Page 230 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

Addison’s eyes darken a little. “They all think I’m full of shit. I tried to speak to everyone about that party, if they’d seen anything.” She grins and tips her head. “Why do you think I hang out with you now?”

I laugh. “Because I’m the only one who’s willing to spend time with a lunatic like you?”

She points at me with a ketchup-dipped fry. “Eg-fucking-xactly.” The fry disappears into her mouth. “But see, you’re new. You haven’t besmirched your name for the sake of justice. You can speak to Tiffany.”

I nod, discretely studying Tiffany’s table. “They all cheerleaders?”

“Yup,” Addison says glumly.

“Were you one?”

She lets out a most unladylike snort. “Please. I have better things to do with my time.”

“Well,” I say, grabbing my tray. “It’s been nice knowing you, Addy.”

She gives me a lopsided smile. “Good luck.”

“Yeah…” I glance over to the bedazzled, glittering, fake-eyelashed crowd on that bench and my stomach tries to turn inside out. “I don’t need luck. I think I need a fucking exorcist.”

Addy chuckles as I leave our table. I could have made a scene, made it look like we were fighting, but honestly I couldn’t give a shit.

My strength doesn’t lie in fudging the truth—I get by on stubbornness alone.

Heavily mascaraed eyes turn to me when I slide my tray onto the side of the cheerleader’s bench.

“Sorry to disturb you, ladies, but I heard a rumor one of you slept with Prince Briar.”

The table immediately falls silent, until a girl I can only assume is the head cheerleader rushes to her feet. “Fuck off, virgin.”

“So it was you then?” I ask, lifting my eyebrows as if this is all the confirmation I need. I lower my ass, and the girl closest to me scoots over to make room for me. I stick a fry in my mouth and chew, staring at the standing cheerleader with utter fixation.

“He got a big dick?”

The girl’s cheeks turn pink. “I didn’t fuck Briar,” she says, and then glances at her friends. “I swear, I didn’t!”

“Didn’t…or didn’twantto?” I inquire with a deep frown.

A chorus of gasps break out. Suddenly everyone except Tiffany’s looking at their plates. I glance across at her for the first time, and make sure she sees me looking at her.

Yeah, she saw me, if her glare’s anything to go by.

“I gotta go,” she mutters, standing.

“Yeah?” I get up too. “Mind if I walk with you? This new school is so confusing…”

Tiffany stares at me for a second, and then shrugs. “Whatev.” She strides away, and I have to hustle to keep up with her.

I stop her outside in the hall.

“What?” she snaps, her bob swaying as she turns to face me.

“I just want to talk,” I say, lifting my hands, palms up.

She narrows her eyes at me. “I didn’t screw Briar.”

I slip a hand in my pocket and draw out one of Addy’s golden joints, but only far enough for Tiffany to see it glitter. “I just want to hang out,” I say, putting as friendly a smile on my face as I can manage. “You in?”

Her eyes dart to the joint. Is she one of those teetotallers that doesn’t smoke, drink, or fuck during school? She sets her mouth to the side and gives me a nod.

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