"What do you want, Baby?" I asked her, handing her a laminated menu. "Except, err... Maybe just pick some ice cream, because the cook isn't here yet."
"How did you organize this?" Baby asked, glancing at the menu. "It's amazing. I can't believe you managed to get me out of hell. It's about as heavily guarded as I imagine hell would be."
"Just some careful planning," I smiled, motioning to Crispin. "You have C to thank for the ride and getting the keys to Clancy's. And Andie for covering for me—I'm supposed to be having a sleepover at her house."
"Clever." Baby grinned. "I'll have a chocolate milkshake."
"Same," Crispin and I answered in unison. Andie saluted us and disappeared to the back of the room where the kitchens were.
"So," Baby wagged her brows at us. "What's this I see, then? You two officially an item?"
"Yes," Crispin answered for me, confident and suave.
I caught his gaze and blushed. "I guess we are," I managed.
"Official as of right now?" Baby wondered.
C and I exchanged looks and shrugged. "Yup."
"Congrats," Baby laughed out loud."
"Thanks," I said.
"Congratulations to you as well." Crispin motioned to her bump. "How much longer to go?"
"A month." She sighed, rubbing her swollen belly. "Maybe after that I can finally get the hell out of Lindsay's Home for Troubled Teens."
"What are you going to do?" I asked her in a low whisper. "You know, about the..."
"Kid?" She rubbed her stomach again. "I don't know. Adoption, I think." We stared at each other, and I reached for her hand over the table.
"You're going to pretend nothing happened?" We both glanced at Crispin with accusing eyes. "Sorry," he muttered. "It's just a lot to give up, and it's going to take a lot to pretend like nothing happened."
"Well, I didn't have a choice," Baby told him bitterly. "I wish I had." She rolled her eyes at me like, was this guy for real? I gave her an apologetic shrug.
"But what about the dad?"
"Crispin," I hissed. "Leave it."
"What about him?" Baby raised her chin high.
"Does he know?"
"No." Her gaze was murderous. "And I don't want him to."
"That's unfair," Crispin told her. "Unfair to the guy."
"It's my decision," she hissed.
"And I respect that. But the father deserves to know you're giving up his kid."
"Crispin," I warned him again. "She doesn't want to talk about it."
"It's fine," Baby said, glancing between us. "I just… have my reasons. Trust me."
"We're here for anything you need." Crispin gave her a reassuring smile. "Look, I know we only met briefly years ago, but I-"
"Guys, hurry!" We all looked up to find Andie running toward us. "A car, in the driveway! I think it's a photographer! He has a fucking camera!"
"Shit," Crispin cursed, getting up and ushering me to the back while he helped Baby. "We have to hurry. Right the fuck now."
"I can't," Baby begged. "Wait, give me a minute..."
“Tinsley! Tinsley Sullivan!”
Suddenly, the flash of cameras was in my face, overbearingly bright and annoying. I covered my eyes, trying to shield Baby with my body before the paparazzo noticed her.
But it was too late. He lowered his camera, his eyes drinking in the girl next to me and her growing belly.
"Nilou Westbrook? Nilou?"
The lens flare exploded in front of me, blinding me.
"Nilou! Nilou, over here!"
Baby let out a sob, and Crispin shielded her with his body as he led her to the back exit. Andie and I rushed behind them, trying to hide Baby from the paparazzi, but he was determined, shoving us out of the way and taking numerous shots of Baby's tear-streaked face.
We broke out of the back exit. It wasn't even half an hour after we broke Baby out. The unfairness of it all physically hurt me. Dr. Morton and a nurse from Lindsay's Home stood in front of Clancy's, arms crossed, eyes angry.
"Baby," Dr. Morton said sternly. "You're coming with us."
"Fuck you," Baby spat out. "And call me by my real name for once in your life."
"Baby, you know that—" he started, but she cut him off with an enraged shriek.
"No! Not Baby! I'm not Baby!" she screamed. "My name is Nilou fucking Westbrook!"
