Tray drove the first car, with Carter driving the second, and Devon drove Amber’s car. Everyone scattered between the three vehicles. Mandy rode with Devon, Grant and Bryce rode with Carter, and the girls—one guess on who they rode with—in Tray’s, with me. Amber ended up riding shotgun with Jasmine and Sasha in the next two seats. I rode in the back, but I was quite okay with that. I would’ve ridden in Carter’s car, but Tray grabbed my elbow at the last second and steered me his way. When we got there, the seats had already been taken, so I climbed in the back.

I didn’t join in the conversation, but I didn’t sleep either. Instead I stared out the window, replaying everything in my head.

The day had started out good. I’d felt good. Got into a little spat with Amber, realized I’d never like Mandy’s friends, and I had a tiny vacation with Tray at his home. Then the night had ended with my world being shattered.

And now I was starting to realize I didn’t know what was up or down anymore. Or if I was just turned backwards because everything was coming at me from behind. At breakneck speed.

I was stumbling. And I hated that feeling.

I tuned back into the conversation, and realized Amber was going off about some senior girl, Aidrian Casners—the name was familiar. I think I remember Jasmine refer to her as the ‘white-trash’ that Tray had slept with at one of his parties.

Huh.

Okay, it bothered me…a little, but I was more focused on my past relationships.

Apparently, according to Amber, Aidrian had dared to wear her skirt to school last Friday. Then she had the nerve to hit on Brent Garret—a senior on the basketball team. Guess Amber had staked her claim but the white trash didn’t heed it.

Maybe she couldn’t read invisible signs.

I tuned back out.

Tray pulled into his driveway and everyone filed out. Amber was still chattering, with Sasha adding her two cents. Jasmine was glancing, uneasily at me. Then I saw Mandy, who was holding Devon’s hand as they traipsed inside Tray’s.

All of the guys immediately zeroed in on the fridge. Bryce and Grant both got fresh icepacks. Carter pulled out some pizzas and Tray emerged from the basement with a twelve pack in hand. He slid a beer to each one of us. Even Amber and Sasha took theirs gratefully. I was half expecting a complaint and a whine for a margarita. But nope. Everyone took a bottle.

I grabbed mine and wandered outside, where I curled up at a patio table.

I felt my phone vibrating and pulled it out.

Jace.

I answered it and then slammed it back shut, fully aware it was a little pathetic, but it was a little something I could do to piss him off. A little something at least.

The next call was Geezer.

I didn’t pick up for him either. Instead, I pushed the phone away from me.

I kept hearing his voice. His plea for his father’s life. I heard Jace’s own words. Walking away meant leaving the bad stuff behind. Go have dinner with my family. Jace seemed a lot more prepared for me to walk away than Brian had.

I grabbed my phone and flipped it open to the contacts. I’d kept Cammy’s number because she went through a phase. She’d been determined that Jace had cheated on her with me, that he was in love with me. So she called, every fucking day and night. She’d leave threats, send text messages with the intent to harm and detail of how she was going to enjoy making me hurt.

I kept her number so I knew when not to answer.

If Jace made a deal that involved me, Cammy would be the one to spill.

I dialed her number and heard her answer, a moment later.

“Cammy,” I greeted, knowing she knew exactly who was on the other end.

“Taryn,” she replied guardedly.

“I have a question for you, Cam.”

“Oh really?” she asked sarcastically. “And how may I help you?”

“You answer me, I’ll tell you the truth about me and Jace,” I offered. She didn’t want to know, but I knew she couldn’t not know.

She’d take the deal.

“What’s your question?”

I stood up and paced. “You hang around Jace. A lot more than he realizes. There’s been so many times he’s told me you weren’t there, but you always were and I’m thinking that you have your own little way to get in there—a way that Jace doesn’t know about.”

“And your point?” she demanded hotly.

I was pissing her off.

“I wanna know if Jace made a deal? It would’ve been a deal made a long time ago.”

“He’s made a lot of deals,” she said vaguely, but I heard hesitation in her voice. She knew something, but she wasn’t sure if she wanted to share.

“It would’ve been with Galverson.”

