“It is as long as I see you holding his hand.” He turned around and joined his friends.
I was seeing red, and my body was on fire. I had to stay calm. I ran into the bathroom for the millionth time to cool off. Managing the situation between James and Brian wasn’t easy. I felt like I was torn in two directions, balancing on a tightrope.
I jumped at the loud thud of the door. Taylor had followed me into the bathroom, and her timing was so perfect that I wondered if she’d done it on purpose.
“First White talks back to me, then she steals my role as Juliet,” she announced, invading my space and causing me to back away.
“June didn’t do anything wrong, you’re the one who—”
“I feel like,” she continued threateningly, “someone here is going to have a really, really bad ending.”
I told myself her threats didn’t scare me, before thinking back to Brian. Okay, maybe they scared me a little bit.
“And someone tells me that someone is you, Ari.”
“Taylor, I know you’re with James now, but I—”
“Oh, Ari, we’re not talking about who’s in bed with James—I got out of that mess. We’re talking about my reputation as student council president.”
“What do you mean?” I asked, fixing my ponytail.
“It’s not a competition between you and me, Ariana. I’m on your side this time.” Taylor moved in front of me, blocking me from looking in the mirror.
“Under no circumstances should James be elected to student council or become the football team captain,” she declared.
“Since when are you on Brian’s side? Not to mention you supported James up until yesterday.” I eyed her with a confused look, hoping she’d explain.
“Because I was unaware of what James arranged last week. But now that I know, I’m not gonna let him have any power in this school,” she explained mysteriously.
“What did he arrange?”
“Haven’t you heard about the principal?”
I frowned at that. “I heard they beat him up, but what does James have to do with it?”
“James is a loose cannon. I know him and what goes on in his sick head. I don’t want to be associated with him. I don’t want ruin my academic future for someone who’ll will end up dead in a few months.”
A chill went down my spine.
Taylor noticed and came closer to me, scowling severely.
“I don’t get it. How could he ruin your future? Until yesterday you two were—” I didn’t have the courage to continue.
“Intimate?” she concluded, laughing. “Get off your high horse, Ari. Girlfriend of the year!” she exclaimed.
She took another step forward, forcing me to back up. “Do you think I don’t know about what you’re doing with James? Oh, hold on, your halo’s slipping.”
She made me feel two inches high, and rendered me speechless.
“Amelia had the guts to hang him out to dry, and your idiot friend’s brain is so fried that she can’t even remember who she’s going to bed with. You’re the only one who’s gonna end up getting burned.”
“Taylor, it’s not what you think.”
Her hostile expression burned me. “Brian doesn’t know, does he?”
I felt my chest constrict, followed by a more intense hold in my stomach.
“What? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
