by Nora Cobb
I half-shrug when Natalie shoots me a look. And for a moment, Arielle looks at me like she’s noticing me for the first time. I wonder what she’s thinking. Will Arielle make my life a living hell for standing up for the girl that Anthony wants like crazy? Oh, the irony. What else are friends for?
“What’s going on here?” A smirking Troy appears out of nowhere. Did the coven summon him?
Troy is a too good-looking, richer-than-us-all asshole. The shit this kid pulls and gets away with is insane. If it were me, they'd put me on house arrest until I was eighty. I feel Natalie’s body stiffen at the sight of him. I stop playing the role and start being a friend.
Arielle walks over to Troy, and he places his hands on her waist. “Making friends, sweetheart?” he asks.
I gasp a little too loudly. The blonde bastard sex-god is dating Arielle? My heart seizes up and stops because this is so bad that it’s delicious. It won’t be a happy union, but it will keep the student body entertained.
“It’s girl talk, darling," she replies, leaning into him. "It doesn’t concern you.”
“Okay.” Troy looks at Natalie, and like a reflex, her lip trembles. “Starting trouble again, trashalicious?”
With a twist of her slim hips, Arielle steps between Natalie and Troy as if blocking Natalie out of view will erase her presence. Like an obnoxious drunk, my nerves make me laugh out loud until Arielle shoots me a sharp look that shuts my mouth. She then glares at Natalie so hard that I think a blood vessel might pop. I know what happened. I know it was definitely Troy.
I bite my lip hard as the jock drama becomes interesting.
“Behave yourself, babe.” Troy gives Arielle a quick peck as we all watch them flirt. But Arielle takes it farther. She grabs him before he can walk away, and presses a kiss on his lips that makes me sweat. As wicked as they are, there’s nothing like watching two sexy people make out to prove a point. It heats up like they’re in a hotel room, but Arielle pulls away, and Troy winks. For a split second, his eyes go back to Natalie, and I’m not the only one who catches that look.
Arielle spins around, and like a panther, she's closing in for the kill. It’s almost comical; Natalie’s eyes are so big, I’m scared for her. I almost grab Nat by the hand and take off running. But I don’t need the wrath of Arielle following me all the way home. Blondie sashays right into Natalie’s face while Cora and Lexi slide in behind us. Boxed in, Arielle leans in, and like a wolf, she bares her teeth to its prey.
“Ladies,” I say as cockily as I can. “Do you think it's wise to fight with your manicured nails? Or do I need to give you a lesson in hair pulling?”
They back off except Arielle, who takes a step closer to Natalie. Arielle doesn’t give a shit, and why should she? “If you know what’s good for you, new girl," she says, "you’ll pack your knockoff bags and leave Montlake for good.”
“I don’t want him,” replies Natalie.
“How kind of you, slut," Arielle says, "because he doesn’t want you either.” Arielle and Natalie are nose-to-nose. “I’m tired of playing games. I should have smacked you down the day you first stepped foot on campus.”
“I’m not looking for trouble, Arielle.” Natalie looks sincere, but that’s her usual game face. “Just leave me alone.” Natalie is trying to give it back, but the trouble is crazy girls are hard to beat. And Arielle is so mad that it’s driven her insane.
As soon as we get away, Natalie thanks me for having her back. We go to the art building, and though she says she doesn’t want any weed, her knees are shaking so bad that I give her a smoke.
CHAPTER 9
Natalie
Leaving campus for lunch is out of the question. I’ve missed too many classes controlling my meltdown. And I received verbal warnings from my teachers not to miss any more or I’ll find myself in Cromwell’s office again. I could do homework in detention, but it’ll be moot if I’m expelled.
My assigned parking spot is on top of the deck and I have a view of the woods beyond the school. Being on level IV is a mini getaway as I lean my chair back and listen to acoustic music streaming through the surround-sound speakers in my Audi. Going to the art building was not happening today, and I’ve been avoiding Anthony and Beth. I know nothing would have happened between us at Jacob’s house. Anthony’s not that bold. We would’ve only talked and nothing else. But now the idea of what could’ve happened is in my head.
My phone chimes, and I want to ignore. With dread I pick it up, but when I see the name I smile. It’s Lydia.
Lydia: Hey Nat. Staying strong on the wrong side of the tracks?
Me: Hey girl. Trying my best. HBU?
Lydia: I’m in assembly. There droning on about the future. Little late now. Graduation’s in less than a year.
Me: You get in the school you wanted?
Lydia: Got in to UCLA. I’m leaving the East Coast for good! You should come to the sun. Get away from those bad boys. R U on best behavior?
Me: Sticking to the books. Playing the hermit.
Lydia: Sounds sad/dull. But West Lake still loves you. You can always hang here.
Me: Thanks. Maybe this weekend?
Lydia: Movies then diner?
Me: Cool. C U.
Lydia: Always here 4 U.
