My palms were sweaty as I drove to Jesse’s house. And I felt ready to vomit at any moment. Everything in me was queasy and quivering. I took a deep breath as I pulled into their driveway. When I got outside, I smoothed my hands down my clothes. It was then that I cursed at myself. I was still dressed in my pajama pants and sweatshirt.

Good one, Alex.

I made a note to pack an extra bag of clothes for the next time I felt haunted by Ethan’s presence.

And then I knew I had to stop stalling, so I marched up the front steps and rang the doorbell. Like the last time, their housekeeper answered the door, but unlike the last time, she shook her head at me. “Not here, Miss Alex. He not here. He here.” And she shoved a piece of paper in my hand.

I looked down and saw an address scribbled on it. When I looked back up to ask more questions, the door had already been closed.

Well, then.

I retraced my steps and turned my car around. It took me thirty minutes, but I followed the direction from my phone after I searched for the address online. Finally, I pulled up to a large brick home. Every window had light shining from it and I heard male voices and bass music as I got out of my car.

“Alex?”

I turned. Marissa was at the end of the driveway. She frowned at me as she pulled at the end of her hair with a hand.

She always did that when she was nervous.

“Hey.” I crossed the street to her. “Whose house is this?”

“Jeremy Benson’s.” Disgust flared over her face. “I can’t believe Cord is friends with him. He’s become a loser. All he does is work at his dad’s company and hang out at The Pub every night.”

“Cord’s in there?”

She sighed and dropped her hand from her hair. “I’m really sorry, Alex. I really am. I was just stupid and insecure. I kept calling Jesse like a stalker. I think a part of me hated the idea that you could get a guy I couldn’t, and I know, I know. That makes me sound like scum. I am scum. I am. I will do anything to make it up to you. I swear!”

She stopped and held her breath.

I didn’t say anything. What could I say to that?

Then her head dropped. “And can you believe the worst part of it? I got his number from your phone.” A pathetic giggle escaped her lips. “He doesn’t even give his number out anymore, but I knew you would have it. That’s how sad I’ve become as a friend.”

I didn’t know if it was the tear she wiped away or the hitch in her voice, but I crumbled. I wasn’t one to hold grudges, but I knew I had let her back in. “Stop blubbering. I got it.”

“Really?” She wiped a second tear again as her face lit up.

I nodded. I wasn’t going to hug her or anything, but I knew we’d be okay again.

“Oh, thank God,” she breathed out in relief. “I was so scared that you were going to do the distance thing to me. I’ve seen you do it and it scares the hell out of me.”

“Distance thing?”

She nodded and wiped a third tear that slipped down her cheek away. “Uh huh. You don’t ever get mad at people, but you freeze them out. Once you put up a wall to someone, you don’t take it down. I was so scared that you were going to do that to me.”

“That makes me sound horrible.”

“Oh, no, Alex. Please, no. I don’t want you to think that. It’s just you.” A sudden understanding came over her.

I backed away. I didn’t want her to understand me. I didn’t want anyone to understand me.

Her eyes widened, but then her arms dropped to her sides. And she forced a bright smile on. “Okay. So, are you going in there with me? I came over to make sure Cord was okay and chew him out for not calling me. I called Amanda Sherman. Her mom works at the station and she was there waiting for her to get off work last night. She said that she saw Jeremy and James Hazel get arrested, too.”

“Oh.”

“Wait, why are you here?” Her eyes narrowed. “You didn’t come to chew Cord out for me?”

I bit the inside of my lip. I could’ve taken that, but I knew she’d see him anyways. I shook my head. “No. I came because of—”

“Marissa?”

We whirled around. My heart was in my throat, but I relaxed. Cord was coming from around the house with his arm around a slim blonde. She wore skintight white jeans and a bright blue top that flowed over her br**sts. They were clearly outlined underneath and it was obvious she wore no bra.

Marissa drew upright. A grim look came over and her eyes hardened. “Are you kidding me?”

“What?” He glanced at the girl who hung on him. “This is Ariella. Have you met her before?”

Marissa’s neck vein stood out. For a second, I waited for her to launch herself at him. She wouldn’t go after the girl, she’d go after him and I already knew I’d back her up. My arms fell down. My knees bent slightly and I loosened my muscles, ready for anything.

“Cord told me he was so nice to go to your little school dance with you. That’s so sweet of him.” The girl tipped her head back and flipped the platinum hair over her shoulder.

Marissa bared her teeth.

“I just gave him a reward for being so sweet to you.” Ariella laughed.

The sound traveled down my spine. It was sugary sweet and so fake I had a hard time holding back some laughter. The girl was a plastic bimbo. It was so clear that I wondered why Marissa hadn’t unleashed her claws and verbally stripped the girl down. She could do it. I had witnessed many times where I had been uncomfortable by how far she would take the verbal beating.