by Cala Riley
“Whatever. You know what I mean.” She scrunches her nose. “How can you eat something so fattening?”
“It’s delicious. Who cares how many calories it has?”
“She’s right, you know.” A new girl slides into the seat next to Victoria.
Cue girly screams. From them, not me.
“Tinsley! What are you up to, girl?” Victoria hugs her tightly.
I look to Tinsley. She’s gorgeous. Her hair is dark brown with light brown highlights and falls down her back, brushing the top of her ass. Everything about this girl screams money, from her perfectly manicured nails down to her shoes that are more expensive than my entire wardrobe.
“Coming to see you, V. Who do we have here?” Tinsley glances in my direction.
“This is my cousin, Sage. Sage, this is Tinsley Yates.”
“Nice to meet you, Sage.” She says with a friendly smile. “So, V, I wanted to confirm you’re still coming to the party Friday night after the lacrosse game. I know you said you had some family stuff, but I was hoping you could still come?” She cuts her eyes at me questioningly.
“Mom wanted to do dinner Friday. Usually I would cancel, but she thinks it’s important to have this big family dinner to welcome Sage here to the family. My mom can be dramatic.”
I groan. “Is she really planning that?”
“Yep. She thinks you need more family love.”
“Just what I need.” I roll my eyes.
“Well, I have an idea,” Tinsley pipes up.
“Whatcha got?” Victoria asks.
“How about you pitch her some cousin bonding? Bring Sage. It’ll be fun.”
“Oh, that’s a great idea! What do you think, Sage?”
I find both their eyes on me. The green in Tinsley’s reminds me of the two guys I saw earlier. One who shares her last name, and I’m betting the other does as well.
So, they’re the famous Yates family Victoria told me about.
“I don’t even know what lacrosse is, and I’m not much of a partier, but I’m all for getting out of singing ‘Kumbaya’ with Alice and Richard. No offense, Victoria.”
Victoria grins. “None taken. I think she’ll be okay with it if you’re hanging out with me. All she wants is to make you feel welcome.”
“So, is it settled?” Tinsley asks.
I look back and forth between them.
“I guess so.” I shove the last bite of my pizza into my mouth.
∞∞∞
Out of all my classes, this is the one I dreaded the most.
Finishing class.
What the hell is finishing class, anyway? I figured it was some stupid rich kid class that kids blew off. Had I bet on it, I would have been wrong. Turns out finishing class is another term for etiquette lessons.
“Today’s lesson is conversation etiquette: what is appropriate to talk about with business partners, dates, friends, or family,” the teacher, Mrs. Bonavich, drones on.
My thoughts stray as she continues to talk. Who needs to be taught what they should or shouldn’t talk about? Rich people, apparently. I wonder if Alice put me in this class because she thinks I don’t have any common sense. I make a mental note to ask her about it later.
“Nice of you to join us, Mr. Yates. Take this as a lesson, ladies and gentlemen. Good etiquette means being on time. Take a seat,” Mrs. Bonavich states, pulling me from my thoughts.
I expect to look up and recognize the same Yates from class this morning. Instead, the pair of green eyes glaring at me belongs to the guy who was receiving a blow job behind the tree. He walks forward until he’s standing in front of my desk and stops, glaring at me while I stare back.
After a moment, I speak up. “Can I help you?” My tone is snarky.
“You’re in my seat. Move.”
I let out a humorless laugh. “Yeah, that’s not gonna happen. There’s one right there.” I point to the desk to my right.
I’m well aware that we now have the entire class’s attention. Even Mrs. Bonavich doesn’t speak. I can feel the tension pouring off Mr. Yates standing in front of me.
I wonder which one he is, Reed or Keaton.
I mentally shake my head. I don’t care which one he is. What I do care about is the look he’s giving me.
“I won’t ask again,” he says through gritted teeth.
“Great. My answer won’t change.”
