“We don’t have to be enemies, you know? I’m your sister, whether you like it or not. And Parrish is missing, Kimber. He’s missing. We have every reason in the world to be friends right now. Why make an enemy out of me?”
Kimber stares back at me, her hair like filtered summer sunlight as it froths around her face in thick waves. We have the same hair texture, me and her. The same eyes.
“He’s dead,” she whispers, voice low, fingernails digging into the surface of the table. “He’s dead, and you don’t care. You’re too busy screwing Chasm to care.”
Tess finishes making her coffee, and the room goes silent.
“I’ll be upstairs in my office if you need me,” she says stiffly, pausing at the head of the table. Her smile, when she gives it, is disturbing, rife with icy rage. “Justin is going to use some pictures and videos of Parrish to run his Milk Carton program. Apparently, I need to e-sign some consent forms so that he can use the images in his marketing campaign.” Her voice becomes a dry hiss as she narrows her eyes. After a moment, she seems to pull herself together, shaking her head to clear it. “Dakota.” She turns to look at me, and I get a small thrill out of her using my correct name. “I want you to know that as soon as I saw that TikTok video Parrish made, I asked him to apologize. I’m not sure if he ever did, but …” She sighs again. “At least we have all of those videos to use for the facial recognition program.”
As much as Tess despises Justin, I can see in her eyes that he’s given her a small flicker of hope.
How cruel is that? To offer her a chance at saving her son while all along, he’s the one who put Parrish in danger? It’s fucking sick.
“At least there’s that,” I choke out before Tess forces a small, faux smile (she’s as good at them as I am, apparently) and then leaves the room, heels clacking down the hall.
Kimber and I turn back to stare at each other.
“If you need someone to talk to, I’m here. I’ll talk to you.”
My little sister slams her palms down on the surface of the table and stands up.
“You should check the Whitehall Prep social media circuit more often. You’re in big fucking trouble, and I’m not going to do a damn thing to save you.” Kimber shoves back and storms off as I frown, taking my Maxine-phone from one of my blazer pockets. I’ve got my other phone—the one that’s far less important—in the opposite pocket.
I very quickly access Lumen’s TikTok and frown down at the video on the screen.
“If your car was wrecked last week, you know who to blame.” She points a finger up, and a picture of me appears onscreen. Shit. “The little transfer student is on the warpath. And now that her daddy’s back in town, she thinks she’s above reproach.” Lumen offers up a chilling smile. “Watch for her in the halls today. Our parents drove her bastard daddy out of town for a reason.”
The video ends as the blood drains from my face.
“You okay?” X asks, and I jump, glancing up to see him staring down at me with unmasked concern. His eyes drift to the food on the table, and I rush to explain.
“I am, I … it’s not this.” I gesture at the food and this time, when I smile, it’s a real one. He’s wearing a shirt now which is unfortunate for me, I guess. Or fortunate. It’s fortunate. Anyway, kind of pointless since the food was already done when he put it on. Thanks a lot, Tess. “Did you know this was Maxine’s favorite or was it just by chance?”
“She told me,” he confirms, taking Kimber’s abandoned seat. He pushes her food aside and makes his own plate.
“Thank you,” I tell him, squeezing the phone in my hand. He lifts his head up to look at me, and I think about last night, about lying so close to him while Patrick Swayze’s character makes love to his girl for the first time. Ugh. Why did I agree to watch that movie with him?! “This means a lot to me. It’s like a tiny piece of Maxine is here with me.”
I set my phone aside and pick up my fork. Even though my stomach is roiling with anxiety and nausea, I won’t let it overwhelm me. X went to all this trouble to make me a meal, one with meaning and sentiment and care behind it.
“Your sister’s an amazing girl,” he tells me, and I pause, lifting my head up to look at him. His green eyes blaze with fire, and I wet my lips in a subconscious gesture of nervousness. “Truly. She’s one of the most kindhearted people I’ve ever met. She deserves someone who wants her above everyone else, not as a second choice. That never would’ve been fair.”
