Page 5 of Get Even

“Well, sort of. I was actually kicked out.” Oh my god. Whowasthis new friend I’d made?

“Spill,” Kat said, eyes glittering dangerously as she sensed good gossip and I shot her a warning look.

“Why were you kicked out?” I made my voice gentle. It wasn’t a tone I used often.

“Um, I got caught having sex.”

I was pretty sure I gasped aloud, “You have to be chaste at Saint Agatha’s?”

“Not really, I mean they prefer no sex before marriage. Like,heavilyprefer it. But it was who I was caught sleeping with that was the issue.”

“You’re killing me here,” Kat whined and I frantically shushed her.

“Was it a teacher?”

“I mean, that certainly didn’t help.” I wasn’t sure my eyes could get any wider. Had I really said I thought she wasn’t very experienced? “But it was more the fact that she was a girl that was the nail in my coffin. My parents screamed down our halls of residence and the Matron decided it would be best if I transferred out to another school of my choice with a full scholarship since my parents were now refusing to pay my tuition.”

Holy shit. She’d caused a lesbian scandal at one of the most religiously zealous colleges around, Olivia might just be my new hero. I grabbed for her hand and clasped it in mine, “They tried to give you hush money?”

“Essentially,” Liv let out a long breath before looking up at us as though she hadn’t just divulged something that was clearly pretty raw and that made something inside of me ache. I wasn’t good with people or emotions, I was even worse at combining the two without the aid of alcohol or maybe some good weed. The fact that she trusted us enough to open up like that… karaoke and tequila truly were the key to starting any good friendship. “So yeah, this is all kind of new to me. Drugs, frats, karaoke and booze – like I’m not completely inexperienced but it just wasn't this… wild for me before.”

Kat grinned but her eyes were as gentle as my voice had been earlier, “Well, you stick with us – this one here is particularly good at finding trouble.”

I laughed as she nudged me and I squeezed Liv’s hand before letting go. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, but hey, it brought you here to us – so I can’t betoosorry.” I winked and she laughed just as I’d hoped. “So where are you staying?”

“Right now I’m in temporary on-campus housing. I was supposed to be meeting someone here today about renting a room but they didn’t show.”

“This is perfect!” I crowed and Kat shot me a look to say I was being insensitive. I waved her off, “Well, not that they didn’t show. I mean that I just kicked out my best friend for sleeping with my boyfriend, remember?”

“How could we forget? The post-revenge-hookup pic was hot,” Kat laughed and I rolled my eyes.

“So, I’m saying I have a spare room I’m renting out.”

“Oh my gosh, really? That would be amazing!” Liv beamed at me, her straight white teeth making me a little dizzy.

“Erm, yeah,” I said, slightly dazed as the full force of that smile hit me. “We can work out the details tomorrow but you can crash at mine tonight, same for you Kat if you like.”

“No, that’s okay, but thanks. I should actually get home. I have an early lecture tomorrow, but we should do this again sometime.” Kat smiled and it eased something in my chest that had been hurting since I’d heard Taylor’s door close and watched Aaron disappearing inside, clad in just boxers.

“I’d love that,” I said and smiled when she grabbed my phone and input her number before doing the same for Liv and waving goodbye. “Guess we should be buying that dickwad from earlier a drink, right? Who knew sticking my tongue in your mouth would be so fortuitous – but I’m leaving here slightly less angry and with two new friends.” I wasn’t usually a huge sharer and in that moment I remembered why I didn’t drink tequila anymore, but I had a good feeling about Liv, she seemed genuine and nice and maybe a little naive. Like she needed someone just as much as I did.

Liv laughed, “I’d say we’re both due for a little luck, right?”

CHAPTERFOUR

GIRL - THE INTERNET, KAYTRANADA

My head feltlike a cotton ball had been stuffed inside, doused in tequila and set alight. I groaned as I rolled over in bed, scrubbing a hand over my eyes and fighting a wave of nausea as the warmth from my covers stifled me and my eyeballs throbbed. There was only one thing that would cure this.

Liv found me in the living room twenty minutes later sparking a joint, my short hair sticking up at wild angles. She sniffed delicately and I sighed. “Sorry, last night was sort of a blur. I half-forgot you would be here– I can go outside if you like?”

“Oh no, it’s okay. I’m just not really used to the… smell, is all.”

I dragged in a slow toke and let the smoke curl out past my lips as I held it out to her in offering, shrugging when she shook her head. “My entire face hurts and I have class in like two hours. Trust me, it’s the best hangover cure out there.”

A knock rang out far too loudly and I groaned, inhaling again as I made my way through the hall, my bones feeling unfairly heavy. I was only twenty-one! I should still be able to handle my tequila, yet, here I was. I pulled open the door and stumbled a little, wincing as the light from the hall flooded in, and then groaned when I saw who was waiting.

“What do you want?” I snapped and my ex-boyfriend gave me a sweet smile, as if that was going to make me forget what he’d done. “Taylor’s not here.”

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