“What did you say?” Henry asks.
“I shouted at them and told them that what’s going on with you and Noah isn’t any of their business. That they can’t out you.”
“There’s nothing about me to out,” Henry snaps. “And I bet you shouting at them wasreallyconvincing.”
“It was,” Eve returns in an icy voice. “I talked to them for five minutes straight about how they couldn’t say anything. They can tell everyone about Oliver. They can say I was friends with Noah — that I pretended to date Noah — to make him jealous. They can do any of that. But they can’t say anything about either of you. They won’t. Maybe they’re all idiots, but I think they have an ounce of common sense. It’s too far. Tiana agreed. She wouldn’t say a word.”
“She’s going to fucking tell Kaito,” Henry says.
“She won’t. She promised she wouldn’t.”
But what is a promise from the gossip queen of Easton Grammar worth?
“The three of them said they wouldn’t say anything. Ruby won’t either,” she says. “I know she won’t.”
“Fine,” Henry says. “Let’s say that they won’t say anything. What was the fucking point of bringing us here?”
Eve scowls. “You don’t have to curse at me. I’m trying to help you. I brought you here to warn you of what happened and what might happen.”
“They’re going to make us their bitches. They’ll hold it over us and blackmail us—”
“I doubt that will happen.”
Henry glares at her, and she glares back. I rub the heels of my hands into my closed eyes. When I open my eyes, this will all be a dream. A nightmare.
I open my eyes. Nope. This is reality.
“Is there anything else they know?” I ask.
Eve hesitates, her eyes flicking to me. She’s trying to send a wordless message, but I can’t read it.
“What?” Henry demands.
She shakes her head. “Nothing.”
“That’s a lie. Tell me.”
“It’s nothing, Henry.” Once again, Eve matches his tone.
“Tell her to tell me, Noah.”
“Don’t boss him around like that.”
“Noah,” Henry repeats.
“Don’t talk to him like that. He’s not the boss of me.”
“Isn’t he?”
Eve’s eyes darken.
“Hey …” I say.
“Who are you, anyway?” Henry continues, jaw clenched. It’s impossible to have a rational conversation with him when he’s in this state. “Why are you involved in everyone’s shit?”
“Stop it,” Eve says.
“Did you suggest the Jealousy Promise — Pact — whatever the fuck? Wanted to become popular? Wanted to be Noah’s friend?”
