Blurred Lines

  Blurred Lines

  A Rixon High Prequel

  L A Cotton

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Epilogue

  Playlist

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Published by Delesty Books

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  BLURRED LINES

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  Copyright © L A Cotton 2021

  All rights reserved.

  * * *

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are the product of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental.

  * * *

  No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the written permission of the publisher, except by a reviewer who may quote brief passages for review purposes only.

  * * *

  Edited by Andrea M Long

  Proofread by Sisters Get Lit(erary) Author Services

  Chapter One

  Avery

  “Avery, let’s go. You’re going to be late,” Dad yelled.

  “I’ll be right down.” He didn’t need to know I was still only half-dressed.

  It was the first day of senior year and I was late.

  Fuck my life.

  My door swung open and my sister Ashleigh grinned. “Hey, liar.”

  “Get out, brat.”

  “Dad’s going to kill you when he realizes you’re not even dressed.” She flashed me a saccharine smile.

  “We can’t all be like you, Leigh.”

  Little Miss Perfect poked her tongue out at me. “You’re a jackass.”

  “And you’re annoying as fuck. Now go, get out of here. If you loved me, you’d go downstairs and buy me five minutes with Dad.”

  “Yeah, whatever.” She pulled the door shut and I let out a sigh of relief.

  It was her first day of ninth grade which meant she was starting Rixon High School.

  Mom and Dad wanted us to eat breakfast together and then take photos. It was totally embarrassing. But in the Chase family, you didn’t get to be embarrassed. Uncle Xander was probably downstairs too, here to watch the show.

  “Avery, don’t make me come up there,” Dad yelled.

  “Fuck,” I muttered, shoving some gel through my dark blond hair.

  It was senior year; I had a lot riding on the next few weeks.

  Grabbing my backpack and gym bag, I finally left my bedroom and made my way downstairs. Sure enough, Uncle Xander was already seated at the table, wolfing down a stack of pancakes.

  “Here he is, the man of the hour,” he teased, and I flipped him off. “Big year ahead.”

  “Sit.” Mom grabbed my shoulders and kissed my cheek. “Eat.”

  “I’m not—”

  “I said eat.”

  “Do what your mother said, Son. It’s one morning. That’s all we ask.”

  “Yeah, whatever.” I dropped into the chair opposite Ashleigh and she smirked.

  “Brat,” I mouthed.

  “Asshole.”

  Laughter rumbled in Xander’s chest. He was my uncle, sure, but I’d grown up with him. He’d finally moved out a couple of years ago, and the house just wasn’t the same. He still came over all the time though. Mostly to eat or if he needed some money.

  “A senior.” Mom placed down some pancakes. “I can’t believe it. It doesn’t seem five seconds since your dad and I were seniors.” She gazed longingly at him and he stopped what he was doing and stalked toward her.

  Ashleigh sighed dreamily, a huge fan of their public displays of affection. I, on the other hand, fake barfed all over my breakfast.

  “Hey, knock it off.” Dad pinned me with a dark look. “One day a special girl will knock you off your feet, Son, and then—”

  “Yeah, yeah, save me the speech, Dad.” I’d heard it all before. “It’s senior year. I don’t have time for girls.”

  The truth was, there was only one girl I’d ever wanted, and I’d spent the last few months avoiding her like the plague.

  “Hear fucking hear,” Xander said around a mouthful of pancakes. Dad didn’t even bother reprimanding him for cussing anymore. Xander had issues. A whole heap of them. But he was family.

  And as my parents liked to remind me all the time, there was nothing more important.

  “It’s good to have focus, baby.” Mom brought me a glass of juice. “But remember to have a little fun too. It’s senior year. After this, everything changes.”

  She didn’t need to remind me. The huge pit in my stomach was reminder enough. It had grown over the last couple of weeks, shifting and stretching until I felt hollow.

  It was senior year, my time to shine. My time to show every scout, every coach and team, every fan why I was the captain of the Rixon Raiders.

  “You okay, Son?” Dad’s voice pulled me from my thoughts.

  “Uh, yeah.” I got up and took my plate to the sink.

  “Everything you’ve worked for over the past few years all boils down to this moment.”

  “I know, Dad.” My eyes lifted to his, and the pride shining there weighed heavily on my chest. I wasn’t just carrying my hopes for the future, I was carrying his.

  “You’re going to go all the way, Avery. I feel it in my bones.”

  “Cam.” Mom gave him a stern look and he backed away, but not before winking at me and mouthing, “You got this.”

  “Come here, baby.” She pulled me in, holding me at arm’s length. “Let me get a look at you. God, I remember when you were born. So tiny and wriggly. And you made this little bleating sound.” Tears filled the corners of her eyes. “I’m proud of you, Avery.” She pulled me in and hugged me tight. “Whatever you decide to do, I’m proud of you.”

  “Jeez, give the kid some room.” Xander huffed. “He’s starting senior year, not going off to war.”

