Page 66 of Ruthless Rose

“No, it’s fine.” I give him an understanding smile. “And I agree. It’s really fucking weird.”

“You don’t think Alo—”

Before Max can even get the suggestion out, I huff, “Of course it was her.” I have a terrible feeling things are about to go from bad to worse. I can’t believe this. Homecoming queen nominee. I never even contemplated it as a possibility. Bile rises in the back of my throat. This is my worst nightmare. Everyone watching me. Picking me apart. Judging me. “Can’t I decline? Like just bow out?”

Scarlett’s eyes blaze. “And give those bitches the satisfaction? No way.”

“But I don’t even want to go. Like, at all.”

Next to me, Max frowns. “You mean you’re going to leave me dateless?”

“Oh. We’re really going?”

He shrugs. “It’s our senior year. I thought maybe, just once, you might want to do something to make some memories of high school outside of the library.”

Ouch. For Max to say that to me, he must be really frustrated.

“Alora will be so busy accepting her crown or pouting that Aria won that she won’t bother you.”

He might be right. Or not. Hard to tell.

Scarlett leans into Xander, resting her head against his chest. “Daph, we’ll be there for you if you want to go.”

I nod, the pounding already starting in my head. I really have no idea what to do or even what I want.

By Spanish class, I have a full-blown migraine. When I gather my things and approach Señora Martinez’s desk about midway through class, I can feel Micah’s eyes on me the entire time while Alora’s gaze burns twin holes in my back. I’m in no shape to stay in school, so I get permission to leave class.

After a quick stop at the nurse’s office, she allows me to go home before my head gets too bad to drive.

Somehow, I manage to make it, although my head is threatening to explode at any minute. I toss my things down just inside the door, stop in the kitchen to take some Excedrin, and go directly upstairs where I drop onto my bed. Make it stop. I press my fingers to my temples and close my eyes.

When they open later, it’s dark in my room, and I can hear my parents quietly talking downstairs in the kitchen. My brain still rebels, but not quite as badly as before. As I make my way down the stairs, I overhear their conversation. About me. Yep.

Mom whispers, “Do you think she’ll actually go? You know Daphne. She hates stuff like this.”

“I don’t know. Does she have a date? Did someone ask her?” Dad’s voice is gruff.

Inhaling deeply, I stop midway down the stairs.

“I’m not sure.”

“Would that boy Micah have asked her?”

“I don’t know. We’ll have to talk to her.”

Dad mumbles, “For the first time ever, I kind of wish she’d just go with that Max kid.”

“Daphne’s a smart girl. She has a good head on her shoulders.”

“Yeah, but even smart girls can get a little dick obsessed. Think back to what you and I were like when we were teenagers.”

I cringe, my eyes widening. I should make some noise. Let them know I’m here. Something. Shit.

Mom chuckles. “We were a couple of horny teenagers. But you were the worst.”

“Do you remember when we did it in the bathroom during movie night with your family?” Dad snorts. “That was good stuff.”

That’s it. La, la, la, la … I don’t want to hear any more. I purposely stomp hard on the next step before I begin to make my way down. “Mom?”

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