Page 20 of Hearts at War

“Did you hear me?”

Loud and clear. Still, I didn’t change my blank expression.

“Hello?”

Goodbye.

“I asked why you’re still here.” She sneered, lowering her arms only to lift them and cross them again.

I didn’t blink.

“What’s wrong with you, freak? When someone asks you a question, you answer them.”

Not necessarily. The more I waited her out, the more fun I had. She was flustered, looking around and getting more than annoyed that this wasn’t going her way.

“Tell me why you’re still here.”

Aha. That’s not a question. That’s a demand.

“I heard you had an interview at the bank.”

Well, that proves the theory that gossip still travels at lightning speed around here.

She set her teeth on her lower lip, looking away as if she couldn’t’ stand the sight of me.

“You’re not welcome here.” A huge smile contorted her face now.

That made sense. When she couldn’t get her way and feel triumphant, she’d attack and belittle me. Not much had changed over the years.

“No one likes you, Heather. And no one wants you back here.”

I went numb, slipping behind a cool mask of not giving a shit. I’d never understand why people could be so cruel. Small towns were notorious for jerks, but wasn’t this crap uncalled for? Wasn’t this stupid? My presence did nothing to her. I wasn’t hurting her in any way, minding my own business like this while I tried to unravel the mess I’d made of my life in moving away the first time.

“You hear me?” She reached for my cup so suddenly that her motion jolted me out of this blank stare. I didn’t need to literally rehash my high school years. Lunchroom antics and bully confrontations weren’t new.

I caught her hand before she could toss the water at my face.

She could taunt me. She could be a bitch and hate me for no reason, threatened because I wouldn’t let her win by making me cry or whatever would satisfy her sick, sadist heart.

But I’d be damned if she tried to toss this ice water on me.

Because I was not in the mood to go do laundry. This was my second-to-last clean shirt, dammit.

She narrowed her eyes as I tightened my hand over hers, halting her from moving the cup.

Don’t even think about it.

Now, it seemed she could read my thoughts. She dropped the cup, splashing only a portion of it with a couple of ice cubes. After wrenching her hand free, she huffed and walked away.

What am I doing here? Why am I putting up with this?

Fortunately, I’d already paid my bill. Nothing could keep me here, where everyone was silent and gawking at me. Ashley commanded that sort of attention, and now that she was gone, all eyes were on me.

So much for keeping to myself.

I tried. I really did. But not well enough.

As I scooted out of the booth, I had nothing in mind but to hurry away. To get the hell out of here and back to the relative comfort of privacy at the cabin.