Cammy was quiet, but I could almost hear her thinking.

“Taryn,” she sounded weary, “you shouldn’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong.”

What the hell?

“Are you trying to be smart?” I asked, harshly. “Just tell me the deal.”

Then she spilled the beans.

“Galverson’s from the east coast. He brought a crew into town.”

“What are they doing here?”

“They’re doing shipments. I heard Jace say something about the new storage building, they needed more guards or something. I guess it got broken into.”

“What are they storing?”

“I don’t know, but do you really have to guess?” she murmured scathingly.

Drugs. But where’d the bracelet come from?

“When did this get set up?” I mused, more to myself than her.

“Galverson showed up four months ago.”

A month after I left.

Cammy continued, “But I remember Jace talking to him on the phone last year.”

Last year.

I waited for the golden question till the end. I asked, “You hear any deals my name was slipped into?”

Complete silence.

“Cammy,” I urged.

“Taryn, seriously, I don’t think you know what you’re doing.”

“You wanna know the truth or not?” I shot back swiftly.

It worked.

Cammy snapped, “Fine. Yes. Last year, Jace said he was making arrangements for you. I don’t know what he was talking about or what those arrangements were, but those were his words. It’s your turn. You and Jace. What’s the truth?”

I lied, “We were telling the truth the whole time, Cammy. We never were together.”

“But Brian—”

“I lied. Brian needed something to keep him away, but it was never true.”

She sighed, a long sigh of relief.

“Thanks, Taryn,” she murmured before hanging up.

I sat down, mentally and physically exhausted, and downed the rest of my beer. I could hear laughter from inside, but I wasn’t in the mood to be around anyone. Especially those people.

Then again, who am I to judge? All my friends turned out to be liars and back-stabbers.

I heard Mandy laugh. I hadn’t heard her laugh in a long time.

So I stood and went inside, pausing in the doorway, seeing Mandy glowing, wrapped in Devon’s arms. Again.

They were all standing around eating pizza. Sasha was off to the side, standing by Amber and Jasmine.

“Taryn, want some pizza?” Carter asked, holding up a slice.

Sasha’s eyes darkened in irritation.

I’d been accepted, but she hadn’t

“Sure.” I grinned back, moving to grab a piece, squeezing in beside Tray. I was surprised when he gave way and instead pulled me against his chest, with me standing right in front of him. He leaned back against the counter, with one hand on his pizza, and the other splayed on my stomach, anchoring me against him.

I was more shocked to see Jasmine give me a small smile before she turned towards Bryce, eating her tiny piece of pizza.

Mandy was laughing again, her arms wrapped around Devon’s neck. He was trying to eat, but she wouldn’t let him. Both were smiling at the stupid game.

“I don’t know about anyone else, but I’m thinking I might skip tomorrow,” Grant announced, hoisting himself up on a counter.

“I’m right there with you, buddy,” Bryce mumbled, raising an icepack to his bruised face.

“Taryn,” Jasmine spoke up, a slight tremble in her voice, like she was scared to talk to me, “is it true that you might talk to Coach Greenly?”

“Who’s Coach Greenly?”

“The swim coach,” she shrugged self-consciously, “at least that’s what Mandy said.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe.”

“You swim?” Grant asked curiously.

“Yeah.”

“She made junior varsity at Earlington when she was in the seventh grade,” Mandy proclaimed proudly, with a smile.

“They trounce us every year,” Bryce mumbled around his swollen cheeks. “They’re state champs—I have to hear about it every holiday. My cousin goes there, she swims too.”

“Mom says that Taryn’s good enough. She could maybe even get a scholarship somewhere,” Mandy gushed, while I wanted to kill her.

I finished my pizza and leaned fully back, feeling Tray’s arm tighten around me, resting on my thigh.

Mandy cleared her throat and asked, the first to brave it, “So, what are you going to do, Taryn?”

I didn’t play the dumb game. I knew exactly what she meant, and everyone else did, because everyone waited.

So I answered honestly, “I’m going to find out the truth, and I’m going to make them pay.”

That was me being nice because I said it without cursing. Look at me, so grown up.

