Page 150 of Fake Game

“Thanks, my friends even use it, too. We have this history teacher, Mr. Jefferson, and he has RGF. Last week…”

My phone begins to buzz again, and I fiddle to hit the decline button again.

Within seconds it starts to buzz for a third time.

Seriously. Who is this persistent?

I try to discreetly pull it out without anyone noticing, my attention no longer on the conversation around me.

I glance at the caller ID, freezing.

“Sorry, but I really need to take this.” I give everyone an apologetic smile, trying not to let the wariness show on my face.

I swipe accept as I make my way out of the room and off to the side so that I’m out of ear shot but still close enough to keep my eye on everyone.

“Hel—”

“We have a problem,” Phoebe interrupts.

“That sounds bad.”

“It is.”

Fuck.

“Okay, so—”

“Is Deirdre on her phone?”

“No. It’s—”

“Good. Keep her off it.”

“Wh—"

“How many bodyguards came with you to dinner?”

Is this woman going to let me get a fucking word in?

“Two,” I grind out.

“Seriously, Jackson? Two? You brought an entire horde to the movie theater where no one else was present, but you bringtwoto one of the most popular dinner restaurants in all of California?”

I work my jaw back and forth, not wanting to raise my voice. “Get to the point, Phoebe.”

“I’m sorry.” Her voice softens on the words, and it just makes me all the more nervous. “I told Paige we needed to be quicker about all of this, but she wouldn’t—”

“Phoebe.”

“You need to get her out of there now, Jackson. She’s been doxed.”

FORTY-ONE

DEER

Ikeep my lips carefully tilted in a soft smile while making sure that I’m nodding as I listen to Jackson’s sister chatter away about her new friend at school and the history teacher they both dislike.

All night it has felt like there are beetles crawling across my skin, and I’ve had to use every ounce of mental willpower to not fidget every five seconds. The mask I’m wearing to keep my cool is fracturing around the edges, and I’m just praying it stays together until the end of the meal. The very same meal that sits like lead in my stomach.

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