Fallen Crest Alternative Version (Fallen Crest High #2.1)(9)

Adam said quietly as he still held her arms in place, “He did it to protect Sam. We’ve all heard about it.”

Her eyes filled with hostility and they snapped to me. “You!”

I stood in slow motion and knew my face was guarded. I lifted my chin, holding her gaze as I narrowed my eyes. “My turn now? Let’s have it.”

I was aware of Becky’s presence beside me. Something kept tapping on the table.

“This is all because of you. They’re right.” She looked shattered as she admitted it. “They’re right. Logan did this to me to protect you. He knew I could hurt you…and…I…it’s all because of you.”

I threw my hands in the air. “Are you serious?” I felt like Logan in that moment. “You’re more stupid than he told me you were. None of this had anything to do with me. I was a side benefit. They did this to you—they—not just Logan, but they. Logan, Mason, and Nate. All three did this to you because you—” I clamped my mouth shut and drew in a staggering breath. I felt my blood drain from my face as I realized what I had almost done.

“Because why, Sam?” Adam prodded in a soft voice.

I tore away and grabbed my coat.

“Sam?” He started to meet me as I rounded the table. When his arms would’ve caught me, I sidestepped and pivoted around. “Sam!”

I shook my head when I paused in the doorway but caught Miranda’s tear-stained gaze. “Logan didn’t hurt you because of me, but I’m glad he did. You’re a vindictive bitch, and if he hadn’t gone after you, I know you would have gone after me. So yeah, I’m happy. You’ve made others suffer so you’re due for your own batch.” I scanned the group with a hard look. “And f**k all of you.”

“Sam!” Becky yelled after me, but I shoved out the private room and hurried through the restaurant.

CHAPTER FOUR

I slept alone that night and received a few text messages from Mason. The dinner with their mother went as well as he assumed. Horrible. She didn’t like our relationship. Mason didn’t care. I asked if Logan said anything, and he responded with a bunch of curse words. That brought a smile to my face, but I’ll admit that the night was still lonely.

At school the next morning, I was surprised when Peter and Emily sat beside me in my first class. They’d never done it before and when I asked why, Emily grinned. “You’re in the Elite. What do you expect?”

Peter scowled. “We stick to our own.”

He didn’t look happy about it.

“I told you guys to screw off.”

Emily shrugged as the class started. “Wouldn’t be the first time we’ve heard it from someone in the group.”

“What about Miranda?”

Peter clenched his jaw and turned away. Emily gave me an eye roll. “Still in. She knows too much. What do you do?”

And like that, I was in. I wasn’t sure how I felt about it, but it seemed like a done deal. The rest of the school seemed to already know. When I left for my next class, the crowd parted for me. I was alone this time.

Cassandra and Mark sat with me in my next class, and the day followed like that. I was about to head into the cafeteria with Becky when I stopped in my tracks. Lydia and Jessica stood there. They looked like they were headed the opposite way. Jessica froze and the blood drained from her face. Lydia gave me a look that was half a scowl and half a smile. It twisted her features and then Becky tugged on my arm to go around. As we passed each other, I glanced back. Lydia and Jessica both watched us but turned back quickly and hurried away.

That seemed to be the official end of my friendship with those two. They acted like they never knew me for the rest of the day. After my last class, they parted with the crowd, and I was another member of the Elite to them.

In some ways, it was sad to me, but I was relieved at the same time. They loved to gossip about the Elite before, and I wondered if they would gossip about me now. I didn’t care either way, but it felt odd to me.

When I headed to my car, Adam fell in step with me.

“What does it mean now?”

He tilted his head towards me. “What do you mean?”

“Now that I’m a part of the group, what does it mean? Do we hang out and braid each other’s hair?”

He gave me a crooked grin and slid his hands in his front pockets. He shrugged. “I’m not sure about the braiding, but it’s what you’ve already seen. We can sit together or not. We can have meals together, hang out at parties together, whatever. You don’t have to even say hi to us, if you don’t want. That’s your choice. I’m sure we’ll have dinners together every now and then. I know Emily and Mark would love if you’d come to some of those.”

“Peter said you stick to your own?”

A dimple flashed in his cheek. “That’s because Peter has no other friends. He’s not good with the social skills, if you haven’t noticed.” Then he took a deep breath. “So you and Mason, huh? It’s official?” His smile seemed shaky.

I nodded. “Going on three months now.”

“That’s not weird with the folks?”

I shrugged. “They don’t like it, but…”

“He told ‘em to go to hell?”

“More like ‘f*ck off.’”