Chapter 3 CHAPTER 3

"Are you sure?" My mother asked. She paused at the

edge of the doorway with a hopeful expression.

She was heading to the mall with Amy and invited

me to tag along. Another day, I might have said yes,

but tonight was different. There was a party-one

of those partieswhere the football team and half

the school would gather for a night of underage

drinking, suggestive dancing, and enough drama to

fuel gossip for weeks. If I went to the mall now, I'd be

locked into going with Amy later. And I had a test to

study for.

"Eh, I think I'm okay." I declined. Her downcast

expression made me almost regret it.

My mother yearned to bond with me by doing things

like shopping and getting our nails done. Since I

often turned her down, she leaned onto Amy to fill

that void.

Not wanting to end it on a sour note, I made her a

promise. "Tomorrow after school we can talk. I have

a secret to tell."

Her mouth opened in undisguised interest, but I

ushered her out the door before she asked more

questions.

"Alright, we'll be back soon!"

From my window, I heard their chatter fade as they

drove off. After sitting back for a moment, I found

myself wandering toward my closet. Baggy jeans,

loose shirts, running shoes. I wouldn't consider

them an expression of my taste as much as it was

a reflection of a silent rebellion from long ago. In

middle school this style differentiated me from the

mean girls who bullied me. Back then I wanted to

look the exact opposite of those prissy princesses.

Having grown older, I knew clothes didn't define

character, but I was so estranged from feminine

clothes I felt like an imposter ever wearing them.

You're...a little too boyish. I go for feminine.

Cross's voice replayed in my mind, low and

taunting, just as he'd said it. My nose wrinkled. I

hated that he still got under my skin. Slamming the

closet door, I dropped into my chair with a huff. That

jerk. Not as if I was offering myself to him in the first

place!

Still...a tiny part of me wondered what his expression

would look like ifI did dress differently. Would he

be shocked? Impressed? I waved the thought away.

Impressing Nathan Cross should be the last thing

on my mind.

I had a boyfriend now-the secret I planned to share

with my mom tomorrow. As if to encourage my

thoughts, my phone buzzed. A text from Kevin.

| Kevin: How's studying going?

I smiled. See? This was the kind of guy I should be

thinking about. One who is kind and thoughtful. Not

a playboy. How would I feelif Kevin thought of some

other girl? I waited for the sting of jealousy to hit,

but it never came.

I wouldn't care.

The realization unsettled me.

| Clara: Half way done. I really want to memorize

these concepts.

| Kevin: oh, I guess that mearns you're not going to

the party tonight.

My fingers hovered over the screen. Shouldn't he be

studying too?

| Clara: you're going?

| Kevin: yes

Then, as if understanding my silent question…

| Kevin: I studied all week for the test.

| Clara: okay, have fun :)

I set my phone down and returned to my notes,

unease tugging at the back of my mind. Most

girlfriends hated the idea of their boyfriend going to

a party without them.

But me? I couldn't bring myself to care.

As I silently studied throughout the night, that

thought-more than anything -felt wrong.

When I drove to school the next day, I knew

something was off. Amy had allowed me

to drive her car. Me. Her precious, perfect,

nobody-breath-on-the-leather car. She treated that

thing like a jewel. The fact that I was behind the

wheel was nothing short of a miracle.

And a warning sign.

Then there was this morning; I was greeted with

a warm, nervous smile from Amy, and a tray of

breakfast consisting of bacon, eggs, toast, and orange

juice. Amy doesn't cook. The moment I found out

she made it, I knew she was buttering me up for

something. The only question was-what? Clearly,

something had gone down at the party last night and

she wanted my help to fix it.

Amy was no angel. Last summer she vandalized a

girl's car for calling her the B-word. Her mother

didn't punish her, claiming no one had the right to

badmouth her daughter. Since then, no one dared to

get on Amy's bad side, not unless they were prepared

for the fallout.

"What did you do?" I asked, curiosity getting the best

of me as I guided the car down the street.

"Nothing."

Her face screamed lies.

"You might as well tell me now."

Her shoulders dropped. "I-I kissed your boyfriend

last night." She confessed, words tripping over

themselves.

"You what?!" My foot slammed on the brakes. The

car jerked as I narrowly blew past a stop sign.

A car honked behind me, but my brain was stuck.

None of this made sense. Weren't there unwritten

rules against this?!

"Just drive!" Amy panicked as horns continued to

blare.

I forced myself forward, but my pulse was a wreck.

Kevin, my boyfriend, had kissed Amy?

"Why?" I demanded, gripping the wheel so hard my

knuckles turned white. "I JUST started dating him!

What kind of person does that?! You walk around

saying we're sisters, but you do this?"

Amy winced as though scorched. "I don't like him,”

"Then why?! For fun? To prove you could? Do you get

some sort of kick?" My voice cracked with disbelief.

"You have a boyfriend! Out of all the guys practically

begging for your attention…”

"Cross dared me to!" she blurted. Her eyes

widened. Immediately, she clamped a hand over her

mouth like she could shove the words back in.

I blinked once. Twice. Then fury ignited.

"The little scumbag!" I hissed. The car screeched into

the lot. I threw the keys on her lap and slammed the

door hard enough to make her flinch.

And there he was. Cross. A few meters away, one

arm draped lazily around some brunette while he

murmured something in her ear that made her

giggle and sway her hips.

I marched toward him. Amy's hand shot out to grip

my wrist. "Don't! If you say anything he'll get mad at

me.”

"I don't care!" I snapped, yanking away.

My eyes burned with betrayal. Even now, this was

never about what she'd done to me. No, Amy wasn't

worried about that. All Amy cared about was him,

staying in Cross's good graces no matter the cost.

Even if it meant screwing me over.

As I neared the group Theodore noticed me first.

He pulled an earbud mid-song, acting like he was

singing to me, but his voice died mid-lyric when he

saw my stormy expression.

I reached Cross and tapped his shoulder, jabbing

aggressively when he gave me the I'm busy look

at the first touch. Finally, he pulled away from the

brunette, sighing before whispering something

to her. She giggled and sashayed off, leaving us

face-to-face.

"Why did you dare Amy to kiss my boyfriend?" I

asked, my voice deadly.

Cross's eyes filled with dark delight-like I'd just

stepped into his game and he was the only one who

knew the rules.