Page 117 of Tell Me Lies

“Fucking move.”

I know I’m being rude, and I’m taking my frustrations with Amber out on this girl. Casting my gaze her way, I watch her face contort with rage before she plasters her back against the wall, not saying a single word even though I can see she wants to.

Kaelie fucking Carter. My goddamned kryptonite.

“Mr. Delgado,” Professor Smith says loudly as she watches me enter. “So kind of you to join us.”

The entire class turns to see me standing there. Kaelie skirts around me and walks all the way to the front of the class before taking her seat. Professor Smith nods at her before returning her attention to me, clearly waiting for me to say something.

Instead of apologizing, like I know I should, I let my mouth run away from me.

“I would apologize for my tardiness but seeing as she didn’t have to, I won’t either.”

“The difference between you and Miss Carter is her four-point-zero grade average. You have every advantage while she works her ass off to overcome her obstacles,” Professor Smith replies before turning her back to me, effectively dismissing me before restarting her slide show.

Fucking bitch. She doesn’t know a damn thing about me and the obstacles in my life.

****

Kaelie Carter

Classes drag and I spend my lunch break in the library, mostly to avoid Amber and her bitch squad but also because my ancient laptop died on me. The computers here may be old and slow, but they are free to use.

A notification pops up indicating I have a new email. Dancing the cursor across the screen I open the app.

To:[email protected]

From:[email protected]

Subject:Tutoring

Here is my class schedule.

Let me know.

M.

I open the attachment and freeze at the name of the student. Matthais Delgado. Hell, no. I’m not purposefully putting myself anywhere near that asshole or Amber. Who just so happens to be his girlfriend.

My mind spirals out of control running in a million different directions at once. I know I need the money he promised to pay. But I also know this won’t end well. I swore when I walked out of my parents’ trailer I would never, ever have anything to do with anyone in “the life” again. I want to be normal, go to college, and maybe even find a boyfriend, and tutoring Matthias Delgado is a sure way to mess that all up.

My cell phone rings dragging me back to reality.

“What?” I snap not taking the time to check the caller ID.

“Did you get my schedule?” he asks.

Fucking Matthias.

“Yeah. I can’t help you.”

I end the call by slamming the phone closed. I don’t want to talk to him, it was bad enough running into him before class today. Every time I see the hate in his eyes it feels like I’m being stabbed, my heart breaks, and I want to cry. Everything is so fucking messed up that I can’t see a way out. I pray to all that is holy in this shitty fucking world that he loses my number. Of course, I would never be that lucky.

When the device before me rings again, I stare at it like it might bite me.

“No cell phones,” the librarian hisses at me from the counter and I give her what I hope is an apologetic smile.

“I said no,” I answer. I toss my books into my bag and sling it over my shoulder before heading out the door.

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