The Naughty List (13 page)

I paused in my driveway and waited until Christian’s car pulled away before I took out the cell phone. Kira needed to know what was going on with our newest addition. But I paused. I put the SOS phone back in my purse and pulled out my cell to dial Aiden.

He answered on the first ring. “Hello.” He’d been sleeping. I closed my eyes.

“Hi,” I said.

“Tess? What’s up, baby?” There was a rustling of sheets.

“Can I come over?” I asked. Tears were stinging my eyes. He would be so angry with me when he found out. I was so scared to tell him. But I had to. Then I wouldn’t have to do anything with Christian, and there’d be no more sneaking around. Ever.

“Of course,” Aiden said, sounding more alert. “You need me to come get you?”

“No.” I opened my eyes and looked at my car, parked off to the side. “I’ll come in the window.”

“I like when you sneak in my window,” he whispered.

My body ached. All I wanted was for SOS to uncomplicate itself. I should’ve told Aiden from the beginning. I could barely remember now why I hadn’t.

“Tess, you okay?”

No. I wasn’t. I was very
not
okay. “Yeah. I’ll see you in ten minutes.”

I closed the phone and paused, thinking back to the night Mary told us her idea for SOS. Everyone had thought it was crazy. But I hadn’t. I’d liked it. I wanted couples to stay together, but to stay together honestly. The idea was a slam dunk as far as I was concerned. Because I’d always wondered why my dad had left for so long. I always wondered if it was another woman.

A breeze blew through my hair and I shivered. Our first assignment. I wrapped my arms around myself, thinking of Caleb Perkins. Two years ago, he was Aiden’s best friend. He’d also been cheating on his girlfriend.

That was it. That was why I hadn’t told Aiden. Wow. I hadn’t thought about it in years. When Caleb’s girlfriend saw those pictures of him hooking up with another girl, she freaked. She was the senior class homecoming queen, and she proceeded to destroy his rep. In fact, it’d gotten so bad he’d had to transfer schools. Aiden had been distraught.

And yet I’d let him stress over it, never telling him that it was me—that it was me who’d taken the pictures. Now it seemed so stupid for that to be the reason I’d kept the secret for so long, but what could I do now?

I put my palms over my face, trying to gather myself. In this moment, I wished I’d never heard of SOS. Or cheaters. Looking down at my clothing, I realized I was still dressed like a ninja. Aiden couldn’t see me like this. I readjusted my pack and turned to go inside my house to change.

I called Kira and set up a meeting before school. I didn’t mention Christian. I’d tell them tomorrow. He was my problem, and I’d deal with him. But the squad needed to know that he’d be around.

Over the last two years, not one client that we helped had outed us. It was total girl-code: a survivor’s bond. But Christian wasn’t obligated by any set of female ethics, or possibly by any ethics at all. I just hoped he could keep a secret; otherwise, the Smitten Kittens would be toast.

My adrenaline carried me up the wooden slats of Aiden’s lattice quickly. He’d left the window open, and he sat up when I swung my legs over.

“Hi, baby,” he called from the bed, looking all Hugh Hefner in a robe. I quickly wondered what he had underneath it. I was happy his mother’s bedroom was on the first floor. I might need more than a foot rub tonight.

I smiled. Just smelling his room, perspiration with a hint of soap, felt so natural to me. So much better than the smell of Christian’s cologne, which still lingered in my nose. Stop. I didn’t want to think about him. Not here.

“Where were you?” Aiden asked, getting up to meet me at the window, closing it quietly behind me.

“Tonight?”

“Uh ...” He nodded. “Yeah. I called you like five times.”

Shoot. Where had I told Aiden I was going to go? I blanked. Great Scott! This was already going badly.

“Tessa?” he asked.

I met his gorgeous green eyes, and I could see they were so concerned. But he was too adorable to have his brows pulled together like that. I used my thumb to smooth out the wrinkle between them.

“Let’s not talk about me,” I said, trying to channel my inner perk. “What have you been up to? I missed you.”

“Really?” He grinned, leading me toward his bed. He smoothed out the plaid comforter and then patted it. “Sit down,” he said. “I made you hot chocolate.”

