Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 90972 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 90972 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 455(@200wpm)___ 364(@250wpm)___ 303(@300wpm)
“Kellen Archer.” Tiana’s full lips curve into a welcoming smile that makes me a little nauseous. There’s something smug about it, satisfied. Like she won a battle I didn’t know we were fighting. “What can I do for you?”
I don’t have the time or the energy to ask what gave her the idea I came over here to talk to her and not one of her friends. “I was wondering if you would help me with a project. All of you,” I add, looking down at the rest of the group. It’s probably more than I’ve ever said to all of them at one time before. I can tell by the way they’re looking up at me that they’re not sure what to think.
But Tiana does the talking. “Like a school project?” she asks, raising an eyebrow.
“More personal. There’s a new girl around here, maybe you’ve seen her. Her name is Tamson.”
“Oh, the super poor girl,” Tiana snickers. “I’m pretty sure the jeans she was wearing yesterday are older than the ones my mom keeps in the closet for when she gets back down to her dream weight.”
“That’s her,” I confirm. “It’s kind of a personal thing, but I need her to wish she never came here.”
“What did she do to you?” one of the girls asks.
“That’s none of your business,” I warn. Her cheeks go pink, and she looks down at her lap.
“It doesn’t matter,” Tiana decides with a laugh. “How bad do you want this to be?”
I can’t believe I’m standing here having this conversation with them like we’re planning a group trip or something normal. I guess there’s no such thing as normal, really. Especially not for me. “As bad as you can make it. Don’t kill her or anything like that, but…it wouldn’t be bad if she got roughed up a little sometime.”
“But we can’t, like, start off that way.” It’s like I’m Santa Claus and she just got the best Christmas present ever. The girl is actually giddy as she leans back on her palms, grinning up at the sky. “We can start with rumors. We’ll make some up, spread them around. By the end of the day, everybody’s going to think she’s the town mattress.”
“Sounds good. I know I can leave it to you.” And now I need to get away from them, since even spending this much time talking to Tiana leaves a bad taste in my mouth. I’m not proud of myself, but I can’t handle everything on my own. It’s outsourcing, that’s all. I chose somebody who I know will get the job done.
Which means all I have to do now is meet up with the twins in the cafeteria like I planned on doing this morning before class. Before going to our table, I grab myself a foil-wrapped breakfast sandwich and an iced coffee from one of the dispensers, since there was nothing at the bar for me to have for breakfast.
I’m not surprised Emma is with Preston and Easton, with the two of them sitting on either side like they have to guard her. Like she’s going to break.
Meanwhile, she’s too busy worrying about me. “Are you okay? You look really tired,” she tells me when I take a seat across from them.
“Did you just tell the poor guy he looks like shit?” Preston teases her.
When she blushes, I feel bad. “Now, I get it,” I tell her. She’s a nice girl and doesn’t deserve to beat herself up for being kind. There aren’t enough kind people in the world as it is. “My dad’s been working me pretty hard lately, but I think everything’s going to calm down now. I’ll be able to catch up on some sleep.”
“How come you never seem that concerned about us?” Easton nudges her, then sticks out his bottom lip like he’s hurt. “I’m starting to think you don’t care.”
“Grow up, already,” she sighs.
I have to laugh while applauding softly. “That’s right. Don’t let them pull their shit with you.”
Preston arches an eyebrow and looks me up and down. “For somebody who looks so tired, you’re in a pretty good mood. I haven’t seen you smile like that in forever.”
“I didn’t know you paid such close attention,” I joke before taking a big bite of my sandwich and savoring the bacon and eggs. He’s right, I haven’t been in anything close to a decent mood in weeks, even longer. Knowing I’ll have a little more time to myself while the girls are taking care of Tamson has me feeling lighter. Almost happy, though I don’t really have a lot of experience with happiness. Not since I was a little kid. I think this is what I felt like, though. Sort of like freedom.
When the doors open and Tiana and her girls walk in, she makes it a point to make eye contact with me before tipping her head backward like she wants me to notice something behind her.