Page 46 of Wicked Dreams

The girl, who could be a freshman, stares at Savannah and tries to stop her chin from wobbling. It doesn’t work, and Savannah’s mean-girl act clearly gets the best of the underclassman. She gets up and runs out of the cafeteria, chased by laughter.

Caleb is feeding me to the sharks.

“I hate you,” I say under my breath.

He just hums over a broad smile.

“Sit.” Savannah points at the empty seat at the end of the table. “God knows you didn’t earn it.”

I wait for Caleb to let go of me.

He watches Savannah, his head cocked. “Savannah, sweetie, how are you supposed to welcome Margo when she’s so far away?”

Silence.

Savannah’s face pinkens, and the color slowly deepens into a red flush. She nods to the girls across from her, who all dutifully slide down a seat. Leaving the one directly across from Savannah open.

Caleb releases me one finger at a time. After a long moment of me standing beside him untethered, he gives me a push. I stumble forward, toward the empty chair.

“I’m so glad you two are getting reacquainted,” he says. “See you later.”

“See you,” Savannah replies, even though Caleb’s eyes don’t leave mine.

I don’t answer, just sit between two girls. A hush falls over the table as Caleb leaves, and I almost stand and bolt.

“Don’t you dare,” Savannah snaps. She reaches across the table and grabs my wrist. “You get up and then what?”

I snatch my wrist away and lean back. “Who, exactly, do you think you are?”

Ex-friend or not, I don’t want her touching me.

She shakes out her wheat-blonde hair. “Me? I’m not the one who stomped in here thinking she could slip right back into her old role?—”

“And what role is that, exactly?” I put my elbows on the table. “I was never mean to you. I didn’t try to step on anyone’s toes?—”

“Oh, bullshit, Margo.” She flips her hair over her shoulder, taking a moment to compose herself.

I press my lips together. The eyes of most of our classmates are on us right now. Whether or not they can hear our conversation is anyone’s guess, but the rumors will be flying in no time.

Across the room, Riley and Jacq watch with sympathetic expressions. They still didn’t manage to stop Caleb from putting me in this mess, though.

“You want to know what your role is, Margo? You want to steal Caleb away from me!”

I laugh.

It’s ridiculous.

“I don’t want him.” My volume is inching up, matching her escalating crazy. “I don’t want anything to do with him. But that doesn’t negate the fact thatI had him first.”

She gasps.

Okay, everyone gasps.

And then her eyes narrow. “You fucked him over, Margo, and then you left.”

I didn’t have a choice. And I certainly don’t have a retort.

I get up from the table. “You know what, Sav? You have nothing to worry about. You can have him.”

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