Aw. That was just about the sweetest thing he could have ever done. I saw the World’s Best Athlete mug on the side table and grabbed it, taking a sip. My eyes weakened as I looked at him.

“You...” I almost cried. “You put marshmallows in it?”

He chuckled. “You sounded down. I wanted to pick you up.”

I stared at him as he stood in front of me, his robe tied shut. I closed my eyes.

“Do you remember Mary Rudick?” I asked suddenly. This was it. My heart was beating so fast, I thought I might pass out. I was vaguely aware of the pulsating in my ankle.

“Kyle Turkowitz’s ex-girlfriend?”

I nodded. “She was a great captain,” I said. My eyes had begun to water. Orion’s belt! Please let me be brave enough to tell him.

“She was good,” Aiden agreed as he sat down next to me. “Why are you thinking about her? Doesn’t she live in California?”

“Yeah.” She was lucky. After starting all of this, she was able to have a life now. And she probably had a boyfriend she didn’t have to lie to.

We were quiet for a minute, and then Aiden reached out to take my cup, setting it back on the side table. “Come hug me,” he whispered. “I want to hold you.”

And I couldn’t say another thing. I practically collapsed into Aiden’s arms, crying softly as he stroked my hair.

“Oh, baby,” he murmured. “Is it your parents? Are they splitting up again?”

I sniffled, but I didn’t answer. Instead I pulled back, looking into his beautiful green eyes. All this time, I could have told him. But now it was too late. He couldn’t find out. I’d do what Christian wanted and soon, I’d be like Mary Rudick. Aiden would be away at college in a few months and after that, just one more year of SOS. One more year of lying.

“I love you,” I said. “I couldn’t even cheer without you in my life.”

He smiled. “Tess.” He put his palms on my cheeks and drew me close to him. “I’ll never not be in your life. You
are
my life, baby.”

Aiden kissed me softly, tenderly. Then he laid me down and tucked me between his flannel sheets as he curled up next to me. He stroked my hair, murmuring in my ear. Then, to the sound of his heartbeat, I drifted off.

SOS CHEATER INCIDENT REPORT

CASE:
054

CLIENT:
Emily Hodges

SUBJECT:
Wiley Penchant

FINDINGS:
At approximately 2 a.m. on March 3, Mr. Penchant was observed leaving the Windmill hotel with a female other than the client. Upon further investigation, it was revealed that the accomplice was Mia Hodges, the client’s sister. Mr. Penchant and Ms. Hodges left the hotel in different vehicles, but before leaving, Ms. Hodges was overheard saying, “You can’t tell her, Wil. She’ll be devastated. I love you too, but Emily can’t find out.”

Enclosed are the photos documenting the time the two spent in the hotel room. Surveillance captured footage of them kissing, along with other sexual situations. Mr. Penchant also gave Ms. Hodges a box and wished her a happy “one-year anniversary.” It was not clear what they were celebrating.

SOS is confirming this cheat, and considering the severity of the findings, we would also like to extend our list of reputable therapists. You will find it enclosed with the photos.

We trust that this report will remain confidential as some of the information contained within could compromise our top-secret status.

SOS is sorry for your loss, and we offer our deepest sympathy. We hope that we will not have to assist you again in the future, but please keep us in mind for referrals. Keep smiling,

SOS

Text: 555-0101

Exposing Cheaters for Over Two Years

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“QUEEN OF SHEBA!” KIRA GASPED, DROPPING HER
maroon and gray pom-poms on the wood floor. “He knows?” She sat down, stunned.

I nodded. The squad was not taking the news well. Neither was I. I hadn’t even ironed my cheer skirt this morning. In fact, my braid had strands of hair dangling from it.

“Is he going to tell?” Leona asked, looking around the empty gymnasium. Poor thing. She was so nervous. She’d actually chewed off three of her fingernails. Her French manicure was ruined.

“Well,” I began, pacing in front of the bleachers as they sat watching me. It was hard to look composed when I felt so broken. “He said he wouldn’t. But he’s asked to help.”

