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“Seriously, you all act like she’s dangerous.”
Scarlett snorted. “That girl is pure evil, and I don’t want you caught up in any more of her bullshit, got it?”
I wanted to argue—to insist they were overreacting—but something in me believed her.
“Thank you.”
“It’s no biggie. You’re one of us now.” She started dancing again, but she was different now. Guarded. Her eyes alert. I tried to mimic her moves, to lose myself in the music, but it was no use. Scarlett’s words played in my head on an endless loop.That girl is pure evil.
Andthat girlhad her sights set on destroying me.
* * *
“Shit,”I mumbled as I tripped into the wall, hushing myself. It was late, and the buzz of alcohol still lingered in my veins and, apparently, my senses. Stealthily crawling on my hands and knees up the rest of the stairs, I tiptoed across the hallway and into my room.
“Becca, is that you?” Mom called out groggily.
“Yeah, Mom. I’m fine. Go back to sleep.”
“What time is it?”
“A little after midnight?” I really hoped she didn’t check because I was pretty sure it was past one.
“Okay. Night, baby.”
“Night.”
The door clicked shut behind me, and I flopped onto my bed. After Lilly and Jay had left the party, Scarlett and I danced the night away under the watchful eye of Malachi. Kendall didn’t make a move despite her permanent glowering in my direction. But after the fifth or sixth beer, the intensity of her glare rolled off me.
My hand curled around my cell phone. I’d missed Evan tonight. Missed the way he usually showed up. Part of me hoped he would be there, lurking in the shadows.
But he wasn’t.
Things with Evan were confusing. Sometimes, I felt a connection so intense with him that it terrified me. But he was holding back. I felt it every time we got close. He kept his walls high. It was like he would let me in for just a second and then push me back out. But to what? Protect me? Protect himself? He said it was to avoid making things worse for me at Credence High, but that made no sense. Why would people care if Evan and I were a thing? I still had so many unanswered questions. Which was exactly why I wouldn’t text him.
Not now.
Not with so much alcohol running through me. I didn’t want to say something I would later regret.
Something that I couldn’t take back.
CHAPTER23
You might have them all fooled, but I know who you really are.
I crumpledthe note in my hand and stuffed it in my bag. That made three notes in the last week. Kendall was stepping up her game. The notes, the threats, trying to sabotage my job at Shake ‘n’ Pass. She didn’t know anything; she couldn’t. But it didn’t stop me from wondering what it was she thought she knew.
Closing my locker, I almost jumped out of my skin when I turned around and collided with Vin’s solid chest.“What the hell?” I shrieked, rubbing my nose and taking a step back.
“Sorry, my bad. I, uh…” He scrubbed a hand over his pale face. “I wanted to apologize about the other night. I was a dick. I’m sorry.”
“Yeah, you were.” My lips pursed, images of Vin’s drunken verbal attack playing through my mind.
“Jay and Malachi won’t talk to me. Not until I make it right. I really am sorry, Becca. I guess I’m not used to girls resisting me, and well, in case you didn’t know, I’m a total douche when I’m drunk.” He ducked his head, and a slight smile tugged at my lips.
“I appreciate the apology.”
“Yeah?” Vin’s eyes sparkled with something, but I shut him down.
