Heartbreaker Hanson (15 page)

CHAPTER 37

I
march up to Kenny, not as nervous as you might think. The guy is creepy, but he
can’t do anything to me. I mean, not here at school. Or anywhere else … now
that I know it was him (who kissed me like a professional). (Totally. Weird.).

However,
when I confront Kenny about it, he grins.
(Grins!!!)

“Wrong,”
he says. “That wasn’t me.”

He
juts his chin, “Try again—think about it. The guy blindfolded
you—who would have to do that to get you to kiss him?”

He
smirks when I emphatically stare at him. “Okay,” he says, “I see your point. I
would have to tie you up and blindfold you to get you to kiss me—but so
would your friend’s boyfriend, right?”

My
heart slams against my chest.

I
blink at him. “Drew?!”

Kenny
grins, “You have a couple of fans, Brooke. The new you is pretty blah, blah
blah.”

He
didn’t actually say the blah blah blah part, I just wasn’t listening to him anymore.
My brain is stuck on the fascinating/astounding/disturbing thing he implied—Drew
was the one that tied me up and kissed me—Drew, not Creepy Kenny.

I
trace my lips, stunned and speechless.

Kenny
breathes out a soft laugh, “I can see you’re not so upset about the kiss
anymore.”

Heat
ignites through me. “No. I’m upset.”

“You
don’t look upset. You look all dreamy and in love.”

I
shake my head, “I’m not.”

He
laughs softly. “I’m not the one you have to convince of that.”

Heat
swamps my cheeks. So, I quickly change the subject. “You left me that note,
huh? That night—after Laurie’s party.”

Kenny’s
answer is a slow nod. “Yeah, I wrote you the note. While Nick went in your
house to grab some stuff, I went up to your room—not that the dude would
let me in your house. He wouldn’t. He made me wait in the car—but he was
taking forever, and I’m not good at waiting. And I knew you weren’t home
because I’d seen you at the cliffs. I didn’t
follow
you there—I’d just gotten lucky with a girl at a
party, and didn’t have any place to take her. But after our passionate
love-fest finished up there, I went back to the party to help the band pack
up—but Nick needed to go to your house for something really quick, so I
gave him a ride, since I was already in my car … then, yeah, okay. I scoped out
your room—not through your stuff or anything. I just wanted to see what
it looked like,” he leans his head toward me, “—it looked nice.”

Shudder.

Cringing,
I take a huge step away from him. “You can’t just go in people’s rooms, Kenny.”

“I
know that. I do. And I’d appreciate you not telling your brother, since it
would make him bash my head in and kick me out of his band. But I’m the best
drummer around … you don’t want him to lose me, right? Look, I just confessed
to you so you wouldn’t freak out wondering who wrote you the note—and
worrying someone went through your stuff. But I stress, I didn’t go through
anything. I just gazed around a bit longingly, then wrote you the
note—since, you know, the dude isn’t really that much better than me. I
mean, sure I used to be an addict, but I didn’t go around cheating on my
girlfriends … never did. None of them.”

I
roll my eyes. “Yeah, you should win an award for that.”

“Hey,
it’s harder to be faithful than you think. I mean, when you’re an awesome
drummer and have girls throwing themselves at you. But I swear Brooke, if you
ever give me a chance I’ll be as loyal as a dog. Okay, I realize right now you
think of me as a dog—some kind of animal. And okay, my going up to your
room didn’t help with that impression, I’m sure. But I could be a good
boyfriend, Brooke. I have references. I’m an outstanding kisser. I’m even
better with my mouth than I am with my drums, or so I’ve heard. Numerous
times.”

Okay,
it’s possible that what he’s saying is true.

In
fact, it seems quite likely. Well, except for the promise of making me a good
boyfriend. No way. The dude is a stalker. I’m staying clear of that.

Far,
far
away.

I
sigh. “Look, if you ever go near my room again, I’ll tell Nick about it in a
heartbeat,” I assure him. “And if he loses you as a drummer, it’s probably for
the best. Safer.”

Kenny
tilts his head. “I’m off drugs—totally clean. Have been for months. I’m a
respectable, upstanding citizen these days.”

I
murmur dryly, “Well, you’re off drugs anyways, so that part is good—if
it’s true. But respectable, upstanding citizens don’t break into girls’ bedrooms,
or go around spying on them. So knock it off and stay away from me, or I swear,
I’ll tell Nick so fast it will make your head spin—and then Nick will
send it flying across the school.”

Kenny
nods slightly. “Fair enough.”

CHAPTER 38

As
soon as I’m done being shocked by Kenny, and all that he creepily knows about
my life, I quickly text Drew,
“I need to talk to you.”

He
quickly types back,
“Whenever you want.”

“Now.”

“Okay.”

But
then I figure it’s maybe better not to have a face-to-face about this. So, I
quickly type,
“Did you blindfold me?”

I
see him now though, as he’s coming towards me through the crowded school
corridor. I see him read my message and then wince. He quickly types back,
“Did
you sketch a picture of me?”

