Not So Loved (West Coast Campus Series Book 2)

Chapter 4

Maeve - age 13

"What's the answer for G?"

Rhys looks over my shoulder at my page, scanning it before he writes the answer down.

"Cut the crap. Mrs. Greene will know somethings wrong when you turn it in and all the answers are correct. Or even did the homework, as a matter of fact."

We're lying on my bedroom floor, the door wide open not because of the 'no boys in the bedroom' rule but so I can hear when dad gets home.

"Oh pwlease. She wot care." His words are muffled as he stuffs a handful of popcorn in his mouth, giving me a grin that has me blushing.

I try to clear my throat to get rid of the stupid emotions I started feeling for Rhys about a year ago but unfortunately I don't think he returns those feelings.

It's hard not to when he just stared puberty, his voice appearing deeper by the week and he just hit 5,7 at the start of the month.

Even his blonde hair has started going a light brown, which I'm not sure I like or not.

Every girl in our grade has boobs and has started their periods. I know because that's all they talk about in the change room.

It seems I didn't get the memo since I'm still stuck with a chest so flat it could be inverted and a lowercase p for an ass.

It's also not hard to see that every girl in the school has a massive crush on my best friend.

Which makes lots of sense. He's amazing.

Either he doesn't notice them or he just doesn't care but it hurts watching them twiddle their hair in hopes to get a peck on the lips when there is no comparison between me and them.

"Do you think I'm pretty?" I blurt, heat flooding my neck when Rhys stops chewing and looks at me.

His brows make a V, surprise blinding his features.

"Did someone say something to you? Because I'll deal with them if they did-"

I sigh, cutting him off. "No, but..."

I look down, suddenly realizing how embarrassing this is.

His hands come to grasp my chin, tilting it upward to where he now sits in front of me, homework forgotten.

"Tell me, Nova. You can tell me anything." His voice is demanding.

I blink, eyes wide.

"Do you think I'm pretty? Because the girls at school are gorgeous and they have big hair and boobs and I'm just...me. There's nothing special about me. I'm tall and gangly and-"

His lips slam on mine.

Maeve - present

"What?! You actually kicked him in the dick? I wish I could have seen that."

Ava shrieks, her eyes as wide as fucking dinner plates as we sit on the couch watching The Hangover II.

I shrug. "He deserved a lot more."

"Oh I know he did. He will be hearing a piece of my mind once I see him. First I'll start by grabbing his hockey stick and shoving it up his ass so far..."

I pat Ava's shoulder, grimacing. "Never change."

"I have classes until five and then tutoring at six so I won't be able to look after Liam. Sorry, babe."

Damn it.

I'll have to drop him off at home then.

"That's totally okay, Ava. Do what you need to do for your dream."

She smiles, leaning over to kiss Liam's head goodnight before heading to her bedroom in the apartment we rent together.

It's quite big, the apartment.

Two bedroom, two bath. Large living room and kitchen but that's more because of Liam.

We keep Liam's toys in the living room corner so he has his own space since he sleeps with me in my room.

We also have a plastic table in the kitchen for him when he needs some alone time after a long day of doing basically nothing but even that's tiring.

The only photos that line the walls are of the three of us, Liam insisting we hang them so he could run past them everyday.

Speak of the devil.

"Mav? Is that you?" Liam stirs where he's currently curled up on my lap, his cheek against my chest.

I stroke his hair with my hand, wrapping my arm around him and gently standing, careful not to wake him too much.

"Can we go to bed? I had such a long day." He sighs dramatically, his little hands grabbing at the hair at my nape.

He went to school and then to the mall with Ava.

That's his version of a long day.

"Me too, bud. We're going right now."

He's already bathed and ready for bed, his Mickey Mouse pyjamas hanging loosely off his small frame as I set him down on his side of the queen bed, making sure the mesh gate is up so he doesn't roll off in the middle of the night.

He'll end up cuddling with me anyway.

You're going to go see dad tomorrow, bud. How does that sound?"

He jolts upright. "Yay! Then I can show him my new soccer ball."

I hate how much he loves our dad.

I hate how much he looks up to him when all he does is waste his life away on the couch or on the porch, waiting for her to come back.

But she won't. She can't.

Dad doesn't hurt Liam, not the way he hurts me. Sure, he raises his voice at him but he's never physically hurt him.

That's the all I can ask for.

I sigh, the exhaustion rolling off me when I step into the bathroom to shower and change, setting my alarm for six.

As soon as I'm in bed, Liam comes and lays his whole body on top of mine, his head coming to snuggle on my chest like it always does.

He once told me he feels extra safe when he sleeps fully on top of me and I live to make him feel that safe everyday.

Something I wasn't offered when I was his age.

I just wish I felt as safe as him. So protected.

My phone dings on the bedside table so I reach my left hand over, fumbling around until it's in my grasp.

I run my hand down my face when it's from an unknown number, most likely scam but when I actually read the text, my blood fucking boils.

Hey, Nova.

Motherfucker.