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“Taylor Swift song?” I ask casually as I open the door for her.
She nods excitedly.
“Wanna put it on in the car?”
Her huge grin fists my heart and makes it beat twice as fast.
Stupid fucking thing my heart is.
22
ALEXANDRA
5,6,7,8 – LØLØ, girlfriends
Xi Ep rented a bus to take us wherever we’re volunteering today. A sleek, black kind with leather seats inside as if we’re superstars. I go to the back with Peach, and Ella is in the seat right in front of us. My head falls against the window, and I close my eyes while my dad’s words from last week come back to me.
I will not have an embarrassing idiot for a daughter.
I will never get out of my dad’s clutches. He will always be there, barging into my life to remind me how much of a disappointment I am.
The bus starts and Peach puts a hand on my thigh. “Hey.” She shakes it as I turn my face her way. “You look like someone who didn’t sleep last night.”
“Because I didn’t,” I grunt. I was too worried about my dad finding out that Xi took the bracelet off yesterday. We found it again afterward, and I keep it in my bag so he doesn’t get suspicious.
“Didnot sleepinginvolve a certain someone from the North Shore?”
When I don’t answer, she hands me something. I glimpse down to see a text Chester sent to her, saying he saw me leave in Xi’s car yesterday and that I hadn’t shown up to classes after that. I bite the inside of my cheek and my eyes dart to hers. “How’s Chester?”
“Well,” she snorts. “According to him, you were kidnapped by a gangbanger from the North Shore for the second time yesterday?”
“God, he’s dramatic,” I roll my eyes.
“Xi did break his wrist last week.”
My mouth twists. “Okay, that was completely out of line, but he isn’t part of a gang.”
Peach’s eyebrows shoot to her hairline and her eyes harden. “Are you for real right now, Alex?”
“Don’t assume things just because he lives on the North Shore.”
“And because he’s a drug dealer.”
“That doesn’t mean he’s part of a gang, Peach,” I grit. I don’t have the strength or patience to argue with her today.
“Ella literally met him at an NSC party. Wake the fuck up,” she snaps angrily. “Ella.” She taps our friend’s shoulder in front of us. She takes her earphones out and turns to us.
“Alex is being a naïve little girl again.”
“I’m not being naïve. I assumed the same as you the day I met him, and it actually made him laugh. He’s not, Peach. He just lives on the wrong side of town. It doesn’t make him a gangbanger. You’re the one coming in with prejudice because one of your friends once saw him at an NSC party. It means nothing. He takes care of me; he’s a good man. He’s the one who found my car, got it fixed, and brought it back to me.”
“Yeah, probably because he’s the one who stole it,” she mumbles.
“Just shut up. I don’t have the energy for this today.” I cross my arms and lean against the window, looking ahead of me so I don’t have to see her.
“I can’t fucking stand how gullible she is,” Peach tells Ella. “He’s going to take advantage of her. You know that, right?”
“I’m right here,” I snap. “Don’t do that. I hate when you talk about me like I’m not right here hearing you.”
