Read Online Out Of The Ashes by Diana Gardin - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Diana Gardin
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I replied, narrowing my eyes at her. “Then you can leave me alone.”
She raised an eyebrow, maybe at the daring in the lift of my chin as I faced off with her.
“Do you think you actually have a chance with Clay? Because you don’t, you know. You’re not the only girl who’s tried. They all fail. He always comes back to me.”
I studied her, pondering her revelation. Had I misread Clay’s intentions toward me? I thought everything had changed last night, but maybe this was something he did often. I knew he was a player before I let him kiss me last night, yet I still let him get close. Was it a mistake?
Or was Hannah just a jealous witch who wanted more than Clay was able to give her?
“Your insecurity is showing, Hannah,” I shot back.
My blood was beginning to bubble, and I needed to slow down because that wouldn’t be good for her or me. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes briefly.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked suspiciously.
I ignored her, continuing to count backward from ten.
Hannah cleared her throat loudly. “Does Clay know he’s gotten involved with a crazy one this time? Hello? Can you even hear me?”
A strong hand clasped my shoulder then, and a male voice said, “Back off, Hannah.”
Her eyes narrowed into slits as she looked at the person standing next to me.
“You back off, Rob. Mind your own business,” she snapped.
“Clay’s business is my business,” he retorted.
He tightened his hand on my shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t you have other people to harass today?”
“Whatever,” she said. “I do have other business to attend to.”
She looked at me, curling her red lips into a crooked grin. “Remember what I said, man stealer. He’s not yours, and he never will be.”
She stalked away, tottering on her black heels.
Who wore heels at 9 AM, anyway?
I tried to shrug off her words and focus back on the situation at hand. I looked up at Rob gratefully.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Oh, you don’t have to thank me,” he replied. “I think you had her handled. I just know Hannah, and I wanted to end her tirade sooner rather than later.”
“Ugh,” I exclaimed. “How do you all deal with her?”
He laughed, low and deep. “We’ve known her since freshman year. We were all in the dorms together. She and Clay have always had a…tumultuous relationship. One he doesn’t want to continue,” he reassured me.
“I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced,” I said shyly and stuck out my hand for him to shake. “I’m Paige Hill.”
He shook my hand, smiling kindly at me. Then he winked. “Oh, I know who you are, Paige. Clay is my best friend, not just my roommate. So I know that he is definitely not thinking about Hannah these days. Not even a little bit.”
Hannah’s gorgeous red hair, creamy smooth skin with no imperfections, and her tall statuesque body reeled through my head. She was my polar opposite.
“Really?” I asked doubtfully.
He nodded firmly. “Really.”
Twelve
Clay
Watching the rest of the guys run around at practice wasn’t what I had in mind for my senior year of soccer. As the coach blew his whistle to signal a water break, I watched as Rob came jogging toward me. His jersey was drenched. The guys were working extra hard today to prepare for an away game next week with a rival in our conference.
“What’s up, man?” he asked.
“Just sitting here wishing I didn’t have a bum ankle so I could kick your ass out there,” I answered testily.
“Ah,” he brushed my comment aside. “You’ll be back in no time.”
I shrugged.
“Listen,” he said, his voice turning serious. “You need to set your girl Hannah straight.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, confused. I hadn’t seen or spoken to Hannah since the party, where she’d been trashed
She raised an eyebrow, maybe at the daring in the lift of my chin as I faced off with her.
“Do you think you actually have a chance with Clay? Because you don’t, you know. You’re not the only girl who’s tried. They all fail. He always comes back to me.”
I studied her, pondering her revelation. Had I misread Clay’s intentions toward me? I thought everything had changed last night, but maybe this was something he did often. I knew he was a player before I let him kiss me last night, yet I still let him get close. Was it a mistake?
Or was Hannah just a jealous witch who wanted more than Clay was able to give her?
“Your insecurity is showing, Hannah,” I shot back.
My blood was beginning to bubble, and I needed to slow down because that wouldn’t be good for her or me. I took a deep breath, closing my eyes briefly.
“What’s wrong with you?” she asked suspiciously.
I ignored her, continuing to count backward from ten.
Hannah cleared her throat loudly. “Does Clay know he’s gotten involved with a crazy one this time? Hello? Can you even hear me?”
A strong hand clasped my shoulder then, and a male voice said, “Back off, Hannah.”
Her eyes narrowed into slits as she looked at the person standing next to me.
“You back off, Rob. Mind your own business,” she snapped.
“Clay’s business is my business,” he retorted.
He tightened his hand on my shoulder reassuringly. “Don’t you have other people to harass today?”
“Whatever,” she said. “I do have other business to attend to.”
She looked at me, curling her red lips into a crooked grin. “Remember what I said, man stealer. He’s not yours, and he never will be.”
She stalked away, tottering on her black heels.
Who wore heels at 9 AM, anyway?
I tried to shrug off her words and focus back on the situation at hand. I looked up at Rob gratefully.
“Thank you,” I said.
“Oh, you don’t have to thank me,” he replied. “I think you had her handled. I just know Hannah, and I wanted to end her tirade sooner rather than later.”
“Ugh,” I exclaimed. “How do you all deal with her?”
He laughed, low and deep. “We’ve known her since freshman year. We were all in the dorms together. She and Clay have always had a…tumultuous relationship. One he doesn’t want to continue,” he reassured me.
“I don’t think we’ve been properly introduced,” I said shyly and stuck out my hand for him to shake. “I’m Paige Hill.”
He shook my hand, smiling kindly at me. Then he winked. “Oh, I know who you are, Paige. Clay is my best friend, not just my roommate. So I know that he is definitely not thinking about Hannah these days. Not even a little bit.”
Hannah’s gorgeous red hair, creamy smooth skin with no imperfections, and her tall statuesque body reeled through my head. She was my polar opposite.
“Really?” I asked doubtfully.
He nodded firmly. “Really.”
Twelve
Clay
Watching the rest of the guys run around at practice wasn’t what I had in mind for my senior year of soccer. As the coach blew his whistle to signal a water break, I watched as Rob came jogging toward me. His jersey was drenched. The guys were working extra hard today to prepare for an away game next week with a rival in our conference.
“What’s up, man?” he asked.
“Just sitting here wishing I didn’t have a bum ankle so I could kick your ass out there,” I answered testily.
“Ah,” he brushed my comment aside. “You’ll be back in no time.”
I shrugged.
“Listen,” he said, his voice turning serious. “You need to set your girl Hannah straight.”
“What are you talking about?” I asked, confused. I hadn’t seen or spoken to Hannah since the party, where she’d been trashed
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