The Original Crowd (10 page)

Hmm.

Mandy was avidly glaring at them.

Dropping into a chair at one of the back tables, I was surprised when I recognized my science lab partner in the other seat.

She gave me a tentative smile.

Oh hell.

Sticking out my hand, I said, “I don’t know if we’ve actually ever been introduced. My name is Taryn Matthews.”

A squeal escaped her mouth as she extended her hand. “Molly Keeley. I’m your—”

“Science lab partner. I know that.”

“Yeah, and I’m in your health class.”

Wait. “I’m in health?”

“You skip for study hall.”

“I thought I had study hall.”

“You should probably tell your teacher that.”

“Oh.” I sat back, surprised. “Thanks.”

“No problem. We’re playing volleyball next week, so it should be fun.”

“You play volleyball?”

“Only with my family. I can’t wear contacts and the glasses—they don’t help.”

“Right. Your microscope glasses.”

My eyes widened as I realized what I’d just said. “Oh, Molly, I didn’t mean—”

Shrugging, she grinned. “They do look like microscopes, but my mom won’t let me get new ones. They’re not cost-effective.”

“Whatever. They save your social graces,” I cut in. Again not thinking. “Oh my God, I’m so sorr—”

This time she laughed whole-heartedly. “You’re not what the rumors say you are.”

“That I’m a stone cold bitch.”

“Yeah, that. And that you screwed Tray Evans.”

“Where?” Could I not think before I talked? What was wrong with me?

She listed them off with her fingers, “In the school parking lot, in the parking lot at the diner, at one of his parties, at Rickets’ House, and in his car.”

“Oh. I’ve been busy.”

She giggled, ducking her head suddenly.

I looked over and saw Tray staring back, kneeling down beside me.

“What?” I asked.

“Two days,” was all he said.”

I flushed in annoyance. “Yeah. So?”

“You going to be ready in two days?” he demanded. And now I remembered detested him—I still did, no matter how amazing he was in bed.

I snapped testily, “Ask again and I won’t be.”

He smirked. Yep, he was still detestable. “Don’t get all worked up. We had a deal, a business deal. I need to know if you can deliver your end of the deal.”

“I’m ready to go on my end.”

“Whatever.” He stood up. “Saw Jace Lanser leaving town last night. Stopped at the diner for a burger.”

I stood also. “Yeah. So?”

He backed off, taking his own seat across the room, the entire class now listening avidly. “Nothing. The guy’s a loser.”

“Spoken like a true horse’s ass,” I shot back. Jace was family. No one talked bad about my family.

Mandy gasped, “Taryn.”

Jasmine smirked, but there was still a note of fear in her eyes.

“Spoken like a true bitch’s ass,” he retorted, sitting back, looking relaxed and arrogant.

“One that you’re hot for,” I said coolly, seeing him draw his breath in at my words. Before he could reply the teacher strode in frantically. “Sorry, class, so sorry I’m late.”

I sat back down and the rest of the class reluctantly turned their attention to the teacher.

Molly leaned over and whispered, “You are officially my idol. Just thought I’d share my reverence from this day on.” I cracked a grin at the litany. Microscope girl had a sense of humor.

After class, Molly walked with me out the door and towards my locker. I shot her a glance, wondering what was up, but she stayed at my side and even waited while I grabbed my bag.

“Something up?” I finally asked, noticing glances from the other students.

She shifted nervously on her feet. “Uh…well—”

“Out with it.”

“There’s a party this weekend. I think Justin Travers is throwing it and I was wondering—”

I had no idea who Justin Travers was. Pretty sure I couldn’t help her.

She continued, “You seem really, really nice, no matter what they say, and I was wondering…would you go with me? Or get me an invite?”

“Why?”

“Because Justin Travers is gorgeous and I’ve had the hugest crush on him since the third grade. One time he gave me his lunch. It was awesome.”

“I don’t know who he is.”

“He plays soccer and he’s on student council and he’s super gorgeous. He knows your sister, Mandy.”

“I still don’t know who he is.”

“Yeah, but I’m sure you’ll be invited to his party. You’re one of them, but you’re cool and nice. You can introduce us.”

I’d had enough. The girl was going to get crushed.

Shutting my locker, I said bluntly, “Listen. I’m not saying this to be mean, but if he’s what you make him sound—he’s not interested. In you at least. He’s going to go after little cheerleaders who give it up to be popular and have the IQ of a poodle. That’s not you.”

She was stunned and through her microscope glasses, I could tell she wasn’t even blinking.

I didn’t know what else to say, so I turned and walked outside towards my car. I might have crushed her, but it was nothing compared to what he would’ve done.

“That was pretty cruel.”

Turning I saw a skinny guy with waxy hair glaring at me.

“Who are you?”

“You can’t just treat people like that. It’s…It’s,” he sputtered, “inhumane.”

“She’s not a dog and what I did was save her from being humiliated,” I remarked.

“You really are the bitch everyone’s saying you are,” he called after me as I passed him.

I shrugged and gave him the finger, grinning as I walked to my car.

*

Wednesday passed without incident. Mandy acted like nothing was wrong, sitting with students on student council and some of the cheerleaders. Jasmine sat at a different table with Amber, Grant, and Devon. Bryce and Tray were missing. And me, I sat alone like normal. Molly chose a different seat in psychology and the guy who’d spoken up for her had glared at me as I left school.

I loved being popular—and hated.

But I was happy. I hadn’t heard any rumors about Mandy and Devon’s break-up. I didn’t even know if it was known at school. Monday the halls had been buzzing about the cancellation, alarms, and unending music. I’d missed Tuesday, so I didn’t know what the rumors were. But Wednesday had two themes. The first was my retort to Tray in last period and the other focused on Justin Travers’ party.

