Page 258 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

I’m torn between anger and disbelief. She rats me out to the teachers, and then she still has the audacity to fuck with me?

I can’t even remember how many times I told Jess that Addy wasn’t good for her. The jealous bitch always had something catty to say to me behind Jessica’s back. I didn’t mention it at first, but when Addy started getting personal—asking if I’d fucked her friend yet, or if I was stringing her along for another month—I lost my cool. I had a long talk with Jessica and laid it all out.

Jess chose Addy’s side, of course. They’d been BFF fucking pinkie friends and shit since kindergarten.

I couldn’t get it into Jessica’s head that people change. Sometimes, for the worst. No one likes to think that. We’re all real fucking precious about everyone that’s been in our lives for longer than a year or two, but it’s the goddamn truth.

People lie.

People change.

But when it’s a friend, we’re blindsided.

Think I’m bluffing? Let me show you…

I’d been so caught up in my thoughts, I hadn’t even typed out a reply. I sit back, inhaling a heavy breath as I wait.

Yeah, show me what you got, Addy. This oughta be fucking good. Wish I’d got me some popcorn.

A download icon appears.

I glance up, making sure no one’s paying me any attention.

What the fuck is it? Lavish Prep’s wi-fi is fucking fast—if it weren’t, the students would have rioted years ago—so I can’t understand the delay.

But when the file finally loads, it all makes sense.

My screen goes black. I narrow my eyes. A video? My finger instinctively moves to the volume button, but I’m too slow. Before I can silence my phone, Marcus’s voice rings out loud and true.

“She’s so fucking trashed, bro.”

My skin goes ice-cold. My phone’s already back in my pocket before I lift my head, but that doesn’t help.

Kruger tilts his head at me and beckons.

I swallow hard.

He beckons again.

Fuck!

I stand, take my phone out of my pocket, and glance down to make sure it’s locked before I hand it over to him.

He takes it without a word, slips it into his top drawer, and points back to my seat.

I go reluctantly, my mind whirring like a spinning top.

She’s so fucking trashed, bro.

I remember Marcus saying that. I remember that exact moment. It’s a little vague—there’d been so much vodka, weed, and coke flowing through my blood, I’m shocked I managed to make it up Marcus’s stairs.

To his bedroom.

That’s where it happened.

Marcus’s bedroom.

Nausea floods me, and I think I’m gonna puke right here in Kruger’s class. But I fight it back with iron determination. Again. Again.

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