  “Very helpful, thanks, Xan.” Dad scolded him. The two of them fought like cats and dogs these days, but I knew it was only because Dad was worried.

  We all were.

  “Ashleigh, get over here with your brother. I want to take a photo.”

  “Mom, do we have to?” I protested.

  “Humor me. This is your last ‘first day of high school,’ baby.”

  When she put it like that…

  Hooking my arm around my sister, I yanked her in and ruffled her hair. “Smile for the camera, brat.”

  “Go duck yourself, jackass.”

  “Hey hey,” Dad said. “Enough already. Now get out of here or you’re going to be late. Avery, walk with me.” He motioned toward the hall and I grabbed my bags, following him.

  “What’s up, Dad?”

  “I want you to promise me you’ll look out for Ashleigh and Lily this year.”

  “Dad, come on… It’s senior year. I can’t do—”

  “Ashleigh is strong, she’s got this. But Lily is… well, after what happened, she’s struggling. Just be a friend, okay.”

  Lily was Ashleigh’s best friend. She was also my dad’s best friend’s daughter. He was kind of a big deal in Rixon.

  He was also my coach.

  “Fine, but I’m not babysitting.” I had a full plate as it was.

  “Nobody is asking you to. Just keep an eye on them, and if you get wind of any… issues, you go straight to Jase with that shit, okay?”

  “Yeah, okay.”

  He nodded. “You’re a good kid, Avery. Now get out of he
re. And drive safely. Your sister is precious cargo.”

  “Okay, brat, tell me the rules again.”

  “Avery, come on,” Ashleigh whined. “I’m not doing this.”

  “Tell me, or else I’ll tell dad you were trying to flirt with my guys… again.”

  “I was not flirting. I was having a conversation.”

  “I saw you batting your eyelashes and twirling your hair at Micah.”

  “Micah? Gross.”

  I arched a brow. “You think Micah is gross? That’s not what I heard you telling Poppy and Sophia.”

  “I—” Her cheeks flushed beet red.

  “Yeah, that’s what I thought.” I smirked. “Just make sure it’s only gossiping you’re doing. My guys are off-limits.”

  “I’m in ninth grade, jackass. Your guys wouldn’t look twice at me, and besides, if they ever did, Dad and Uncle Xan would kick their asses all the way to State if they found out.”

  “Damn right they would. But don’t be mistaken… the rule doesn’t only apply to my guys; it applies to guys period.”

  “Whatever. Just because you’re a manwhore of epic proportions doesn’t mean the rest of us want to be.”

  “Jesus, Leigh, I’m not—”

  “How many girls did you sleep with over the summer?”

  What the actual fuck?

  “I am not having this conversation with you,” I gritted out. “I think I see Lily. You should probably go find her.”

  “Nice diversion tactic, jackass.”

  “Get out of here, Ash,” I chuckled, but she leaned over and punched my arm.

  “You are so freaking annoying.” She hated it when people called her Ash, because my dad’s other best friend was called Asher and that was his nickname. Instead, she made us call her Leigh, which I did, unless I was in tease mode.

  “Takes one to know one,” I called after her as I climbed out of my car.

  My sister headed straight for Coach Ford’s daughters. Lily and Poppy were a grade apart, but it wasn’t the only thing separating them. Lily was all her father, dark hair and icy blue eyes that looked right through you. But Poppy, she was her mom. Wavy brown hair and green eyes and a smile that lit up like the fourth of July. We’d all grown up together: me and Ashleigh; the Ford girls; Sofia and Aaron, the Bennet twins, and later their foster brother Ezra. But because I was the eldest, and three years older than Ashleigh, Lily, and Ezra, I wasn’t as tight with them.

  “Yo, Chase,” Micah and Ben made their way over.

  “What’s up?” I said.

  “Senior year, man. We’re gonna rule the school and dominate the field this season.”

  “Fuck, yeah,” Ben said, fist bumping Micah. “You good?” he asked me. “You look stressed.”

  “I’m chill.” My shoulders lifted in a small shrug. “Not looking forward to getting back in the gym though.”

  Our regime would be brutal this year. After a crushing defeat last season, we’d missed out on the championship game. As captain and quarterback, it was a bitter pill to swallow. The season should have been ours. But a string of injuries had upset our flow.

  “Seriously?” Ben balked. “I can’t wait. Nothing like a few reps to get the blood pumping.”

  We walked toward the school building. Guys stopped to say ‘hey’ or high five us and girls paused to smile and bat their eyelashes. We weren’t just seniors this year. We were fucking kings… and the empire rested squarely on my shoulders.

  I had to take them to State. I had to bring home the championship. I had to catch the eye of a scout to one of my preferred colleges.

  It was a lot, and as we walked into school, I knew it was only about to get a hell of a lot worse.

  “Snitch alert.” Micah coughed into his hand as we passed Miley Fuller. She caught my eye and went to speak, but I shot her a cold glare and kept walking.

  She was the last person I wanted to talk to.