It was a goddamn shitshow, and by the time Dr. Morton had forced Baby into his car, her face was streaked with tears, and her voice sore. The photographer had filled his reel with shot after unflattering shot of us, and I instantly knew this would be as bad for Nilou as it was for me.
When Dr. Morton's car and then the photographer's pulled out of the driveway, I turned to face Crispin, bursting into tears.
"It's okay, Tins," he said, smoothing down my hair. "We did what we could. We didn't know it would end like this."
"No?" A voice interrupted. "I could have told you."
I looked up, seeing red when I saw Estella coming towards us. In black leather pants and a black tank top, she looked like a villain in the flesh, and now I was sure that was exactly what she'd been all along.
"What did you do?" I yelled. "What did you do, Estella?"
"I called in a favor at Crowd," she shrugged carelessly. "They were thirsting for a good story. So I gave them one."
"She isn't a story," I spat out. "She's a person, Stells! Why would you hurt Nilou? She's innocent!"
"Not as innocent as you think," Estella shook her head. "And besides, a little scandal won't destroy Nilou Westbrook. She's like a pop princess. A pregnant pop princess, I guess."
"Nobody was supposed to find out," I said. "It was hidden for a reason."
"Please." Estella rolled her eyes. "As if she actually wanted to stay in that horrible fucking place."
"You could have taken it out on me, not her," I growled. "I'm the one who hurt you!"
"You both did!" she hissed. "She betrayed me first, then you. But you're being dumb if you don't think this will hurt you."
"How will this hurt me, Stells?"
"Look at what you're wearing, Tins."
"What?" I glanced down at myself. "A dress?"
"I can see your scars." She smirked. "You don't think they'll see them in those shots?"
Crispin stepped between us, and for a moment, I was convinced he was going to explode. But then, level-headed, he sneered, "You fucked with Tinsley for the last time."
"Fuck you. Fuck all of you for betraying me. Have fun explaining your little sob story to the masses, Tins. See if they're as mushy as your fucking stolen boyfriend." She waved goodbye and walked to her Porsche, tottering in her high heels.
"Fucking bitch," Andie whispered behind us. "She's never going to get away with this."
"You think?" I asked bitterly. "She already has."
"Damage control."
"Huh?"
"Damage control," Crispin repeated. "That's what we need to do."
"So, what are you suggesting?" I furrowed my brows.
"Post a picture on Instagram," he suggested. "Be honest with everyone."
"But..." I bit my bottom lip. "The whole world will see them, then. The scars."
"So?" He smirked. "I saw them, and I'm still here."
"Same," Andie nodded from the couch. "Not going anywhere." She popped her bubblegum.
"What kind of picture?" I asked hesitantly.
"I'll take one right now." Crispin took out his phone. "Sit right there, next to the window. Perfect, crybaby. Just like that."
I glanced away just as he took the shot, a smile faltering on my face.
"Perfect," he muttered as he took a look at the photo, showing me his screen. "See?" He pointed to the plainly visible scars on my shoulders, the faint outline of the silver Sharpie butterfly still visible. "Fucking perfect."
I kissed his cheek and waited for him to Airdrop me the photo.
"You really think I should post it?" I asked, and they both reassured me I should. "Okay."
&
nbsp; Taking a deep breath, I sent the shot out into the world.
The picture appeared on my feed instantly. I hadn't posted something so candid, honest and relaxed, in...ever. But this was the beginning of my new chapter, and I was ready to walk straight off the hallways of Wildwood and into my future.
My caption was simple and to the point.
My scars are one story; my butterflies are another.
I turned off my phone and grinned at my boyfriend and best friend. "And now we play the waiting game," I whispered.
The stories broke the next day. They were my first headlines after the scandal that had ruined my reputation.
Crowd must have edited their story before it came out, and they still had their small victory—the headliner of Nilou's pregnancy, and the page two story of me overcoming my battles.
After my post to Instagram, blogs, Youtubers and IG baddies picked up on my picture. It was everywhere. The butterfly was everywhere.
