Page 16 of Pretty Poisoned

BLAKELY Just FYI, Austin and I put a couple of offers in on places today. If they're accepted, I'm going to give a thirty-day notice, and you'll have to find somewhere else to live—not with me and not with Mom and Dad. Not without a real job.

I begin typing out that I do have a real job—that I haverealmoney,which means I have arealjob, but what's the point? It's not what they want to hear, so they won't.

Do you have a family, Teagan?

I swallow hard, squeezing my eyes shut and taking a couple of deep breaths—an exercise I've learned will stop tears before they have a chance to form.

I don't believe you.

I throw the phone and the charger back in my backpack, and then move to the bathroom and do the same with my curling iron and makeup.

"Ready," I tell River when I return to the living room.

"Great," she says. "Let's go."

FOUR

"Well, you're officially clean," River says before stuffing her phone back into her pocket. "Congratulations."

"Thanks," I tell her.

Not that I was worried.

We ate at that restaurant around the corner, and then a black town car picked us up and took us back to the venue and the tour bus. Still confused about how or why all of this is happening, I follow River onto the bus. I'm met with a cloud of smoke, the distinct scent of marijuana hangs heavy in the air.

"Hey, everyone. Teagan's going to be hanging with us for a while," River tells the group. I recognize many of them from last night, but there are a couple of girls who don't look familiar. "You remember Hazel, Brady, and Layla," she says, pointing them out. Layla, who looked sad last night, looks sick now as she rests her head on Hazel's shoulder.

"We also call her Baby…because Layla is our baby," River says. "Although…I guess you're the baby now, aren't you, Teagan? I heard you were only twenty."

"Well, that's just great," Layla says, her tone heavy with irony. She laughs and looks at me with tears pooling in her eyes. "Now, I really am no one. Just one step closer to erasing me altogether."

She throws her hands up and storms off to the bus's upper level with River and Hazel trailing behind her, pleading with her to come back. I follow before a hand on my shoulder stops me.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Brady cautions. "Just let it go."

I don't listen, looking from the hand to Brady before continuing toward the staircase. Quietly, I climb just about halfway, stopping when I'm within earshot of their hushed voices.

"I'm sorry," Layla sobs. "I just…I feel like he's trying to get rid of me."

"No, Layla," Hazel says. "No one is going to get rid of you. You're family."

"But he's still so mad at me. He barely looks at me. I don't know what to do; I can't take it. And now…I think he's trying to replace me. With her."

"Layla, that's not true," River says. "You just need to be patient. Declan's just…testing you. You know how he is."

"Is she part of the test?"

"Honestly, I don't know," River tells her. "I don't think so. I think she's a test for Luca. But you know the house rules, Layla. We're all free. You can't react to her like this."

"I know," she says. "And I know it's not her fault. It's mine. And Alana—"

"No," Hazel stops her. "Alana didn't do anything, either. This is on you. You have to stop this. Go back downstairs and be nice. Smile tonight. Start living again. Remind him who you are and why he picked you. Maybe that's how you get through this; maybe that's what he wants."

"I don't think I can."

"Well…you have to try," Hazel says. "It's the only thing youhaven'ttried."

"Yeah," Layla says. "Yeah, you're right."

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