After what felt like forever, he nodded and pushed his way out of the door, motioning for Jade to follow. The wind was kicking up, blowing unpleasantly hot air and dust in Jade’s face. She kept having to tuck loose strands of blonde hair behind her ears as she trotted along behind him, frantically talking to his back.
“We’re friends, right? We’ve been friends for a long time. You know we always hang out at parties and stuff. I mean, we’re the same. Our parents are famous. We’re A-list, right? You, me, and Jax.”
Ellis didn’t slow down.
“Ellis, please. We need to help each other out. I have money. My mom would pay anything to keep me safe. People like us, we need to stick together. Ellis,please!” She was begging but didn’t care.
Ellis stopped abruptly and turned to look at her with a calculating expression. She tried to hold his gaze, but the panic was becoming overwhelming again.
“I’m not going to die out here!” she blurted out. “I can’t. Not like this.” Tears were welling up.
“What makes you think you’re going to die, Jade?”
“Because…because…” Jade’s bored pout had been replaced by a steely, tight expression.
Ellis narrowed his eyes.
“Because of your video, maybe? Your little bullying prank that bought you a one-way ticket to the Motel Loba?”
“You…you’ve seen it?” Jade stuttered. Her skin turned bright redunder her carefully applied foundation. She’d only posted it on her private story and taken it down right after Karl’s suicide and the fire. But what was she thinking? These things had a way of spreading. She knew that better than anyone. Of course he’d seen it. Of course he knew, and the odds were, he wasn’t the only one.
Ellis gave a short laugh. “Yeah. I saw it. Can’t really forget that one. Brutal.”
Oh, god, the video. She could picture it now.
It was filmed in the St. Francis locker room the day before the fire. A group of heavily made-up blonde girls giggled next to a shower curtain. Jade was in front of them, mugging for the camera. She held up her fingers: three, two, one. They whipped the shower curtain back and there was Karl Hunt, in the middle of the locker room, naked. A cacophony of mocking laughter ensued as the person holding the camera raced forward, closing in on Hunt’s nudity, the girls surrounding him.
It had been a mistake. She knew that now. But what could you do? What was done was done.
“It wasn’t bullying, Ellis. People have no idea what it’s like to have a celebrity mom. Everyone wants a piece of me. Hunt was a creep. He was always lurking around my locker and staring at me over his lunch tray. Everyone noticed. It was embarrassing. It was sexual harassment. I had no choice. I told him I was hot for him and to meet me in the locker room and get naked. So, he did—what kind of loser even does that? He deserved it. People like him deserve what they get.”
“You don’t see what’s wrong with that?” Ellis said, raising his eyebrows.
“No. I don’t! I was doing a public service,” Jade said flatly, folding her arms over her crop top. She looked around desperately. “Any self-respecting feminist would have done the same thing. I don’t deserve to diefor this, Ellis. I don’t. If they vote for who’s guilty, I know someone will have seen it. Someone will remember. Please, you’ve got to help me. I can’t die out here like this.Ellis, please!”
After a brief pause, Ellis nodded, as if making his mind up about something. His expression softened.
“Okay, Jade. I can help you. On two conditions.”
Jade felt like throwing her arms around him but knew better. “Yes. Anything, Ellis. Anything.”
“First, if I tell you to do something, even if you don’t understand it, you’ve got to doexactlywhat I say,” Ellis said, watching her response closely.
“Yes, yes. I do, I mean, I will. Yes!” Jade smiled. He was on her side. She felt an intense wave of relief.
“Secondly, you have to promise you’ve got my back,” Ellis said in a measured tone. “If we stick together, we can survive this. But only if we stick together…and you bring your lapdog with you.” Ellis nodded to where Jax was standing by the bus with the others.
“You got it, Ellis. Whatever you say goes. We’re a team. You, Jax, and me. We will do whatever you say. Thank you.” Jade tried to stop. Gushing was never a good look—right up there with begging and brownnosing. They were signs of weakness and Ellis didn’t respect weakness. She pulled herself up, wiping at her streaked mascara with the back of her hands. She must look ridiculous. Nothing good in life came from looking bad. Her mom had taught her that.
Ellis held out his hand. It was a slightly odd, old-fashioned gesture, but Jade was past caring. She took it, and they shook on it. It felt good—real somehow, a silent contract that would guarantee her survival. They would win this game because that’s what Ellis did. He won things.
Jade could breathe again. She liked being taken care of. It felt good.
Ellis turned and started jogging towards the bus. Jade trotted along behind him feeling much better, almost hopeful. Without realizing it, she started humming quietly to herself.
I will survive…
I will survive. For the first time in hours, she smiled.