I look back to my notebook and begin to doodle. Next thing I know, he grabs my arm, hauling me up and out of the seat before letting me go and dropping into the seat himself. Then he throws my notebook and pen on the ground.
My fists clench as fire fills my veins. I lean over right into his face. When his eyes meet mine, I lower my voice. “If you ever lay your hands on me again, I will make sure you never have children. I’m not scared of you. I refuse to let you treat me the way I’m sure you treat everyone else.”
I start to move back, but he snags my arm. “You should be scared of me. I don’t take kindly to threats. You should watch your back.”
With that, he lets me go. I go to respond, but Mrs. Bonavich interrupts.
“Enough. Ms. Miller, take your seat. This is a classroom, not your personal playground.”
I turn my glare on her. She’s acting as if I’m the one who started this. Instead of making even more of a scene, I shoot one last glare at the pompous prick and take the empty seat right next to his.
“Great. Now, where was I?” she rattles on while I sit there seething.
I can feel his eyes on me, but they aren’t the only ones. A girl sitting a couple seats ahead of his also keeps turning to shoot daggers at me. I don’t even know this chick, but by the look of her, I’m guessing she’s either the girlfriend or a groupie. Long blonde hair, a fake nose you can spot a mile away, and the fancy handbag on her desk screams wealth. I could easily see her on his arm. Then I remember the girl from this morning. She isn’t the same one. That girl had short brown hair. If this is his girlfriend, then she’s an idiot.
While I’m still musing over what else on her might be fake, she stands up and starts walking our way. I snap my attention back to the teacher and find her talking to a pair of students at the front. Blondie stops in front of Yates’s desk and props her hip against it.
“Reed,” she purrs, “will you be my partner?”
“No.” His voice is cold.
“Reed.” Her purr turns into a whine.
“Get lost, Ingram.”
He turns to me, then grabs my desk and pulls it to his.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” I spit at him.
“Teach said we needed to partner up. I decided you’re my partner.”
“You’re a pompous prick, you know that, right? I don’t want anything to do with you.”
“Ms. Miller, are you looking to fail this class?” Mrs. Bonovich says from behind me. “The assignment is to have an appropriate conversation with appropriate topics. Calling your partner foul names is not appropriate.”
“Don’t worry, Mrs. Bonavich. She’s a peasant. She doesn’t know any better. I’ll make sure she understands by the end of class.”
I whip my eyes to his. I’m about to refute him, but she speaks instead. “See to it that you do, Mr. Yates. Commoner or not, I won’t pass her with the behavior I’ve seen today.”
I take in the chuckles coming from behind me. I know my face is flaming red. They probably assume I’m embarrassed, but they would be wrong. I’m furious.
After Mrs. Bonavich walks away, I turn to Reed. “You have no right to speak for me.”
“I just saved your ass. You should show some appreciation, Sage.”
“How do you know my name?”
“I have my ways of finding things out.”
“Stalking me already?”
He laughs. “You aren’t worth stalking. You’re just a bottom dweller attempting to make an appearance in my world. With time, you’ll disappear like all the other vermin.”
“Glad to k
now you think so much about us bottom dwellers. You’re wrong about me though. I don’t want to be in this world. So how about we just go back to where we don’t know the other exists?”
“You think you can manage that? I mean, I saw you this morning watching me get off like a voyeur. Dreaming about me means acknowledging that I exist.”
I scoff. “You think you’re so important, don’t you?”
“Think? No. I rule this school. You stepped into my world, sweetheart, not the other way around. I think you need to learn your place before you end up hurt.”
I place my hand over my mouth and mock gasp. “Oh, I’m so scared! I better go cower and cry in a corner. The big bad wolf is going to eat me.” I don’t know what it is about this guy, but he brings out the worst in me.
“I wouldn’t eat you even if you begged me to. I don’t take trips to the fish market.”
“You’re disgusting. Why did you even want to be my partner in this stupid activity? It’s obvious our feelings are mutual.”
