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And Billie knows exactly who she told.Preston.
She’ll deny it, but that worries her more than Preston knowing. Because if any of the girls spilled their secret to anyone, it doesn’t matter what the threat is that they’re facing—every single one of them will deny it.
“Maybe Gigi,” Kate offers weakly. “You’re not wrong in calling her the weakest. That night, she didn’t want a part in any of it. She was the one who wanted to go to the police,reportthe murder.”
“Weak and an idiot,” Billie mumbles, but falls silent the moment she hears the familiar screech.
The door opens.
Footsteps and muffled talk sneak closer.
Grace and Carmine turn the corner.
They come back, each carrying two plates full of burgers, steaks and fries. Plates rattle as they lower them to the table.
“Careful,” Kate hisses as one starts to overturn. She shoots out her hand to grab the side and halt it. The steak slides in the sauce, touching the edge, but doesn’t fall to the table.
With a dry smirk aimed at Carmine, Billie uncorks the lid of her bottle. “Tonya would fire you for that.”
Carmine forces a tight smile as she settles into her seat, beside Grace. “Shouldn’t be expecting her tonight, I guess.”
“Don’t think she’d be up for a sleepover after Gigi—” Billie starts, but Kate cuts in, “She’ll be with her family.”
Screeeech.
Billie smacks her hands down on the table and, face ruffling into a scowl, throws a dark look back at the door. She can only see the corner of it, but it’s a death glare she aims at the door all the same.
Kate sighs. “Oh, Lord, again?”
“You’d think people would get that we’re sitting out here for a fucking reason, that maybe we wanna be left alone,” Billie grumbles, then swigs hard from her bottle.
Her rage is climbing in her chest at who she expects to turn the corner. But then she deflates, and finds a bud of disappointment in her chest instead.
The intruders turn out to be just a group of Southsiders, coming out here to hide between crates and light up. Jim doesn’t mind so much for folk to smoke inside the bar, but weed? Do it out back. That’s his rule.
The girls fall quiet with the intruders nearby.
Kate pushes a plate towards Billie, one stacked with a hearty burger and fries, with a side of wilted salad. The gesture tells her to eat, and once she looks at the ranch sauce dripping over the side of fried bacon stuffed inside the burger, Billie’s stomach churns with an audible growl.
It’s only now that she realizes it’s been a while since she last ate. And, come to think of it, it was…
Wow.
The morning of Preston’s party. She had cereal for breakfast.
Then things got way outta hand, a wild tornado that ripped through her life—and she just didn’t eat (unless you count the ice-cream in her rootbeer at Grace’s, maybe some pieces of popcorn, but that’s all).
Listening to her stomach, not Kate, Billie starts on her burger.
The others follow suit.
In their silence—interrupted only by chewing and crisp biting sounds—they listen to the constant hum of the intruders chatting. News of Gigi’s hanging has apparently made it into the gossip of the town. But they say little else about it before shifting the talk to how they’re going to need to find a new weed dealer, since Gigi’s dad is a bit preoccupied.
Billie’s the first to finish. Plate clean. Hell, she even ate the slimy salad. Pushing her plate to the middle of the table, she swaps it for her bottle. She only holds it, like a comfort blanket, while she waits for the others.
One by one, they polish off their free meals—
Then head out to the car lot.
