“What about Xander?” she blurted.
I frowned, confused. “You think I should go with Xander. Yourfiancé.”
“Oh my God,stop. And why not? You’re in the math club together. You’re both super smart. I think you’d make a cute couple.”
“You do?”
“Of course!” she said, her smile too wide. “You’re both my friend, and I want my friends to be happy.”
It was on the tip of my tongue to say no. I could just imagine all the Richie girls in their fishnets, corsets, and glitter while I looked like a frump in a suffragette sash and long skirt. And Orion would be there, looking devastatingly handsome in his costume, even if he came as the Toxic Avenger or put a bag on his head. I should stay home, get a jump on my NoSci entry…
Fuck that.
This school wasnotgoing to erase me. Plus, if I went with Xander, maybe Emery would finally snap and admit she’s in love with him. It would be a strategic kindness.
Petty, but supportive. That’s a thing, right?
“Sure. I’d go with Xander if he asked me.”
“Great,” Emery said, looking like it was anything but great. “I’ll talk to him.”
“If you insist.”
“I do.”
Aria, Elowen, Sierra Hart, and Delilah Winslow approached. That was my cue to exit stage left.
I gathered my stuff and slid off the bleachers. “See you, Em.”
“Oh, okay. Bye.”
I could feel the dark stares of Elowen and Aria stabbing me in the back, but I kept my head up and walked away casually. I was done letting them get under my skin, but that didn’t mean I was going to spend one second in their space.
I still had time before picking up Dash and a brutal ten-pagehistory paper on ancient Mesopotamia coming up, so I went to the library to do some research. When I came out, the light was fading. Autumn was moving toward winter, and the days grew shorter.
I headed to the parking lot, which was almost deserted, and stopped.
My car was gone.
Chapter 12Harper
What the hell?
I glanced around, my heart pounding. It had been weeks since any of the Richies had bothered me about my parking spot. I thought that was over. And then I spotted my car near the chain-link fence by the industrial yard, looking slightly off-kilter.
I glanced around again. No sign of anyone, no snickering bully, no message on the glass.
“Okay,” I muttered, taking a steadying breath. “At least it’s here. No harm, no foul. Right?”
The door was locked. No sign of forced entry, as they say on the crime shows. I climbed in and pushed the button and gas, but the car wouldn’t start, and thecheck enginelight came on.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, no…”
I didn’t know the first thing about cars, but I knew it had something to do with the fact that my car was sitting a little bit tilted. I climbed out and peered underneath. Sure enough, a huge, jagged rock had punctured the undercarriage.
They lifted it. They picked it up and set it down on a fucking rock.
Tears came, and this time I couldn’t keep them back.