“Help?” Kira squeaked with relief. “That’s so sweet!” She was beaming.

I tried to smile, but my belly turned. Christian had said he was worried about me, but I knew the score. All I had to do was indulge him in two assignments. It wasn’t like I had to hook up with him. Thank heavens he knew better than to ask for that. That would have earned him a swift kick to the groin.

“How did he find out?” Leona asked. I stared at her for a minute, unsure if I should tell. Cassie had messed up, it was true, but it was no reason to subject her to Leona’s wrath.

“I don’t know,” I said. “And it doesn’t matter now.” But there was something else I wanted to talk to them about. Something I’d realized as I snuck out of Aiden’s window in the middle of the night.

“After the Christian situation is resolved...” I paused. “I think SOS should take a break.”

They all gasped.

“What about the cheaters?” Izzie squealed. “We’re just going to let them get away with it? Look at what happened to Emily Hodges—her boyfriend was sleeping with her sister!” Izzie looked sick. We’d caught her boyfriend with her cousin just last month.

“Tessa,” Leona spoke up. “Can you imagine the cheater stats if we stopped tracking them? They’d be out of control.”

“They’re already out of control,” Izzie whined.

“Even more reason to keep on it,” Leona shot back.

Kira stood up, waving her hands wildly. “Be quiet and let Tessa have the court.”

I took a deep breath, glancing from face to face. Their expressions told me one thing. I’d be a quitter. If I didn’t stick it out, I’d be a quitter.

“Never mind,” I said quietly. “I’m just tired.”

“You look it,” Leona muttered. I was glad I’d never let her lead a practice. Her attitude was less than sparkly sometimes.

“Tessa,” Kira said, turning to me, looking serious. Her usual wide-eyed expression was gone. This was the real Kira, the one that kicked tush. She marched over and hugged me tightly.

“You’re choking me,” I said.

“Sorry.” She backed up and tilted her head. “If you want to stop SOS, I’ll follow your lead. After all, we’ll still be Smitten Kittens. Even without the spying.”

She was a peach. An absolute Georgia peach. “Thanks, K.” Starry night! I was going to cry.

But the bell rang, signaling that we were all late for first period. I sucked up my sorrow and straightened my posture.

“Shoot,” Izzie said, bounding toward the gymnasium door. “I’m going to get the tardy chair!”

Kira groaned and jogged over to get her pom-poms from the floor before leaving, and Leona mumbled something to me about writing a letter to the school board as she walked out. I exhaled, knowing one positive thing. No matter what, the Smitten Kittens would always stick together.

I was late for history. The class I shared with Chri—Fiddlesticks!

Scooting in three minutes late, Kira and I were assigned lunch detention in front of the entire class. No surprise there. What was alarming was the fact that Christian was absent, leaving his seat in the back row empty. It made me pause in my distrust for him. I’d thought he’d show up to gloat, stalk, or at least gaze, knowing that I was pretty much at his mercy. But he didn’t. I was relieved.

The relief didn’t last long, though. Ten minutes later, he walked into history. His hair was pushed behind his ears, his cheeks rosy with what looked like athletic exertion. It was... attractive. I folded my hands in my lap and glanced away. My neck felt slightly warm.

“Nice of you to show up, Mr. Ferril,” Mr. Powell said. “And I’m sure you’ll be happy to hear that you get to share your afternoon in lunch detention with two cheerleaders.”

Christian chuckled, and when my eyes met his, he winked. My stomach turned, and my fingers began to tremble. He walked past my table, and Kira tapped me on the thigh with her purple pom-pom pen.

“Tess,” she whispered, her eyebrows pulled together. “Do you think... do you think Christian is helping because he’s still crushing on you?”

I laughed. I didn’t know how else to react. He’d been obvious, and even though I knew it, I’d still let him hang around me. Was it any wonder my life was about to fall apart? Strawberry shortcake! I felt sick. Really si—

“Mr. Powell?” I raised my hand.

“Yes, Ms. Crimson.”

