Tryst Six Venom by Penelope Douglas

Mimi.
She gives me her cheek, and I leave a quick peck before climbing to my
feet and hurry out of the hall before my mother sees. Once outside, I send her
a quick text, letting her know I’ll be home late and to grab my stuff from the
dressing room.
I’m about to text Callum that I’m ready and waiting, but I see a tattooed
neck in a dark gray T-shirt straddling an old Triumph. I forget my phone and
stare at the middle son of Tryst Six, cigarette smoke drifting into the air
above his head.
He was the one checking me out last week when he dropped Liv off at
school. I smile, tucking my phone back into my bag.
Oh, she’ll hate this. I walk up to him. “Hi.”
Turning his head, Iron sucks on the cigarette, the end burning orange
before he takes it out of his mouth.
He doesn’t say hi back. He knows who I am.
“I’m Clay,” I tell him anyway.
He faces forward, blowing out the smoke. “Yeah, I know.”
Well, what a peach. Maybe he knows about the video. How could he not,
I guess?
I take my chances anyway. “I’m doing a senior scavenger hunt. I need to
take a selfie with a stranger.”
He shoots me a look, taking another drag. “Is that school-sanctioned?
Sounds unsafe.”
I pull out my phone again. “Can I take a selfie with you?”
“No.” He shakes his head, turning away again. “Like I said, I know who
you are.”
He doesn’t really seem angry, though. Maybe she didn’t tell her family
about the video. Maybe he’s just prejudiced, because I’m a Collins.
I pass him and his bike, step into the street, and stick my thumb out,
feeling my loose denim shorts slide down my hips as I move.
“What are you doing?” I hear him ask, a sudden edge to his voice.
“I need a ride across the tracks.” A car passes, honking its horn, and I see
it’s some rusty old Honda filled with young guys. “I’m meeting Liv.”
“Pretty sure Liv is the last person meeting you.”
“Hey!” someone calls.
I look behind me to see the Honda has stopped, one of the dudes poking
his head out of the window.