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“No thanks,” I say, and smirk, because Rachel thought she could toy with me without thinking I could do the same to her. “I just wanted to see how much you’d go for. That was too easy.”

I ignore the choice curse word Rachel shouts after me.

“Let me get this straight,” Lexie says, flicking on the turn signal. “Chloe, who hasn’t even pretended to be kind to you since your mother died, tried to loop you into some weird sabotage because she was dumped? And they dated for all of five seconds. Does that even count? Just weirdo behavior.”

Lexie drives me home every day after school in the brand-new Mercedes her dad got her for her sixteenth birthday. Usually we sing along to music or talk about our upcoming plans, but since we got in the vehicle, she’s been thinking so hard about what happened that I’m sure she formed a permanent wrinkle between her thin brows.

“I’m not sure of all the details, but yeah, essentially.”

She shakes her head. “As if you’d ever throw a case.”

I tap my nails on my thigh before admitting the truth. “I thought about it,” I say, leaning toward the window and letting the cool fall breeze run over my skin. “For a second. I mean, I do need that money. And if I did it, it’s not like they could use it against me if it went wrong; going to the dean would be bad for them too. They’d be as much a part of the plan as I am.”

“A double-edged sword.”

I raise my eyebrows. “Look who’s been paying attention in English class.”

“I can’t let you be the only smart one in this pair,” she says. “It’d be embarrassing.”

“You’re the smartest and prettiest girl I know.” I pat her leg.

She blows me a kiss, then returns her gaze to the winding back roads of greenery. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re not doing it. Not just because of the girls, but you already have enough on your plate. I don’t think you should be stressing out about anything else.”

“I can handle it if I needed to. Really, if I didn’t want to piss Rachel off, I might have considered the payment.”

“I’m sorry—”

“Don’t start,” I say. “Totally not your fault or job.”

Lexie used to take money from her dad’s account and give it to me to save. It’s helped so much with school supplies, meals for me and my dad, my savings. But when her parents found out what she was doing behind their backs six months ago, they changed their passwords and stopped giving her an allowance, then threatened to ship her off to a different school. Turns out, they are not as generous as the daughter they conceived—and I’m sure they think that I’m a gold digger waiting to trap their daughter for eternity.

Secretly, though, part of me was glad they eventually caught on. She’d never think twice about it the way I do, but taking money from my best friend, no matter how much we love each other, always gave me this shame and guilt. Partly because I spend so much of my life studying that friends have never come by easily, or at all, so I worried one day Lexie might see me as some freeloader. And until I had Lexie, I hadn’t realized how nice it was to get a break from books—just for a little while.

And the other part was because the money was another reminder that no matter what, I was completely different from everyone at Bell-Haven, including my own best friend. I didn’t fit in at all in any part of their community and was so below all their families’ tax brackets that it wasn’t just laughable but sad.

All I have are my smarts and the work ethic that keeps me that way. Those are the only things that let me keep my chin high, make me realize that I can stand beside anyone and matter.

Without my hard work, all I feel is small.

I turn to look out the window. “But you’re right, it is risky. Better that I just focus on my current workload.”

“But,” Lexie says, “just know if you did want to do it, I’ll back you up. To me, you’ve never done anything wrong in your life.”

I laugh. “Well, if I do it, you’ll be the first person I’ll tell.”

“Promise?” She holds out her pinkie, her matching friendship ring glittering as the sun hits it.

I wrap my pinkie around hers so our rings clink. “Promise.”

“Can I be honest, though?”

“Of course.”

“I feel a little bad for Theo,” she says. “Getting kicked off the team is going to suck if they figure out a way to do it, I mean. They seem pretty determined.”

I agree. I thought so when I first heard Chloe and Rachel say it in the bathroom. Removing him from basketball, the one activity he shows interest in, seems too harsh for an act of vandalism that can be removed with a few makeup wipes. But the world doesn’t reward the kind, only the ones ahead in life. Besides, I’m sure he’ll be fine if they succeed. It’s not like remaining on the team is life-and-death for him.

Still, there is a pinch of guilt in my side. “I know. Don’t judge me for thinking about it.”