Page 65 of Queen Rose

Farrah laughs, aiming her beady little eyes right at me. “Sorry. Your Aunt Christina was awesome. Pity it wasn’t you that died instead of her.” She smirks, her lips twitching with laughter.

I watch out of the corner of my eye as Lyla cocks her arm and swings for all she’s worth, nailing Farrah right in the nose with her fist. There’s a sickening crack and then a spurt of blood before she can cover her nose with her hands.

The shock is evident in her eyes and her voice is muffled when she wails, “Oh my God, my nose! You bitch!” Farrah hadn’t registered Lyla’s fist flying toward her face until it’d been far, far too late.

I’d laugh in her face, but she doesn’t deserve any attention at all, good or bad. Scarlett and Daphne loop their arms through mine and pull me down the hall and around a corner and sit me down on a bench. Lyla follows.

I close my eyes for a few seconds and take a couple of deep breaths. When I open them, I look each of them in the eye. “Thank you. I don’t know what that girl’s problem is.”

Scarlett gives a quiet laugh, then stops momentarily to listen to the commotion around the corner. We can still hear Farrah screeching, though it’s muted, like her girls took her into the bathroom. “I think we all know what’s wrong with her.”

“She wishes she was the coolest chick at Rosehaven.” Daphne winks at me. “But she won’t ever be. Her mouth is too damn big for her own good.”

I playfully roll my eyes. “You don’t suppose that busted nose will keep her home from the party Friday, do you?”

Lyla flexes and contracts her hand, shaking it. “One can only hope.”

My phone chirps with a text notification, and I automatically flinch. There’s been so much incoming crap from Mom and Conner, I’ve almost forgotten what it’s like to look forward to hearing from anyone who isn’t deranged.

“Your mom again?” Scarlett holds out her hand. “If it is, give me that phone so I can tell her she’s nuts.”

But when I look, it’s actually Nate. My entire body instinctively relaxes.

Lyla grins. “That’s an it’s-my-man sigh.”

I smirk, beginning to tap out a response, and say softly, “Yeah. Maybe.”

Nate:Checking in. How are you?

Me:I’d be better if I were with you.

Me:Also, Lyla just broke Farrah’s nose.

Nate:Oh, damn. Can’t wait to hear about it.

Nate:Couldn’t have happened to a nicer girl.

Nate:Remind me to give Lyla a high five.

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