Page 26 of You Said I Was Your Favorite

I’m gaping at her, her words on repeat in my mind. “I was the one who was suspended.”

Her eyes go wide with shock. “No way. What did you do?”

I squirm in my seat, not wanting to admit what happened. Is she drilling me for information? Is she going to take what I say and somehow use it against me? I don’t know her. I shouldn’t trust her.

“I slapped him in the face.”

Yet here I am, making my confession like she’s my closest friend.

Edie’s eyes go even wider. “Youslappedhim?”

I nod.

“You look like the type of person who wouldn’t harm a fly.”

Something keeps me from admitting what he said. How far he pushed me. Instead, I offer up a shrug, just like she did only moments ago. “Arch deserved it.”

“I’m sure he did,” Edie murmurs, her gaze lighting up with an unfamiliar gleam. “Impressive.”

Is that respect I see glowing in her eyes? For slapping her brother?

Yes, I think it is.

“Is that why you approached me in the salad bar line?” I brace myself, ready to be hurt by her words. Worse, ready for her to leave me and I’ll go back to eating lunch alone.

Like usual.

“Because of your brother?” I continue when she still hasn’t responded.

“I was curious to talk to the quiet girl who got my brother suspended,” she admits. “And now that I have, I must admit, I’m surprised.”

“Surprised by what?”

“You. You’re not what I expected.”

“I’m still confused over how he got suspended when I’m the one who hit him.”

“Sounds like that’s something you need to take up with Matthews,” Edie suggests.

“I should.” I’ll talk to him tomorrow morning, during second period. I need to know what happened.

I deserve to know.

“Edie, what the hell are you doing?”

We both jerk our heads up to find Arch standing beside our table, the anger on his face unmistakable.

“Oh, mind your business, Arch.” Edie flicks her fingers in a dismissive gesture. “Go back to Cadence.”

Hearing her name said out loud to Arch makes my stomach ache for some weird reason.

“Fuck off, Edith.” Arch turns to me, unleashing his furious gaze in my direction. I remain rigid in my seat, desperate not to cave. “You get nowhere with me so you thought you’d hang out with my sister instead?”

His words are offensive, no surprise. “She approached me first.”

“Right.” He snorts, his disbelief obvious. “Next thing I know you’ll be hanging out with my friend group and going out with JJ.”

I wrinkle my nose. Edie bursts out laughing.

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