"And don't fucking sit by me in class, either. You sit in the front now."
"Elias, what the hell? You're joking, right?"
"No, I'm dead fucking serious."
"Why? What the hell did I ever do to you?"
"Because Saige doesn't fucking like you—that's why."
"Saige? Since when do you give a shit about that fucking skank?"
"Doesn't matter. She doesn't like you, so don't fucking come over." He turns the camera toward me. "Say bye to Sasha, Saige."
It doesn't change anything. It doesn't make anything Elias did to me even a little bit better, but still…
I have to admit I'm enjoying the look on her face.
I smirk. "Bye, Sasha."
"Fuck you!" she shouts when he turns the camera back toward him. "I only did all of that stuff to her because of you."
"Don't care. Maybe don't be such a fucking follower next time," he says before hanging up.
I hold in a laugh.
Elias isn't funny. Elias isn't my friend; he isn't on my side.
"We good now?"
Don't smile.Do not fucking smile at him.
I break eye contact and shrug. "We'll never be good."
Elias shakes his head and stuffs his phone back in his pocket. "So anyway, I'll see you at the house later, Saige. Don't fucking be late this time."
He walks off, and I turn in the other direction, heading toward the food court. Andnow that I know no one is watching, I remember the look on Sasha's face and allow myself to smile.
11
honey and venom
Saige
Walking into the residence hall feels unnatural—that's the best way to describe it. I mean, I'm supposed to live here, but I've only slept in this bed once, and now, that bed doesn't even have sheets.
I never even finished unpacking. I never cleaned up the mess—the tossed drawers, boxes, and all the other shit on the floor. I guess I should be glad that whoever it was didn't break my television and tear through the walls like Miles did at Elias's house.
They must not have had a fire poker.
The room feels tainted now, the air notably staler than it was in the hallway. Leaving the door open, I drop my backpack on the floor and cross the threshold.
I dig through the mess for things I didn't need before, but after a few days, I've started to miss. Like my headphones—I could have really used those earlier when I was killing time in the library. My journal, which is merely a comfort item atthis point—I haven't written in it more than a couple of times over the past year, but I still carry it with me.
My favorite pillow. Dental floss.
I grab some more clothes, too. I bought some yesterday, which helps, but I'm going to need more, eventually. And it's getting colder. It's getting darker earlier, too.
And then I check the time: 6:03 PM. Elias and Dax should be at the gym now.
