“Well, Ms. Riley, are you aware of the behavioral guidelines associated with your continued enrollment here at Cypress Prep?”
I’m nodding before she even finishes.
“Yes, ma’am,” I repeat. “But I swear to you, I didn’t do anything to Parker. Or, if I did, I assure you it wasn’t on purpose. Maybe I got too close?” I suggest, trying to get at least somewhere in the ballpark of the truth, just in case someone did witness the act and decides to speak up later.
Her stern gaze is locked on me. “I heard about that little prank in the main hall this morning. Did Parker and her friends have anything to do with that? Is that what this is about?”
Yes! They’re all guilty.
I want to scream those words, but know it’ll only give me a motive, which would make pinning this on me that much easier. So, I lie.
“Honestly, I’m not sure who was behind it, but I don’t have any reason to believe Parker was involved.”
Speaking these words makes my chest throb.
She keeps her eyes on me a moment longer, before jotting something down on her clipboard.
“Consider this a warning, Riley,” she states dryly. “If I hear of anything else brewing between you and Parker, I won’t hesitate to take action.”
“Of course. I understand.”
She keeps eyes on me as I rise from my seat and head back out into the gym. The moment I reach the stairs, preparing to make my way back up, the main door opens suddenly. I half expect it to be West and Sterling returning after escorting Parker, but I’m wrong.
Thank God.
“I was starting to think you wouldn’t show.”
Lexi gives an easy smile, and then makes sure Mrs. C. hasn’t noticed her slipping in.
“Just went to the bathroom to make a call first,” she shares. “Pandora’s post has my mother up in arms. So, naturally, I needed to put out that fire before I went home. Or, better yet, so I could decide if I even wanted to go home.”
My heart lurches a bit. “Yeah … about that. I guess I should’ve mentioned I’m patient zero around here. Apparently, even being seen talking to me is social suicide.”
Lexi waved me off before I could even finish. “Don’t worry about it. My rep is shot to hell already. Mom’s just sensitive about my sister’s name being dragged further into the mud,” she explains. “Although, getting her third DUI and hitting a family of four head-on did most of that damage, so…”
I don’t know what to say to that.
“It’s been years, but Pandora doesn’t forget the past. Keep that in mind,” she warns. “She sees to it that none of us can outrun even the slightest mistakes we make.”
I nod, thinking about what she said. “Your mom’s okay, though?”
“She’ll be fine. Just wanted to make sure I wasn’t hanging out with the wrong crowd,” Lexi says with a laugh. “Obviously, she doesn’t know her own kid very well,” she jokes. “I am the wrong crowd.”
I manage to smile despite still feeling bad for having caused a disturbance in her home.
“Don’t sweat it,” she assures me. “It’ll take more than some stupid post to scare me off, New Girl.”
She’s tough, and those are the kinds of friends needed to weather a storm. We might, literally, be from different sides of the track, but it seems we’re still cut from the same cloth. West may have gone out of his way to make me feel like an outsider, but I told him he wouldn’t win.
And I meant it.
@QweenPandora: Ashes, ashes, we all fall DOWN! Too soon PrincessParker? Let’s hope that nasty spill doesn’t mean an early end to your dance season. But don’t cry too hard, Princess. I hear KingMidas made sure you got the help you needed right away. Hopefully, NewGirl doesn’t take it to heart that her boo might still be hot for an old flame. You know what they say, a king with two queens may as well burn down his own palace. Actually, no one said that, but I should totally start putting this stuff on t-shirts.
Later, Peeps.
—P
Chapter 10
WEST
We’re all at our best this year, well-conditioned and completely focused. Every practice, we’re showing improvement. In the very least, we’ve got State semifinals on lock, which will definitely up the ante for college next fall.
With NCU’s star quarterback set to graduate next spring, this is guaranteed to put me in the running for their QB-1 slot. With any luck, my soon-to-be coach, Coach Wells, will allow it.
“So, Pandora got it right, huh?”
The question jars me from my thoughts, and as I glance over my shoulder, I catch Austin’s nosey ass waiting for a reply.
“What are you talking about?” There’s a clear lack of interest in my tone, as I toss my helmet into the locker with the rest of my gear. Somehow, he misses it. Slipping off my jersey, I’m down to just pants and ready to shower.
“She says you and that new chick are into each other,” Austin clarifies, filling me in on what the queen of gossip has had to say about my run-ins with Southside.
“What’s her name again?” Trip asks. “Blue or something?”
“It’s weird, but she’s hot enough that I don’t really care.” Now Ryder’s getting in on this, too, and things are quickly headed in the wrong direction.
Up to this point, only my brothers and Parker and her girls know Southside has a target on her back, but now I’m thinking I should’ve cast a wider net. Should’ve known my boys couldn’t look past a set of nice tits and an ass any one of us would happily eat a meal off of.
But that’s beside the point.
“So, you hitting that or what, West?” Austin finally gets to the point he’s been trying to make all along.
This conversation might take a while, so I get comfortable, lowering to straddle the bench.
“Depends,” I say calmly. “There a reason you’re asking so many questions?”
When I peer
