"Yeah," I sniffled. "I think Inca's ready to leave as well."
"What about Estella?" she asked reluctantly.
I recalled the terrible moment on the dancefloor, feeling tears flood my eyes. "She said not to wait up." My voice broke over the words.
"Okay, let's go."
We held hands as we climbed the stairs, finding Inca in the same spot I'd left her. She seemed grateful to be heading out, and the three of us walked to Andromeda's Camaro with linked arms.
With Andie in the driver's seat and me having called shotgun, Inca splayed out in the back seat of the car. Andromeda put on a playlist of Nilou Westbrook songs on the stereo, making me think of things I’d rather forget. It was so loud, I could hear it over the noise from the house. Everyone around us stared, so Andie turned the volume up higher, giving me a wicked glance before motioning to the porch.
Crispin stood in front doorway, staring right at me. My heart hurt; my stomach twisted into painful knots. Yet I couldn't look away, break eye contact. I needed the connection, finding myself desperate for more. But a moment later, Estella appeared behind Crispin, wrapping her thin, glitter-covered arms around him. Crispin still didn't avert his gaze.
"Suck it, Wildwood!" Andie cried out, fishtailing out of the Dalton's driveway.
The music was blaring, the windows were down, and I found the smile had returned to my lips. Even Inca laughed as we pulled away, and I joined in. It was better than crying, anyway.
Crispin's intense glare was permanently etched into my mind. I didn't know whether he felt regret, anger, or relief. Maybe he'd wanted Estella all along. But a tiny voice inside my head believed I'd be the one for him. If only he thought the same.
Chapter Six
Tinsley
I woke with a pounding headache, and it took me a few seconds to remember what had happened the previous night. The events came flooding back in no order whatsoever, filling my stomach with butterflies which were replaced by lead a moment later.
Estella kissed Crispin.
I groaned, pulling my pillow over my head to block out the thought.
At least it was Saturday. I didn’t have to see either of them.
I managed to drag myself out of bed nearly an hour later. A single glance in the mirror revealed just what I'd feared—I looked like shit. My hair was wild, and I still had the remnants of makeup left on my face with silver glitter all over my pillow. I groaned knowing Mom would force me to clean it up.
I checked my phone. My heart sank even further when I saw I had zero texts from Estella or Crispin. But there was one from Inca and a couple from Andie.
Thanks for taking me with you last night, Inca wrote. Had a blast!! :) xx
OMG. Are you okay? Andie's message read. I just found out what happened!! I didn't know what she did until Inca texted me. How could she do that to you? Tins, she's a HORRIBLE friend. Call me!
With a sigh of resignation, I called Andie. She picked up on the second ring, her voice so high I could barely make out what she said. I managed to fight off her questions, telling her I was fine—everything was okay.
"I just don't want to talk about it today," I admitted. "I want to take my mind off things."
"I get it." Andromeda sighed. "Tins, if you're still free today, let's go to that diner on Parkland. I can tell you about Pandora, if you want?”
"I'd love that." It would be the perfect distraction. Besides, I’d been eager to find out more about the mystery girl "Can you pick me up at five?"
"Sure," Andie said. "See you then."
We said goodbye, and I groaned when I took another glance in the mirror. I jumped into the shower first, and after twenty minutes of scrubbing away the remnants of the previous night, I stepped out feeling much better. I got dressed—yoga pants and Dad's old flannel shirt—and walked down into the spacious kitchen.
Mom was making pancakes, twirling around the room. Planning my eighteenth had made her smile a little bit brighter and her mood a lot better. I was grateful she'd taken my idea and run with it.
"Hey, darling," she called out as I walked into the room. "How was Estella’s party last night?"
I swallowed and faked my way through the shortest story possible. "It was so great! We had a blast."
Lying to her yet again. This was becoming a nasty little habit.
"You look tired." Mom furrowed her brows in concern. "Sure everything was okay last night? Estella’s parents were there, right?"
