Fallen Crest Public (Fallen Crest High #3)(53)

She was pretty and petite. Her wavy hair was a wheat-golden blonde color and fell to her shoulders. When Adam saw me, he stiffened. She glanced up, a frown on her face, and followed his gaze. When her eyes caught mine, they were a breathtaking green.

I waved at them. Adam jerked his head in a stiff nod back to me. Her gaze lingered on me, and I could see the confusion there. Lifting a hand to his chest, she tipped her head back, the questions already on her lips. As his jaw clenched, I knew she had asked who I was.

When I turned back to Mark, he lifted a shoulder up. “Her name is Kris. He’s crazy about her.”

I remarked, “That must drive Cass nuts.”

“You have no idea.” Amusement sparked in his eyes now. “We miss you over there.”

My eyebrows went up at that.

“We do. I do. I know Adam does. Not everyone hates you over there.” He skimmed me up and down with a wolf-whistle on his lips. “You look good, Sam. Public school must agree with you.”

I shrugged. “Seven hours earlier and you would’ve really though that. You look good, too.” And he did. Mark had always looked good, but there’d never been an attraction between us. He was six foot two inches, had muscular shoulders, dark hair and the same almond eyes that his mother had. He wasn’t the golden-boy beauty that Adam was, and he didn’t have the classic handsome features like their other friend, Peter, but Mark’s easygoing personality and contagious smile were like a magnet to girls. Always had been. I had no doubt Mark had his pick of the ladies.

He flashed his dimples. “Logan would be proud. I’m doing that workout he was telling me about last weekend …” He trailed off. “He didn’t tell you about that?”

“You saw Logan last weekend?”

“I always see Logan. Same parties, you know? But we haven’t been getting invites to the public parties like we used to. A lot of people think it’s your fault, like you don’t want your old classmates there.”

I was public enemy number one at Fallen Crest Academy. Not much had changed. Fond memories. “What’d you talk about?”

“What?”

“You and Logan. What’d you two talk about?” That wasn’t what I wanted to ask him, though.

He shrugged. “What we always talk about. Girls and lifting weights. What do you talk about with him?”

My eyelid was beginning to twitch. Screw it. “Is your mom still dating David?”

“Your dad, David?”

I nodded. My heart began pounding.

“Yeah. Why?”

“You told me a couple months ago that you thought they were going to get married.”

“I know.” He gave me a sheepish look. “I’m sorry. I overreacted. My mom told me that your mom and dad hadn’t been divorced at the time, but they are now. Aren’t they?”

“Are they here?”

“Your mom and dad?”

“Your mom and my dad,” I shouted in his ear. The crowd had doubled, and we were pressed even closer together. I couldn’t see Adam anymore.

“Oh.” He laughed at himself. “Yeah, they’re here. They’re with the adults. Why?”

I shook my head. “No reason.”

“Oh.” His frown came back. “Was I not supposed to say that? Is that a secret or something? I never know what’s going on.”

“No, it’s fine. You’re fine.” I patted his arm for extra reassurance while a storm had started inside of me. “I’m going to go and find a seat.”

“Wait.” He tapped my shoulder again. “We heard there’s a party at Fischer’s tonight and Academites are invited. Is that true? Are you going to be there?”

“Probably.” I waved at him again before moving away. “See you later.”

“Oh. Okay.” His hand jerked up, and he waved it back and forth. “Yeah. See you.”

Before going into the packed gymnasium, I needed to go to the bathroom. The lines hadn’t lessened and then I heard a buzz inside of the gym, followed by another deafening roar from the crowd. I’d been to enough basketball games to know the teams just left their locker rooms, which meant I needed to hurry. I didn’t want to wait in line so I turned a corner and went down one of the darkened hallways. Slipping past one of the gates, I jogged all the way to the bathrooms at the opposite end of the school. No one should be in them and I wouldn’t have to wait in line. I would get back by the time they finished their warm-ups.

Everything was going according to plan.

Pushing through the door, the bathroom was empty. It didn’t take me long. I finished and washed my hands. When I turned from the hand dryer, I stopped. Everything stopped. In hindsight, I would realize that the dryer drowned out the sounds of their entrance, but it didn’t matter. I couldn’t have stopped it from happening.

Kate had come inside the tiny bathroom. Parker stepped around her, Jasmine and Natalie following behind. When the door closed behind them, Natalie reached up and locked the door.

All four of them were dressed in black clothing with hooded sweatshirts. The four reached up and pushed back their hoods as one. Each had their hair tied back in a low ponytail.

My stomach dropped.

This wasn’t going to end well, but I couldn’t get past them. I couldn’t call for help. I tried to grin, failing miserably. “Payback?”