Nothing was spoken about Jasmine and Mandy. That’s all I cared about.

Wednesday night I was packing my bag, double-checking everything for the heist tomorrow. I was planning on going after school and waiting it out until eight o’clock that evening. That was usually when the faculty and staff finally left. The students should be gone by six or so—at least. I just needed to make sure that Geezer was sober and at my side to work on the device before I handed it over to Tray.

Hearing the doorbell, I sighed and walked from my bedroom towards the stairs. Hearing it again, I yelled, “Coming. Hold on.”

Opening up, I saw Carter on the opposite side.

“Hi.” He gave me a wide smile, leaning one hand against the doorframe.

“Mandy’s not here and I don’t know where she’s at,” I clipped out, moving to shut the door.

“Whoa, whoa.” He stopped the door, putting his foot in the doorway. “I’m Carter. We haven’t actually met.”

“And I’m perfectly fine with that, I’m done with your crowd. I’ll stick to my sister.”

I kicked his foot out and shut the door.

*

The whole school was on edge the next day. Amidst the excitement from Monday, it seemed everyone had forgotten that this was homecoming week. The cheerleaders reminded everyone on Thursday and that meant tension. Tension, chaos, and everyone suddenly acting like they’re going to get laid. They were playing Pedlam the next night.

At my locker, I grabbed a book, my cellphone tucked between my neck and ear as I called Grayley. Hearing him answer, I said, “Make sure Geezer’s sober today. I’ll need him tonight.”

“Sure thing,” Grayley remarked, I could hear laughter in his voice.

“Things crazy over there?”

“Yep.”

What’s up with the non-answers?

“Brian’s standing right there, isn’t he?” I asked coolly.

“Sure is,” he said cheerfully.

“Okay.” I hung up. No point worrying, Grayley knew what to do; he’d helped me numerous times over the years.

“Hey.”

Turning around, I saw my sister.

“What’s up?”

“Huh,” she faltered, shuffling her feet.

“Mandy,” I said firmly.

“What?”

“What’s up?”

“It’s…,” she rolled her eyes, her hands resting on her hips, “Carter said you two met and that you were—”

“Less than friendly,” I supplied dryly, shutting my locker and moving down the hallway.

“It’s just, why? Why do you have to be like that?” she cried out.

“I’m not going to be nice to a guy that’s temporary.”

“What?”

I stopped in the hallway, facing her squarely. “He’s the rebound. I get it, I understand, but he’s not my friend. In fact, none of these people are my friends. I’m here because your family adopted me. You’re my sister, I’m starting to get that—but everything else—your friends being my friends…it’s not how it is, Mandy. It’s not how it’s going to be.”

“It’s not like that,” she argued. I could hear the hurt in her voice.

“He’s the rebound,” I stated.

“Look, now’s not the place to talk about this. He’s having a party tomorrow night and he wants you to come.”

“I’m not going.”

“Come on, Taryn—”

“No.” I shrugged her off, ducking into my classroom. It was fifth period and I had Spanish, but luckily for me, this course is a cakewalk. If you actually wanted to learn, those students chose French. Spanish consisted of learning donde esta el bano, hola me llamo es ____, and zacapuntas. That was about it. Our teacher was usually flying around wearing a sombrero, helping the motivated students make piñatas—no joke.

Sliding into my chair, the only one open was in the front when I first started; therefore, my designated chair for the rest of the year. Just my luck.

Feeling someone tap my shoulder, I turned around and was blinded by the whitest pair of teeth, surrounded by a curly mop of blonde hair, framing piercing blue eyes.

“Hey.” When had our nation adopted this as the normal greeting? I think I’m going to start using a simple “hi” from now on.

“Hey,” I murmured. Nope, it was already ingrained.

“You’re Matthew’s new sister, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I’m Justin Travers.”

The dude Molly liked. I gave him the once over and, yes, I was correct in my assessment. The guy had a cheerleader on his lap.

“And apparently you know me,” I said wryly, moving to turn back around.

“I’m having a party tomorrow night. You’re coming, right?”

I turned back around and studied him, noting the smirk and cockiness. I looked at the platinum blonde on his lap—the Hooters poster girl from Tray’s house—watching me intently. It felt like I was being tested.

I sighed. “Look, if you think there’s even a possibility that the rumors about me screwing Evans are true, doesn’t mean shit to you. Because one, I am not one of those girls who’s suddenly realized how fun sex is and I’m going to start sleeping with anyone remotely popular. Two, if I did screw Evans then he’s probably the only one I’d settle for in the future. And three, I don’t have low self-esteem. I am not going to turn into a groupie.”

“Why are your panties so twisted?”

God, I’d had enough. Okay, yes, I’d gone on the offensive and he was only shooting back, but seriously. I’m sick and goddamn tired of guys thinking they can reduce everything to sex.

So I grinned coolly and flipped his chair backwards.

“Fuck.”

“Ah.”

Someone screamed, someone gasped, and a whole lot laughed. I caught the glances of a few people, but they quickly looked the other way.

“You bitch,” Travers shot back, slowly standing up.

“Psycho bitch is more like it,” said Hooters girl.

And I was hoping we’d be friends.

“Miss Matthews!” Señora Graham, the Spanish teacher, exclaimed, her sombrero falling off in her state of shock. “Principal’s office. Now!” Shouldn’t she have said that in Espanol?

Leaving the classroom, I realized I had left my books inside. Oh well.

I started getting a funny feeling in my stomach and, as I continued down the hall, it exploded inside me, leaving me gasping in surprise. It took me a moment to recover. This was new. Was this guilt?