Fading Out by Trisha Wolfe Read Free Book Online Page A

a dumb prank—only, it’s more than that to me. My whole life, I’ve bowed out in the midst of any confrontation. With my parents, teachers, peers. I carved a secluded little section in the world for myself, content to exist solo. Just so long as no one looked too closely.
    I’ve known guys like Ryder most of my life. Even dated them. Hell, if he has any real money at all and didn’t play football, my father might even arrange our marriage—he’s just the type my father would endorse. Only, Ryder doesn’t act the part. He’s too…rough around the edges. Not polished like a socialite.
    A brief image flits before my vision. Ryder’s clear blue eyes studying me, as if he wanted to know me . His broad shoulders, corded, muscular arms, the squinty corners of his eyes, dark hair falling over his forehead. That moment when we first made eye contact.
    The callused skin of his fingers as the grazed my skin. Hands that have seen hard work.
    Warmth pools in my stomach, and I forcefully push the memory away. I can’t deny the guy has it. He’s every girl’s wet dream. I’d have to be blind not to acknowledge that he’s hot. And for a split second in the lunch line, when he gazed at me, I couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. I truly wanted him to be interested in me—and I allowed myself that small hope too soon before reality crushed it.
    All my future prospects are only interested in marrying Jonathan Wyndemere’s daughter. I’m a name without a face. But Ryder saw me. Or at least, I thought he did. Then everything just got so ugly and went all wrong.
    Besides, he’s a jock. It’s not just a title, or a cliché. It’s who he really is; how he views the world. His world. As if it belongs solely to him, and everyone merely exists to orbit around his sun.
    Just like Stephan.
    My three-month detour into narcissistic jock world that left me reeling, on the brink of self-loathing.
    “Ari.” Vee’s questioning voice pulls me from my downward spiraling thoughts. “You’re not really thinking of retaliation, are you?”
    I toss the sponge into the bucket of soapy water. “No, I’m not, Vee. I’ll get over it.”
    She nods slowly, watching me, trying to figure out if I mean it. Then, “Well, hey. Maybe joining the boosters would put a stop to all this. I mean, they couldn’t very well keep picking on one of their own, ya know?”
    I raise my eyebrows. “Are you trying to gaslight me?”
    She laughs and goes back to washing the car. “No.” But then she stops scrubbing and places her hands on her hips, soaking her tee further. “Okay, maybe a little. I know, I’m being somewhat selfish, but I still need numbers for my raffle idea to be considered.” With a sigh, she adds, “I’m sorry this happened, and I’m sorry that you and the school ‘it’ boy have major sexual tension…but you could still help a girl out.” She bats her long eyelashes at me.
    “Oh, my God,” I say, purposely avoiding her comment about Ryder and me having any form of sexual tension. “Will you just admit why you’re really doing this?” When she shrugs, averting her gaze, I moan. “If this guy is worth all this effort, Vee, then why not just talk to him.” I tilt my head. “No one should make you feel inferior.”
    She rolls her eyes. “Wow. Where did this spunk come from, all of a sudden?” She shakes her head and dips her sponge in her bucket. “The Ryde really fired you up. Maybe this little spat was a good thing for you.”
    She’s avoiding, too.
    But as she says this, my immediate reaction is denial. To fall back on my claim that all I want is to coast unnoticed. Only, I realize with a start that Ryder’s antics, not to mention his gorgeous…everything, has awoken something inside me. Ignited a fire—one I never thought existed in the first place.
    It might just be a distraction from all the tension currently binding me—but it feels like something close to relief not to be so focused on my issues for