"Yeah," I lied through my teeth. One of the reasons she’d even let me go was because Estella’s parents were notoriously strict. “Everything was perfectly fine."
She came closer, pressing a hand to my forehead and giving me a doubtful look. "You’re a bit clammy, darling. You feeling okay? You're not running a fever, are you?"
"No, I'm fine." I brushed her hand away from my face. "Just had a late night."
"You didn't..." She gave me a questioning glance before shaking her head and waving her hand in the air. "No, I'm sure you didn't have anything to drink. My girl's too smart for that."
I found myself blushing hard and turning my head to the side so my mom wouldn't notice. Those two beers and all that champagne played on my mind, reminding me I hadn’t been such a good girl after all. If Mom found out about those, she would be none too happy. For the most part, she was easygoing, but I had strict rules when it came to stuff like booze and going out. I just hoped she wouldn’t sense how tense I’d gotten when she mentioned drinking. But I was too late.
"Tinsley." Her voice was suddenly more serious. "You didn't drink last night, did you?"
I hesitated, and it sealed my fate. "Only a couple beers..." I’d better not mention the champagne.
"Tinsley!" she exclaimed, giving me a look of disappointment. "I trusted you. How could you do that? You let me down."
"I'm sorry," I said, suddenly sick of it all. "But why can't I, for once in my life, have a normal experience? I just wanted to see what it was like to be a regular teenager. Everyone at that party was drinking, Mom. I didn't even get drunk."
"Everyone was drinking at a preacher’s daughter’s party? You didn't even get drunk?" She shook her head. "That's what you're asking me to be thankful for?"
I didn't reply, and we stared at one another defiantly.
"Well, I guess there's a first time for everything," she muttered after a few minutes. "You're grounded."
"Grounded?" I laughed dryly. "As if I get to do anything normal, ever. You know you're just making me more miserable, right? I'm suffocating in this house."
"This house is your home," she reminded me.
"Yeah," I snorted. "The home I paid for." I motioned to her outfit. "Just like that dress, those shoes, the food you're making. Right, Mom?"
She was rendered speechless, and I hated myself for every word that had just come out of my mouth. But I couldn't help it in the moment—all my anger came forward without thought. Mom had worked hard to get me to the point I'd been at in my career, but she'd also been the one to ruin everything. And I wasn't going to take this anymore, least of all the rules she'd imposed on me.
"I'm leaving," I told her pointedly.
"Where?" she cried out. "You're grounded, Tinsley! Don't you dare leave!"
"Whatever," I called out, waving my hand dismissively in the air. "I just need some goddamn air."
"Language!" My mom was furious, but I didn't care.
I strode right past her, out the French doors leading into the garden, past the pool in our backyard, and to the orange blossom tree in the back where I could have some privacy.
"I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.” I plopped down on my butt as I muttered to myself, thoughts racing through my head at an alarming speed. I was on the verge of tears, but I forced them not to fall.
I would've usually confided in my mom about the stuff that happened, especially how Estella had acted last night. But of course, since Crispin was involved, I couldn't even mention it. Mom stiffened at the mere mention of the Daltons and with good reas
on.
It was hard not to hold it against her. I found myself so angry every time I thought about what she'd done. She hadn't just torn Crispin's family apart, she'd torn ours to shreds, too. Our relationship hung on by a single thread, and I'd just yanked that thread, making us unravel. The worst part was, I was now a social pariah because of my mom’s actions. No one cared that I'd had nothing to do with her decisions—I was guilty by association, and there was nothing I could do to change things anymore.
I felt vibrating in my pocket and remembered I'd grabbed my phone when I left my room. Estella's name flashed across the screen, and it only made me more upset. But still, I wanted to be a good friend, so I picked up on the third ring.
"Tins," she purred down the line. "I just had to call you right away! I have so much to tell you!"
"What is it?" I asked.
"Are you okay, babe?" The worry in her tone slowed down her dumping of information. "You sound so down."
