Untouched (Bay Falls High, #1)(17)

And he made sure it was doused in his cologne.

To make the point very clear.

“Ti?” Beth asked, snapping me out of my trance.

“Yeah, I’m here,” I said.

“Are you sure?”

I nodded. “Yeah. Of course.”

“This isn’t a joke. They rule everything. Right down to teachers, classes, even Jacobson.”

“So what do they want from me?” I asked. “I’m just the new girl. I’m a nobody.”

“That’s the point. You’re a nobody. You’re new blood. You’re intriguing. You’re a toy to them. And they will find out everything about you.”

“How?” I asked.

“Just trust me, Ti. There will be no secrets kept.”

“Great,” I whispered. “So I have to worry about Blair and Vicky. And now I have to worry about them.”

“Welcome to BFH, Ti,” Beth said. “Everyone sees money and thinks life is easy.”

“I never said that. Or thought that. You can’t imagine where I come from.”

“Well, you can either tell me as a friend or I’ll find out through rumors in the hall.”

I put my head back and stared up at the sky.

“You know, I can give you the truest advice ever,” Beth said. “I mean, if you really want to hear it.”

“Try me,” I said.

Beth touched my shoulders. “I don’t care where you came from… or how bad it was… but you should go back there… right now.”





I sat on the beach. My butt to the sand. No towel. No plan of getting into the water. But rather just sit there and watch the waves. There were two choices. Lie to Claire and leave or tell the truth… and still leave.

This wasn’t my town.

This wasn’t my school.

Everyone had friends, cliques, knew the rules - and the Rulz. I was just an outsider. And here I thought I could just slip in as the new girl. Make up a story about my parents on business in Italy or China or some kind of crap. And when they asked why I didn’t go with them I’d just say I was bored of traveling.

Instead, everything about me was going to get exposed. Which really didn’t bother me so much. But if Barr, Kip, and Pres were going to mess with me… and keep messing with me…

“You’re the new girl.”

I turned my head and looked up to see a beautiful girl with messy, curly brown hair looking down at me. Her skin was so tanned it made me instantly jealous. She wore a thin and baggy top that danced in the wind. White so it was see-through, showing off a neon orange bikini top. Her jean shorts were dark blue, ripped and frayed, the top button undone showing a bikini bottom that matched the top.

“That’s me,” I said.

She plopped right down to the sand. “I’m Giuliana. Call me Gi.”

“Tinsley,” I said. “Call me Ti.”

“Seriously?”

“Can’t make it up,” I said.

“That’s awesome. Ti and Gi. Gi and Ti. We’re best friends now, aren’t we?”

I smiled. “I don’t know about that.”

“What was up with your locker today?”

“My locker?”

“Yeah. Heard something was going down. There was an animal in it?”

“Oh. That. No. Just a prank.”

“Ah. Still feeling out the school?”

“I guess you could say that.”

“This is a good place to come,” Gi said. “Just unwind a little. Nothing can really get you here.”

I laughed.

You don’t know what you’re saying…

“Do you surf?” Gi asked.

“No. I really don’t get to the ocean all that much.”

“Yeah, me neither. I’ve always been afraid of sharks. Dumb kid fears, you know? But there had been attacks. I mean, not here. But, you know… whatever. See? I get rambling when I get nervous. That stupid asshole Barr told me something once…”

I grabbed Gi’s arm. “Barr? You know Barr?”

She looked at me. Her eyes were a rich amber with hints of yellow. Or maybe it was just the way the sun reflected into them.

“Everyone knows Barr,” she said. “Why?”

“Just curious,” I said. “I’ve heard the name before…”

“Don’t be shocked by it. You’ll hear all their names.”

“All of them?”

“Well, mostly Barr, Pres, and Kip,” she said. “But there are others.”

“Others?”

“Yeah. It’s how places like this function. Nobody can actually trust each other. It’s all about money. And once you have all the money you want the power. The power costs money so when you get the power you try to get more money. It never ends, Ti.”

“And what about you?” I asked. “Money? Power?”

“Does spoiled rich girl sound good?”

“Works for me. As long as you’re not rotten like Blair and Vicky.”

“Oh, those two?” Gi asked. “They’re my besties.”

“What?” I asked.

She laughed, throwing her head back, letting her long and beautiful curls dip into the sand.