Higher (East Knights book 1)

Margot

Wednesday 5:28 pm

I'm dreading going over to Monty's house. It seems like a waste of time especially since he could have just texted or called me after school if it was really that important. I don't change before I go over either. I keep on my blue pleated skirt and my gray sweater that's apart of my uniform from school.

Margot: omw can't believe ur making me drive out here lmao.

Monty: get over it.

I've been texting Monty more than I probably should, recently. I don't know if I'm doing it because of the fact that I miss him, or simply because the guy I like has taken an interest in the new girl. Whatever it is it needs to stop. I plan on going over today, talking to him, and getting his jersey. Nothing else, no distractions.

As I pull up to his house I notice his silver BMW is the only car in the driveway. I see his little sister Emma running out the door as I approach it. "Hey, girlie. How have you been?" Emma stands at about 5'2, she's so pretty, their family has great genes, I'm not going to lie. She has wavy brown hair, beautiful green eyes just like her brother and the softest smile. She's 14, aka a freshman, but I don't really mind. "Omg, I feel like I haven't seen you in forever and we go to school together every day." She laughs and her comment brings a smile to my face. That's something I do miss about dating Monty, his family. They were always so sweet to me, kinda like a second family, especially since my dad works all the time.

"Hey, Mags come in." Monty appears in the doorway and waves for me to follow him. God, he's so perfect. He doesn't have a shirt on right now and his torso is just calling for me to leave kisses all over it. No. Margot stop. I walk into the house and down the hallway towards his room. "I'm just gonna be outright and say it," I lower myself on to the bed beside him, and take notice of his shiny hair when I do. It looks so soft. "Monty." I object. "I don't think whatever you're about to say is a good idea." Next thing I know his eyes are glued to my lips. Naturally, I lick them because I think there's something on them. After I finish licking them, my lips are covered by his. At the moment I'm shocked but I don't hesitate to kiss him back, he lowers his hand onto my thigh and that's when it hits me. I push him away and sigh registering what just happened.

"Celia?" I question, putting my hand on top of his. "What about her?" He responds. He and Celia have been dating or hooking up or whatever you want to call it for a couple of months now. "Margot, I miss you." My heart sinks. I love this kid as much as I hate him. He's been with me through everything, but I just can't bring myself to get back together with him. "No, I let you choose and you chose to get high instead of being with me," I say with no sympathy in my tone.

Fuck. I regret saying that. If I'm being honest I just want to be devoured by his lips again. I just want to taste him. For God's sake, I just want him to put a shirt on. I find a shirt laying on the end of his bed and throw it his way. "Put it on, please." His head drops to look at the shirt now sitting on his lap. "Why?" He questions lifting his gaze up to mine. "Distracted much?" God, he's so fucking cocky it's a waste of my time. But he looks so good. His body is so perfectly sculpted like God took his time on him. "The shirt, Monty just put it on." I get up off the bed and make my way over to his desk. As I walk up I notice the pictures of us. "You still have these?" I point towards the pictures sitting on his desk. "You don't?" I look at him and pick up one of the pictures bringing it closer to my face.

The picture is of us from our one year anniversary. It's a picture of me with the bracelet he gave me that I still wear every day. He's kissing my cheek in the picture. We were so happy then. I don't understand why Monty started smoking. He's a different person when he's high, not someone I wanna be around.

"Ivy has the same bracelet as you." He says trying to start up a new conversation. I glance over at him to see his eyes now focused on the bracelet on my wrist. "Glad you still wear it." He mumbles. God, I just wish he meant what he said when we were together. That's why we broke up, he was always high, always lied to me, and so I called it. Said it wasn't good for me anymore, he wasn't good for me. But now, sitting here in his room watching the way his eyes filled with vulnerability after I pushed him away from me. I miss him. I'm not going to tell him that, but I do miss him.

"Can I get the jersey? I have to go." I put the picture back on the desk. "No, you don't." He challenges. I glare at him and then around the room looking for the jersey. "Why mine? There are 40 guys on the team yet you want my jersey?" His voice softens and it makes me feel weak. I don't know why. We were best friends before we dated, and ever since we broke up its been hell between us. "I don't know." I say truthfully. I see him get up out of the corner of my eye and walk towards me. "Monty," It comes out fainter than I expected it too. Next thing I know he's lifting my wrist up to his chest. "Can I have it back?" He nudges towards the bracelet. "Bracelet for Jersey? Since this. Us, since we're over." My throat tightens as the words slip out of his mouth. I sit there speechless for a minute until my arm drops back down to my side. "Fine," I say as I slide the bracelet off my wrist and set it in his hand. "Jersey?" I say questioning. "I need to leave my dad is on his way home." I lie, and I can't tell if he knows that I'm lying or not. All I see is a weakness sitting in his eyes. He turns around and picks up the jersey and places it in my hands. "One more thing Maggie," I look in his direction until his lips come crashing down on mine. I instantly sink into the kiss. I let it go on for longer than it should, and he's the one to stop it this time.

"That was so you'd realize you fucked up picking your reputation over our relationship." He says throwing the shirt he still hadn't put on back into a pile on the end of his bed. He turns back to me before sitting back down on his bed. "You can leave now." He says sternly. I gaze back over him and back out of his room and walk towards the door. Once I reach it I see his mom pulling up in the driveway. Great just what I needed. "Margot. How are you?" She says pulling me into a hug. I already know what she's about to ask next and I don't want to say no. "Are you joining us for dinner?" Fuck. I don't want to say no, I want to stay, she's the closest thing to a mother that I've had since my mom passed. Yet I never get to see her anymore. "I would love to stay but dad just got back in town, so gonna go spend some time with him." I lie, I lie a lot around Monty and his family since the breakup. It's more to protect them than it is to protect myself.

She seems upset as I make my way over to open my car door. "I'll be at the game Friday though, will I see you?" I ask knowing the answer. Monty is throwing a party, therefore, Julia will not be in town, but I ask anyway. "No sweetie not this weekend. However, hopefully, your father and yourself can come over sometime next weekend to join us for dinner." I don't know what to say. This is the 3rd time since I've been at Monty's house that I've been at a blank for words. "That'd be nice," I say getting into my car. What the fuck did I just do? You're a fucking idiot Margot.