Wynter offers, “I’ll help too, but I’m kinda… well?—”
“Boring?” Callan pats her hand too. “Don’t worry, we can’t all be evil geniuses.”
“Reassuring.”
“Infinitely.”
My lips twist at their byplay, but the short convo gives me the courage to swipe at the tear tracks drying on my cheeks.
I got this.
I can make Dyers regret the day he was born.
I’ve done it so many times to Pecan and Zach—I’m a pro!
My cell buzzes and a jolt of fear rushes through me.
Okay, so my confidence is shaky. But this is a game plan that’s minutes in the making. I can do this. YOU GOT THIS, DENVER PARILLA.
Spying the unknown number on my screen, I’m tempted to ignore it, but my obstinate ass refuses to cower so I read it and am rewarded with another truth.
Everyone on campus isn’t a jerk. Just the usual mean girls and the dumb boys who think ruining people’s lives is a fun time.
Wynter came to my table in the midst of a crisis. Callan’s got my back. Pecan and Zach were never in doubt, but with Wynter and Callan, that’s two extra folks in my corner—and here’s a third.
“What is it?” Callan asks warily.
“Lex.”
He fiddles with his watch. Which is impressive considering he uses his pen to do the toying. “Huh?”
I turn my phone to face him.
(Unknown Number): Hey, it’s Lex from Dopie’s. I know we don’t hang out much and I scored your cell number from Pecan’s girlfriend, but I’m pretty sure that douche Dyers is behind that dumb-as-shit picture floating around—I heard him crowing about a joke he was concocting over breakfast with some of those more-idiotic-than-flat-earthers frat brothers of his.
(Unknown Number): I’m sorry that he’s such a vaginal douche
“Seems you were right to crush on her. She’s kind.” I peer over his head and see her watching me with concern.I wave at her and mouth, “Thanks.”
When Callan blushes with pride as he reads her text, I hide a smile. Hell knows why I’m smiling when I’m about to become ‘pig girl’ on campus, but…
“Vaginal douche,” he repeats with a happy sigh.
“Vaginal douche? Have you ever had one of those before?” Wynter shudders. “So fitting for someone like Dyers.”
“That may be my new favorite insult,” Callan declares. “You watch me call my nemesis back home that.”
“People don’t have nemeses anymore.”
“Sure they do, if they’re interesting enough, Denny. Can I help it that everyone’s bland in today’s world?”
“I bet Lex isn’t bland.”
“I bet so too. Sweeter than cherry pie.”
I snicker when his lips part, then twist into a dopey grin as he stares blankly out the window beside us. Which is where I see Zach. Looking harriedandpissed off.
Oooh, boy.