They called me The Millennial Butterfly. They called me The Good Girl Gone Bad Gone Better. But the most shocking part of it all was...it was all positive.
And just like that, they loved me again.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Crispin
Tinsley’s followers on Instagram surpassed mine within three days of her post. And it wasn’t just the new adoration everyone had for her that had changed. It was her, my girl, who now wore a happy, albeit reluctant smile on her pretty face every time she met a fan. She wasn’t thinking of the scandal anymore as she signed autographs and took pictures with people. She was happy. Genuinely happy.
And just as things had picked up for her with her social media, she was now, if not the most popular girl at school, at least the most respected. Crowds in the hallways parted for her. People begged her to come to parties. She was invited to any and every event a Wildwood student was hosting. And each morning, she re-drew the silver butterfly on her wrist.
Sometimes, it was joined by another one, sometimes more than one. Some days were tough. Some days were bad. But I was there to hug her, to tell her everything was going to be okay, to hold her hand and whisper in her ear telling her she was going to be just fine.
As the days passed, I realized Tinsley didn’t even need me. She was getting stronger each day, slowly building up to the girl I knew, to the amazing, talented, sweet woman I fell in love with. And with every day, I fell more and more in love with her.
There was one last thing I needed to tell her. One last thing to come clean about before we were officially secret-free. I asked her to meet me at Clancy’s, and when she arrived, I was already waiting for her, roller-skates in hand.
“Seriously?” she giggled when she saw me. “We’re going roller-skating?”
“You have to do it at least once,” I nodded solemnly. “It’s basically a rite of passage for anyone at Wildwood.”
“Okay,” she laughed, taking the skates from me. “Wow, you even got my size right. So, I guess spending all that time staring at my feet really has paid off.”
We got ready, and I guided her to the rink that was empty. A pop playlist was playing, and the disco ball above us illuminated the dark room.
“Did you rent this place out or something?” she asked as I got her on the rink. “It’s never this empty.”
“Just for you, Tins,” I muttered, and she gave me a surprised smile. “I want to take you on our first official date. Thought it was high time for that.”
“That’s amazing,” she said, stumbling as I helped her to the center of the rink. “God, Crispin, I’m so bad at this, though. I’m scared I’m going to break something.”
“Not when I’m here to catch you,” he promised with a smirk. “And I’ll always be here to catch you.”
I spun her around, and she skated in a circle, laughing out loud as she finally got the hang of it. She looked so happy, so carefree then, like she didn’t have a worry in the world. And I knew whatever happened in the future, I’d always remember her as the lilac-haired girl who stole my heart on the TV screen and gave me hers in return in the roller-skating rink at Clancy’s.
We spent the next half hour in the rink, and by the end of it, she’d learned some tips and tricks from me and felt more confident on her own two feet. She was dancing to the music by then, laughing out loud as I spun her around on her roller-skates. She was still happier than I’d ever seen her, that is, until Baby Mine by Nilou Westbrook came on the radio.
In a split second, her smile disappeared, her expression tinged with regret.
I pulled her against me, holding her small body as her eyes found mine, begging me to make her feel better.
“Have you heard from her?” I asked. “Nilou… Baby… Whatever we should be calling her now.”
“She’s only two weeks away from her due date,” Tinsley whispered. “And she’s being hounded by the press, which is exactly what she didn’t want.”
“I’m sorry,” I told her. “Still no word on the baby daddy?”
“I don’t think she wants anyone to know,” Tins admitted. “She hasn’t even told me. She’s keeping it a secret.”
I nodded. If the guy doesn’t know she’s pregnant by now, he must be living under a fucking rock. “Is she doing okay? She must be glad to be out of that home.”
“She is,” Tins nodded with a sigh. “I still can’t believe her parents made her go stay there until the baby was born.”
“Well, she’s out now,” I said. “And her life is her own again. I’m glad she’s changing things for the better. Maybe it was the right thing that her secret came out…” Just like mine will have to tonight.
