“I didn’t think so.”
“What about me?” I ask. “I’m not even considered? Because I’m a girl?”
“Because you’ve never been in trouble,” Briggs says. “You don’t know how to cover shit up because you’ve never had to.”
“What haveyouhad to cover up?”
“None of your fucking business.”
“Of course not.” I roll my eyes. “I just have to trust you and do what you say.”
“Exactly.”
“Asshole,” I mutter.
Briggs stands up and moves his chair away from the door. “Finn. Parker. Get out of here.”
“Why?” Parker gets up.
“I want to talk to her alone.”
“Whatever,” Finn mumbles as he swipes through his phone on his way out the door. Parker follows, and I hear Finn say, “I bet he’s gonna fuck her.”
“He’s not gonna fuck her, you idiot,” Parker says.
Briggs closes the door. “Ignore them.”
“You’re not going to fuck me?” I say in a high-pitched voice. “And here I was getting all excited.” I roll my eyes.
Briggs walks over to me. “I need you to get on board with this.”
“On board with what?”
“The hierarchy of power. I need you to get in line. Not challenge me. If you do, it’ll make it harder for me to keep Finn and Parker in line.”
“I’m not just going to do whatever you tell me. My entire future is at stake. If we get charged for this, I won’t be going to college or getting a job or—”
“I know all that. It’s the same for all of us. Our lives are shit if someone finds out about this, which is why I need to keep Finn and Parker in line. They’re unpredictable, especially Finn. When he drinks, he says shit he shouldn’t. And Parker can’t be trusted to keep a secret. He talks before he thinks.”
“Then what are we going to do?”
“You let me be in charge. If you want to challenge me, do it when it’s just you and me, not in front of Parker and Finn. If they see you trying to challenge me, they’ll start challenging me too, and then we’ll lose control of the situation. Trust me, I know those two, and if I don’t keep them on a short leash, this secret will be out in a few days, if not sooner.”
“You’re just saying that because you want to be in charge. You don’t want anyone telling you what to do.”
He leans down to me, his eyes locking on mine. “I’m saying it because I don’t want to end up in jail for this. I don’t want a fucking criminal record. You think you’re the only one with plans for after graduation?”
“No, but—”
“Then do as I say and don’t challenge me in front of them.”
“What if I don’t agree with you?”
“Call me and we’ll meet, without Finn and Parker around.”
I don’t trust him. I don’t trust any of the A’s, but I believe what Briggs says about Finn and Parker being the most likely to tell our secret. I would’ve said just Finn, but Parker talks a lot, so I could see him being unable to keep a secret.
This is so messed up. I can’t believe my future is in the hands of my three biggest enemies. What if they go to the cops and say that I was the one driving that night, or the one who convincedthem to leave the scene? They have no reason to protect me. I’m not their friend.
