Page 13 of Beyond the Hate

The question is – why does she hate me? What did I ever do to her?

We were friends once.

Chapter 5

“I should have veto power.” ~ Paisley

Paisley

Maya peeks into my lab. “Are you ready? If we don’t leave now, we’ll be late.”

I check the time. “We won’t be late. It’s a three-minute walk and the meeting isn’t scheduled to begin for another fifteen minutes.”

Chloe moves Maya to the side. “I want front row seats.”

Of course, she does. If Chloe isn’t the center of attention, she wants the chance to become the center of attention.

“I don’t understand why I have to attend the meeting.”

“This is ridiculous,” Sophia mutters. “I’m not standing in the hallway.” She barges past Maya and Chloe. “You are attending this meeting.”

“But—”

“But nothing. All of us are going.”

“I’m with you, Paisley,” Nova mutters. “I don’t understand why we have to attend this meeting.”

Chloe gasps. “It’s a meeting to decide how to proceed with the sexiest man of the island competition. Of course, wehaveto be there.”

“Aren’t you married to the sexiest man on the island?” I ask.

She smiles. “I am.”

“Nuh-uh. I’m going to marry the sexiest man on the island,” Sophia protests.

They begin to bicker and I return my attention to my work. Maya sidles up to me. “Nice distraction but you aren’t getting out of this.”

“Fine.” I stand and herd everyone out of my lab.

“I tried to stop them,” Blossom hollers as we pass her desk.

“If the principal in high school couldn’t stop us, you don’t stand a chance,” Chloe declares as she flounces past my assistant.

When we arrive at city hall, the meeting room is already crowded. Chloe scowls. “I want to sit in the front row.”

And I want to hide in the back but it appears neither one of us is getting what they want today.

Sophia grins. “Oh look. Parker’s here. Let’s join her.”

“I need the restroom.” I pivot on my heel to escape but Maya and Nova each grab an arm and drag me forward.

“What are you doing? You don’t want me to have an accident, do you?”

Nova giggles. “You have the biggest bladder of all of us.”

“Do you remember the time we did the stake out outside of Hudson’s house and she didn’t pee once all night?” Maya asks.

“Probably because I wasn’t doing shots of moonshine with you.”

---