Page 117 of The Darkest Note

“Whatthehelldid you do?”

Christa’s eyes widen and she shuffles back. “Dutch.”

I show her my cell phone, trying hard to keep my cool. If Christa were a guy, I would have thrown a punch. But since a physical fight is out of the question, all I can do is warn her to never cross me again.

“What is that?” Her voice drags and she puts on an expression of fake concern. “Oh my gosh. Is Cadence okay?”

“I know you’re the one responsible for this little show.” I bend over her, keeping my voice low and calm. I’ve found that it’s scarier when someone is emotionless than when they’re loud and obnoxious.

I lost my cool with Cadence yesterday and she saw right through the anger to what I was trying to hide.

“Me?” Christa presses a hand into her chest.

“I know you’re the one who sent the video.”

“I didn’t.” Her eyelashes flutter so hard it’s a miracle they’re still attached to her face.

“No?” I nod brusquely. Pulling the cell phone back to me, I call the anonymous number that forwarded the video.

A phone rings from Christa’s purse.

Her face drains of blood and her mouth opens in an ‘o’.

I didn’t think anyone could be that stupid, but I highly underestimated Christa.

When she realizes she’s cornered, her expression crumbles and big, crocodile tears come to her eyes.

“Dutch, I don’t know what came over me. I was just so mad and I wanted to scare her a little.” She sobs.

“She almostdied, Christa. You could have killed her.”

Genuine horror fills her eyes. She latches onto my hand. “I didn’t think she’d drown. I mean, who doesn’t know how to swim? They’re, like, thousands of ways to learn.”

I bite down on my bottom lip to keep from unleashing my frustrations at her. She’s not worth another second of my time.

Flinging Christa’s hand off, I march away.

“Dutch.” Christa launches at me and slides her arms around my waist, hugging me from the back.

“Let. Go.”

“I can get her out of Redwood,” she sputters desperately.

My entire body goes still.

“I’ve been talking to my dad. Wearing him down. You know he’s the chairman of the board, right?”

When I still say nothing, Christa inches around me so she’s staring into my face. Her eyes are still shimmering from the tears. Mascara is running down her cheeks.

“If you say the word, Dutch, I’ll call my dad. He’s got the ear of everyone on the school board. I’ll make up a reason to kick her out of Redwood Prep for good.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-SEVEN

CADENCE

“Are you okay? I haven’t seen you around school lately,” Serena mumbles. “At first, I thought you were just ditching me because of what happened at the party, and then I didn’t see you the next day and I wondered if Dutch had finally run you out of Redwood.”

I adjust the phone to my other ear while I stir a cup of hot tea. “No, I didn’t get kicked out of Redwood.”

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