Arthur Cain came by the guesthouse and told me I would be a guest of honor at the next charity event at his home, which would take place in a few days. I would be seated at the head table. The thought of how much this will annoy Lance makes it all the more pleasurable for me.
Lance has been sitting at that table for years and didn’t take advantage of it. He doesn’t understand how most would kill to be where he is, to have the opportunities he has.
I look back and see Lance standing and looking towards me. For a moment, I thought his eyes were watery, as if just crying. It’s hard to tell what any facial gesture means with a guy like Lance.
I quickly look away, and bump into another student.
“Watch where you’re going, slut,” Selina says, trying to maintain her balance. Selina looks ahead and notices Lance staring at us. She scowls at me. “Trailer trash like you can never land a guy like Lance. He may seem like he wants that dirty pussy of yours, but once he has what he wants, he will discard it to its proper place, the trash.”
I don’t give her any indication that what she said bothered me. I put on my perfect Lance Cain poker face. I look around Selina, who, for a change, is by herself. “I didn’t think you would act so tough without your back-up. Where is Dumb and Dumber?”
Selina waves her head and puts her hands at her sides. “You’re going to get what’s coming to you, slut. When you do, I’ll be there.”
My eyes widen. “You?”
“What the fuck are you looking at me like that for?”
I laugh. “You’re going to make me pay, aren’t you?”
Selina laughs. “I know better than to make some poor bitch try and pay for anything.” She storms off down the hall, passing Lance. Lance looks at me with a straight face. I reciprocate the look back, turn, and keep walking.
I feel my phone vibrate in my blouse pocket. I look at my cell, and it’s a message from Bryce, telling me to hurry the fuck up.
I finally make it outside and spot Danna and Bryce sitting under a hollowed-out tree. A bit of a spooky looking spot for lunch, but we’re the outsiders. We seem to not be very conventional, especially for a school like Ryland.
Bryce takes a large bite from his sandwich and looks up at me. Danna is snacking on vegetables and waves. I wave back at both as I get closer.
From the corner of my eye, I spot a black Dodge Charger driving slowly down the street. It gets to a point where it seems like the car is matching my pace. I’m starting to get uncomfortable and move my head slightly towards the car.
The dark sports car’s hood and side is covered in mud. The windows are tinted, but I feel I can make out a silhouette of the driver looking at me. Part of me wants to stop walking and give him the finger, the other wants to run as fast as I can in the opposite direction. Instead, I look at Bryce and Danna, and smile.
The Charger revvs its engine and scares me half to death. I turn towards it, and it speeds down the street.
I look over at Bryce and Danna, who are laughing at me.
“Do you know who that was?” I ask them.
“No clue, but I can tell you he doesn’t go here,” Bryce says with a smile.
“How come?”
Danna jumps in. “Chargers are for kids who want to look rich but aren’t. They are probably just another dumb lookie-loo.”
I roll my eyes. “What the fuck is that?”
Bryce laughs. “You know, people who have heard about this town and want to check it out, see how the rich live their daily lives. It’s sad, I know, but happens all the time.” Bryce’s smile fades when he realises he’s speaking to me. “Sorry, no offence to you or anything, but it’s true. Right, Danna?”
Danna nods her head. “Some people want to check out the homes, the neighbourhoods, schools, just to imagine what it would be like to be a part of it all. It’s harmless, but sometimes you get some people who are a bit jealous. So, maybe it’s a lookie-loo, or maybe—”
I wave my hand at her. “Just stop with that shit.”
“I didn’t say a thing,” she says with a smile.
“The Beasts?” I shake my head. “I honestly don’t think that note I got in my locker was them.”
“Then who was it?” Danna asks.
“No clue, but it stopped. No more letters, threats, Beast symbols.”
Bryce tries his best to ignore us, but is managing less and less to keep his composure. “Can we just talk about normal shit? Let’s make our top ten hottest guys on campus. Let’s talk about how Elle is seeing two of them.”
Danna laughs. “So, are you going to make a decision yet? Jaxson or Chase?”
Bryce laughs. “Or Lance?”
I raise an eyebrow at him. “Lance? If you were a girl, I’d kick your ass, Bryce.”
He laughs. “Well, you’re not very ladylike, if it helps.”
I tell them about what happened at the charity event. I explain in full detail how much Lance was annoyed by it.
“Getting under your roommates’ skin?” Danna says.
“I live in their guesthouse,” I remind her. “I don’t think we could actually live with each other without one of us killing the other.”
“Dark,” Bryce says.
“Well, it’s true.”
I hear the sound of a sports car revving its engine as it comes down the street. I turn and see the black Charger speeding down the street. It zooms past us, causing a gust of wind to knock over Bryce’s sparkling water. He quickly picks it up and swears to himself.
“They are harmless lookie-loos, right?” I remind him.
“Just immature,” Bryce says, wiping some of his drink off his shirt.
Danna looks at
