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“I’m all out.”
Scarlett shrugged her shoulders and flicked her head over toward a small building in the corner of the park. Its boarded-up windows made it impossible to see inside.
“Are you sure? You know he doesn’t usually like pe—”
“It’ll be fine. He owes me.” Her gaze landed on me. “You, stay here. Don’t wander, don’t move. Lilly, watch her.”
“Sure. It’s not like we’re going anywhere.”
I nodded. It was all I could do when suddenly, I felt like the little sister who no one wanted around. My eyes followed Scarlett and Malachi as they walked lazily across the park and entered the building. It was almost dark now, but someone had rigged up a small generator to power the original lights running around the interior of the track.
“Who did all of this?” I asked, my question not directed at anyone in particular.
“Seniors started coming out here a few years back. Everyone knows we come out here, but as long as there’s no trouble, they leave us alone,” Jay answered.
“But Scarlett said I couldn’t tell anyone.”
He shrugged, pushing off the wall, and dropped onto one of the empty cars, stretching his legs out in front of him. “It’s one of those situations where everyone knows what goes on out here, but no one talks about it. Kind of like what they don’t know won’t hurt them.”
“Right.” I didn’t get it—not really. It was just another thing that was different in Credence.
Jay stared at Lilly in that way guys did when they wanted something, and she giggled, leaving my side to go to him. Wrapping her in his arms, they started making out. The other guy gagged, shooting me an amused grin. “Since none of these fuckers introduced me, I’m Vin.”
“Becca.”
“I know. You’re hot news in CH.”
I was?
“Vin,” Lilly warned, breaking away from Jay. She shot me an apologetic smile and added, “Don’t freak her out. He just means it’s not often we get a transfer, that’s all.”
That made sense, I guess.
“Especially someone like you.” Kendall appeared out of nowhere. Pressing one foot against the track barrier, she crossed her arms over her chest. Her eyes locked on mine, and I wanted to look away, but I didn’t. I couldn’t. Her unexplained hatred for me pinned me to the spot.
“Didn’t see you there, O’Hare,” Jay said, trying to cut through the tension that had descended over us. She didn’t look away, and neither did I. But I felt everyone watching, waiting, for whatever was going to happen.
“Who brought her?” she snarled. “No outsiders. That’s always been the rule.”
“She’s with me.” Scarlett skidded to a halt. I hadn’t seen her jogging toward us, but from the breathless look on her face, she’d run from wherever she and Malachi had been.
“Why does that not surprise me? You always were a sucker for an outcast. Scarlett and her merry band of rejects.”
“Fuck off back to whatever hole you crawled out of, Kendall.” Scarlett came over to me and sat down, seemingly unaffected by whatever the hell was happening. “Becca is one of us now, so she has every right to be here.”
Rage burned in Kendall’s eyes, and I dropped my gaze. Why did she hate me so much? That kind of emotion didn’t just come from disliking the new girl.
“She’ll never be welcome here.” Kendall spun around and sashayed away, joining two of her friends who stood a ways back.
Scarlett glanced at me, pity in her gaze. I didn’t meet her eyes, but I felt it burning into me. Instead, I stared out at the park and regretted ever coming. Who was I to think I could fit in with these people?
Lost in my depressing thoughts, I could have sworn I saw a flash of black cutting through the park. A black leather jacket.
Identical to the one Evan wore.
* * *
“You okay?”Scarlett threw me a cautious glance, and I nodded stiffly. Thankfully, we were almost at my house. I needed to be alone. To process. “Don’t let Kendall get to you. She’s a total bitch.”
