“Hey, Harper.” Her brown eyes settle on me after getting no encouragement.
“Hi.” I even wave a little like a dork. Part of it is because I’m nervous. I could fuck this up and it could end really badly.
“Can I talk to you for a few minutes?” She bites her lip and does that little girl sway.
I glance at Luke and wait for him to nod his head.
“Okay.” I breathe. This is it.
Caden helps me stand. His hand lingers on my hip and I let my fingers brush over his softly. He’ll protect me. He always does.
I step away to the edge of the couch and sit down with Penny.
“Okay, this is where we look like we’re talking.” Penny smiles.
“We could actually talk.” I raise an eyebrow. “I mean, people are supposed to think you’re my friend.”
Also part of the plan to give her an in with Sidney and the Cheermonsters.
She takes my hand. “I want to be your friend, Harper. I think it’s stupid what’s going on around you. The cheerleaders are trying to take down your guys. And I know more shit has happened to you.”
“You do?” Now I’m a little nervous. How does she know what else has happened?
“Yeah, I mean the football players we’ve been hanging out with talk. They told us about your car tire. And we know the guys are worried about people targeting you.”
Okay, that makes my heartbeat settle. I don’t need anyone else to know about what happened in the girls’ locker room. How my hands were sweating. How I didn’t know how much longer I could hold on.
A shiver races through me. Tonight won’t be like that. Nothing will ever be like that again.
I straighten and glance over my shoulder at the guys before letting my gaze fall on Ethan. When he smirks and puckers his lips at me, I smile and drop my gaze like I’m okay with it. While inside, I want to make him pay. Fuck, I want to make all of them pay for thinking I’m the easy target. For thinking I’d just roll over and let them walk all over me.
“Are we ready for the next phase?” Penny leans in close to me like she’s confiding something.
“I think so. We need to be as discreet as possible,” I whisper back.
“Okay, then a few more seconds here,” she whispers. “Did you know Ethan and Nat dated freshman year?”
“No.” My eyes widen. Crap, what if Nat still wants him and this is all a double cross?
“Yeah, she said they never made it past kissing and he really sucked at it.” Penny giggles before glancing Ethan’s way. “He also spread a really vicious rumor that she blew him beneath the bleachers during P.E. class.”
“What an asshat,” I whisper, but keep the smile on my face.
“Let’s take this fucker down.” She squeezes my hand.
I turn to look at Eli behind me. His dark eyes meet mine and give me strength. “I need to go to the bathroom.”
He nods and starts to get up.
“I can go with her.” Penny stands and I join her.
“Yeah, Penny can go with me.” I take her hand and look at Eli with what I hope looks like hope in my eyes and not dread.
Eli nods and gives me a fierce look. “Behave, kitten.”
We turn and walk to the bathroom. Or rather to wait in the line for the bathroom. It’s late and everyone has been drinking. The line is long and I’m glad I don’t actually have to use the bathroom.
“Now what?” I sneak a glance toward where Ethan was. I don’t see him. For a second I panic.