A few minutes later, we’d changed out of our roller-skates, me into my Yeezys and Tinsley into her cherry Vans. We sat down at one of Clancy’s booths and ordered sundaes, just like we used to on the set of Devin Mooney.
“So why did you bring me here?” Tins asked, and I shifted in my seat. “I know you wanted to talk to me about something.”
“I did.” I swallowed, making room on the table when the waitress brought over our ice cream. Tinsley dug in, but I’d suddenly lost my appetite, struggling to find the right words to explain why I’d brought her there in the first place. “Your friend Andromeda…”
“What about her?” Tins eyed me suspiciously over her sundae.
“Her sister’s missing,” I muttered. “And I may know something about that.”
Her spoon clattered to the table, her eyes demanding an explanation. “Did you tell the police?”
“No,” I shook my head in frustration. “I don’t think anyone would believe me.”
“What is it?”
“Pandora was accepted into a club at Wildwood, the year before I started there. It was her and me, joining a few older students. But she disappeared before the school year began.”
“I didn’t know you were part of the Lords of Wildwood,” Tinsley said, and I nodded.
“A couple of months ago, someone started messaging the current Lords of Wildwood group chat online,” I admitted. “Telling us they knew something, and they were coming for us.”
“Know what?”
“Pandora’s disappearance,” I went on. “It wasn’t… what it looked to be.”
“Do you know where she is?”
“Not now,” he shook his head. “But I did, a few months ago. She made contact before she appeared in the chatroom, demanding money so we’d stay quiet.”
“Stay quiet about what?”
“I…” I hesitated. “I’m afraid that isn’t my story to tell you.”
“Whose is it then?” she asked, obviously frustrated.
“The others’,” I mumbled. “There are other people in the club. And trust me, they know a lot more than I do. But at first, she was demanding money… and then later, she was threatening us.”
“But what about?” Tinsley demanded. “What did you do to her, Crispin?”
“I kept a secret for a friend,” I muttered. “Something I now know was a mistake.�
�
“Will you tell me?”
I did.
Once the words were out, a huge sense of relief washed over me, knowing there was one more person who knew the truth, one more person who understood how fucked up the whole situation was. And when I finished, Tinsley wasn’t looking at me with disgust like I’d feared. No, there was nothing in her eyes but compassion.
“I understand,” she whispered, reaching for my hand across the table. “I do.”
“You know you can’t tell anyone?”
“Never,” she shook her head.
“Not even Andromeda.”
“No,” she said reluctantly. “Not even her.”
“Thank you,” I managed to get out, feeling choked up by the entire situation. I scratched the spot where my butterfly tattoo was still itchy, and she followed my eyes, grinning when she saw it.
“I still can’t believe you did that,” she whispered, her fingers gently outlining the butterfly. “You know, it’s a pretty girly tattoo.”
“Maybe I should add a skull,” I laughed out loud. “Though that might defeat the purpose…”
“I love it,” she confessed, hesitating before pulling her shirt sleeve up, exposing an arm full of silver, glittery butterflies. “See? We match.”
And when I looked at her arm, free of scars but full of butterfly sketches, I knew not just that I loved Tinsley Sullivan, but that she was, finally, healing.
Epilogue
8 years later
Tinsley
Child star Tinsley Sulivan marries high school sweetheart Crispin Dalton in a private ceremony in Bali! We have the story on page 3!
Tinsley Sullivan, 26, has tied the knot with her boyfriend of eight years, lacrosse player Crispin Dalton, 27, in a private ceremony at a 5-star exclusive resort in Bali.
Tinsley, who initially rose to fame as Devin Mooney in the popular TV show, has since gone on to act in several successful blockbusters, and is rumored to be an Oscar nominee for her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennett in this year’s upcoming adaptation of Pride and Prejudice.
Her hubby Crispin, who co-starred on wifey’s show, has gone on to become a world-famous lacrosse player, and the owner of the Millenial Butterfly, a conglomerate that owns a helpline for troubled teens as well as several recovery homes for troubled teens in the country.
Boys That Tease: A Bully Romance (Lords Of Wildwood Book 1) Page 25
