Fallen Crest Public (Fallen Crest High #3)(88)

Cars were lined around the block, as well as the next block over. When he pulled into a back alley, there were a few hidden spots open behind Fischer’s house. Cutting across the backyard, a lot of people waved at Mark. I recognized a few people from Academy spread out throughout the yard, but when we went up the back porch, the Elite had taken their spots. From how they were sitting, with everyone beneath them, it looked like they were perched on their thrones, reigning over the lower class. All of them were there: Miranda was on Peter’s lap; Amelia; Emily; even Adam was sitting with them. When I turned to go inside and make my way to the kitchen, Cassandra was pushing her way out. Both of her hands held cups of beer. A sneer came over her when she saw me. “You really need to get over this stepbrother thing. It makes you look like trash, but then again, you are trash.”

“Does Adam know that you finally gave up your obsession with him? Or is it not public knowledge you’re stalking Mark now?”

Mark laughed from behind me.

Cassandra sucked in her breath, and her hand raised. I was waiting for it. It wouldn’t be the first beer thrown at a party.

Adam swooped in. His hand covered Cass’s and he took the cup from her. “Thanks, Cass. I owe you.”

“Yeah,” she said, raking me up and down. “You sure do.” Storming past me, she would’ve rammed her shoulder into mine, but Mark stepped right next to me. She would’ve ran right into him, but growled as she was forced to go around him instead. I waited. She rammed her shoulder into his. Mark’s laugh was cut off, but then he started chuckling again.

Turning to us, he rubbed at his shoulder. “The girl can hit. If she can do that with her shoulder, I’m excited to find out what else she can do in bed when she’s angry.”

Adam frowned, but shook his head. “I said it before, and I’ll say it again. Are you sure you know what you’re doing?”

“Screwing Cass?”

“Dating Cass.”

“Oh, come on. It’s not like that.”

“You will be. Before you know it, you will be.”

I was still wondering what happened with Amelia, but I caught a glimpse of Logan. He was walking past the kitchen door. “I have to go.”

“Sam,” Adam started.

His hand caught mine, but I shook him off. “I’m fine.”

“Sam.”

“I am,” I reassured both of them before turning and following Logan.

Kate walked past the kitchen door, too. The rest of the Tommy Princesses followed behind like ducklings, but there were too many people between us. I couldn’t get to the living room fast enough. When I did, it was full of Fallen Crest Public people, but no Mason. All the people I wanted to see were nowhere to be seen.

“Sam?” Jeff stood up from a couch. His arm had been around a girl, and he grabbed her hand, pulling her with him as he crossed to my corner. “What are you doing here?”

A light bulb was flickering as I stared at his girl. She looked familiar—wait. Adam. Basketball game. “Your name is Kris. I saw you at the basketball game last week.”

“Oh.” A faint smile came over her small lips. Her hand was pulled from Jeff’s, and she wrapped her arms around her petite frame. “I didn’t see you there.”

Jeff threw an arm around her shoulder and pulled her against his side. He announced to me, “She’s friends with Jessica and Lydia, but I’m trying to make her see the error of her ways.” He sent her a pointed glance. “Sam would know. They were best friends with her and …” he flailed, closing his mouth. “Never mind. So you’ve met Kris, huh? Quinn’s trying to court her, too.”

She gasped, and her head jerked down.

I gestured to the girl. “You embarrassed her.”

Her shoulders stiffened, but she didn’t correct me.

Jeff’s smile was blinding as he squeezed her again. “It’s like you 2.0, except I have a clean slate and I’m hoping without the Kade part. I can’t hold up against your …” He cringed. “I need to stop talking tonight.”

“Yeah, you do.” Kris nudged him with her elbow.

He laughed, squeezing her again.

I sighed. “Young love. Too bad you’re going to get screwed over. It’s inevitable.”

Jeff dropped his arm from her shoulders and they watched me with pity. I could detect that look from a mile away now. He asked, “You okay, Sam? I tried getting my ‘friends’ to help you, but they all said you were handling yourself fine.”

“Uh. Yeah.” I pointed to my face. “It’s not porcelain skin underneath all this make-up.”

“I know.” His mouth dipped down. “I meant that I tried, you know. I told you at Nate’s party that I’d try to get them to help.”

This conversation was going to a bad direction. He was talking like I had died, and I still had fight in me. I needed to find Kate. I had a whole lot more fight in me. “Where’d they go?”

“Who?”

I snorted. “You’re a bad actor, Jeff. You might’ve been able to lie to me before, but I’m smarter now and I hang out with liars who are in the professional league. Tell me where they went.”

“Sam, don’t do this.” He reached for me.

My arm swung away from him. “Don’t.”