“So,” Carter spoke up, “what are we doing the rest of the night?”

Amber laughed. “I think we should put a movie in.”

“I think we should have sex,” Carter countered swiftly.

“Hell, the movie can be foreplay,” Bryce interjected, cursing a second later when he grinned.

“Bryce!” Amber cried out.

“This is my sister, you guys,” Grant mumbled, rolling his eyes.

Amber wrapped her arm around his shoulder and murmured, “Oh, my poor little brother—can’t handle that his big sis has sex. Sex! I tell you.”

He shoved her away, looking disgusted. “Don’t ever say those words together. Ever.”

Amber laughed and then shrieked when Carter swept her up in his arms and threw her over his shoulder.

He led the way downstairs.

Mandy and Devon settled on the farthest couch, Mandy curled up in his lap, both looking content.

Carter was already starting a movie by the time the rest of us sat down.

I settled at the end of a second couch when Tray returned from the bathroom. He walked to me, lifted me up, and deposited me in his lap. I barely reacted, but closed my eyes, feeling his arms encircle me and I pillowed my head against his shoulder.

I woke later on and realized Tray was carrying me up the stairs. A little bit later he laid me down on his bed and stripped down to his boxers. I grinned. “Wanna change me?”

Tray knelt over me on the bed and slowly peeled my shirt off. He left my bra on and then undid my pants. Slowly, he slid them down my legs. Smoothing his hands back up my legs, his fingers slid underneath my thong straps and his thumbs rubbed gently against my hipbone before pulling them off.

Then he bent and pressed his mouth there.

I arched my back, suddenly wide awake.

“Tray!” I gasped.

He chuckled, but continued.

When I came, he lifted his head and slid his hands up the side of my body, underneath my bra straps and slid them down. He unclasped my bra and threw it to the side.

I wrapped my legs around him and deftly flipped him over, an old wrestling move. Seeing he was startled, I straddled him and slid my body down his, my mouth lingering on his chest as I moved down.

I bent my head taking him in my mouth, and when he gasped and then arched, I grinned enjoying the torment I was putting him through.

“Fuck,” he groaned a little while later.

The fun was over when he tucked me underneath him and reached for the nightstand.

I closed my eyes, my head falling back against the pillow when I felt him cover my body. My legs wrapped around him when I felt him slide into me, and my body moved right along with his.

Both of us were groaning within seconds.

*

I woke up a few hours later and checked the clock. It was already seven in the morning. I nudged Tray awake and whispered, “I need to go to school.”

“’Kay,” he mumbled as he rolled over.

I nudged him again. “You have to drive me. My car’s there.”

Sleepily, he reached for his pants and grabbed his keys inside the pocket. He passed them to me, and yawned. “Park it in the lot.”

“Thanks,” I said happily as I climbed over him and headed into the shower. Tray had moved all the needed essentials into his bathroom the previous day—it had been our agreement. I’d been scared he wouldn’t get around to it, so I made him do it that instant, otherwise I wasn’t going to sleep over.

Stepping underneath the shower spray, I was thankful for my foresight.

When I moved back into his room, grimacing at my old clothes, I saw Tray was staring at me. Now wide awake.

“What?” I asked, my hands pausing as I moved to dress.

“You’re up early. Why?”

“What are you talking about?”

“What are you planning, Taryn?” he demanded insistently.

“I’m going to school.”

“Taryn,” he said firmly, standing up, his muscles rippled with his lithe movements, “look, you need to know some stuff before you go off on your little rampage.”

“Like what?” I asked, now interested.

“My dad was chief of police. I know all about Galverson.”

“What?” That threw me. “How? What do you know?”

“It’s not…look…all those people that have been telling you to keep your nose out—they’re saying it for a reason.”

“What do you know about Galverson?” I couldn’t believe his nerve. Now he was joining their ranks?

“Galverson is a heavy hitter.”

“You’re telling me this now? Why not last night?”

“Because you were pissed last night. You weren’t thinking clearly.”

“I’m still not.”

“You’re thinking better.” He snorted, raking a hand through his hair. He was tired, he always did that when he was tired. “Look, whatever you dig up on Galverson—come to me before you do anything. Okay.”