“Our feelings are far from mutual. Your act doesn’t fool me. I’ve seen it all. I was going to warn you about what’s to come, but since you want to be such a cunt, I’ll just let it take you by surprise.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?”
“You’ll see.” I can feel the malice and danger in his cryptic words.
The bell rings before I can respond. Without another word, he stands up and leaves me sitting there.
After putting my desk back, I gather my things and exit the room. I’m halfway down the hall when a body rams into mine. I catch myself before falling to the floor.
“Watch it, skank. We don’t want your kind around here.” Ingram, the plastic Barbie from class, stands a few steps away with two girls who look match her appearance.
“You watch it. You know what they say about us skanks, right? We can be dangerous.” I turn and find I have an audience, including the Yates brothers.
“You mean you’re trash,” mini Ingram number one says.
I step up and get right in her face before speaking loud enough for everyone to hear. “I might be trash, but at least everything on me is real, unlike you. Don’t forget that skanks can sleep with your boyfriend and give him all the fantasies you could never dream to give him. Keep that in mind the next time you want to come at me.”
I go to step back, but Ingram steps in the space I just vacated. “You can’t talk to Blair that way. Besides, none of our boyfriends would come near you with a ten-foot pole. They wouldn’t want to catch whatever STD you have.”
I chuckle at her predictable insult. “You live in your fantasy world. While you’re over here thinking your men would stay loyal, they’re over there checking out my very real ass.” I jerk my thumb toward the Yates brothers and the other boys gathered with them. A few are indeed checking me out. Not Reed though. His eyes are fixed on mine. I raise my brow in question. “Seems a few of them wouldn’t mind a ride.”
“Not my Reed. He would never.” Ingram lowers her voice as she says it. She obviously doesn’t want Reed seeing her stake a claim.
Interesting.
“Oh, Reed?” I cut my eyes to him and see his lowering. “That isn’t what he told me. What was it you said, Reed?” I call to him. “Something about eating me later?” I turn and shrug at her. “You’re right. Reed Yates would never.”
I don’t wait for a response from her or anyone else, just turn and hold my head high as I walk to my next class. I can make out commotion behind me, but I resist the urge to look back. I don’t care what these bitches have to say about me. They want to think I’m a skank? Let them. They want to call me names? Do it. I can leave at any time. The only thing stopping me is the agreement I made with Alice. Give it a shot for eight months.
Only eight months of this shit.
I can do that.
∞∞∞
Victoria doesn’t even wait until I get to the car before yelling at me.
“I warned you, didn’t I?”
“I’m sure I don’t know what you mean.”
She chuckles. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe the fact that you pissed off the Yates brothers and Ingram all on your first day. Do you have a death wish?”
I roll my eyes at her. “Can we go? This place is sucking my soul away.”
She unlocks the car and waits until we’re on the road before speaking again. “Did you really tell Ingram you would sleep with Reed?”
I snort. “No. I told her he would be eating me later.”
She bursts out laughing. “I wish I’d seen the look on her face. She’s been trying to land Reed since we were kids. She has it in her head that they’ll get married one day.”
“Ew, why? He’s a disgusting, arrogant pig. Besides, he was getting head from some other chick this morning.”
“He does that. She says she’s letting him sow his wild oats before marriage. It's all a political game to her. She thinks because he’s rich and she is too that it means they would make a great couple.”
“Good for them. I hope they live a miserable life together.”
“They won’t. Reed wants nothing to do with her. He’ll pretty much let any girl suck him off. Not that it’s public knowledge, but I know he won’t let her near him even for that.”
I turn to look at her. “How do you know, then?”
She shrugs. “Tinsley. She hates Ingram more than you do.”
“I don’t hate her. Hating her requires energy. She doesn’t matter to me.”
“Well, keep your eyes open. She has a vindictive side, and you just riled it up. I wouldn’t be surprised if they have plans for you.”
