Stopping at Nothing Read online

  Stopping at Nothing

  Chapter One

  Ryker

  Grey. That’s the color that would best describe my life. Every day is the same. I wake up at the same time, eat breakfast, and head to school, where I deal with the same kids and the same classes. I live in a small, affluent town where everyone knows everyone and nothing ever happens. It’s stifling and I can’t wait until I graduate and leave for college. Only four months left before I leave and never look back.

  There’s nothing here for me in this town. My parents travel all of the time and so I spend most of my time alone in our big house. It’s probably most kids dreams to have a nice house all to themselves and to be able to do anything they want with no adult supervision, but to be honest, it’s pretty lonely.

  My great-great-great-grandparents were oil barons so my family is one of the richest and oldest families in our small town. People treat me and my family like royalty, probably because most of them work for us, which means that you can never tell who really likes you and who is just kissing your ass. I’m an ass to most people, so in my case, I’m sure that they’re just kissing my ass. Maybe if there was anyone interesting, but there’s no one in this town that’s caught my attention or been worth my time.

  I roll out of bed and pull on my school uniform. Blue pressed pants, a white button-down shirt with a blazer and striped tie. Blue and green, our school colors. Go highlanders, I think to myself as I tie the tie loosely around my neck.

  I make my way down the stairs and into the kitchen where I find our cook has already made my breakfast. I sit down silently at the counter and start to shovel food into my mouth. I finish breakfast and leave my dishes for the chef to clean up before I swipe my keys off of the hook by the door and head out into the garage.

  I peel out of the garage and down our long driveway. The school is only about a five-minute drive and I park in my assigned spot up front as the bell goes off. It doesn’t matter. No teacher here will mark me as tardy or write me up for being a couple of minutes late.

  I make my way to my locker and grab my books for my first class before I head down the hallway to my homeroom class. I pass a couple of cheerleaders who are headed in the same direction as me. They try to make small talk as we walk down the hall but I ignore them as they titter around me. This happens all of the time to me and it’s easy to tune them out now. With money like my family has, and my looks, girls tend to flock to me.

  The first thing that people notice is my height. I’m 6’4” with a muscular build thanks to my time in the gym. I have black hair that I always forget to get cut on time so it tends to be just a touch too long. Right now, it’s brushing the tips of my ears and hanging low over my forehead. It almost hangs in my eyes. My eyes seem to be the thing that everyone sees and comments on about me. They’re green and bright like a Christmas tree.

  I finally reach my classroom and I’m able to leave the girls and their innate chatter behind me. I reach out and pull the door open, keeping my head down and ignoring everyone as best I can as I make my way to my desk in the back of the room next to the window. I drop my backpack next to it and turn my head to look out the window. I do my best to discourage conversations with other people.

  The teacher stands and begins to read the announcements as I continue to stare out the window. Suddenly, there’s a commotion at the door and my eyes snap to the front of the room as a tiny angel steps into the room.

  She walks up to the teacher and hands her a piece of paper before the teacher introduces her to the classroom.

  “Boys and girls, please meet our newest student, Auden Glaser.”

  One look. That’s all it takes and I know that she’s different from everyone else in this boring town and now, I’ll stop at nothing to make her mine.

  Chapter Two

  Auden

  Another year, another new house. At this point, all of my belongings fit into two suitcases that I can easily carry. I’ve even stopped unpacking them. That way I can be ready and out the door in under a minute. Being able to leave fast has come in handy on more than one occasion.

  It’s just my mom and me. I never knew my dad and to be honest, I’m not even sure if my mom knows who my real father is. See, my mom has this habit of picking assholes with money and dating them. They use her for her looks and for sex and she uses them right back. She can just never make it last so she bounces from boyfriend to boyfriend and town to town and I’m stuck going with her.

  To be fair, there’s been a couple of good guys over the years and there was even one or two that lasted for over a year, but for the most part, they’re rich, smug, assholes who last about six months. I’m so sick of changing schools and houses and towns. For once, I just want to be a normal kid who has a steady home and school and friends.

  My mother’s current sucker is a guy named Todd who lives in this fancy town in the middle of Texas. When I first learned that we were going to Texas, all I could picture was farms and open fields. This town has the open fields but all of the farms are worth millions of dollars and the main source of income here seems to be oil.

  Todd’s house is one of the nicest places we have ever lived. It’s so big that I actually got lost the first couple of days. I have my own wing in the house and my mom and Todd have the other. I’m alone in my wing of the house now as I look through my suitcases for my toiletries. My school uniform is hanging up on the back of my bedroom door. I’ve never been to a school that had uniforms but I’m hoping that it will make getting ready easier in the morning and that I will be able to blend in at my new school.

  I’m hoping that my mom and Todd last at least four months so that I can finish out high school here and then move onto college and get away from my mother. I turned 18 last month so technically, I could move out now, but I would never be able to afford to live on my own and certainly not in this town.