“Why?” I was dreading his answer, because I knew…

“Just do it.”

I finished dressing and moved to leave, but Tray blocked me. “Promise me,” he pressed, serious.

“I promise,” I said in resignation.

Tray studied my face, searching for the truth. He must not have fully believed me because he added, “It’s how Jace and I know each other, the little business deal we worked out. Galverson’s the reason my dad’s not the chief of police anymore and why he’s in South America with my mom. Why we can afford this place.”

Fine.

“I promise. Really,” I said lightly, genuinely.

That he read as the truth. Tray nodded, kissing me hard and then crawled back in bed.

He looked gorgeous, well, he looked gorgeous when he was awake, but there was an angelic perfection to him when he closed his eyes like that.

I sighed, recognizing the forbidding feeling in my stomach. So I left. Fully content to stay in denial land.

Parking in the lot at school, I went to the locker room and changed into some different clothes. It was just a baggy hoodie and jeans, but it worked. I was comfortable. But I’d kept the tank-top I wore last night on. It smelled of Tray—I know. I’m acting like one of those sickening girls.

Everyone noticed the social elite was missing and that I was there. After my fourth yawn, the sound not silenced, my teacher suggested politely, “You are excused, Miss Matthews, to get some coffee.”

I blinked, tiredly, and then left, heading straight for the coffee cart. Thank goodness our administration felt sympathetic for the young hard-working plight of the over-achieving student body—which often equated to no sleep.

Juniors and seniors got special privileges—off campus lunches and coffee!

I chose study hall for second period and scoured the internet, bringing up anything I could find on Jace and Galverson—which wasn’t a whole lot except arrest notifications.

I made it till fourth period where I slumped into the seat next to Molly.

She was still wearing the pink frames.

“Hi!” She blinked in surprise.

“Hey.” I yawned.

“Where is everyone?” she asked, eager for the gossip. “Everyone’s gone. Like, they’re all skipping.”

No, not everyone was missing—just the social elite, which apparently, are the only ones that count.

I pointed out, “I’m not skipping.”

“Yeah, but,” she rolled her eyes before continuing, “you’re not…you’re one of us. You know what I mean.”

“Anyway,” I changed the subject, uncaring if it was rude, “you’re a science person.”

“Hmm?”

“So, are you good with computers, too?”

“Uh—”

“Or do you know anyone who’s good with computers? And I’m talking, like, really, really good with computers. Like a hacker?” I whispered.

“A hacker?” Molly squeaked, flushing.

“Yeah,” I said dryly, but my eyes were drawn to her neck. “Oh my God!”

“What?” She looked down, flushing again when she realized what I was looking at. “Oh.”

“That’s a hickey.” It sounded like an accusation.

Molly didn’t answer, she was too busy blushing. Like a full-out, full-body blush.

“Larkins called.” I smiled widely, nodding in approval. “Good for him.”

“Please,” she mumbled, avoiding my gaze.

It made me smile. Molly she wasn’t tainted, like myself. It was nice to have a friend like her.

A friend...hmm…

“It’s a good thing. Messing around is fun,” I emphasized the word ‘fun.’ I was starting to realize Molly didn’t have that much fun, and I was starting to care about her. I’ve never cared before.

“It’s nothing,” she still blushed though, “really. It’s not like what you and Tray do.”

Which might not always be a good thing, but I stayed quiet.

“So, do you know any hackers?” I asked instead.

“Why?”

“It’s for a school project.” I refused to feel guilty that I was lying.

“Well,” she hesitated, “there’s a group of guys that could probably help, but—”

“But what?”

“They’re kind of…freaky.”

I can handle freaky. “Just tell me who.”

The rest of fourth period consisted of lab. Which was boring. But lunch was next and I swooped into the cafeteria, scanning for the tech crowd and spotted them in a far corner, right next to the library—go figure. Molly informed me that they ate right away and then spent the rest of lunch on the computers in the back of the library, you know—where no one went because it was nerd haven.

Molly liked going there too.