“I need the nurse. Now.” I stood up, knocking my chair into the table behind me, but before I could make my way to the exit, I leaned over and threw up on the linoleum floor of the classroom. I’d had Froot Loops for breakfast, and it made my puke all rainbowy. It was almost cute, but still, it got on my sneakers. Gross.

Kira was there, moving my braid of hair away from my mouth and rubbing my back. “Oh, Tess!”

My head was swimming. I could hear the class behind me, most of them sounding disgusted; a few laughed. Suddenly, everything just felt so out of control. Tilted.

“Ms. Crimson,” Mr. Powell said, moving from his podium to come to stand near me. “Are you okay?” His voice was kind. I appreciated that.

“No,” I said, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

“Do you want me to have the nurse come get you?”

I shook my head, but it made me dizzy. I put my hand on the cool table to steady myself.

“I’ll take her,” I heard from behind me. A hand slid around my waist, straightening me up. Christian.

“No,” I said, trying to push him back. But I felt weak. “Kira?” I turned to look at her for the first time. She was pure white.

She shook her head. “Let him, Tess,” she said apologetically. “You know how much I hate chunky things.” It was true. The girl didn’t go anywhere near stew or cottage cheese.

Shutterbug! Once again, I was at the mercy of Christian. It was like he had control over every part of my life, including my health.

“Let go of me,” I said, wiggling out of his grasp as he tried to touch me again. The classroom door opened, and the janitor came in, sloshing a rolling bucket behind her. I quickly wondered if she had vomit radar but then realized time had passed while I stood, trying to gather myself. Someone had even opened a window.

My stomach turned again. I needed to move.

I quickly stepped forward, careful to avoid my puke, and despite my clear resistance to his help, Christian found a way to get his hands on me again. He held my elbow and led me out of the classroom just as the sound of water splashed on the classroom floor.

The minute we got into the deserted hallway, I stopped. My vision was beginning to clear. I still couldn’t understand what had happened. I’d thrown up more in the past few weeks than I had in my whole entire life. It must have been stress-related, and I had a feeling that I knew the source of it.

“What are you doing?” I asked Christian, using my hands to smooth back some of my loose strands of hair.

“Saving you again.” He sounded amused. “Obviously.” I stared at him for a minute, unsure of whether or not to trust my gut or the things Christian said. He certainly hadn’t tried anything, and yet I couldn’t help but feel uneasy around him. Actually, the better word was
queasy.

“Come on,” he said, laughing a little. “I’ll take you to the nurse, and you can tell me about our first assignment.”

“No—”

“You agreed to two,” he interrupted. “And you wouldn’t go back on your word, would you, Tessa?” He smiled as he said it, like it wasn’t a threat.

I glared at him, and the small smirk stayed on his lips. They were nice lips, sort of full. But they weren’t mine. The lips that belonged to me were about ten inches higher. I closed my eyes.

“So if I go back on my word...” I took a deep breath. “Are you going to tell my boyfriend?”

Christian chuckled. “Come on, Tessa. Hanging out with me can’t be
that
bad. Would it really be worth telling Aiden? It’s not like I’m going to attack you.”

“Well—”

“Not unless you want me to,” he added.

A tingle spread over me, and I was suddenly alarmed. Only Aiden was allowed to make me tingle there. I took a step back.

Christian shook his head. “I’m kidding,” he said, reaching out to touch my forearm. “Let’s take you to the nurse’s office. You look pasty.”

I felt weak, so I let him pull me along, not saying anything. I didn’t want him to touch me. Definitely not. And yet I let him lead me, not fighting back anymore. I wondered if I’d already become his prey.

As soon as Christian left me alone with the nurse, I began to feel better. Her perfume didn’t even make me nauseous. I waited for Aiden, knowing that Kira would find him and tell him what had happened. Not that he wouldn’t hear about it anyway. I mean, I threw up in history class. That was news.

Second period started. I chewed on the corner of my lip, glancing at the clock. There was an ache in my chest. Why hadn’t my sweetie come to check on me? I glanced over at the nurse, who was keeping herself busy refilling the canister of cotton balls.

Aiden. My eyes began to sting, and I lay back down on the cot.

“Are you feeling sick again, Ms. Crimson?” The nurse looked concerned. I was glad someone was.

