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She doesn’t mean it,a little voice in my head scolded, but I wanted so badly to believe her, to believe that I had one real friend in this hellhole. If I was going to survive Credence, I needed to toughen up. To build my walls high and make them impenetrable. So why wasn’t I walking away from Lilly?
Hope sparkled in her eyes, and she smiled weakly at me. “I’d really like us to be friends, Becca. I shouldn’t have pushed you away like that. Scarlett… well, I wasn’t lying when I said she’s complicated. I’m sure she had her reasons for saying what she did.”
Yeah, and I intended to find out.
Lilly took my nod as an invitation to start walking with me. Releasing my hand, we walked to class, side by side, the events of the weekend hovering over us like angry storm clouds.
“I can’t believe Kendall did that. She really doesn’t like you, does she?”
“So you didn’t give her my number?”
“As if. I felt awful all week cutting you out. It was mean. But I figured that maybe it would make you less of a target, you know. Scarlett and Kendall have always had beef.”
We reached my class, and I grimaced at the sight of Evan leaned up against the wall, one knee bent, his black boot resting on dingy white paint. His eyes flickered to Lilly and me, and he lifted his chin slightly.
“Is he…” Lilly gulped. Evan kicked off the wall and disappeared into class. “Did he just…Was Evan Porter waiting outside class for you?”
“No,” I said too defensively.
Of course, he wasn’t.
Was he?
Lilly’s eyes bunched together. “Hmm, well, I gotta get to bio, but you forgive me, right? You’ll hang with us today at lunch?”
“I don’t know Lilly, Scarlett—”
“Can go to hell. You need us. Kendall has it out for you, and I’ve seen what happens when no one steps in. It’s not happening again. Not on my watch, okay?”
“Fine.”
Her smile brightened. “Good. I’ll see you later, and here.” She slid her hand into her pocket and pulled out a slip of paper. “Here’s my actual number. Put it in your cell and text me when you get to class, okay? See you later.”
I walked into math and took my seat next to Evan. My stomach fluttered, the way it always did around him, but in his usual style, he ignored me. The butterflies subsided, replaced with frustration. It was easy to pretend he was no one—nothing—just another kid at school ignoring me. But my body remembered how it had felt when he held me in the parking lot. How he always seemed to be there, lingering in the background. It should have freaked me out. The way he watched me. Showed up as if he was always around, hiding in the shadows. Everything about Evan Porter should have screamedstay away.
It didn’t.
* * *
“Come on, please.”Lilly took my hand in hers, shaking it gently. “You have to come. Please, for me.” She pouted, and I couldn’t fight the smile threatening to break over my face.
“I don’t know. After what happen—”
“Scarlett will get over it. I want you there. Jay wants you there. Right, babe?” Jay’s head whipped up with a confused expression on his face.
“Huh?”
Lilly elbowed him in the ribs. “I was just telling Becca that we want her at Rogues tonight.”
“Damn right, we do. The Vault just wasn’t the same without you.” He winked, earning him an eye roll from me. “What? It’s the truth. You could have at least asked for backup for the big showdown between you and— ouch, what the hell, babe.”
“We’re not talking about that, remember?” Lilly glared at him.
“Oh yeah, shit, my bad.”
“It’s fine. I’m over it,” I murmured, letting my eyes wander over the courtyard. They landed on Kendall and her crew sitting in their usual seats inside the cafeteria. Laughing and smiling. Not a care in the world. I envied them… hated her.
“Becca?”
