Twisted Lies by Nora Cobb
Chapter 3
Astrid
My muscles tense as I walk into the gym, and my eyes scan the place before I relax. I don’t see the boys. Bryce and Pierce work out here religiously, but Wyatt has been going to a dojo in Woodland Heights. Justin only steps inside the gym for his class. I don’t see any of them, and maybe I can avoid them today. I should want to after the stunt they pulled. Thinking about it only makes me furious. They set me up big time in Wyatt’s room. And Bryce probably wanted Wyatt to catch us.
I shake my head. Nobody has anyone’s back here at Stonehaven.
“Astrid, come over here.” Gillian is stretching in the main gym, and I pass on the private one to hang out with her. The team athletes have access to the private gym upstairs, but the second level doesn’t have an inside track. Also, the jocks are definitely more inclusive. It’s not really a clique. It’s like a blob of kids who like to exercise together for different reasons.
“Hey, I heard about Charlotte,” she says, stretching her arm over her head. “Tell her I’m sorry. A group of us want to get together and get her something, but I heard they already had the funeral.”
My mind goes blank and then switches on again. I catch my tongue before I blurt out that no one told me. “Yeah, sure. I’ll pitch in.”
“I figure since you both live in the same dorm,” replies Gillian.
“Sure, it’s okay.” I pause to stretch, which is a good cover while I think. “Who told you about the funeral?”
“Bobby talks to Wren. They have AP classes together,” she explains. “Wren found out from Jessica, whose dad’s a foreign ambassador. And Bryce told him. I think Dr. Rawlins told him.”
Obviously, I’m not in the gossip chain. And it feels odd. I’m the closest one to Charlotte, but no one told me? Not even our father.
Gillian bends down and stretches her calves. “I heard Rawlins called you into her office.”
I freeze and stare at Gillian. She smiles as she presses her head against her legs. I like her, but I’ve got to stop being the fool. “Yeah,” I reply, “The school wants to use my track photo in the catalog next year.”
“That’s great.” She punches my shoulder. “Did you ask about scholarships?”
I shrug. “I mentioned it.”
“You’ll get one,” she winks at me. “You’re an ass-kicker.”
A chill runs through me, and the alarm is apparent in my tone. “Hey, you haven’t told anyone else about what I do on the weekends?”
Gillian pauses a moment, and her face reveals shock. “I haven’t…”
“But people know,” I reply.
She shrugs and pushes her body into another stretch. “I’m not the only one who goes to the Pit. Don’t worry, Astrid. No one’s going to tell the admins. It would ruin our fun. Come on. Let’s start our laps.”
Ruin their fun? So, watching me get beat up is fun? I nod, and we start running around the indoor track side by side. People know my business, but I don’t know theirs. Someone must know I’m a Howland by now. Why else would Gillian ask me to help with Charlotte? She could’ve asked Wren. This sucks amazingly. Fighting the hidden enemy rather than the one that gets into your face. Is this how it’s always going to be if I become a Howland? Smiling while someone twists a knife deep in my spine and ignoring it because I’m expected to? Is that the polite thing to do until I can respectfully get even?
We finish three laps before I see Wyatt watching me from the archway into the main gym. My eyes lock on his for a few paces, and then I force myself to look away. But I can feel his gaze on the back of my neck as we pass him. I keep running with Gillian, listening to her go on about some class she’s taking that I’m glad I’m not in. When we round the curve again, Wyatt is still there with his arms folded and still watching me.
He’s wearing those slim black athletic pants I like. I can imagine his prominent V when he peels off his sweaty top at the Pit. His muscles are built to squeeze, and I can’t help but bite my lip.
“He is so hot,” Gillian whispers as she pants. “If he had joined a team, I would’ve joined it too, even if it was only to carry water to him. I’d stand beside him and watch him drink while I had an orgasm. God, he’s hot. Are you two…”
“No,” I blurt out, and it echoes around the gym.
“Oh,” she giggles. “Because he’s staring at us, and I know he’s not checking me out.”
Gillian slows her pace as we reach Wyatt. And my resolve to hate him starts to weaken as he strides toward us. His lean muscles flex as he moves like he is everything to everybody. The debate starts in my head—he’s not like the others. Wyatt wasn’t there when the others tricked me, and after I talked to him, I was in the club. But I was always in the club. Wyatt could’ve told me that, but maybe he didn’t know. He’s always at odds with Bryce.
Wyatt stops in front of us. He tosses his head, and his dark hair moves away from his eyes. “Hey, Gillian.”
I swear she gasps as her eyes widen. For a moment I think she’s going to clutch my arm. “Hey, Wyatt.”
He smirks at me. No doubt loving the female attention. Jerk. “Astrid, when are you training again?” he asks. “Are you doing anything today?”
I glance over at Gillian, and I’m not that girl, which is lame. “Not sure when. We’re running laps now, and then I’m meeting Roni and Terri for dinner.”
Wyatt shrugs. “Okay, let me know. Send me a text.”
Gillian watches Wyatt walk away as I slowly start pacing around the track. She catches up and smiles. “Wow, only a hot girl can afford to blow off a hot guy.”
I smirk as I pick up speed. “Girls before bros, Gill.”