***
It’s December, and the leaves have fallen off the trees. I stare at the crisscross patterns made by the branches against the dull sky. The trees look so bare that I wonder if they’ll ever grow leaves again. I hear a tap on the window that makes me jump. Lucas opens my car door and smiles nervously. He holds out a wrapped sandwich like a white flag of surrender. I still have my questions, so I move over, and he gets in the driver’s seat.
“So was your mom freaked out after meeting me?”
Lucas sighs. “Taylor’s okay with it. She doesn’t care much about who I date.”
I know that’s a lie. “Don’t BS. What did she say? I want to know all of my faults.”
“Why?”
“Because I’d like to know if you’re playing me or not.”
“What if it’s or not?”
I shrug my shoulders, trying not to be excited by his answer. Despite my hurt, my heart lifts but I won't show it. It isn’t cool to show how I feel to Lucas. Not just yet.
“Did you know Arielle was serious about Troy?”
Lucas shrugs his shoulders.
We sit in my Audi, eating grilled chicken sandwiches. I balance my sandwich on my lap while he eats his without the bun.
“Why don’t you eat the bun?”
“The bread sits in my stomach and slows me down. I want speed on the ice, not bulk. We should go skating some time.”
“Are you asking me out on a real date?”
He nods once.
“It’s about time.”
He smirks, holding back a laugh. “You’re right. I’m a free man. I should start acting like it.”
I take a sip of my bottled water and wrap up half my sandwich.
“What’s wrong, Natalie?”
“How do you know something’s wrong?”
“Because you look like something’s bouncing around in your head, and you’re just waiting for the moment to say it. Right moments rarely happen, so you might as well say it now.”
“I’m sorry," I speak quietly, "I doubted you.”
He looks off into space as if looking at nothing is the most interesting thing he can think to do.
“I wish you had trusted me before you started Arielle up again. I can’t shut that down.”
I’m not going to take the blame. Lucas told me to ask her. “I saw you with Arielle, and you didn’t look like you were breaking up.” I feel my throat tighten, and I take my tone down a notch.
Lucas reaches toward me, pulling me close. He pulls me into a kiss, and the butterflies start again. They rise from my tummy and swirl around my head. My trust in him is creeping back. I thread my fingers into his hair and feel the silkiness as my lips part, and I taste him.
“Lucas
, I’m so sorry, but I've been lied to...many times.”
“I know.”
I wiggle close against his hips, and the pressure is growing. But my body is heating up as I grab his shoulders and pull him down toward me. Lucas holds me closer, and his lips explore mine as our breath clouds the windows. The parking deck is not a private place. And I should care, considering that my reputation has been trashed.
“We can’t go too far,” I tell him.
“I know.”
But he doesn’t act as if he does. As his hand moves along my thigh, my phone chimes as a text comes in. It’s face up and easy to read. Jacob’s name flashes onto the screen and freezes longer than I’d like. Lucas lets go of me, and I sink back into my seat.
“You’re seeing him again?”
It sounds like an accusation as if I have done something sneaky. I have to keep reminding myself that I haven’t done anything wrong except enroll in this school. Swiftly, Lucas picks up my phone. I don’t have a password, and I’m reminded why I should as he swipes the screen with his thumb.
“He wants to talk.” Lucas stares at the screen as I watch his thumb scroll up, and he reads the older messages. I want to grab the phone away, but I have nothing to hide. I think.
“Do you know what he wants to talk about?” Lucas pulls away, sitting back in his seat. His muscles twitch underneath the smooth skin of his jaw.
“I think it's about tutoring.” My words are not smooth. “Ms. Petrenko’s been asking me to tutor him again.”
Silently, he stares at me, and my composure crumbles as my hands fidget. It feels like an hour has passed when he finally looks away. I don’t have the nerve to tell him another lie.
“You asked me about Arielle, but should I ask you about Jacob?”
“There is nothing between us.”
He tosses my phone into my lap, and I awkwardly stop it from sliding off onto the floor.
“Doesn’t read that way.”
“There’s nothing going on between us.”
“We talk, Natalie," His tone is hard. "We talk about you.”
The tension grows inside the tight confines of the car, and right on cue, Taylor Swift’s You Belong with Me plays on the radio. I slip my phone into my jacket pocket.
“You need to choose.” His voice is harsh.
I push back. “I haven’t been able to choose because I’ve been toyed with since the day I arrived. I’ve been toyed with by all four of you.”
“Four? Who’s the fourth?”
I lose it. “Troy. You were there. You saw my panties.”
Lucas frowns, and I realize I said too much. I cover my mouth and watch his mind work fast.
“It was him?”
My hand remains over my mouth as Lucas’ face turns red. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him angry like this before. "I'm not sure," I whisper.
“Motherfucker.” He hits the steering wheel with the flat of his hands. I jump, ready to flee.
“He bragged about it, but I just thought—I thought you had been with Jake, and I guess Jacob thought you had been with me. We never thought you would ever do anything with Troy.”
