Page 21 of Mad As Hell

She frowned but didn’t argue, just waited as I finished getting ready.

I swiped on a layer of mascara and gave myself a hard look in the mirror. Lainey would’ve been proud of the makeup application I’d nailed today. This was as close to armor as I was going to get.

Slowly I stood from the vanity, smoothing down my blue and white plaid skirt before reaching for the matching blue blazer to pull over my white button-up. Bex handed me a pair of black pumps, which I slipped onto my feet.

My stomach churned but not from hunger. Anxiety was crushing me as I realized that, before I could enter the horror that was high school, I first had to endure the cafeteria.

“I can just run in and grab our food,” Bex offered softly. “We can eat outside.”

The southern California air was still warm despite it being well into fall. I was used to Michigan, where frost would ice over the grass and leaves. Eating outside was an option, but Bex couldn’t pick up my specially prepared meals.

I just knew that, if Gary thought I was finding a way around his ridiculous diet, there would be hell to pay. Odds were, it would be my mom who paid that price, so no, thank you.

I squared my shoulders. “Let’s get it over with.”

She gave me a tight nod and led the way out of my room. The hall was empty when we stepped into it—unsurprising, since I was on the top floor where there were only a handful of other rooms.

We got onto the elevator, and the quiet ended when the doors opened on the floor below mine and three girls got into the car with us.

I didn’t know them, but they clearly knew me. The glares they tossed me didn’t hide their disdain at all. And if that wasn’t enough, there was the not-so-subtle “whore” that one coughed. The other two giggled.

Bex’s pinky looped around mine in a silent show of support, but I was glad she didn’t try to defend me. I was already worried about the target being painted on her back at being seen with me. I didn’t want to add to her trouble.

Two floors later more girls joined us. I moved into a back corner, but someone made a point to crush my toes beneath her heel.

“Oops,” she muttered as her friends started to cackle. She flipped her long, dark hair so it slapped me in the face. “Totally didn’t see you there.”

“You might not have seen her,” one of her friends said, snark heavy in her voice as she eyed me from behind a pair of black glasses, “but I don’t know how you could miss the rank smell of skank in the morning.”

Another round of laughter.

I clenched my jaw and forced myself to keep my head up. I wouldn’t cave or crack because of the school’s resident mean girls.

Bex shot me a sympathetic look.

Hair-Flip shook out her tresses, and I moved to avoid being hit again.

We dropped to another floor and the doors opened once more. I barely bit back a groan because, come on.

I was taking the stairs from here on out. Or maybe just jumping off my balcony.

The doors opened with a soft whoosh to reveal Brylee, flanked by Kayleigh and Hayley.

Seriously? Who had I accidentally killed in a past life to have this shit happening?

Brylee eyed the occupants of the elevator with a cold assessment before snapping her fingers. “Out.”

Like trained dogs, all the girls scampered from the car until Bex and I were the only ones left. The doors started to close, but Brylee planted a foot in the opening to keep them from shutting.

Her eyes narrowed on Bex. “I said out. Or are you as stupid as you are irrelevant, Becky?”

“Back off,” I snapped.

Brylee’s gaze snapped to mine, surprise lurking when she realized I was taking up for Bex. Did she think I was going to stand here like a meek little mouse and take her shit?

“If you have a problem with me? Fine. Don’t be a bitch to her just because you can.” I glared at her with all the hate I could muster.

Which, considering it was Brylee, was a fucking lot.

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