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I nod, decision made in the span of a heartbeat. “Yes. At her locker.”
“Want me there?” There’s an offer of support in his tone, a silent promise of backup.
“No.” I straighten my shoulders, steel in my spine. “I need to do this alone.”
“Okay.” He gives me a firm nod, then steps back, melting into the crowd.
The halls clear slowly. I wait, a solitary figure leaning against the cold metal of my locker, watching as Sierra slips her books into her bag, oblivious. My hands clench, nails digging into my palms.
I stride toward Sierra, heart hammering against my chest. Each step feels heavy, like I’m wading through molasses, but there’s a fire in my veins that won’t be quenched until I get answers.
“Sierra,” I hiss, reaching out and grabbing her shoulder, forcing her to face me. My fingers dig into the fabric of her shirt, betraying the turmoil inside me. “We need to talk. Now.”
She jerks at my touch, surprise flitting across her features before a mask of scorn settles in. “What’s this about?” Her voice drips with disdain, as if she can’t be bothered with such trivialities.
“Your little game with that message.” I glare into her eyes, searching for a flicker of guilt, but she’s a closed book. “You think you can threaten me and not have to answer for it?”
Sierra scoffs, a sharp, bitter sound that grates on my nerves. She shrugs off my hand, standing tall. “Oh, please,” she says, rolling her eyes. “Like you’re some innocent victim here.”
“Excuse me?” I can feel my control slipping, the edges of my composure fraying.
“I’ve seen how you are with them,” she snaps back, gesturing vaguely in the direction of the men in my life. “Conrad…Grayson…in the hot tub, all cozy. What am I supposed to think?”
Her accusation hangs between us, heavy and suffocating. I take a step back, breath catching. So that’s what this is about. She saw us together and jumped to conclusions.
“Is that what this is? Jealousy?” I spit the word out like venom, disgust mixing with a deep sense of betrayal.
Sierra just smirks, a cruel twist to her lips that doesn’t reach her eyes. “Figure it out, Brielle. It’s not rocket science.”
I shake my head, anger boiling over. She dares to judge me, to threaten me, based on her own twisted assumptions. Her nerve burns hot in my chest, fueling my next move.
My heart hammers in my chest, echoing in the silence of the locker-lined corridor. Sierra’s eyes are cold, calculating, holding mine with a challenge that stings of betrayal.
“Fine,” I snap, unable to contain the truth any longer. “I’m with all three of them. Conrad, Grayson, Levi. What’s it to you?”
Sierra’s face hardens, and her lips twist. “Everything,” she breathes out, her voice low and spiked with venom. “You’ve got them wrapped around your finger, don’t you? But why you?”
Confusion mingles with the heat of my anger. “What are you talking about?”
“Levi.” She spits his name like it’s poison on her tongue, her jealousy tangible in the air between us. “Why does he want you? Why not me?”
Her words hit like a slap. I never noticed Sierra watching Levi with anything more than casual interest. How could I have missed it?
“Levi…” My throat tightens around his name, betraying the soft spot I have for him despite our recent fight. “This isn’t about who wants who, Sierra. It’s about trust. Friendship.”
“Friendship?” Her laugh is short, mocking. “That died the moment you chose them over me.”
“Chose?” I shake my head, feeling a sharp pang of regret. “It was never about choosing sides.”
“Wasn’t it?” Sierra steps closer, her gaze locked onto mine. “Because from where I’m standing, it looks like you chose pretty damn clearly.”
Her words sting, a reminder of the complicated web we’ve all been tangled in. But through it all, I thought Sierra understood—understood me. Clearly, I was wrong.
“Pathetic,” I hiss, the word slicing through the tense air between us. “That’s what you are.”
Sierra’s eyes flash with fury, a snarl curving her lips. In one swift movement, she lunges toward me, her fingers clawing for my face. I sidestep, driven by instinct, and shove back hard against her shoulder.
“Touch me again,” I warn, words edged with ice.
