Free Pivotal Moments (In Time #1) by Trinity Hanrahan Page A

over his well-defined six-pack, nicely toned pecs and shoulders, and finally uncovering that tattoo.
    Sweet mama.
    Teagan’s display of warm, muscular flesh sent my heart into hyperdrive. My fingers ached to skim over his shoulders, across his chest, and down his beautiful stomach—
    “Hey, Ash!” The shrill voice directly behind me shattered my happy place. The high-pitched, bubbly sound was like nails on a chalkboard. “I never thought I’d see you here!”
    Tracey Banco.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 6
     
     
    My palms began to sweat.
    Teagan was watching the scene with narrowing eyes. Returning my attention to Tracey, I could tell by the smirk on her face that she knew what she just interrupted for me. She seemed to have ESP when it came to my awkward moments.
    “Why so surprised, Tracey?” I kept my tone bored, but anyone could see where this was headed.
    She shrugged. “This was never really your scene, if you catch my meaning.”
    This crap was not happening in front of Teagan.
    Penny answered, “No, we don’t. Why don’t you explain it to us?” The if you’re so smart and we’re so stupid was implied. Her Territorial Best Friend Mode was on its way to making an appearance.
    “Oh, you know…” Tracey gave a light shrug. The gleam in her eye demanded blood.
    “No. We don’t know.” Penny crossed her arms.
    “Well, other than you…and that art geek, Karen…it’s not like Ash has a healthy social life.” She delicately waved a hand toward me. “This must be strange for her. After all, there must be some reason Connor never brought her to these parties.”
    I flinched.
    Penny stiffened beside me. Connor was standing where she’d left him, frozen. I looked at him, hoping for any kind of defense from my big brother while the heinous bitch spewed her venom at me. When he didn’t deny Tracey’s claim, wouldn’t meet my gaze, she started giggling. It was the same nasty giggle she’d given when she’d shoved the defenseless freshman, Jackie, into the gym in just her underwear. I was suddenly done. Done with all of it. I’d already hit Tracey, and it seemed like nothing I did would make her stop. I felt the tears begin to well up. I positively refused to give her the satisfaction of tears. Head held high, I walked away. I headed toward the woods, my eyes and nose burning. Connor called out my name, but I kept walking. About eleven years too late there, buddy. The sound of Penny unleashing her wrath on Tracey was slowly fading behind me. Had I not been so upset and hurt, I probably would have felt a little sorry for the girl. Nah, She deserved it.
     
    ***
     
    Laughter came from the gathering on the other side of the lake. I’d been lying in the grass on my back for probably over an hour now, lonelier than ever and also incredibly pissed that I’d allowed myself to reach this point. I no longer fought the tears, letting them fall as I admitted the truth. I’d been alone for the last eleven years.
    Until Dad had died, Connor and I were inseparable. He’d been the awesome big brother who took care of me, bandaged my knees when I fell, taught me to ride a bike, convinced Mom to let me get a pet hamster. And then, it stopped. He still took care of me—kind of. But we didn’t talk like we used to; the feeling of friendship nearly disappeared.
    Handling that loss was especially hard when Tracey decided that I was a threat to her. We had been friends once, but she developed a crush on Brody. I guess since I was tutoring him and we had become friends, I was a threat to her and the plans she had made where he was concerned. Next thing I know, I’m in the school cafeteria and everyone was laughing at me.
    Tracey had sent everyone in the school pictures of me in my underwear from a recent sleepover and added in the message that I hoped Brody would be the one to help me lose my virginity.
    Humiliated didn’t cover what I felt at that moment. I thought Penny was going to kill her, and I