"I just had a fight with my mom. She got angry because I drank last night, even though I only had a couple beers..."
"Oh, babe," Estella muttered. "Did she find out Crispin was there?"
"No."
If she'd reacted this badly to me having a drink or two, she would freak the hell out when she found out the party was at Crispin's place. She couldn't find out.
Before I'd started at Wildwood, she'd warned me to stay away from trouble. And we both knew what trouble meant—Crispin and his family. He was not a subject we talked about, and that was never going to change. I'd been foolish to think it would.
"Estella, can you just distract me?" I begged her. "I can't think about all that right now. Just tell me some good news, please."
"Well..." I could hear the excitement in her voice. "Okay, but only if you promise we can talk about you later. I'm worried, babe."
"Okay," I muttered miserably. "What's the big news?"
"Crispin asked me out!" She shrieked with excitement.
My blood ran cold instantly. So, he'd finally picked between us. And he'd picked the wrong girl.
"How great," I managed to get out. "I'm so happy for you."
"Are you sure?" she asked, and I could picture her biting her full bottom lip on the other side of the phone. "It's just... Yesterday, I almost felt like there was something between the two of you. Like, maybe you liked each other?"
"Crispin and me?" I asked, knowing that my response to her question could change everything.
I had two choices— A) admit I liked Crispin or B), deny everything. But of course, I didn't really have a decision to make. I needed to lie, not just for my sake, but for Mom's, too. "No, there's nothing between us." My voice was robotic. "Of course not. How could there be? You know Crispin and I can never be together."
"Oh, okay," she said, oblivious to the thick lie on my tongue. "I'm so glad you said that, babe. I really don't want you to be upset if I go out with him. Just say the word, and I won't do it."
I wanted to say the word. God, how I wanted to say it. "Don't be silly," I found myself saying. "You should go out with him. Definitely."
"Oh, thank you, babe!" she exclaimed, and I hated myself for being so weak. "I'm so glad you don't think it's a problem. I'm going to call him back right now, okay?"
"Okay," I muttered.
"Bye, babe!"
She cut the call, leaving me sitting there with my heart pounding. I felt more miserable than ever. But I picked myself up, squared my shoulders, and told myself none of this mattered. It wasn't like I could date Crispin, anyway. My mom, the media, my friends, everyone would be against us as a couple. My only option was to forget him and move on.
I made my way back into the house, where the tension was still thick in the air. Mom was getting her stuff ready, having changed into a tan pantsuit and a white blouse.
"I have to go run some errands for your party." She didn’t even glance at me when she spoke. "I'll see you in a couple hours when I get back. Do your homework."
"Fine." One word, no emotion.
She came up to me, pressing a kiss to my cheek. "I don't want to fight with you, darling. I'm just trying to navigate high school. It's difficult for me, too."
"Yeah," I muttered, still not making eye contact with her.
She sighed before picking up her Birkin, calling out a goodbye, and walking out the door. A moment later, I heard her Aston Martin pull out of the driveway.
I went upstairs to get ready and stared at the stack of homework on my desk. On second thought, I added some textbooks and notebooks to my bag, just as I heard Andromeda pull up outside.
If anyone can make me forget about all this, it’s a missing girl mystery.
"So, when did she go missing again?"
Andromeda pushed a piece of paper forward, and I took my time poring over the words. The newspaper clipping was from the day of Pandora's disappearance. The same picture that was on Andie's flyers sat in front of me, along with Pandora's name and the police department phone number.
"Just before school started.”
I reached over, gently placing my hand over hers. We were sitting at Clancy's, each with a strawberry milkshake and our notebooks spread out on the table before us. Clancy's was a café that served the best milkshakes in the neighborhood, plus, it had a roller-skating rink in the building. It was meant for kids over sixteen years old, which meant there were no screaming kids there to annoy us. It was quiet on the weekends, though high school kids filled the place during the week. It meant Andie and I pretty much had the place to ourselves, which was great. I didn't want more prying eyes on me.