Just as I was crossing the cafeteria, I heard the door swing open and conversations halted. Literally. It was like everyone chose that moment to take a collective breath. I turned and saw the social elite—who else could garner that kind of reaction? They must’ve decided to attend the afternoon. Even the guys had decided to show up and Carter.

I looked back and saw that the techies were finishing up.

Spying an empty seat, I dropped down in the middle of them and asked bluntly, unheeding their startled expressions, “Who’s Props?”

Nothing. And because I didn’t know if they were suddenly incapable of speech or because he truly wasn’t there, I asked again, “Who is Props? My friend said I’d find him here.”

The guy next to me cleared his throat and raised his hand cautiously. “Uh…that’s me.”

He was short and husky, but if he’d clean up a bit he’d be a cutie.

Molly also informed me of this. She’d had a crush on him since seventh.

“You’re Props?”

“Uh huh.” He gulped.

I smiled and informed him, “We’re going to become friends.”

The guy looked terrified.

I waited until he finished his food and then I said, “Come with me.”

A few moments later, after I told him what I wanted, he frowned and scratched his head, then said, “So you want me to do what?”

“It’s a bank account. Okay,”.” I said, business-like, pacing behind him in some super-secret tech room. “I want you to get in there and trace all accounts that have tapped in. I need to know where those accounts ended up.”

“But, that could take days, possibly weeks, for me to even get into the account.”

“I have the account numbers,” I said quickly, dropping into the chair next to him. “So that part’s done. Now you gotta find where all other accounts go. Okay?”

“Um…” The guy still looked horrified.

“What?” I snapped. I was impatient and this guy was not making me calmer.

“It’d help if I knew what exactly you’re looking for,” he scrambled.

“Why do you need to know that?”

“Because there could be a thousand different traces once I get in there. Anything you can give me would help cut down on some of the leg-work.”

“Don’t go for anything that’s federal. That help?” I raised my eyebrows.

He took a deep breath.

“We’re skipping fifth period and you want me to do some very illegal stuff—I need to know why,” he stammered, looking like he couldn’t believe he just said that to me.

“You’re going to be skipping more than fifth,” I stated.

He didn’t move.

“Because there are some people who fucked with me and I need to know why. I’m pretty sure that this is going to lead me to whatever the hell information I need to make sense of why every person in my life is lying to me,” I said forcefully.

The guy had a deer-caught-in-the-headlights look and I was fixing to run him over.

I tried a different tactic. “Okay,” I muttered, gentling my voice, “what do you want? I can try to get it for you.”

He just blinked and then stared at me.

“Really. A friend of mine wanted an invite to a party. I did that. What do you want? Like a computer? I can get that for you,” I reasoned. At this rate, I’ll try anything. I’d steal anything, if he’d just turn those goddamn fingers to that fucking keyboard.

He still didn’t say anything.

Plan C.

“If you don’t get to work, I have a car and I will run it over you, then, when you’re lying on the ground, I will use my taser on you. Then I’ll back up and do it again.”

“I want to go on a date with Aidrian Casners,” he spit out, his eyes wider than an owl’s.

“You want a what?”

“A date. With Aidrian Casners.” He seemed to grow more confident each time he said it.

“Who’s Aidrian Casners? I don’t even know her.”

“She’s easy to find. She’s always out in the parking lot. She’s usually wearing a mini-skirt and a halter-top. Yesterday she had on a purple sequined halter top and she wore these sparkling sandals. She has a tattoo on her thigh. It’s a unicorn.”

“Okay,” I cried out, more to get him to shut up. “She sticks out. I got it.”

“And?” He waited.

“I’ll work on it,” I mumbled. “Now get working on my stuff!”

*

I stayed put until seventh period. Props lived up to his name; I had to give him props. Once he buckled down and actually got to work—he was cursing and sweating up a storm in no time. But I saw the gleam in his eyes. He liked the challenge and this was a challenge for him. I was starting to think he’d never gotten a challenge like this before, or he’d never had an excuse to go looking for this challenge.

Whatever. I was just happy because he was working on it.

“So…” Molly began, waiting for me.

“What?”

“I saw you talking to him.” She sounded accusatory.

