Bound by Secrets and Lies

Chapter 2

"GOD, WHY IS EVERYONE IN YOUR FAMILY SO TALL?" Tally asked leaning back against the metal stands. She shoved her mitten-covered hands under her armpits. I unplugged an earbud and looked to where she was gesturing. Jace and Jaxon were out on the field practicing with the rest of the soccer team. Aideen was opposite of them, we had come out for her because we wanted to support her, and she was going to be driving us back to my house. We all wanted something to do.

Which was fine by me, Mum didn't like me going out much anyway.

"It's her dad," Willa supplied for me, "he's like 6'5 or something. I don't know it's got something to do with his genes, they've gotta be dominant to her mom's, right? Jill you're taking bio right now, isn't his genes dominant?"

I smiled. "Actually, my mom is tall too, so technically they're homozygous—"

"Hey!" Hollis said coming up the steps towards us, her warm smile the only bright thing in the cold weather. "Sorry I'm late, but I grabbed us Tim's!"

She gestured with a tray of paper cups. I squealed in delight when she came and sat down beside me. She handed me my drink which instantly warmed my freezing hands.

"Bless you, Hol."

She winked at me and distributed the rest of the drinks.

"Did I miss anything important?" asked Hollis.

I shook my head, but Willa was already answering. "No, besides Jill telling us how her family is tall and it's something I can't remember. Some weird word she used."

"Homozygous—"

Tally sprang forward in her seat and gasped. She was pointing down at the field. Right at Jace, who was on top of someone, pounding his fists into some poor dude's face. All my friends sat forward, trying to see. A crowd had formed, and everyone was recording it, Mum was going to lose her mind if this got out to the public. So was Dad, they've kept us hidden from everything. Making sure our records are clean and ready for University. So, if this got out . . . shit.

I stood up and made my way down to the crowd, pushing through people looking for Jaxon or Jeremy, one of them who could break this up. Because there was no way in hell that I was jumping in there. Putting myself between them and becoming that girl. I hated those girls, and I was not going to do that. But it had to stop before Mum and Dad found out—before the school found out.

Where the hell was Jaxon?

He disappeared; he was here five minutes ago . . .

I pulled out my phone and called Jeremy as fast as I could. He answered on the second ring. "Yeah, yeah, I'm coming. I know I'm late to practice—"

"Jace is beating the crap out of someone on the soccer field and there is no one to break it up. I don't know where Jaxon is."

Jeremy cursed. "Fucking dumbass, if Mum finds out—"

"Yeah, I know, why do you think I'm calling you?"

He cursed again, "I'll be there in two." He hung up. I hurriedly texted Jaxon, demanding where he was, but nothing. No reply. I tried calling—

"Get off of me, you asshole!" the guy under Jace grumbled.

Jace laughed in his face and smashed his fist into the guy's nose. The guy cried out; blood gushed down his face. Shit shit shit, this was a lawsuit. Mum would shoot him dead the minute she found out. Idiot.

I crossed my arms and watched from the front of the crowd. Scowling the entire time. I noticed my friends making their way down the stands, most likely to get a better view, no doubt. But out of the corner of my eye—I startled.