Broken ✓

T H R E E | edited

ALEXA

Eight of us.

Dad. Veronica. Zach. Cameron. Justin. Jason. Ryder. And me.

Because of this, we had to split into two cars. Dad insisted he and Veronica ride together in a five-person vehicle while the rest of us were crammed into a seven-seater. He called it the "perfect opportunity" for me to bond with my soon-to-be stepbrothers, but I knew better. He just wanted to avoid spending time with me.

I climbed into the middle row, settling beside Ryder, who clearly wasn't thrilled about it. His glare told me everything I needed to know. Jason and Justin took the back row, and Cameron sat up front in the passenger seat while Zach got behind the wheel. I took a deep breath, bracing myself for what I knew would be an uncomfortable ride. My anxiety was already bubbling up, and I had the feeling none of them liked me much.

"You're such a loser," Jason said, his voice cutting through the awkward silence.

I glanced back at him, confused. What the hell? I was just sitting here.

"Yeah," Justin added with a smirk. "And she looks like a fucking idiot, too."

I blinked, stunned. "E-Excuse me?"

"What, are you deaf?" Justin sneered.

"No, I just—"

"Or are you just plain stupid?" Jason interrupted.

Ryder leaned closer, his grin sharp and mocking. "Obviously stupid. Just look at her."

I felt the sting of tears welling up in my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. I stared down at my hands in my lap, gripping them tightly. Why were they being such jerks? Was this going to be my life now, stuck with these bullies just because Dad decided to marry Veronica? Maybe I should run away. The thought always lingered, but I knew I'd never actually do it.

"No need to insult her," Zach said from the driver's seat, his voice calm but sharp.

For a moment, I felt a flicker of hope. Maybe one of them didn't completely hate me. Maybe Zach was the decent one.

"Thank y—" I started, but Zach cut me off.

"After all, you're only stating the obvious," he finished, smirking.

"Very true," Cameron chimed in from the front seat, not even bothering to look back at me.

"Never mind," I muttered under my breath, my cheeks burning with humiliation.

"We don't want a sister," Ryder said, his voice laced with venom. "Least of all you. You're just a brainless waste of space."

The words came out before I could stop them. "You're not looking in a mirror."

The car went silent. My heart stopped as I realized what I'd just said. I quickly clapped a hand over my mouth, but it was too late.

Ryder turned to me slowly, his jaw clenched, his eyes burning with fury. "What the hell did you just say to me?" His tone was low and dangerous. I let out a small gulp, then another, louder one, as he leaned closer.

"Hey, look, we're here," Cameron said, his voice dripping with amusement as Zach pulled into the parking lot.

Before anyone could react, I bolted from the car, practically sprinting toward my dad and Veronica as they stepped out of their own vehicle. Veronica gave me a concerned look, but Dad just scoffed.

"Everything okay?" Veronica asked, her voice soft.

I glanced back at the boys. Ryder was glaring daggers at me, his expression promising consequences if I said anything.

"Yeah," I muttered, my voice barely audible.

The next day came with something I dreaded: moving day.

Everything was happening so fast—pun not intended—and I barely got any sleep after spending the night packing while Dad drank himself into oblivion. But it didn't matter. I still had to go to school today, even though I wouldn't be coming back to this house. I'd be going to Veronica's.

At least she's the only one who seems to like me.

At school, I tried my best to avoid Blake. Tried being the key word. It's hard to avoid someone who actively seeks you out just to make your life miserable. That's Blake in a nutshell.

"Sup, Lexi," Blake said, grabbing my wrist with a vice-like grip. "Not so tough without those other kids around, huh? You freaking slut. Are you dating all three of them or something?"

"Let go of my wrist," I said quietly. I didn't even bother trying to sound confident. What was the point? Nothing I said would change the fact that he was going to hurt me anyway.

Blake raised an eyebrow, his smirk widening. "What happened to that meek little voice, Lexi? I kind of liked hearing the terror. C'mon, sound scared for me." He squeezed my wrist harder, but I just stared at him blankly.

My life couldn't possibly get any worse. I was about to live with bullies now. I could probably handle Blake. Maybe.

But then his expression shifted. His eyes widened, and I realized he wasn't looking at me anymore.

"Let go," a familiar voice said.

I turned to see Jackson standing beside me, his eyes locked on Blake.

Blake hesitated, but the fear in his face was unmistakable. He slowly released my wrist, taking a step back.

"I catch you bullying anyone again, you're dead. Got that?" Jackson said, his voice calm but firm.

Blake nodded once before scurrying off, but not before throwing me one last glare.

Jackson turned to me. "Follow me, Alexa. Me and the boys need to have a word."

I froze. Did he save me just to beat me up himself?

"Okay," I said, curiosity and dread mixing in my chest.

There's a saying about curiosity killing the cat. I'm not a cat, though, so I guess I'm fine. Right?

I followed him, my heart pounding, hoping I wouldn't regret this.