Envy

her ringing phone. Maybe she wouldn’t even care.

And maybe he didn’t either.

“Can I talk to you for a second?” Miranda hissed as soon as Adam was gone. It wasn’t a request.

“What is it?” Harper asked, visibly annoyed.

She was annoyed? Let her try spending the day fending off the advances of a human cactus who had all the sexual chemistry of a rock. Then she could talk to Miranda about feeling annoyed.

“Not here,” she whispered, and dragged Harper off deeper into the woods, away from the rest of the group- away from Greg. “I cannot believe you,” she told Harper, once they were a safe distance away from the group.

“What?” Harper asked wearily.

“What do you mean, ‘what’? What’s the deal with telling Greg we were coming out here and inviting him along? Like I didn’t have enough trouble staying away from him all day long?”

“I don’t know,” Harper mused, “he’s kind of cute without the cactus outfit. Aren’t you having fun?”

“No, that would be you” Miranda said slowly. “We’re talking about me now-something I know you have some trouble wrapping your brain around.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

“It means you dragged me along on this stupid trip, when I could have been home studying-and now I’m stuck out here in the middle of nowhere while you and Adam gaze into each other’s eyes and Greg tries to stuff his hand down my shirt.”

“Well, that’s why I invited Greg along,” Harper pointed out defensively. “To keep you company. Besides, you didn’t have to come. I told you that you could stay for the pizza thing. We could have met up later.”

“Right, like I was going to spend the night with those mindless drones. I thought we were going to be hanging out together.”

“So here we are,” Harper pointed out, “together. What are you complaining about?”

She just wasn’t getting it. But she would.

“I don’t know, maybe about the fact that you totally lured me out here under false pretenses,” Miranda snapped. “Or have you forgotten your little plan,” she lowered her voice to a whisper, “to make Kane jealous? Somehow, I don’t think it’s going to work-because, gosh,” Miranda widened her eyes and craned her neck around in exaggerated confusion. “I don’t see him anywhere, do you?”

“Very funny. Like I knew he was going to pull a noshow? Besides, is your life all about Kane now? Wherever he goes, you follow?”

“That’s not the point, Harper, and you know it. The point is that you suckered me into coming up here, then ignored me all day, and stuck me with… the mascot. Do you know what people must be thinking when they see us together?”

“So that’s all you care about now?” Harper asked. “He’s not good enough for you? And I thought I was supposed to be the shallow one.”

Miranda recoiled-maybe because, deep down, she recognized a sliver of truth in Harper’s words. Greg was sweet, funny-but he’d spent the day acting like the court jester, not caring that everyone was laughing at him. Maybe he didn’t mind being the center of ridicule, but Miranda wasn’t looking to become Mrs. Class Clown anytime soon. Still, Harper, of all people, had no right to accuse her-not now, not after today.

“Did you ever think that maybe I just don’t like spending time with some guy who’s chasing after me when I know I’m not interested?” she asked.

“Did it ever occur to you that I’m doing you a favor?” Harper retorted.

“Oh?”

“Maybe if you give this guy a chance, instead of chasing after something you can’t have, you could actually be happy for once. Though I know that would just screw with your whole view of the universe.”

Miranda snapped. Harper had deceived her, ditched her-and now, instead of apologizing, was acting like Miranda was making the whole thing up? Just looking for an excuse to complain? Miranda had been the model friend-always there when Harper needed her, always ready to support her wild ideas, sympathize with her ridiculous problems. And what did she ask for in return? Not much: a little companionship, a little understanding. What did she get? Nothing. No, worse-she got an endless day with dull-as-dirt Greg, while Harper did what she wanted, as usual, with no apologies and apparently no regrets. Because things were different for Harper, right? Because she played with a different set of rules.

That had always been the understanding, at least-and Miranda was fed up.

“Look who’s talking!” Miranda yelled. “I’m not the one chasing after a guy who’s already got a girlfriend. And is totally in love with her. You want to talk to me about pathetic and hopeless?”

“That’s different,” Harper said hotly.

“Why? Because you’re Harper Grace and you always get what you want? And meanwhile I’m supposed to settle for second-best?”

“That’s not what I said.”

“But it’s what you meant. It’s what you always mean. But why? Why should I have to settle for someone I think is just okay? Why can’t I hold out for something that’s really amazing? Don’t you think I deserve something amazing?”

“Of course you do, Rand,” Harper said sincerely.

“Then why the hell does everyone always want me to settle?”

“I don’t,” said a low, male voice behind them.

They spun around to see Greg standing a couple feet away. He’d obviously heard everything-or, at least, enough.

“I just came to see if everything was all right,” he explained awkwardly.

Miranda took a step toward him. “Greg-,” she began in a faltering voice, but broke off, not sure what to say.

“No, I get it,” he told her, his face impassive-but it was obviously taking him a great deal of effort to keep it that way. “You don’t want to settle-that’s fair. You think you deserve better.” He shrugged and bit down on his lower lip. “So do I.”

And he walked away, back toward the school.

Miranda and Harper stood frozen in place for a moment, and then tears began leaking down Miranda’s face.

“I can’t believe he-Harper, I feel so terrible, and he-” She stopped, her voice choked off by sobs, and Harper wrapped her in a tight hug.

“I’m a terrible person,” Miranda whimpered.

“No, you’re not,” Harper assured her.

“I’m going to be alone forever-I deserve to be alone forever.”

“No you don’t, Rand. Look, here’s what I think. You just need to-”

She was stopped by the sound of her cell phone ringing. They both looked down at the caller ID-Kaia.

“Why’s she calling you?” Miranda asked.

But Harper had already answered the phone.

“Kaia? Can we do this later? Or-no, okay, I understand. Just give me a sec.”

She took the phone away from her ear. “Miranda, I have to take this,” she said lamely. “I’m sorry.”

Tears still streaming down her face, Miranda looked at her best friend in shock.

“You’re kidding, right? You’re going to leave me here so you can talk to Kaia?”

Harper looked confused for a moment, then looked away.

“I’m sorry, I just have to.” She gave Miranda another hug, but Miranda pulled away.

“This won’t take long,” Harper promised. “I’ll meet you back by the fire, and we’ll talk the whole thing out. I swear.”

“Whatever.” Miranda turned away, her shoulders shaking. “Have fun talking to Kaia. Tell her I say hello,” she added bitterly.

Harper didn’t respond, and when Miranda finally turned around, she was gone.

Harper hurried back to the clearing and knelt by Adam’s side, handing him her cell. “Adam, there’s a call on my