“Yeah,” I said. “Can you call my mom? I think I need to go home.”

“Oh, honey,” my mother said as she drove. “You look so pale.”

I nodded, unable to shake the dread as I rested my head against the cool glass of the passenger window. My life felt so off balance. It was like I was on the top of a human pyramid with an unstable base.

My mother swallowed hard, and I could sense she wanted to talk to me. It was rare that she wasn’t humming or talking. This awkward pause was disconcerting.

“Tess?” she asked. “Is everything... okay?”

I turned to her, slowly, lifelessly. “Why?” But I could tell by the way she looked at me that I didn’t seem well.

She blinked and then turned back to the road as she slowed down for a red light. “I don’t know,” she said, looking sideways at me. “You seem to be tired all the time, and I haven’t really seen Aiden around.”

I glanced at my lap, staring at my jeans and wishing I were wearing my uniform. The sight of the gray and maroon colors sometimes cheered me up. “We’ve been getting together a lot at night,” I said quietly. “When you and Daddy are at the club.”

My mother gasped. “Oh, no. Is that what this is, Tess? Is it because we’ve been gone too much?”

I shook my head. She sounded so guilty, poor thing. How could I tell her it was my own fault that I was down? It was the sneaking and the lying and the boy who was after me. How could I tell her that I was losing Aiden?

“That’s not it, Mom,” I said. “You guys are strawberry smoothie. It’s... it’s nothing.” I was lying again. To my own mother.

“Tessa,” she said softly. I turned to her, desperately lonely. “You don’t have to be perfect, honey. Everyone gets sad sometimes.”

“Not me.” And I tried to smile. Because the worry lines on my mother’s face were almost too much for me to handle. She had her own life. She shouldn’t be concerned over mine. She needed me like this. She needed me to be a Smitten Kitten.

“Really, Mom,” I said, straightening my posture. “I’m liquid gold right now. I just felt a little sick. I haven’t been eating well.” Everything inside me ached, but as I forced the perk, I started to feel it. Soon, I was myself again. Grinning, chatting.

When we got home, I helped my mother reorganize the cabinets after she made me chicken soup. It was nice to stay busy, something to keep my mind off the fact that my phone didn’t ring once. Well, the SOS phone vibrated four times, but my phone didn’t. Maybe Aiden didn’t know. He’d call me after lunch, though. He’d surely find out then.

But lunch came and went. It was really hard to beat my mother at chess when I kept picking up my phone, checking to make sure I hadn’t missed a call or accidentally left it on silent mode.

At three my mom had to go pick up my father from the airport. He’d flown down to San Francisco a few days ago, trying to book them a huge gig. I was glad he’d be back. I’d missed our talks.

Three thirty. School had let out close to forty minutes ago. No Aiden. I made myself a cup of hot tea and debated whether or not to put on my uniform, just for morale.

I had curled my legs under me on the couch and reached out to grab the remote off the coffee table when the phone rang. I nearly dropped my tea as I quickly set it down and snatched up the phone, pressing it to my ear. “Sweetie,” I whined. “Where have you been?”

There was a chuckle, and my belly took a swift turn. “Shoot, Tessa,” Christian said. “I just saw you a few hours ago.”

I closed my eyes. Not again. “You really shouldn’t call me,” I said, unable to hide the disappointment in my voice. Where the heck was my boyfriend?

“You’re right,” Christian replied. “Would it be better if I just came by?”

“What?” My heart rate sped up. He’d become so aggressive in his hunt. It was really throwing me off. “No. You can’t—”

“I’m kidding.” He was laughing. “You need to lighten up.”

“Oh, I’m light,” I mumbled. “Like a feather.” I put my forearm over my eyes and leaned my head back into the couch cushions. I just wanted Christian out of my life.

“Listen,” he said, still sounding amused. “Kira caught up with me after school, said you guys were going on assignment tonight. I wanted to check and see if you were still up for it.”

Dang it. I wanted to get my two nights with another man over with, but could I really do this? Especially when I seemed to throw up at the drop of a pom-pom these days.