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20
Since all our friends still have no idea what’s going on, and Annalisa wants to talk about what happened, we get together after school. Aiden’s house is the most logical spot to meet since he has a free house and doesn’t have babysitting for his brothers.
Charlotte and I volunteer to stay back and grab all of Annalisa’s stuff from her locker, so by the time I get to Aiden’s, everyone else has already taken up the parking spots in his driveway. Apparently, someone else on his street doesn’t care it’s a Monday night and is throwing a party, because there are cars everywhere. I have to park down the block, but I don’t mind, since it’s a pretty nice day out.
“So, have you and Chase still not talked?” I ask Charlotte as we walk to Aiden’s house.
Third period chemistry, the class I share with Chase and Charlotte, was awkward to say the least. She’s still mad at him for the way he acted at her brother’s house party, and I think Chase just doesn’t know what to say to make it right. The only reason lunch wasn’t an awkward disaster was because we were all wrapped up in what had just happened with Annalisa.
“Nope. And I don’t plan on talking to him unless he makes the effort to come up to me first,” she says with a stubborn set to her jaw.
I can’t really blame her. I’m sure if my best friend of ten years acted like that toward me, I’d be much pettier than her right now.
When we get into Aiden’s house, Charlotte makes sure she sits on the complete opposite side of the room from where Chase is, squeezing in between Julian and Noah, who are talking to Jason and Jackson.
“Did you see our new video game? Bet we can beat you this time!” Jason holds up the box with a mischievous grin. “It’s a continuation of Return of the Zombie Aliens Part Three and a Half!”
The box he holds up is similar to the one they were obsessed with at the beach house, and I’m assuming it’s the one they were playing at Mason’s house. I guess since we got to the bottom of their behavior, they’ve been okay with playing normally.
“Psh, I doubt it, even Charlotte beat you last time,” Julian teases, making the twins’ faces turn red.
“That doesn’t count! Noah was distracting us last time!” They defend themselves, earning laughs from Noah and Charlotte.
“Hey, don’t hate the player, hate the game,” Noah says.
They argue back and forth about whether throwing chocolate chip cookie pieces is considered cheating, while Annalisa fidgets in her seat, clearly about to burst from holding in her anger all day.
As always, Aiden notices. “Hey, boys, why don’t you go upstairs and practice playing, and Noah and Julian will come up and kick your butts later?”
“They will not!” Jason and Jackson huff at the same time, but head to the stairs anyway, strategizing between themselves about how they can win and what snacks they need to hide from Noah.
As soon as they’re out of earshot, Annalisa asks, “Who punched Kaitlyn in the face for me after I left?”
Oh boy. We all look around at each other.
“Anna, you know we can’t just do that,” Julian reminds her.
“Okay, you guys no.” Her sharp eyes land on me and Charlotte. “But Amelia? Charlotte?”
I make eye contact with Charlotte’s wide ones. Even with Charlotte’s newfound confidence, I can’t see her punching someone. And I’m trying to get through senior year as normally as possible. Punching the already bruised daughter of the principal doesn’t really fit into that plan.
“Anna . . .” I start.
She crosses her arms in a huff of annoyance. “Fine. Still would’ve been nice. I just wish if I was going to go down for it, I would’ve at least done it.”
“Who do you think did?” Noah asks her.
“This is a calculated move orchestrated by her and Ryan. They’re trying to get back at me for what they think my brother did to Ryan’s dad. All that Wacko Anna White bullshit? They planned this. Are you sure it’s not just makeup?”
I mean, she’s not wrong. It is convenient that Kaitlyn spent all that time making sure everyone knew Annalisa was threatening her “for no reason,” but I know it’s not makeup. Would Kaitlyn allow herself to get beaten up just to get Annalisa expelled? Especially when she doesn’t really have a direct problem with Annalisa? She only hates her because one, she hates everyone. And two, her boyfriend hates Annalisa. But is that enough reason to subject herself to a black eye and everything else?
“It’s not makeup,” I reassure everyone. “I talked to her earlier today to ask why she would lie and could tell her injuries were real.”
“Sure, Kaitlyn’s crazy, but I don’t think she’s crazy enough to throw herself down a set of stairs just to get you expelled.” Mason voices exactly what I was thinking.
Annalisa gets defensive. “What? You think I’m lying? If I hit her, I’d tell you I hit her.”
“I’m not saying you’re lying,” Mason says, trying to think out his next words carefully. “I’m saying I don’t think her intention was to get beaten up just to blame you.”
“I agree with Mason,” I jump in, ignoring the cut eyes Annalisa’s sending me. “She probably came home like that and when her mom asked her who did it, she blamed the person who made the most sense to her. Maybe Ryan even told her to blame you.”
Mason smiles at me. It’s warm but makes me feel so far away from him. It’s a smile that I can’t return since I’m a terrible person who still hasn’t told him about his dad, because I just can’t bear to keep breaking his heart.
“I can’t believe you of all people are picking her over me!” Annalisa exclaims.
