Page 10 of The Revenge You Seek

"Was worth it though, right?" Ezra says, looking at Devin with a smirk.

"Hell yeah, she was a filthy bitch."

"Christ, I'm gonna unpack."

I leave them behind to relive their previous night's antics and I'm not surprised to hear another set of footsteps behind me as I jog up the stairs to the bedroom I know is mine.

"You ready for this?" Ellis asks me and when I look over my shoulder, I find him leaning back against the doorframe with his arms folded over his chest.

"Of course, man." His brow rises suspiciously. "I earned this just as much as you did."

"I know, I know," he says, holding his hands up in defeat. "I'm not saying you're an idiot or anything."

"Right, so what are you saying?"

"That you're about to piss a lot of people off."

I can't help but laugh. "Yeah, that's half the fun. The Panthers have no clue what's about to hit them."

"Coach is gonna be pissed you missed today."

"Probably. He'll get over it."

Turning away from him, I open my bag and start pulling my clothes out, ready to find homes for them.

"How was your first day seeing as you were the only one who made it?"

"It was good. Different."

"Most places are, compared to Harrow Creek High," I mutter, thinking of the jungle we've all thankfully left behind.

Ellis and Ezra have only just graduated, whereas I've been out of that shithole for over a year now after retaking my senior year.

I should have been here a year ago, but life got in the way in the form of my brother getting a one-way ticket to juvie for a year and I had other things aside than my own future to think about.

But a year later, and I'm ready to take Maddison Kings by storm, or more importantly, their championship winning football team.

A smile curls at my lips as I think about the reactions I'm going to get tomorrow when I walk into the locker rooms to join the team.

As far as I know, Coach Butler hasn't announced my impending arrival.

I can almost picture the look on the Dunns faces in my mind and it sends a thrill shooting down my spine.

Those fuckers walked all over the Harriers every single game we played in high school. Not to mention they took a certain golden-skinned beauty under their wing after she left Harrow Creek.

Anger burns through me as I think about her and how we left things at that party last year. It was never my intention to let her go like I did. But the second the sirens started and the sound of everyone fleeing from the house filtered down to us, I had no choice but to run with them.

If I knew what was going to unfold, I might have done things a little differently.

I sigh, dropping to the end of my bed as I think about leaving Kyle behind in our home in Rosewood to follow my dream of college football.

He's eighteen now, more than capable of looking after himself but without any other family, it's my job to worry about him.

Thanks to his stint in juvie, he's retaking his senior year as well. He's already secured his place playing for the Rosewood Bears and has even scored vice-captain.

I can only hope I can get my new ball career off to such a flying start. I think it might be wishful thinking.

"You okay?" Ellis asks, startling me. I'd totally forgotten he was watching me.