Page 16 of Queen Rose

I roll my eyes to the sky and keep walking.

She follows, hollering from behind me, “It sounds like your girl has someone coming hard for her. Is she worth it?”

I stop, spinning on my heel, and she almost runs into me. “I regret nothing,” I grit out. Fucking Farrah.

“She’s catching a lot of heat for dating you. Like a lot. That’s what I’m hearing, anyway.” She shrugs, looking up at me as I stare stonily back at her.

I get the feeling it’s worse than I thought it was. We’ve already seen Jack and Farrah teaming up to make Aria’s life miserable. “Tell me you’re not involved.”

Mariah’s attempt at an innocent expression is a dead giveaway. “I mean… not directly. I just told her friend what I thought of the two of you at the party.”

I close my eyes for a second. That bitch. And I’m sure whatever Mariah said was amazing, considering it’s obvious she’s still got a thing for me. She doesn’t want to think that Aria might have taken what she wants. “Great. Thanks.” I turn around, heading for my Jeep.

“We’re still talking. Where are you going?” Behind me, I hear her begin to jog to keep up.

I shake my head and keep up my pace, my long legs eating up the distance across the parking lot.

“Fine. Be like that! When your shit-don’t-stink-but-smells-like-roses girl doesn’t put out like I do, you’ll come crawling back to me. She looks pretty uptight. Did she let you dick her down right out there in the woods, or does she only do that in her princess bed?”

My jaw grinds. “Mariah, you’re sounding awfully desperate right now. It’s pathetic.”

“Whatever, Nate. How’s prissy pussy feel, anyway?” When I don’t respond, she makes a growl like a rabid animal, then shouts, “When she’s ready to drop you, come on back. I’ll ride you the way you like. I doubt a fucking Rose will do the things I’m willing to do.” A pause, and then, “You know it’s true, Nate!”

I climb into my Jeep and drive away from her madness. Apparently, she’s indirectly responsible for fucking with Aria. There’s no way we’ll be friends again, much less what she’s hoping for. There’s simply no coming back from what she’s said and done.

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