These guys all think I need to be protected … but I think they need my protection, too.
“I’m sorry, Charity,” Zayd whispers again, but really, he’s got the least to apologize for. If he hadn’t told me … and I’d walked in on Tristan and Lizzie? I might’ve killed her.
“No more apologizing. Can we please just put a rom-com on and hang out together—without Lizzie?”
“No more Lizzie,” Tristan agrees, standing up and heading into his room. He comes back with a bundle of clothing, passing out sweats and loose shirts and tanks to the other guys. “Here. Borrow some pajamas, and get comfortable. I have a feeling our girlfriend isn’t letting any of us out that door tonight.”
“Damn straight,” I say, a smile working its way across my lips.
I sleep better that night than I have all year.I’m done playing games.
The next morning, I take Miranda and Andrew with me and grab some of my new first year friends from The Mess. It doesn’t take much to encourage them to take up residence in Harper’s gazebo, that little niche she’s selected for herself and her cronies.
Kiara likes to come out here before class and do yoga.
I know that seeing these first years in her spot is going to piss her off to no end.
And once a bully, always a bully.
“I agree,” I say to Principal Collins as we walk down the path together under the pretense of discussing universities. She, too, went to Bornstead. “It is important to visit the campus before making a final decision; I figured we’d head up there for spring break.”
“A productive use of the break,” she says, nodding appreciatively, her skin crinkling slightly as she smiles at me and adjusts her glasses. “I’ll admit, Marnye, I was worried when you started hanging out with the Idols. I most certainly never expected you to become an Idol yourself.” I raise my brows at her frank discussion of student politics, but then, the woman isn’t stupid. The tradition of Bluebloods at Burberry Prep is over a hundred years old. Of course the staff knows about it, just like they know about the Infinity Club. Would not surprise me to find out that some of them are members, too.
“Get the fuck out of here!” Kiara snaps, grabbing a first year girl by the tie and shoving her out of the gazebo so hard that she trips and ends up ass deep in the decorative pond outside the gazebo. “I’ve seen you slobbering all over Jason, you pathetic whore.”
“I never laid a finger on him!” the girl shouts back, and I feel the smallest twinge of guilt. I may or may not have selected these specific first years knowing that one of them’s been flirting with Kiara’s new boyfriend, Jason Marrin. “And he asked me out.”
“You bitch,” Kiara snarls, storming over and slapping the younger girl as hard as she can across the face.
“Miss Xiao!” Principal Collins shouts, her eyes wide. She veers away from me and takes off in that direction as Kiara snaps her gaze around and sputters, trying to come up with an excuse for her behavior.
But hmm.
That zero tolerance bullying policy is still in effect.
Good thing I slipped some of the notes Kiara’s been writing to Harper under the Principal’s office door. I made sure none of them implicated her majesty in any way though. I am not ready for her to go down, especially not for such a small infraction.
Although … I guess threatening to kill someone for supposedly sleeping with your boyfriend is pretty fucked-up.
I continue walking, heading back into the chapel just in time for breakfast.
When I get to The Mess, Lizzie is waiting for me.
Oh for fuck’s sake.
“I can’t believe you tried to blackmail Tristan into fucking you. You’re pathetic.” Creed circles Lizzie like a shark. In fact, all the boys are surrounding her, and her face is streaked with tears. To be fair, what she tried to do was beyond fucked-up, but I did say no bullying, didn’t I?
“She’s a waste of life,” Tristan says, his eyes narrowed. “I liked you as a friend, and you used my love for Marnye against me. Don’t you see how pathetic you are?”
“Boys.”
I walk across the stone floor, heels clacking, and pause next to them.
“Marnye,” Zack says, stepping back, like he’s acknowledging it’s my turn to talk.
My eyes meet Lizzie’s amber ones.
“I think you should go back to Coventry Prep,” I say, and her mouth drops open. “Go back there and hang out with your old friends. You’re done here.”
“But I—”
“No.” I cut her off and look her directly in the face. “You are done here. Go home.”
The door bursts open behind us, and Miranda comes in with Myron Talbot on her heels. She grabs me by the arm, and squeezes in what I can only assume is a bit of a warning. Don’t mess with the girl Myron likes, or he’ll destroy you. That’s what it feels like she’s trying to say.
