Brady Remington Landed Me in Jail(22)

As I looked through the branches, I saw some of the more popular girls laughing together. That was weird. I always assumed Clarissa was friends with them. She was the most popular one.

Nothing about that night was making sense anymore.

CHAPTER NINE

"Who are they?"

She leaned close and her voice tickled my ear. "Angela and Nicole. They're the ring leaders, but they all hate me. I'm so tired of it."

"I thought you were friends with them."

Clarissa shuddered. "No way. I'm not friends with Angela."

"…a cow, seriously."

"I don't understand what he sees in her, in both of them."

"Totally. Brady has such bad taste in women. I mean both her and Clitty Clary."

Clitty?

Clarissa whispered, "Clitoris."

Oh—OH!

"They're both sluts. They probably just lay on their backs for him. You know that's why he's not dating any of us. We're better than that. We have lives. I mean, if he dated me, I wouldn't be waiting on him hand and foot like they are. Did you see her? She jumped when he told her to play the game. Pathetic."

"She's got no social skills. None at all."

"She's a whore. I bet she spreads her legs three times a day for him. Brady's just so used to getting whatever he wants whenever he wants. I mean, you can't really blame him, but I just wish he'd open his eyes and see that he could do so much better."

"He totally could."

"No doubt."

"Um, yeah!"

"Her name is Rayna. How stupid of a name is that."

"Her and Clarissa. They're both stupid names."

"I wish he had more motivation in life, at least when it comes to girls. He could have me, not that I'm saying I'd date him or anything, but really. He could do a lot better than that girl. She doesn't even have any friends."

"Rayna?"

"Who else do you think I'm talking about? Brady is nice enough to be her only friend. Who'd you think I was talking about?"

"I don't know. I thought maybe…Clarissa?"

"Clarissa Cumberly has friends, she's got all the friends she needs. Male. Hello—her name is Cum-berly for a reason."

They all laughed.

My hand clenched over my stomach. Clarissa patted my arm. And then I heard…

"She really needs not to be a charity case. Brady needs to wake up and see what he's wasting away with. She's not pretty. She's not anything. She's nothing. She's boring. I don't understand why he wastes his time with her. It's gotta be about the sex. She must put out for him whenever he wants. Really. How sad is her life?"

"Totally."

"No doubt."

"Really."

"She doesn't even talk in class. She goes to the library. They're so wrong for each other."

"That's enough," Clarissa growled and surged forward.

I clamped a hand on her arm and shook my head when she looked at me in question. I couldn't…I couldn't do it. Everything they said was right. I had sex with Brady. I wasn't popular. I wasn't the right girl for him. I didn't even understand why we were best friends. I blinked back tears.

"Rayna, no…" Clarissa started.

I didn't want to hear those words spoken to my face, spat at me. I couldn't—they were all true anyway.

"You do not let them win. They're wrong. They’re the pathetic ones."

But it was true, and I couldn't even tell her how true it was. I had slept with Brady, twice. I did feel like his charity case for our friendship. "I have to go. I'm sorry…but I…I have to go."

I broke away and started down the road. Clarissa shouted my name, but I ignored her as I wiped away the tears. I might even be pregnant with his child. Then they'd all know how right they were.

I walked back towards the house by the road and tried telling myself that I wasn't my mother's child. I wasn't that girl. I had tried not to be her. Those girls were wrong…and I didn't even want friends, much less friends like them. I wasn't the girl they were talking about, except...I sighed as I faced the truth. I didn't know if I could resist him. If he tried again, I would be the girl they were gossiping about.

Hugging myself, I wiped a tear away. I was Brady's charity case. He was too everything, too much for me. Brady belonged in a different world. He was from a different league. Brady could live his life. I'd live mine and not go to parties like this again. We'd be okay. He could be with the Clarissas of the world. And me…who was I kidding? I'd stay with Viola and Neil until they kicked me out. They needed me. Everything would be okay. I'd be okay. Brady would be more than okay so why did I still want to cry? I was being logical.

I hadn't walked far before a car drove past, braked suddenly, and reversed to halt beside me. I tucked my chin down and headed forward. I didn't want another heap of ridicule. I wasn't ready for it to be hurled at my face this time and not behind my back.

"Rayna?"

Shocked, I gasped and saw who I never thought I'd see again. Kid smiled from behind the wheel of some sports car. Beside him sat Joshua, the stupid kissing cousin that I didn't like. It almost dampened my excitement of seeing Kidrick, but I just blocked him out.