“It’s okay.” Vera grinned. “Piper is fucking a teacher too.”
“Vera!” Piper exclaimed, slapping her playfully.
Sakura’s cheeks darkened even more, and she shook her head. “It is nothing like?—”
“I’ve slept with a few teachers in Redwood myself,” Nicole said. “Imani gets fucked by three gangsters every day. Allie sucks her stepbrother’s dick in the locker room. Vera has done it on school property. And Maddie is screwing around with her brother’s bestie. We don’t judge.”
“Sit with us,” I said, scooting over so Sakura could sit down.
While she hesitated, she eventually placed her drink down on the table. “Give me a sec.”
After she hurried back over to Mr. Avery, they exchanged another few words, and then he kissed her. My mouth dropped open, and I slapped Vera in excitement underneath the table. She stiffened and peered over her shoulder at us, her hair in her face. Then, once he left, she walked back to us.
“It’s not what it looks like,” she whispered.
“Mmhmm,” the girls said in unison.
“Really,” she said. “He’s a lot sweeter than he is in class.”
“Mr. Avery is a grump in class most days,” Allie said.
“He’s great in our class,” I said, smirking at Sakura. “Now, I know why.”
She giggled nervously and sipped on her tea. “I don’t want to bother you girls.”
“Stop it,” Imani said. “You’re not a bother. We were just talking about how stupid Jace Harbor could be sometimes.”
Allie shot her a look. “More like how Poison takes advantage of everyone they can.”
“Hey.” Imani laughed. “Take that up with Poison. Not with me.”
“They charge way too much for some of their stuff,” Allie said.
The door clattered, and I glanced over my shoulder to see Carter—the damn asshole quarterback who messed with literally everyone and their parents. After I had finally gotten it out of Alec at lunch what had happened and with whom, I had been in shock all day, especially about Jamal Simmons. But I could definitely believe that Carter was stirring up shit at Redwood.
Like usual.
“Why don’t we start our own gang?” I offered. “Hurt all the people who have wronged us.”
Alec would literally kill me if he knew that I’d even suggested the idea, but I was so tired of all this shit. Every day, something happened in the shitty town of Redwood, and everyone else at this table was sick of it too.
“A gang?” Vera giggled. “I’m not sure I’m fit to be in a gang.”
“Poison won’t like having competition.” Imani chuckled. “I’m in.”
“Me too,” Nicole said. “I’ve been wanting to take care of a few people.”
Allie grinned at Imani. “I guess I’m in too. I really want to sock Carter in the face.”
I glanced over at Carter, who stood in line. “You’re not the only one.”
“Looks like we’ve found our first …” Nicole said.
“Our first what?” Allie asked.
“You know …” Nicole paused, then looked over at Imani. “I don’t know what they call it.”
“What’s Poison call it?” Allie asked her best friend.