“Your
point?”

“You
wanted me to do it.” He’s right in front of me now. So his answer is spoken
aloud, in person.

I
swallow and shake my head. “I didn’t.”

He
says softly, “Yes you did. You would never allow me to kiss you, because I’m
your friend’s ex-boyfriend. But you wanted me to do it, Brooke. You wanted me
to kiss you. I just wanted to make you see that—that you want me.”

I
shake my head again.

He
draws out a frustrated breath. “I get it, okay? I’m your friend’s ex-boyfriend.
So I knew you’d never do it. But Brooke, you wanted to—you wanted to kiss
me. You talked about me in your sleep. You drew me.” He says softly, “You want
me—as much as I want you.”

I
bite my lip, then sigh, rubbing my forehead. “Drew, she’s my best friend.”

His
eyebrows go up. “Your
best
friend?
Nick, your very own brother, says he always got the feeling you don’t even really
like her—not really. He says it’s more like you just put up with her.”

I
duck my head. It’s true. I used to feel that way. Often. “I’d been wrong,
though Drew. To be like that. I mean, Laurie isn’t perfect. But she’s been a
good friend to me—a really good friend … and I can’t date her boyfriend.
I just can’t.”

He
runs a hand through his hair in frustration. “
EX
boyfriend,” he corrects softly … but with resign, like he
knows he can’t change my mind.

Because
he can’t.

Looking
tortured, he peeks into my eyes. “I blew it, huh?”

Slowly,
I nod.

He
grunts, squeezing his eyes shut. “I’m not used to this—not getting what I
want.”

I
grin slightly. “I know.”

He
juts his chin, “So you get I’m not just going to give in—right?”

“Please
do,” I whisper.

He
shakes his head slightly. “I can’t.”

CHAPTER 39

After
school, Nick handed me his car keys. His eyes searched mine. “Are you okay?”

I
nodded, tempted to tell him about Kenny. But Kenny is an awesome drummer, and
really, truly adds to Nick’s band in a huge way. Also, I did actually believe
Kenny that he would stay out of my room—and life. Well, my room. In any
case, he better. I wasn’t kidding around with him—next time he does
anything stalker-y I won’t think twice about telling Nick: I’ll just do it. And
Nick will kill him.

Nick’s
eyes scrunch as he studies me. “Brooke, you’re shaking. What’s going on?”

I
shake my head. “Nothing. I just—I want to go home.”

Nick
raises his eyebrows. “And Laurie can’t give you a ride?”

I
sigh. “I don’t want to ask her.”

He
juts his chin. “You’re in a fight? That’s what this is about?”

“
What
about? It’s after school, I want to
go home. You have to stay after, but you said you can get a ride with a
friend.”

“Yeah,
I can. But I don’t know if I trust you with my car at the moment. You look shaken-up.”

I
am
shaken-up. Boys have turned into
total freaks. The boy I have yearned for and dreamed about since the third
grade has turned into a total psycho stalker. I mean, he
broke into
my house. Who does that??? Well, Kenny. Kenny does that.
And Ethan attacks with his tongue, and Rider just plain ol’ attacks.

It’s
been a disturbing day. I want to go home.

Reluctantly,
Nick hands me his car keys. “Be careful.”

I
bite my lip, then take his keys. It’s sweet of him to let me drive his
car—even if he now seems terrified to let me.

He
grabs my arm gently as I try to walk away. “You know you can talk to me,
Brooke. You know that, right?”

I
nod, then hurry down the crowded school hallway, for some reason close to
tears. Probably because Nick had looked so concerned for me. He’s sweet. I miss
him being around.

I’m
kind of nervous as I slide into the driver’s seat of Nick’s car. Even on a good
day I’m not exactly a confident driver, and right now I have all sorts of
disturbing thoughts swimming around in my head—Kenny, Ethan, Drew, Rider.
So I’m mega cautious as I back up. I check the mirrors and over my shoulder
with great care as I slowly, slowly back out of my parking spot. So, I’m quite
confused when the car goes THUMP, THUMP as it backs over something.

I
even hear a CRUNCH.

CHAPTER 40

***RIDER***

RIDER

“Yo,
Daisy. Wait up.” I pull off my backpack as hurry to catch up to her in the
student parking lot.

I’ve
been trying for weeks now to get the chick to go out with my hockey teammate,
Jake Edwards. Jake will give me his sweet tickets to the professional hockey
game if I can get her to go out with him. I need to be able to see that game or
I’ll die. I mean, I have seats to it already, but the tickets he
scored—well, I’m chasing after Daisy for them. Big time. The thing is
though, she won’t give Jake the time of day. And she’s taken to flipping me
whenever I even suggest she go out with him.

She
gives me an impatient glance now as I catch up to her. But she
lets
me catch up to her. That’s the
thing—she likes the attention, even if she can’t act like she likes it.

“Looking
good, Daisy,” I tell her. “You had my good friend and teammate, Jake, losing
his mind.”

She
gives me a flirty smile, “How ‘bout
your
mind?”

