The Stars In Your Eyes ✩ Tim Shepard

The River Kings

Bre gapes at me, rolling over in her bed. It's been so long since I've seen her that I almost feel bad. In reality, it's been less than a week, but I've been running around all the time and it makes it feel like longer.

"So you mean to tell me in the last four days you've fucked Tim Shepard about a hundred times?" She blurts, being classically blunt like always.

I nearly spit out my tea, but roll my eyes all the same. "I didn't fuck him a hundred times. It was more like twice."

"But how many times do you orgasm?"

"Breanna!" I shriek.

Only a girl like Breanna Lopez would ask me a question like that. I shake my head, settling Mrs. Lopez's china teacup on Bre's bedside table.

Meanwhile, Bre stares at me as I do, resting her head on her hands as she lays on her stomach. "So are you back together again?"

A sigh escapes me. Truly I don't know. Were we even together in the first place? And if we were, we didn't technically break up either.

Tim Shepard's a hard man to figure out. And the whole situation is even more difficult to wrap my brain around. Tim vs. Ricky. Shepards vs. Kings. Gang war and it's only bound to end badly...

"It's complicated." I decide.

Bre snorts. "Complicated? Tim Shepard is complicated?" She rolls onto her back, eyes set on the ceiling. "You know what's really complicated?"

I hum.

"This whole thing..." She tilts her head to look at me. "I mean... what the hell are we doing with our lives?"

"Watching the world burn?" I smile, making the both of us laugh.

After a second, she speaks. "I don't know, Connie. Your guy troubles are beneath my level of understanding..."

- - -

After hugging Bre goodbye, I begin my long walk back to the west. Unfortunately, our talk, though nice, was ultimately uneventful. It seems her usual fountain of unlimited wisdom and advice has finally dried up. Bre's just as lost as I am.

The whole way home my mind stays fixed on thoughts of Tim Shepard and gang wars. I haven't seen Ricky Kallan since that night and thankfully I've never crossed paths with the River Kings, but if they're as bad of people as Tim and Whales, and Curly say they are, then I definitely want to steer clear of them.

I also want to steer clear of Tim Shepard for at least another day, yet that doesn't stop me from taking a shortcut by the tracks to clear my head. It's not midnight, but mid-afternoon will have to do.

I fold my arms over my chest, sighing as I simply put one foot in front of the other. Even though I'm trying not to focus on the whole situation, it's still stuck in my head. There's this thing going on with me and Tim Shepard, then I'm going to college in a few weeks and I'm still holding down a job. I feel like I'm starring as Maria in West Side Story and I hate it...

I kick a pebble down the side of the track out of frustration and irritation, groaning as I do. Everything going on is giving me a stomachache. From all those months ago to now, I'm starting to get sick, I swear I might–

"Lost?"

I whip around at the haunting voice and nearly throw up Bre's mom's tea and cookies from earlier.

"What are you doing here?" My eyes narrow into slits, "This ain't your territory."

Ricky Kallan's lips twist into that iconic soft smile. His eyes glow in the light, his fists jammed in his pockets. Tall and lean, he towers over me by a decent amount.

Crap.

I shiver despite the ragging heat, my skin prickling with alert.

"Ain't Tim ever teach you it was dangerous to walk these tracks alone?" He quizzes, blatantly disregarding what I said. He twists a toothpick in his mouth, smirking as he looks at me.

My arms fold and I scoff, "Stop talking like you're some uneducated hood." I snap, instantly making his expression falter. "You have a decent education, so act like it."

Ricky sticks his hands up in defense, taking a step towards me. "You're right. I'm sorry, little soc."

"Don't call me that."

"Why? I remind you of someone?"

I step back, glaring uneasily at him. "I'm not scared of you, you know."

My statement makes Ricky chuckle. He steps towards me, but this time I don't move, instead holding my ground as he stops a mere foot away from me.

Regardless, I scowl at him. "What do you want?"

Ricky's face suddenly drops, his gaze stiffing. "I'm here to protect you, Connie, believe it or not."

"From?" I scoff.

He looks at me, knowing I already know the answer. "Your boyfriend. Or are you even still together?" He pauses, scooping slim fingers around my neck. "Listen, I don't believe in small talk, so I'll cut to the chase. Word on the street is you and Tim are messing around."

"Don't believe everything you hear."

"Problem is, I know you are." Ricky cuts me off before I can say anything more. "I'm warning you, Connie. Right here, right now before anything big goes down- and it will. Tim's not around for the reason you think he is."

I glare at him. "Trust me I know what he's back around for, Kallan."

"No. You don't." Ricky looks at me seriously. "Connie, listen to me. The reason Tim's back isn't for you- I know you might want it to be, but it isn't. He's here for war. Against me. Against the other River Kings."

Ricky sighs. "I don't know what he's told you, Connie, if anything at all, but it's going down. A rumble, Friday night. It's on."

My eyes widen. It's the first I'm hearing of this. "But that's tomorrow..."

Ricky nods, confirming what I know was inevitable: war. "I know. I'm looking out for you, little soc. I can't let you get hurt in this."

My head bobs up and I lock eyes with him. "Why?"

He looks down at me, running a thumb slowly over my cheek and suddenly his lips are on mine. The sensation of lightning spreads in my core, my face awash with heat as he kisses me. And even worse... as I kiss back.