“You never talked about it?" I ask sarcastically. "You talk about everything.”
“Not that. I didn’t want to think about that. Fuck.” He slams his fists into the steering wheel. “Did you fuck him?”
“No!” I shout, and then I start to shake. “No, I didn’t. I'm not even sure it was him.”
A tear trails down my cheek, and Lucas stops his rant. He reaches toward me, but I shrink away. He’s so angry that I can’t handle his anger. I burst into tears, letting the tension wash out of me.
“Natalie.” His voice is soft. “It’s okay if you did. I know he tricked you.”
“I didn’t. I couldn't. I can't think that happened.”
His mouth tightens, but I can tell by the tone of his voice that he’s trying to bring me down the same way he did at the gym. He’s trying to talk me off the ledge and back into the building.
“Natalie…” he starts.
My tears dry up fast as my own anger mounts. “Don’t you fucking patronize me.”
“Patronize you?” he scoffs, emphasizing the words. “How am I talking down to you?”
“You want me to confess something I didn’t do. I would have never touched him if the lights were on, and you know that.”
“Do I?”
“You have a hard time with telling me the truth yourself.”
“I’ve always tried hard to tell the truth.” His gaze stays on the window. “I dated Arielle since freshman year. Before that, we were friends, just growing up together. But freshman year, it changed when she realized that having a boyfriend gave her a new kind of status. I was her safety net. She could do as she liked, teasing the other guys to the limit then pulling back.
“One day after school, I got jumped by a jealous guy. I knew nothing about her other friends until his fist went into my stomach. Later, she cried and asked for forgiveness...each and every time. I went missing once, and she went ape-shit. It’s hard for me to trust any girl again.”
“I’m not Arielle. Don’t place me on that chart with her.”
Lucas’ words are soft, but I can hear each one. “In the last few weeks, you’ve become more like Arielle than you could ever imagine.”
His bluntness winds me like a fist in the gut. Sitting in silence, we’ve crossed a line and it won’t be easy to come back.
“I better get going.” He switches off my car.
Methodically, he squeezes his trash into a tight ball in his fist. The cellophane rests in a perfect sphere in his palm. I say nothing as he pushes open the driver’s side door.
“See you later.” I had to say something. It seemed odd not to say anything at all.
“Yeah, later.” Later isn’t defined. It could be today or whenever. Our relationship has changed forever. I know it as he slams the door and walks away.
A part of me wants him to turn around and come back. I want to call to him and put things back the way they were. But Lucas continues to walk away.
Slowly, he moves farther over the line that we’ve crossed. I watch as his tall, straight body gracefully moves down the ramp toward the lower levels. For a desperate moment, I want to punch the horn and make him turn around. My hand rests on the door handle and holding my breath, I wait for him to look back. He doesn’t, and then he’s out of sight. My fingertips slide off the door handle, and hope slips out of me with a sigh. I feel defeated, letting Lucas go, but soon, my hurt and anger will replace the loss.
Idly, I run his words through my mind. What did Lucas mean when he said I’m like Arielle and that I’m not to be trusted? I lean my forehead on the dashboard. I pull out my phone as another text chimes.
Ironically, it’s from Jacob and he wants another round of tutoring. I couldn’t help smiling at his text. If I had to pick one thing that I like about Jacob, he’s blunt.
CHAPTER 10
Natalie
After school, I go to Calculus and sit down at the desk directly in front of Ms. Petrenko’s. Her back is turned as she wipes the board clean of an hour’s worth of mathematical scribbles. She jumps when I clear my throat. I didn’t mean for that to happen. We haven’t spoken much since I quit the squad. I’ve kept a wall of silence surrounding me to avoid talking about homecoming with her, especially after my last trip to Cromwell’s office. I’ve kept my mouth shut and added some distance between authority and me.
“Natalie.” Ms. Petrenko smiles while tossing the eraser onto her desk. “Do you have a question?”
She seems happy that I’m here and willing to speaking to her again. I’m not sure, but I guess that’s she feels guilty for giving me half-assed advice.
“Jacob texted me. I’m going to start tutoring him again.”
Ms. Petrenko claps her hands together as if I have given her a wonderful gift that she has always wanted. But my expression stays neutral, and my lack of enthusiasm kills her short-liv
ed joy.
“Do you want to tutor Jacob? He’s a bit intense.”
“Yeah, but that’s him.” I look away as I answer. “I can handle it.”
She frowns. “You shouldn’t have to handle it. I’m a teacher, and I’m paid to handle it. This should be the best—”
I cut her off loudly. “Stop. Oh, God, just stop it!” I hold up my hands up as if to block her. “If this is the best time of my life, then I’m screwed.”
“Sorry. Scripted answers are a reflex.” Ms. Petrenko sits down on the edge of her desk and rolls her neck. Like a snake shedding its skin, she drops the routine and becomes totally human.
