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He gives her a dismissive nod, too busy glaring at Ace to really notice.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow,” I say to Ace. “Thank you... for today.” My eyes lock on his as I pass him, and I see the faintest of smiles crack over his face.
The second we leave their house, I turn to Mom and say, “I’m sorry, okay? I made a bad choice.”
“Don’t, Remi,” she says, jabbing her finger in the air. “It’s the second day of semester and you didn’t just cut class, you skipped out the entire day. Do you have any idea how embarrassing it was, taking that call from Principal Vager?”
“Do you have any idea how embarrassing it was, standing there, in front of the entire class, while Michaela deliberately sprayed that puddle all over me? Even my underwear was wet, Mom.”
“Remi,” she exhales a shaky breath, “this war with your step-sister has got to stop. I know she’s difficult—“
“Difficult?” I grab the handle and yank it open, climbing inside the car. “She’s not difficult, Mom. She’s a bitch.”
“Language!”
“Sorry.” I sink back in the seat, letting out a small huff. “She just drives me crazy.”
“You need to let it go, sweetheart. She can only hurt you if you give her the power.” Mom turns the key in the ignition and starts backing out of the driveway.
“Right, because if I just ignore her, she’ll disappear.”
“Not what I’m saying, Remi, but all this hatred isn’t good for you. I know she hurt you...”
I tune her out. Mom doesn’t get it. She never has. After her ex-boyfriend left and she got sober, Mom changed. She became all about good vibes and positive thoughts. But she doesn’t know what it’s like to be t
he social pariah. I can’t just forget about that.
I won’t.
She’s toxic. An insidious creature that gets under your skin and poisons you from the inside out.
Michaela Fulton ruined my life.
One day, I’ll figure out a way to ruin hers.
The next day at school, I’m hardly surprised by the whispers and wagging fingers as I navigate from class to class. Principal Vager hauled me and Ace into his office separately. He was more than shocked to hear my version of events, but I refused to let Ace take the fall for saving me in my hour of need.
I have detention for the next three afternoons, and I have to write a paper on the school codes of ethics and why skipping class is an unacceptable way to deal with ‘student disagreements’.
What a fucking joke.
But I guess that’s what you get when the student you were disagreeing with is head cheerleader, student council president, and has one of the most prominent names in Sterling Bay.
“Hey.” Hadley flounces down beside me on the bench hidden around the side of the building. It isn’t really in bounds at recess, but I like to avoid eating in the cafeteria whenever I can, and no one usually bothers me back here.
“What’s up?”
“No way.” She shakes her head. She’s gone for cheer-issue braids today that sit tight to her head. “I want to hear all about what happened yesterday. A little birdie told me you skipped out with Ace Jagger?”
Just the mention of Ace has my stomach flipping. I hoped to see him this morning and find out what his uncle said, but our paths haven’t crossed yet. That, or he’s avoiding me.
I frown at the thought.
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I snap myself out of it. Ace has no reason to avoid me. Especially not when I took the fall for him.
“So... yesterday...” Curiosity glitters in Hadley’s eyes.