  I finally find my toiletry case and head into my bathroom. I take a quick shower and throw on an oversized t-shirt and panties for bed. I’ve already set my alarm and mapped out how to get to school. We only live a couple of minutes away so I’ll just be walking there and back. I wonder if I’ll make any friends here as I roll onto my side and drift off to sleep.

  I woke before my alarm, nervous about my first day at a new school. I took my time with my blonde hair, brushing it until it shined and then pinning it back on one side. I put on mascara and rim my grey eyes with eye liner before I apply a quick coat of lip gloss and grab my bag. I head down the stairs and to the kitchen. I come up short when I see the chef has already made my breakfast. I’m still trying to get used to having someone do stuff for me, like making my food or doing my laundry.

  I thank the chef quickly before shoveling the food in my mouth. I place my dishes into the sink before grabbing my bag and heading out the door. It takes me less than ten minutes to make it to school and I wander around for a few minutes before I find the main office. I introduce myself and wait to get my class schedule and a map of the school. They give me the books I need for my class, my locker number and code and then point me in the right direction. I find my locker and shove the books I need for my first few classes into my book bag and the rest into my locker. Then, I pull the map out as I try to navigate through the students to my first class. I get turned around but don’t realize that I’m in the wrong hallway until after I hear the first bell ring. With a sigh I turn and make my way back through the halls until I find the right room.

  I pause outside the door. I just need a minute before I have to start this song and dance of introducing myself to class after class. So far, I’ve only gotten a few weird looks from other kids in the halls. I think that the uniform must be helping me blend in.

  I brace myself as I turn the handle an
d walk into the classroom. I refuse to look at the class as I make my way to the teacher’s desk and introduce myself to her. Then the moment I’m dreading happens and we turn so that she can introduce me to the class.

  “Boys and girls, please meet our newest student, Auden Glaser.”

  I smile timidly as the kids all look up from their phones. They give me bored looks and a few mumble hellos before going back to talking amongst themselves.

  “Go ahead and take a seat, Auden.” The teacher says to me as she points me to the only open seat left.

  It’s in the back of the room and I make my way between the desks and drop down into the chair. I try to avoid making eye contact with my classmates but I can feel eyes on me. After a couple of minutes, it feels like people have stopped staring at me and I glance up. I look quickly around the room and everyone is staring ahead or talking to their friends. I glance to my left and see bright green eyes staring back at me.

  Chapter Three

  Ryker

  I stare at her for the entire homeroom class. I’m desperately trying to understand these new feelings and racking my brain for something to say to her. Time flies by and I still haven’t come up with anything to talk with her about. Before I know it, the bell has rung and my girl is out of her seat and halfway out the door before I jump from my seat to follow her. I lose her in the crush of other students. I think I catch sight of her turning a corner and I take off in that direction but I’m stopped when three girls’ step in my way. I try to dart around them but one reaches out and wraps her hand around my arm.

  “Hey, Ryker.” The lead one sings at me. She has this annoying baby voice that a lot of girls seem to use. I don’t know why. It’s not sexy, it’s annoying.

  “Sorry, excuse me.” I say as I push past them.

  By the time that I make it to the corner where I last saw her, she’s long gone and most of the hallway is emptying. I curse as I turn on my heel and head in the opposite direction for my first class. I’m going to have to come up with a new plan and keep my eyes peeled for her. I’m sure that I’ll see her at lunch and I’ll make my move then.

  Lunch time comes and goes and my girl never shows up. I scoured the lunch room, looking for her but she never showed. I’m starting to panic, growing uneasy at not having my eyes on her for so long. I’ve been looking for her in the hallways and in each of my classes but there’s been no sign of her. I’m starting to think that I just hallucinated her.

  It’s the end of fourth period, two more classes to go and then school is out and I won’t see her again until tomorrow morning. I make my way to my fifth class and searching every face in the crowded hallways for my girl. My last class is a study hall so I really only have one class left since I usually leave after my fifth period.

  I walk into fifth period, my English class, and take my usual seat in the back of the room. I’m trying to decide where the best place would be to sit and wait outside in the hopes that she walks by and I can see her again, maybe talk to her, when she walks in the door. I sit up straighter in my seat as she introduces herself to the teacher and then turns to find a seat. The seat next to me is the only open seat in all of my classes and this one is no different.

  I’m like a little kid on Christmas as she makes her way down the aisle towards my desk. She settles into the desk next to me and I see her glance at me out of the corner of her eye. Her cheeks flush as her eyes meet mine. I smile to myself as her eyes quickly dart away from me. She’s so freaking cute.

  I go to introduce myself to her but the teacher starts her lesson then. I have the worst luck today. I growl at the teacher under my breath as I watch my girl pull out her notebook and a pen. I bide my time watching Auden take notes and read along from the book with the rest of our classmates.

  “Next week we will be starting our poetry module, class. That means Shakespeare, frost, and Plath, of course, but also some lesser known poets like Coleridge and Auden. Oh, Auden! Class our newest student is Auden Glaser! Are you named after W.H. Auden?”

