Chapter Two
The moment I walk out of the house, my Uncle Marcel is walking up the front steps. I blink, once, then twice. Nope, he’s still there. It’s not unusual for my unclesto drop in unannounced. Personally, I think they do it often because they know it pisses my father off.
But itisunusual for any of them to be visiting this early in the morning.
“Who died?” I ask him.
“No one that I’m aware of,” Uncle Marcel says.
“Who fucked up, then?” I make my way to the bottom step where he stopped.
“Why does there have to be a problem for me to drop in and visit my nephew?” He raises a brow.
He’s here to see me?I run through recent events, trying to figure out if I’ve done anything that would require a lecture from one of my uncles before eight in the morning on a school day.
“I need a favour,” he says, putting my internal search for my fuckups to rest.
“What do you need?”
“Zara is starting at Prahran today. I want you to keep an eye on her and make sure no one fucks with her,” he says.
Doing my best to school my shock, I fold my arms over my chest. “Zara McKinley? She can afford bodyguards.”
“Don’t be a smart-ass. She’s family.”
She’s most certainlynotfamily, because the thoughts I have in my head about that girl are far from familial. I’m not stupid enough to say this to my uncle, though. He thinks of Zara as a niece. He’s been best friends with her dad since high school or some shit.
“Why is she starting at Prahran?”
“She got expelled.” He shrugs.
“Why?”
“Does it matter?” my uncle counters.
Yes, it fucking matters.I want to know what little Miss Prim-and-Proper did to get herself expelled. Also, she fucking hates me. I can still make sure no one fucks with her, but her disdainfor me is going to be evident. Everyone at school will know and wonder why the fuck I’m still protecting her.
“Curious what the fuck someone like her could do to get expelled.” I shrug as if it doesn’t really matter to me.
“She got into a fight. Some girls said something to her she didn’t like, and she broke one of their noses.” Uncle Marcel smiles like he’s fucking proud.
“Zara got into a fight?” This time, I let my shock show. My next question is…is she okay?I don’t voice that one. I can’t let anyone see how much I actually care. Because then there would be an interrogation, and if my uncle had any idea about the thoughts I have about Zara, he wouldn’t be asking me to watch out for her. He’d be warning me to stay the fuck away.
“Just keep an eye on her. Make sure no one fucks with her.” Uncle Marcel turns and starts walking in the opposite direction.
“Sure thing.” I smirk. The only person who’s going to fuck with Zara is me. And she’s going to hate every fucking minute of it.
I pull up to the school and my eyes immediately start seeking her out. Looking through the crowds of people that hang around in their little fucking cliques. I grab my bag, climb out of the car, and lock it before walking towards the entrance.
“You missed an epic party on the weekend.” James, one of three of the only guys I tolerate around here, catches up with me. His strides matching my own.
“What happened with Cynthia?” His on-again, off-again girlfriend for the last two years posted a video of theirepicfight at the party all over social media.
“Cynthia happened,” he groans. “But I’ve moved on.” He shrugs. “Plenty of fish in the sea and all that.”
I give him the side-eye. James moving on from Cynthia? I’ll believe that when I see it.
“Come on, I need a smoke.” I walk around the side of the building, where I know Spencer and Daniel will be. As soon as we’re free of the eyes of the herd, I pull out a blunt, placing it between my lips as I search my pockets for a light.
