Hidden Play: The Return 《COMPLETE》

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Two Days Prior to Ski Trip – Hunter's POV

I shiver stepping out of my well-heated car and curse under my breath. Fucking winter. Each factor on its own is miserable – the cold, the wind, the snow, the ice, and the depressing cloud of gray that seems to block out any semblance of sunshine. But the combination of all of them is unbearable. No wonder why everyone in this town is pissed off all the time. The weather alone is enough to entice the asshole side right out of you.

I jog up the walkway to the pizza place, and the bell jingles when I step inside. It's not one of those twinkling bells that's light and whimsical. No, this is one of those dull, cow bells. It's an obnoxious clank clank that grinds against your ears and acts as a not-so-subtle shout-out to the rest of the patrons that you're about to carb-out on pizza.

The woman at the register gives me an appreciative once-over before asking if I'm here for pick-up or if I want a table.

"Pick-up," I say. "Should be under Hunter."

Her glossy nails click across the screen.

"A large pizza - half sausage, half mushroom - and two orders of wings?"

Fuck, does she have to put me on blast like that?

"Yup, that's what my inner fatass ordered," I confirm sardonically. "You're lucky this place doesn't have a dessert menu. I'd have wiped ya' clean."

She blushes, and I throw a fifty onto the counter as she gives me my total. Feminine laughter drifts through the pizza parlor, and I glance to the side to find the culprit. A pretty chick with dark hair giggles into her palm. She looks familiar. My eyes cut to her dinner companion, and I laugh under my breath. Well what are the fucking odds?

Zion 'the king' Matthews having pizza with, who I now remember, is Emma, his step-sister. He feels my gaze and glances up. Our eyes collide, and I give him a winning smile and overly enthusiastic wave. Since his suspension, the two of us have only seen each other twice. Most recently, it was when we had that fabulously awkward run-in in Aiden's living room after Evan's Christmas party. That little reunion was fuckin' hilarious, might I add.

Before that, it was the morning Aiden found shit smeared on his locker. The morning that happened, Zion felt the need to wait by my locker during Aiden's long visit with the principal to give me a piece of his mind...

"In a matter of weeks," Zion says, not even deeming me worthy of his undivided attention as he glances down the deserted hallway. "Broncs ended things with me, messed around with you, came out to the entire team, and is now being ostracized by our entire school."

"And?"

He narrows his gaze on me, and for a second, I feel a sliver of fear. I've known the guy most of my life, but in this moment, I understand why the school is terrified of him. It's like his mere presence demands respect.

"I find it odd," Zion continues, his tone casual, but building with accusation. "That all of this shit just coincidentally happens when you come to school. So, what is it? I get you kicked out of your school, so you find a way to get me kicked out of mine? Feels an awful lot like calculated revenge."

The tone of his voice sends a chill down my spine. I mean, fuck, that would have been a brilliant plan, but even I'm not that cruel. As much as I was pissed off at Zion for getting me kicked out, even if I wanted to ruffle feathers (which, originally, I had), I would have never put someone else on the line like this.

"Listen," I respond, leveling my eyes with his. "You were a fucking dipshit for ghosting me for years, then showing up at my school and trying to rekindle a friendship with me. Which, in case you forgot, bro, that particular 'rekindling' somehow got me kicked out of school."