  “Yes, Mam.” My girl replies.

  I file this information away for later. I want to know everything that I can about this girl. The bell rings and just like last time, Auden is out of her seat before anyone else. I’m ready for her this time though, and I follow her out of the room before I stop her with my hand on her elbow. She turns big grey eyes up at me and I start to drown in them.

  “Can I help you?” She asks as she starts to pull her elbow from me.

  I tighten my hold on her slightly, not wanting her to get away from me again.

  “I’m Ryker Holden.” I say as I step in closer to her as the hallway starts to fill with students.

  “Auden” She says. “It was nice to meet you and all but I really need to get to my next class.”

  She tries to pull away from me again but I block her path.

  “What’s your next class? Maybe I can show you the way.” I offer, only a little desperately.

  “Um, it’s a study hall. In the library.”

  Finally! Finally, my luck has changed and I can spend some time with my girl.

  “My last class is study hall too. I’ll walk with you.” I say as I start to lead her down the hall and to the library.

  Normally, I would bail on study hall and just head home but I know that my girl isn’t going to leave school early with me, so study hall it is. We enter the library and head for an open table. There’s no teacher in this class, just the librarian, and she’s pretty relaxed on the rules. We can talk amongst ourselves quietly and pretty much do homework or play games on our phone for the hour. It’s a pointless class, which is why I usually just leave but if it means spending time with my girl, then I’m staying.

  Auden takes a seat across from me and I immediately move to the seat next to her. She glances up at me shyly as she takes some of her books out of her bag. She starts to work on some homework as we sit there. Is she really just going to ignore me? No one ignores me. Usually I would be ecstatic that people were leaving me alone, but with this girl? I’m desperate for her attention, for anything this girl will give me.

  “So, you’re new here?” I ask, trying to make conversation and get her to talk to me. It doesn’t work. She glances to the side at another table of cheerleaders who are sitting nearby before nodding at me distractedly. I watch her as she goes back to her homework.

  This routine continues with every question that I ask. After the third question I see what’s happening. Those snobby cheerleaders give my girl dirty looks every time I try to talk to her. My girl doesn’t seem to like attention and I know that she won’t answer me when she knows that others are watching.

  School ends a couple of minutes later and like before, my girl is up and out the door before anyone else. I keep pace with her as she heads down the halls and stops at her locker. She turns the knob and pops it open, stuffing all of her books inside before she slams it closed and is forced to acknowledge me.

  “Can I give you a ride home?” I ask.

  “No, thanks.” She says as her eyes dart around at the students around us. I try to think of some way to get her to stay or change her mind when she darts around me and is out the door. I’m after her in a second but those same cheerleaders who were watching us in study hall step in front of me and my girl manages to slip away.

  I growl low in my throat and step around the girls as I make my way outside. I notice that it’s starting to rain and I immediately begin to worry about my girl being out in this. Is she driving? Did she walk to school? I run to my car and hop in before cranking the engine and pulling out of the parking lot, my eyes scanning the students walking on the sidewalk until finally, I spot her familiar blonde hair walking fast with her head down.

  Chapter Four

  Auden

  I noticed the clouds and darkening sky when I ate my lunch outside. I’ve spent enough first days in the lunchroom, awkwardly trying to find a table to sit at to know that it’s best to skip the cafeteria and find a secluded place
to eat lunch. I found a place outside under this tree in the courtyard and ate my lunch there.

  As I walk home it starts to rain. I regret turning Ryker down for a ride now. He was so handsome. And nice. He was the only one who talked to me all day. Most of the girls just gave me dirty looks and the guys kept leering at me. By my last class, I was so sick of being stared at. I just wanted to be invisible and finish out my last four months. Unfortunately, sitting with Ryker seemed to attract a lot of attention. He tried to make conversation as we sat in study hall but all I could focus on was the other girls glaring at me and whispering about me to their friends. I wanted to make friends here, or at least try to, but it looked like that wasn’t going to happen at this school either.

  I walk briskly down the sidewalk as the rain starts to come down harder. I’m about to step off the sidewalk and cross the road when a car pulls up alongside me. It startles me and I glance up sharply to see Ryker buzz the passenger window down. Rain water drips down my face, my hair already soaked from the steady drizzle.

  “Hop in.” He says with a smile before he reaches over and opens the door from the inside for me.

  “I’m soaked. I’ll just get your car all wet. I’m not that far anyways.” I say, trying to close the door.

  He pushes it back open. “I don’t care about the car getting wet. Let me give you a ride home.”

  At that moment, a crack of lightning lights up the sky and with a squeak I leap into his car and slam the door closed behind me.

  “That was close.” I say, a little embarrassed about being so scared of a little lightning.

  He smiles at me like he thinks I’m adorable before he turns the heat up and asks me for directions. I tell him how to get to Todd’s house. He pulls the car away from the curb and expertly steers back into traffic. We talk about how I’m liking the town and school so far and he tells me about stuff to do around here.