Hickville Confessions: A Hickville High Novel Read Online Free Page A

between Hillside and Spring Creek. Her house was on the opposite side of Hillside—at least thirty minutes. She rested her head on the console between their seats and was asleep before he hit the town limit. He ignored the urge to stroke her soap-matted hair.
    What the hell had happened tonight? He should thank Eric for being such a douche. If he hadn’t been kicked out of the dance, he’d never have driven by the fountain at the exact moment when Warrior Ryan needed a rescue. He let out a sigh. She was amazing, incredible, extremely hot—and he couldn’t wait to get to know her better.

3
    “Ryan, wake up. We’re almost at your house.”
    She’d been awake, but hadn’t given in to opening her eyes. She sat up. The skin on her face felt two sizes too small. Her arms and chest burned. She reached for the spirit towel, but it was too dry now to offer comfort.
    What was she going to say to her parents? It was bad enough that she was going to have to convince them that nothing had happened between her and Justin. They were going to freak when they saw her face. She looked at her sopping, soap-caked dress crumpled on the floor. No way was she going to wiggle into that thing. Her only hope was to sneak into the house and change clothes. But as they rambled down the long dirt road to her house, hope flew out the window and dread took its place.
    “Your whole family is sitting on the front porch.” His gaze volleyed between her and the house at the end of the drive. “If your dad has a shotgun across his lap, I’m gonna freak.”
    She couldn’t tell if he was serious. “He won’t.”
    “Is that Austin’s truck? What is he doing here?” He white-knuckled the wheel.
    “He works for Dad. He helps with the chores.”
    By the time he parked, both of her parents, Mackenzie, Kelsey, and Austin had all risen to their feet and were staring at them. “Stay here. Let me talk to them.”
    She got out and reached to the floorboards for her dress and shoes. The jersey hung to her knees, but it was obvious that she wore nothing but panties beneath it. She wadded the wet gown into her arms and plopped the shoes on top.
    Her dad stood by Justin’s door. “Son, we need to talk.”
    Crap.
They’ve tried and convicted us already.
She stood on the bottom step and looked up at her mom.
    “Good Lord, what happened to your face?”
    “It’s not what you think.”
    Her mom put an arm around her. “Let’s get you in the house.”
    Ryan nodded and let her mom lead her without looking back. She heard Justin’s door open and held her breath. He didn’t deserve this.
    “What happened? Did that boy—”
    “Mom, he saved me.”
    “Who did this to you?”
    “Let me change and I’ll explain everything.”
    Her mom helped her up the stairs, but when they reached the bathroom, Ryan stopped. “I’ve got this.”
    “Let me fix you something to eat.”
    The junk food she’d eaten had long gone, but she couldn’t think about food now—especially with Justin left to fend for himself with her dad. “Just coffee.”
    Her mom nodded. “If you need anything, yell.” She turned and jogged downstairs.
    Ryan hung her dress on the towel rack on the back wall of the bathtub. She didn’t let a tear fall until she turned and caught sight of her full reflection. She looked like something from a horror movie. Her lips were swollen and distorted. Her face didn’t even look like her own. Her cheeks burned as the tears fell. She sat on the edge of the tub and gave in to the pain and humiliation of the night.
    Kelsey appeared in the doorway. “What did he do to you?”
    She looked at her sister, too tired to argue. “It was the Purity Club. They found out—” She couldn’t finish.
    Kelsey sucked the air from the bathroom. “How?”
    It took most of her energy to raise her shoulders in a pitiful shrug. “I don’t know. Macey said they were cleansing me of my sins. If Justin hadn’t come…”
    Kelsey sat next to her and hugged her