Page 240 of Filthy Elites

I hesitate, glancing at the girl with the phone. I guess she already took her picture because now she’s looking at her phone screen.

It still feels like a bad idea, but I unzip the side pocket and dig out my keys.

He grabs them. “You need your house key?”

“Oh.” I grab them back, singling out my house key so I can keep it.

Before I can take it off the ring, he says, “On second thought, you can leave it. I’ll make sure you have your keys back before school’s over.”

I look up at him uncertainly. “Are you sure?”

He looks back, not a single flicker of uncertainty in his gaze. If he told me right now he’s never felt uncertainty in his life, I’d believe him—and I’d be really jealous. “I’m sure.”

“Okay.” I let go of the keys and absently mess with the straps hanging from the bottom of my backpack. “Um… do you need my phone number or anything?”

He shakes his head. “I have it.”

I frown. “You do?”

He nods, but doesn’t explain how or why he has my number.

I guess it doesn’t matter, so I don’t bother asking.

“I guess I’ll see you after school then?”

He nods, watching me as he backs away. “I guess you will.”

NINE

Aubrey

Dare isn’tin English class when I get there.

He usually gets there and takes his seat first, so I think today may be the day he realizes we have this class together, but it’s not.

He doesn’t show up at all.

That’s really weird since we showed up to school together today, so he has to be here.

Right?

I hope he’s not missing class because he’s dealing with my car problems.

It leaves me a little uncertain as the school day approaches its end and I have no idea what’s going on with my car. Dare hasn’t texted me, so I don’t know where it will be. Parked in the parking lot somewhere? Will we have to go pick it up?

Once I’m done at my locker, I head out front and find Dare’s parking space. His car is parked there, so I know he hasn’t left. I don’t think he has practice after school today, but I don’t know. I know he’s on the swim team, but I have no idea what their practice schedule looks like, or if it’s even the season for that. I imagine if he had something going on, he would have told me.

I feel awkward standing by his car as everyone files out of the school, so I dig my phone out and DM him to let him know I’m here.

He doesn’t answer, but he comes out with a group of his friends a few minutes later. I watch them all say their goodbyes and wander off, a couple of them glancing at me by his car and smirking before they go.

I sigh, knowing today is probably going to make waves.

I shouldn’t care. It’s Anae’s own fault, plus she got me in trouble at work, so screw her, but… well, it’s unlikely to make my life easier if she hates me.

“I have good news and bad news,” Dare says as he approaches the car and opens his door.

I tentatively open the passenger door, too. “What’s the bad news?”

---