Page 70 of Crew Princess
I grinned. “Touché. It’s not a big deal anyway. Max had a different mom, and he went to Fallen Crest Public. She didn’t let him see us, hardly ever.”
“Still. That sucks. I’m sorry, B.”
Jordan rubbed a hand over his jaw. “I know Bren’s dropped a bomb on us today, but I got the cops waiting to talk to me after school. My parents ran interference, giving me the day to go to school, but we know they’re going to show up in a cruiser if I don’t head over there as soon as the last bell rings.” He looked at all of us. “What do I say?”
“Nothing.” Cross grunted, dropping down to sit next to me. “Usual protocol. Why’s this even a question?”
“Because there’s video of those assholes getting the drop on me. That’s why.”
Zellman pointed out, “And those guys were at the party—”
“No, they weren’t,” Cross countered.
Everyone turned to him, waiting.
“If they were there, they would’ve been arrested. They weren’t. Why discriminate against only one group? Therefore, no one’s going to say they were there.”
“Dude. The video,” from Zellman.
Cross shrugged. “It’ll get used if something legal happens, but I bet they’ll just ignore it. If they know about it.”
“So what should I say?”
“Say you don’t know who got you. They dropped you, and everything after that was a fog.”
Another beat of silence as Jordan digested that. “Okay.” He nodded. “I can do that.”
He turned to me. “Kenneth asked you about me?”
Zellman snickered. “Kenneth. I love it.”
“He was fishing about last night in general, trying to see if I’d roll over. He didn’t specifically mention you.”
“Well, there’s that, I guess.”
“We’re doing something, right?” Zellman hopped to his feet. Shoving his hands in his pockets, he took up the pacing for Cross. The snickering was done. I recognized that look on his face. Everyone did. He was antsy, and he wanted action.
I stayed quiet.
Cross was the smartest of all of us, so I’d do what he said. And since last semester’s hierarchy fight, Jordan adhered to Cross’ instructions as well, so it was really Cross’ decision.
Z knew this. He stopped pacing, and all of us watched our officially unofficial leader.
Cross shook his head. “I don’t know, guys. I think there’s too many moving parts and unanswered questions. We need more information before we do anything.”
“What about the buddy system we had going for the town rivalry?”
Cross shook his head. “I mean, they got you back for the cars. If Z is right, they got all of us back. I think everyone should stay in the buddy system, just to be safe, but am I worried Fallen Crest Academy is going to hurt someone else? No. Am I going to broadcast that? Also no.”
Zellman growled, kicking at a rock on the bleachers. It pinged off another bench before falling. “Fuck that. I want to bust someone’s head.”
Cross’ mouth flattened, and he stood up. “Why don’t you go get laid instead? Assert your dominance over Sunday?”
He wrinkled his nose. “I don’t want a relationship.”
“Is it worth losing her? ’Cause it sounds like she’s going.”
Cross raised a good point, and Zellman knew it. He didn’t have an answer, but he burst out with a myriad of curses, his hands balled into fists, and he tore out of there, heading back to school. The bleachers shook from his momentum.