Suddenly,
I’m distracted. Because I hear a sound behind me. The sound of my backpack
being run over. Well, I figure that out when I turn and see it happening.

I
squeeze my eyes shut. “Man.”

“Okay,”
I tell Daisy. “I’ll have to get back to you, ‘cuz my laptop was just
annihilated.”

“Oh,”
she makes a sympathetic sound. It makes me turn back to her. “If you want to
make me feel better you can go out with my friend, Jake.”

She
flips me off, but she gives me a sympathetic little tilt to her lips.

“Okay,
so you’ll get back to me on that. Thanks.” Then I trot over to see the damage
done to my belongings. But I stop in my tracks when I see who wiped-out my stuff.
‘Cuz it’s my kindergarten girlfriend.

Brooke
looks up at me apologetically when I bend over to examine my decimated
backpack.

“Rider?”
she gasps. “Was that yours?”

I
look up from my backpack and get lost in her worried pretty eyes. Slowly, I
nod.

She
groans. “I’m so sorry.”

I
grin weakly. She’s so cute. “Don’t worry about it. I shouldn’t have abandoned
it there like that. That was dumb.”

I
pick up my wounded backpack, and see that she’s quite alarmed when it makes a
lot of noise—you know, the laptop pieces. They kind of rattle around.
Crunching. Not a good sign.

Her
big pretty eyes widen in distress. “What do you have in there?”

I
don’t want to show her.

I
quickly unzip my backpack and peek inside to examine the damage. Unfortunately,
I see my mangled laptop and cringe. She must have noticed. She begs/coaxes,
“What’s in there?”

Finally
I show it to her.

She
winces and her face gets all white, yet blotchy. “I’ll pay you back. I’m
so
sorry.”

“Don’t
worry about it. Everything on it is backed up on my key-drive. And the laptop
was a gift that I shouldn’t have accepted. So, really you did me a favor. No
more guilt.”

I
grin, since ironically
she
looks
guilty. “—well, no more guilt for
me
.”
I grin again, “Thank you.”

She
doesn’t look convinced that I’m not crying on the inside.

She
exhales deeply. Then she blurts out, “Okay,” she takes another big breath, “I’ll
help you get her.”

I
raise my eyebrows. “Who?”

“Daisy—waitress
chick. The girl you want. She was who you were talking about that night,
right?”

No.
I’d been talking about
her
—Beautiful
Brooke. But I clear my throat and say, “Right.” Because I’d like her to go on
with her plan—her “helping” me. It intrigues me.

Brooke’s
eyelids close and she swallows. Then she does this cute little head shake, like
whatever she was just thinking about bugs her and she’s trying to shake it
away. Finally she opens up her pretty eyes again and says determinedly, “You
said she sees you as a heartbreaker—”

“No.
You
said that.”

“Okay—her.
Me. Everybody. Same difference. Anyway, I’ll help you get her. I mean, I’ll pay
you back for the laptop too. But just as a bonus, because I’m so sorry—I’ll
help you get her.”

I
can’t help smiling. “You’ll help me—how exactly?”

She
swallows, though it’s more like a gulp. “We’ll—we’ll act like we’re dating.
She’ll see you be nice to the poor girl whose best friend died. The poor,
normal
looking girl who isn’t super
skinny, or insanely pretty or popular—just a normal girl, and yet you’ll
be super romantic and nice to her, slash me. It will get Daisy’s heart melting
and swooning to see you be so incredibly sweet. Then I’ll dump you. You’ll be
totally heartbroken—in public. That way, she’ll see you differently. That
you’re not a heartbreaker. In fact, you got your heart
broken
—by a totally normal, not gorgeous or super skinny,
totally
normal
girl. She’ll hate on
me for it, but she’ll
love
you.”

I
tilt my head. “You’d be willing to have her hate on you?”

She
shrugs. “I really don’t care what Daisy thinks.”

Me
neither.

I
cock an eyebrow. “So, we’re going to
fake
date?”

“Yeah,
but don’t worry. You don’t have to kiss me or anything.”

“I’d
like to kiss you.”

She
turns red but chooses to ignore my words. Apparently dismissing them as
“player” lines. (They’re not.)

She
goes on as if I didn’t say a word, “We can just hold hands and stuff.” She adds
kind of dreamy, “You can tenderly touch my cheek and hair—girls eat it up
when you do stuff like that. But what’s going to be the clincher
is—you’re only going to do it to
one
girl for a while. One. Can you handle that?”

I
nod. “Absolutely.”

I
tell her this because, well—absolutely, I can do this. In fact, I want to
so bad that I’m afraid she can tell and she’ll back out of her crazy plan
seeing that she has it wrong. It’s not Daisy I want … it’s her.

“Okay,
sounds good,” I tell her quickly, trying to sound distracted rather than
delighted. “I’ll text you later.”

I
tell her this as my friends swarm on me, but what I’m really thinking is: She
digs me touching girls’ cheeks and hair?

Man,
this is going to be heaven.