  “I can’t believe she has the balls to come back here.”

  “Seriously, bro, she goes here.” Ben snorted. “What was she going to do, leave?”

  “Uh, hell yeah. After what she did, I’m surprised her parents didn’t haul her out of Rixon High and send her to juvie.”

  “You don’t just get sent to juvie, man. That’s not how it works. Besides, she didn’t actually commit a crime.”

  “Try telling that to Coach and the team. Hey, what says you, Chase?”

  I glanced up at them and shrugged. “Doesn’t matter.”

  “Doesn’t matter?” Micah’s brows hit his hairline. “The backstabbing bitch spent the entire season posing as a cheerleader to get the scoop on the team and then wrote that story for the school newspaper.”

  “Micah, I said drop it.” I didn’t want to talk about Miley and her lies… her betrayal.

  I didn’t want to talk about her at all.

  “What’s up your ass, bro?”

  I slammed my locker shut and ran a hand through my hair. “I gotta get to class. I’ll see you guys later.”

  But as I stalked off down the hall and rounded the corner, Miley intercepted me.

  “Can we talk?” Her eyes darted around me. “Please.”

  “I think you said everything you needed to say in your article.” My teeth ground together as her soft tawny eyes silently pleaded with me.

  “I know I messed up, Ave, and I’m so sor—”

  “Don’t call me that. Only friends get to call me that, and you and me, Fuller, we’re not friends.”

  We were nothing.

  “But—”

  I stepped up to her, the hitch of her breath barely affecting the ice around my heart. “Get the fuck out of my way,” I hissed, “and if you know what’s good for you, you’ll stay out of it.”

  Chapter Two

  Miley

  Avery shouldered past me, taking off down the hall as if he couldn’t stand to be around me a second longer.

  I didn’t blame him.

  I’d really messed up junior year. At the beginning of the semester, Mr. Jones had informed the three junior reporters that he wanted us to compete for the head editor’s position. I’d wanted it. I’d wanted it so freaking bad. I knew I’d need to break a story that got attention. I just hadn’t anticipated it would break my heart too.

  I let out a resigned sigh and moved down the hall to my locker. A couple of cheerleaders shot me a death glare.

  I hadn’t only pissed off the football players.

  At the time, I’d been laser focused on my end goal—becoming head editor this year. Nothing else had mattered… until it did.

  I’d never been a football fan. I loved words: literature and books. I loved using the power of language to express myself. I didn’t have time for team sports, not when I had my hopes set on Northwestern. You needed to give your all to academia, to hone your craft and develop your voice as a writer.

  And the exposé on the truth about football players and the preferential treatment they received had won me the position. But it came at a cost.

  One I hadn’t anticipated.

  Once I’d added some books to my locker, I hitched my bag up my shoulder and headed for class.

  The second I stepped inside the room though, I internally winced. Micah Delfine and Ben Chasterly were in this class. And they were in the thick of a group of cheerleaders.

  Just what I didn’t need.

  “Miss Fuller, don’t make me wait all day,” the teacher said. “Find a seat.”

  “Sorry, sir.” I hurried to an empty chair over by the window.

  “Snitch bitch.” Someone coughed, but the words rang out clear.

  I sucked in a ragged breath, trying not to let their taunts and jibes hurt. I deserved it, mostly. I guess I just thought summer vacation would make people forget.

  But no one forgot in a place like Rixon. Especially, where their beloved football team was involved. Because Rixon wasn’t just any town; it was a football town, and the Rixon Raiders was one of the best teams in state.

>   And I was the girl who went against them for her own gain.

  By the time class was over, I was more than ready to get out of there. The constant whispers and notes had been insufferable. It was a new year, a new semester, but nobody had forgotten about the girl who infiltrated the cheerleading squad to get close to the football team and write an undercover article for the school newspaper.

  I’d joined the stream of kids leaving the room, when someone yanked me back. “Watch it, bitch,” Kendall Novak said as she shouldered past me, her girlfriends all following in her footsteps.

  I’d never been a popular kid. I’d never sat with the cool kids at lunch or been invited to the best parties, but I’d never been so ostracized by my peers before. You only have yourself to blame.

  I couldn’t take back what I’d done. I couldn’t even regret it. It had stood out against the competition and landed me the head editor’s position.

  I’d got what I wanted… hadn’t I?

  At least I didn’t have to spend the next hour listening to my classmates seriously low opinions of me. I had a free period and there was one place I wanted to be.

  The second I walked into the Rixon Riot HQ—also known as a small room next to the library—I felt a calm wash over me. This was my calling, my safe space. Behind these doors, nothing my peers said about me could touch me.

  “Morning, Mil,” Dexter Palmer, my second-in-command, smiled. “How was the jungle this morning?”

  “I survived.” Barely.

  “Well, Jones is in his office and he wants to talk.” His brows went up.

  I dumped my bag and grabbed a notebook and pen. “Guess I’d better go see what he wants.”