We'd already gone through our homework, and Andie had helped me with some math problems I didn't understand. But now, we'd moved on to Pandora, talking about the suspicious circumstances of her disappearance.
"Who noticed she was missing?"
"I did." She sighed. "My parents didn't seem worried at all, even though she rarely went anywhere for longer than a couple of hours. We woke up the next morning, and she just wasn’t home. My parents didn't want to call the cops. I had to do it myself."
"What about before she disappeared? Had something happened? Did she seem different?"
"Yes." Andie nodded, giving me a curious look as if she wondered how I knew. "She'd gotten accepted into this really prestigious club at school."
"What kind of club?"
"It's like a program for the most talented students. The members for the next school year are announced at the end of the previous one, some of them before they start high school like Pandora, but we don't know who the others were. It's all very hush-hush."
"Was Pandora excited about being accepted?" I asked.
"Yeah." Andie nodded with an affectionate smile. "Super excited. It was the recognition she'd been working for, the recognition she deserved. The club was boys only. She was the first girl to be accepted."
"That's amazing.”
"Yeah," Andie muttered, and I looked up from our newspaper clippings to see tears in her eyes.
"Oh, babe," I muttered, reaching over for her hand. "I'm so sorry. I can tell you care about her very much. I wish there was something I could do to bring her back. You were close, weren’t you?”
"We were," she admitted. "Sometimes I felt like she was my only friend."
I didn't want to pry and ask more questions, but even I'd noticed Andromeda was a bit of a pariah at our school. She didn't really speak to anyone other than teachers. She moved through the hallways as if she were invisible, which seemed ridiculous to me given her appearance. She was so unique, beautiful, and daring. She should've been the shining star of any school, but at Wildwood, she was an extravagant wallflower.
"I'm your friend now," I told her, my voice more confident than I felt. "You can always count on me."
She managed a weak smile, but at least it was honest and filled with relief. "Thank you," she said. "You have no idea how much that means to me."
"Trust me, I do. And I could use a friend myself."
"Ugh, yeah." Squeezing my hand, she reached for her milkshake and took a long sip. "Tell me about what happened. You sounded so upset on the phone."
I'd been grateful for the distraction of our homework and Pandora before, but now I was eager to have someone to tell about what Estella did.
"Do you want to talk about last night?" Andie asked carefully. "I still can't believe what happened."
"It's not her fault. She doesn't know I…"
"Like Crispin?" she finished for me, and I flushed.
"I guess."
"You do like him, don't you?"
I shrugged. "I don't know anymore. Sometimes I think I do. Sometimes I think it's just stupid leftover feelings from when we were together on set."
"Well, do you want to explore those feelings?" She was careful to tread lightly around a delicate subject. "I guess that's the one question you really need to answer."
I thought about it for a few moments before exhaling and giving Andie a guilty glance, which made her burst out into laughter.
"I guess that answers it, right?" I muttered, sighing. "God, I guess I do. There's just something about that boy that I can't seem to resist."
"I think you should tell Estella the truth," Andie said.
"But I already told her it was fine if she wanted to date him."
"You need to tell her how you really feel," Andie insisted. "You'll see. It's going to make you feel so much better when the truth is out in the open."
"I guess," I muttered in response, glancing at the wall clock behind her. "Anyway, it's getting pretty late. Do you mind driving me home? I want to get back before my mom does."
"Sure."
We packed up our things, and Andie put the playlist I’d made for us on in the Camaro on our way back to my place. I was laughing and feeling much better until we pulled into our driveway, and I saw my mom's car parked out front.
"Fuck," I muttered. "Just drop me off here, and pray I don't get in trouble."
She nodded, letting me out of the car and wishing me luck just as my mom appeared on the doorstep. "See you at school tomorrow," she said before driving off.
Resigned to my fate, I headed to the house.
Boys That Tease: A Bully Romance (Lords Of Wildwood Book 1) Page 9