“Yeah. You told me where he’d be.” Did I need to add the ‘duh’?

“And?” she asked pointedly.

“And what?”

“Did he ask about me?”

I had to grin. “Who gave you that hickey? Or should I be asking who do you want to be giving you a hickey?”

She blushed. So predictable.

“You have to introduce us,” she whispered, hunching down over the table as our teacher entered the room.

“You’re the one who knows him.”

“Well, yeah. But it’s not like you’ll introduce us, like this is Molly blah blah, blah. You know, just act like we’re good friends.”

“We are friends.”

“We’re science lab friends and table-mate friends.”

Who said table-mates?

Molly continued, “We’re not friend friends.”

“You went to a party with me,” I reasoned.

“No. I begged you to invite me to a party and you got the hottest guy in this school to drive me there, but you and said guy left—very quickly—after you showed up at said party. You were never at the party with me.”

“Yes, I was. I saw you drunk. That consists of me being at a party with you.” I was starting to enjoy this conversation. Molly could argue and flush at the same time.

“Oh—” she sputtered.

“Alright, alright.” I laughed. “Don’t worry. He’ll be mooning over you in no time.” I bit my lip.

“What?” Molly asked, seeing it.

“I just have to do something for him first.”

Her eyes bugged out. Almost literally, but, hey, at least she didn’t faint. I guess Props was not faint worthy.

“Not that!” I hissed, laughing. “But kinda yeah.”

“Oh my—” Now she was flushing with anger. It was really entertaining.

“He wants to go on a date with Aidrian Casners. I told him I’d try to set them up. I think he just wants to lose his virginity to her. Don’t worry.” I was starting to feel bad for Larkins.

“Don’t worry? Do you not understand what ‘worry’ means? Having the guy of my dreams go on a date with Aidrian Casners is the definition of being worried,” she hissed, blushing when she saw Tray look our way. She looked down at the table, and continued, “I’ll have no chance after he’s gone out with her.”

I didn’t know if I should comfort her or slap her. I didn’t know who Aidrian Casners was, but I was getting the impression that she was not a girl who’d date a computer geek. For real. Molly, on the other hand, could be his first wife.

“Mrs. Maslow,” Sasha stuck her hand up, “can you ask Taryn and her freak friend to be quiet?” She turned her heated glare on us. “They’re distracting me.”

Oh please. I rolled my eyes. She was working on a freaking worksheet and then I realized what she called Molly.

“I think you’re the freak friend, Sasha,” I said coolly, smirking. I sat back, ready to do battle.

“Miss Matthews, Miss Keeley, if you could please quiet down, it would be greatly appreciated,” Mrs. Maslow asked politely, not even looking up from her book.

Great psych teacher. What insight.

Sasha grinned triumphant.

Jasmine raised her hand. “Mrs. Maslow, I was wondering if you’d ask Sasha to stop copying my answers.”

Sasha gasped, gaping at her.

I laughed.

Mrs. Maslow lifted her head, more annoyed than interested.

“Miss Klinnleys,” she spoke, “is this true?”

Sasha paled, still gaping at Jasmine “No!” she denied heatedly. “Jasmine’s copying mine.”

“Then why is mine done and yours is only half done?” Jasmine asked innocently. She held her paper up. “See.”

“I’m not copying. I swear,” Sasha exclaimed emphatically. “I don’t know why she said that.”

Mrs. Maslow took both of their worksheets and compared them.

“Miss Klinnleys, you may go to the principal’s office.”

“He’s going to talk to you about appropriate boundaries,” I called after her as she hurried from the room.

“Miss Matthews,” Mrs. Maslow said sternly, “it would be beneficial for you if you were to learn your own appropriate boundaries.”

“I know. That’s what the principal said.” I grinned, seeing her own amusement flicker in her eyes. The psych teacher liked me.

When she returned to her desk, I stole a glance to Jasmine and saw her grinning to Mandy—in victory. Then it hit me—Jasmine had just set Sasha up. What a manipulative bitch. I couldn’t help but appreciate it. Jasmine was one of the social elite. Sasha was getting too close to Amber. So Jasmine had to send her back down.