Page 17 of Girl Violence

“Yeah, that’s the one. The little shit seems to think we have something going on, so he came over and...”

Josette’s heart starts thumping by the evident disgust in his eyes. “And what?”

His head shakes. “Forget it. It’s bullshit.”

“Tell me what he said, Vince.”

“He came over to tell me how tight you are… How hard you take it… What you’re like naked.”

Josette’s stomach drops, and Vince turns to leave again, but she once again stops him. “Wait—are you hurt?”

He pulls away from her and continues walking. Josette pushes down the hurt from his rejection. He’s disgusted. What must he think of her? He probably thinks she’s just another slut. He’s angry, and she’s embarrassed. Austin was the one who asked if she and Vince were together, something that obviously turned into a rumour that riled Tyler.

Clenching her fists, Josette storms through the park with fire curling around her heart. In no time, she finds swarms of teenagers drinking and dancing to the heavy metal crashing out of someone’s car. Same people, same bullshit. Girls begging for attention and letting guys use them.

“Josette.” Tyler limps over to her. He has a bloodied nose, a cut on his eyebrow, and is hunched over. She doesn’t feel in the least bit sorry for him. He deserved it. He’s pathetic.

When he tries to pull her in for a hug, she slaps his arm away, smelling the liquor on his breath. “Fuck off, Tyler.”

“What’s wrong, Jo?” His eyebrows draw together as he chuckles slightly in his drunken state.

“We’re not doing this tonight.”

“Doing what?” he laughs.

“Where’s Austin?” She scoffs. Realising he’s too intoxicated, she turns to the group, who point her in the right direction.

Next to their black cars, Austin and his friends are the farthest from the party. His arms are folded, and his eyes are emotionless as he leans against his car.

A girl, slightly older than Josette, approaches him. Her black dress is tight, and her heels are skyscraper high. She’s smiling as she leans up to kiss him while wrapping her arms around his waist.

Storming over to him, Josette ignores Tyler calling after her. Everything is muffled, the music and people. Her heartbeat pounds behind her ears, knowing she’s about to become the damn troublemaker everyone keeps calling her.

CHAPTERSIX

Catching the girl by her hair, Josette pulls her back. She screams, and Josette makes sure she drops to the ground to stop her from retaliating while her back is turned. Then, without thought, she swings her arm at Austin’s face, hitting him right in his jaw. Her hand immediately explodes with pain, and she groans.

While she wrestles with the need to curse the high heavens, everything has gone silent. The music cuts off, and people turn around to look. As Josette shakes her hand, Austin turns back to face her, eyebrow arching, like her hitting him had no effect whatsoever. “What the fuck are you doing?”

Josette seethes. “You know what I’m doing.”

Rolling his eyes, he walks away, about to go over to Alyssa, sitting in his car waiting for him.

“Austin!” Josette yells at him, her voice echoing around the clearing. “Don’t walk away from me.”

Austin turns to Josette so fast she thinks for a moment he’s going to hit her. Instead, he points his finger at her. “Leave.”

“Not until you give me some damn answers,” she flares, not intimidated, though she should be. It’s then that she spots Ian with their other friends. They’re all hanging back, watching with amusement. “Did you want Vince to get into that fight tonight? Was that your big plan when you said you two were friends?”

“I seriously have no idea what you’re talking about.” He glares at her. “Go home, Josette.”

“Whatever game you have going on with Vince, stop it.”

“I said, go home—”

“You can’t handle it, can you? Just like you can’t handle being faithful to Jenna.” Josette points to the girl still on the ground. She can’t even get up because she’s wasted.

Austin’s face lights up with anger at the mention of Jenna, but he hides it quickly, jaw clenching instead when Alyssa glances in his direction. She’s now out of the car and staring at them with her arms folded.

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