Page 30 of Wicked Dreams (Fallen Royals 1)

If I ever wanted to stab someone with a pencil more than Caleb, it’d be her.

I meet her eyes, and her smile gets more brittle.

“I’m sure you’d love to catch up with Margo, right?”

“Of course.” She feigns a frown. “Oh, but there’s no room at our table. Maybe next time, Margo, okay?”

Caleb sighs, and I have to remind myself that this is an act. However sincere he appears—he’s lying. Lying is what he does best. That, and he’s perfected the art of war. He sighs again and says, “Ah, you’re right. It’s okay. Margo can come sit with me.” He jerks his chin to the next table over, where his three friends and other guys are sprawled out.

Savannah pales. “No,” she snaps, looking around the table. “Stephanie, move over.”

“There’s no—”

“Move.”

The girl, who could be a freshman, stares at Savannah and tries to stop her chin from wobbling. She gets up and runs out of the cafeteria, the laughter of the cheerleaders chasing her.

Caleb is feeding me to the sharks.

“Sit.” Savannah points at the empty seat. “God knows you didn’t earn it.”

I glance at Caleb, who releases me one finger at a time.

“I’m so glad you two are getting reacquainted,” he says. “See you later.”

“See you,” Savannah replies, even though Caleb’s eyes don’t leave mine.

I don’t answer, just slide into the seat between two girls. A hush falls over the table as Caleb leaves, and I almost stand and bolt.

“Don’t you dare,” Savannah snaps, reaching across the table and grabbing my wrist. “You get up and then what?”

I snatch my wrist away and lean back. “Who exactly do you think you are?”

She shakes out her wheat-blonde hair. “Me? I’m not the one who stomped in here thinking she could slip right back into her old role—”

“And what role is that, exactly?” I put my elbows on the table. “I was never mean to you. I didn’t try to step on anyone’s toes—”

“Oh, bullshit, Margo.”

I press my lips together.

“You want to steal Caleb away from me!” Her cheeks turn pink.

I get up from the table. “Trust me, Sav. You can have him.”

I walk away, and a little voice in my head chants, Liar, liar, liar.

Riley catches me in the hallway, her eyes wide. “Whoa. So that is why we avoid the cafeteria. Agreed?”

I bump my fist against hers. “Agreed. Yikes.”

She barks out a laugh. “Yeah. Yikes.”

The bell rings soon after, flooding the hallway with students. A cheerleader slams her shoulder into mine, knocking me into the lockers. She doesn’t even glance at me as she passes.

A second later, another one snags my fallen bookbag with her foot, kicking it across the tile. Papers and books go flying.

Riley gasps, grabbing my shoulders. “You okay?”

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