Untouched (Bay Falls High, #1)(24)

Sneaking through my own room, my heart racing, almost scared.

When I dressed in fresh, warm clothes, I caught my breath.

He was making his point. He was trying to show his power. Because money meant nothing to me. That was the thing that made them look at me the way they did. Other girls in BFH had money and cared about money. For me, I didn’t care. What was Barr going to do? Buy me a six figure car so I’d fool around with him?

Please.

This was all a stupid game.

I was the new girl.

I had a story.

I was poor.

They loved it.

And now I knew I had no chance in hell of talking to Claire about it. There was no way she would believe me about Barr. Or the others. Because if she was tied to Barr’s parents, she was tied to Kip’s and Pres’s too. Because that’s how these fucking rich towns and rich people did their business.

It made sense.

And actually, I was glad it happened this way. Before I opened my mouth to Claire.

I ripped open my bedroom door and walked to go back downstairs.

Barr would never expect to see me again.

But I had nothing to lose here.

He had everything to lose.

Maybe if I just kept showing up. That would be enough to send them packing. They’d get bored with me in a week. Because there was nothing there. No dirty secrets that could ruin my life. I lived in a fucking dump of an apartment with a junkie for a mother. How much lower could I go?

A smile crept across my face as I poked my head into the dining room.

“Sorry I missed dinner,” I said.

“That’s fine,” Claire said as she held a glass of wine. “Did you get changed?”

“She fell into the pool,” Barr said.

“What?” Cathy asked.

“I made sure she was okay,” Barr said. “Right, Ti?”

“Totally,” I said. “Stupid me. I was just walking and next thing I knew I was in the pool.”

“Nothing wrong with a midnight swim,” Sylvester said.

He laughed.

And slowly everyone else laughed too.

It’s only nine at night, you fucking moron.

I smiled and then excused myself.

In the kitchen the spread of appetizers was still there but there was no sign of the chef. I looked around at the food, most of which I had no idea what it was. Honestly, it all looked really gross. And I was sure it was delicious and extremely expensive.

“Not your usual, love?”

I learned my lesson already so instead of turning around right away I walked around the island in the kitchen and then turned to face Barr.

“Your tongue gets used to it,” he said.

“Good to know,” I said.

“Sometimes it’s an acquired taste and sometimes you learn to love it. Makes me wonder what you taste like.”

I laughed. “Is this your pick up game, Barr?”

“Oh, if I really wanted it that bad I would have it already. I’m just feeling things out right now.”

“Yeah. Why don’t you go feel yourself in the bathroom?”

He stepped back and folded his arms.

His silence was the best part of the night so far.

“I guess nobody remembers how to make a grilled cheese, huh?” I asked.

“Love, this isn’t elementary school anymore.”

My eyes went to Barr’s. “I know.”

“I don’t think you do,” he whispered.

He moved from the kitchen and I shut my eyes.

I returned to the dining room and saw Barr’s seat was empty.

“You know, Tinsley,” Cathy said, “I’m not sure what your plans are when you’re done with Bay Falls High, but you could always come work for me.”

“For us,” Sylvester said.

“She’ll be working for me,” Claire said.

“Oh… I… I don’t know where I’ll be,” I said. “I mean, it’ll depend on what my mother…”

“What business is she in?” Cathy asked.

“Pharmaceuticals,” I said. “Please excuse me.”

As I left the dining room I heard Claire begin to whisper the truth about my mother.

Great.

But whatever.

I checked the kitchen and there was no sign of Barr.

I checked the piano room.

The piano was dark and silent.

I even took the risk by checking the bathroom. I wasn’t sure what I would do if I found Barr standing at the sink taking care of himself.

The bathroom was empty but there were a lot of bathrooms in the house.

My eyes looked to the stairs and my heart sank.

“No,” I whispered.

I took the stairs two at a time as I needed to get to my room.

The house was certainly too big to make good time running through it.

I already knew what I was going to find.

He set me up again.

Being outside. Near the pool. Inching me toward the pool until I finally stupidly fell into it. Knowing exactly what he was doing. Because he wanted to see what room I went into to get changed in.

When I saw my bedroom door, I hoped I was wrong. I hoped I was overly paranoid.

The second I opened the door, I didn’t even need my eyes to know Barr was in my room.

I smelled his cigarette smoke.