go of my wrist. “Psycho bitch!” he yelled, but I didn’t stick around. As soon as he let go, I fled down onto the beach.