“She’s pathetic. Let her play her games. I’ve dealt with way worse than her.” I think back to some of the fights I’ve been in. “I can be scrappy when I need to be. I bet she’s never even chipped a nail.”
Victoria slows as she comes to our gate. “I’m not talking about fighting, Sage. I’m talking about petty, behind-your-back shit. She won’t step up to your face.”
“That makes it even worse. She’s a coward. I can handle her.”
“You might be able to handle her, but you also pissed off the Yates brothers. They’re dangerous. Like I said before, I’ll protect you the best I can, but you opened a whole can of worms that I’m not sure I’ll be able to get you out of. Even with my friendship with Tinsley.”
“I didn’t ask you to. I can handle my own shit.” I sigh as she turns and gives me a wounded look. “Listen, I appreciate the thought, but I knew what I was doing when I opened my mouth. I refuse to be bullied. If they want to come at me, well, then I’ll handle it. I’m only here for eight months. Once I turn eighteen, I’m leaving, and your life can go back to normal. Hell, if you want, pretend you don’t know me. I wouldn’t blame you.”
I go to jump out, but her voice stops me. “I won’t abandon you, Sage. You’re family, whether you want to be or not. I know I said I wouldn’t get involved before, but I lied. If you’re in this shit, then so am I.”
“Why would you do that? Just because of some blood running through my veins?”
She smiles softly. “No. I like you. You’re funny and kind, even though you act tough. You stood up to those girls, not because you wanted to cause a scene but because you refuse to play their games. Besides, I always wanted a sister. I think if you give us half a chance, you can be the sister I never had.”
I meet her eyes. She means every word. I almost feel bad for wanting to leave.
“I don’t want you to get too attached, Victoria. I’m still leaving in eight months, even if we become friends.”
“I know, but maybe after you leave, we can stay in touch. I can come visit. I know it’s basically been a day, but I don’t know. It’s nice having another girl around my age in the family.”
I rub my hand over my face. “We can be friends, but don’t get involved in my mess. I’ll clean it up. For you.”
“Thank you, S.”
“S?” I question.
“All right, V. Is this heart-to-heart over? Can we go inside now?”
She laughs. “Mom is probably waiting for us. Let’s go tell her about the party Friday.”
I shake my head but follow her into the house.
As if on cue, Alice calls out as soon as we’re through the door. “Girls, is that you?”
“Yes, Mom.” Victoria gives me an “I told you so” look.
“I’m in the kitchen,” Alice calls back.
We enter the kitchen to find her pulling a tray of cookies out of the oven. She turns and grins at us.
“I thought you girls would enjoy an after-school snack.”
“Yes! Mom makes the best chocolate chip cookies.”
Victoria’s good mood is contagious. After handing me a cookie, she grabs her own and takes a large bite. I don’t bother hiding my smile at the pure joy on her face.
“Thank you, Mom,” she moans around cookie.
“Anytime, dear.” She beams at her daughter. It reminds me a lot of my relationship with my own mother.
“Yes, thank you, Alice. They’re delicious,” I say after I take a bite of my own cookie.
“You’re welcome, Sage.” She turns to the fridge and pulls out the milk before grabbing three glasses and pouring some into each one. She then hands us each a glass before grabbing the plate and taking it to the table in the corner, the same one we ate breakfast at.
"You do drink milk, right?" Alice asks.
"Yes."
"Oh good. I just realized I don't know if you have any allergies or a dairy intolerance or anything," she word vomits.
"As far as I know, no allergies and no intolerances."
"Great." Alice beams.
One thing is for sure, she’s trying.
“So, Sage, how was your first day?” she asks.
Victoria grins at me but says nothing.
“It was good. I think this finishing class is ridiculous though.” I wrinkle my nose.
Alice chuckles. “I hated that class in school. Your mother did too. It’s the school’s way of making sure you kids are ready to enter society. Wait until the ball at the end of the year.”