Finn’s Range Rover pulls up beside us, and he sticks his head out the window. “One of you fuckers want to go get shitfaced at my brother’s house? He’s having a party tonight.”
Finn’s brother is just like him, but a few years older. He used his trust fund to buy a house where he parties all night and sleeps all day. He has no desire to get a job or do anything with his life. Finn’s the same way. He’s planning to move in with his brother this summer and do nothing but drink, sleep, and have sex. I wish I could be that carefree, not giving a shit what I do with my life, but unfortunately, I inherited my father’s drive tosucceed. I just refuse to succeed the way he tells me to. I want to do it my own way.
“I’ll pass,” I tell him. “I need to go home. I’m not feeling well.” I open the car door, my fingers stinging when they press against the handle. “Fuck!” I shake out my hand.
“What happened?” Parker asks.
“I burned my fingers in Chem lab.” I use my other hand and open the door.
“What about you?” Finn asks Parker. “You coming over?”
“Can’t. I told Scarlett we’d go out tonight.”
“You fuckers never want to do anything.” Finn looks back at the car honking behind him. “Go around!”
The car backs up, and I see it’s Brielle, a girl I dated sophomore year. She kind of looked like Ella back then, but now she looks totally different. She shot up in height and dyed her hair blonde.
“What the hell she’s doing?” Finn asks.
“Going the other way because she can’t get around you,” Parker says.
“She’s got plenty of room,” Finn says to us, then he yells back at Brielle, “Fucking learn how to drive!” He looks back at us. “So what are we doing Friday night? Should we take her in a room? Make her think we’re going to do something?”
He’s talking about Charlotte. I told him we’d do something to her at the party, but I didn’t say what.
“Forget it,” I say. “It’s not worth it.”
“What the fuck?” Finn glances at Parker. “I thought we were going after Charlotte to mess with Ella.”
Parker told Finn about my plan to take down Ella, even though I told Parker not to tell him. It’s just like I said, the guy can’t keep a secret.
“I’mdoing it,” I say, folding my arms over my chest. “You’renot. Stay the fuck out of it. I’ve got it under control.”
“Maybe I’ll go after her myself,” Finn says. “I’m sick of those bitches acting like they’re better than us.”
“They don’t act like they’re better than us,” I say. “What the hell you talking about?”
“Is she really showing up Friday?” Parker asks.
“Charlotte? Yeah, but leave her alone. I’m going after Ella, not Charlotte.”
“But that’s how you get to Ella,” Parker says. “She doesn’t want us messing with her friend. That’s the whole reason you invited her.”
“Just let it go. Why are you pushing this? It was my idea and I changed my mind.”
Finn and Parker look at each other, grinning slightly. They’re going to do something to Charlotte. Fuck. Why did I start this? I should’ve left her alone. Ella can take care of herself. No matter what I do, she’ll try to fight back. But Charlotte is timid and shy and wouldn’t have a clue how to fight back.
I could tell her not to show up. Or maybe I should wait and see if Ella will go with her. There’s no way she’ll let Charlotte go there by herself.
“Later, fuckers.” Finn revs the engine and takes off.
Parker turns to me. “You okay? You seem off.”
“I don’t feel good. I think I’m just tired.” I get in the car.
Parker laughs. “Looks like the sociopath got the Ferrari started.”
I look over and see Calvin Seamore standing next to his car. Behind it is a tow truck, and it looks like the tow truck driver is sitting in Calvin’s car. The guy leaves the engine running and gets out, then walks back to his truck.
