The Naughty List (The Naughty List #1)(52)

Izzie’s eyes were glassy as she stood up to lean her body across the lunch table and handed me the SOS phone. I jetted my eyes between all of them.

“What’s the big?” I asked in a tight voice. I almost didn’t want to look.

Suddenly, Izzie burst into tears, covering her face with her hands. What the eff was going on? I shook my head and held the cell up in front of my face.

It was a text. It was… Oh, no.

SOS SUSPECT CHEATER FORM

SUSPECT: Aiden Wilder

ACCOMPLICE: Chloe Ferril

Dear SOS,

Another one for you to add to your possible cheater roster. Who would’ve thought, right? Aiden cheating on Tessa? She’s head cheerleader! And I totally thought they were in love. Oh, well, I guess you never know. Hope it’s not true.

Cassandra

SOS

Text: 555-0101

Exposing Cheaters for Over Two Years

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

THE WORLD SORT OF FELL APART AROUND ME. There were colors, and not pretty rainbow ones, but dark, shaded ones. The sounds in my ears began to echo. I stood up, knocking my tray onto the floor but not looking down at it. I dropped the SOS phone onto the table and backed away. Kira’s voice was faintly there, calling me, but I looked straight ahead.

It… wasn’t true. Not after two years. Not like this.

“I have to go,” I said absently. “I’ll call you later.” I began walking out of the cafeteria, not quite sure where I was going, but just away. I half expected a Smitten Kitten to come after me, but no one did. They were devastated. Not only had Aiden been the perfect boyfriend, he’d been my boyfriend. And hadn’t I been perfect?

As I walked the empty halls, I choked when a few whimpers escaped from my throat, but I recovered. I would never cry at school. No way. I only had about five minutes before the bell would ring, flooding the walkways with students. I needed to escape before then.

The big double doors of the school’s front entrance loomed ahead, and I didn’t even stop at my locker. I’d get home, find my mom and dad, and ask them. They knew Aiden. They knew he’d never—

I skidded to a stop. I had no way home. Gingersnaps!

“Tess?”

Christian was next to me. He was always there. But rather than give him a dirty look or politely tell him to go away, I burst out crying. Hysterical, drama queen sobbing.

His arm reached over my shoulders, and soon we were walking into the sunshine of the parking lot. I didn’t argue, not that I could; I was covering my face, unable to control my fit.

“Shh …” he said soothingly, and it was soothing. It was almost nice. I put my head on his chest, smelling him, trying to fight back the last few tears.

“Get in.” He opened the passenger door of his car, and I did just that. I got in. Again.

I kept my head against the cool window, my face feeling swollen, as he drove toward my house. I saw the trees and houses as we passed but didn’t recognize any of it. And I didn’t care.

I cleared my throat. “Do you think there’s something going on with Aiden and your sister?” My voice was hoarse.

“Where’d you hear that?” Christian asked.

I turned slowly to him, my lips feeling dry and chapped. “SOS just got a possible cheater form. It was about Aiden and… your sister.” I resisted the urge to call her a harsh name, but it was so close to the tip of my tongue, I was alarmed. I hadn’t sworn in years.

“Oh.”

I waited, but that was all he said. “Did you know?” I demanded.

“No.” He shook his head, adjusting the heater. “To be honest…” He looked sideways at me. “I can’t believe that anyone would cheat on you.”

My mouth opened in surprise. It was a puppy-dog statement, and despite what had just happened, I smiled. If Christian could be this fond of me, surely Aiden still was?

It gave me renewed hope. “I don’t think it’s true,” I said as a new sense of calm fell over me.

“You… don’t?” He sounded truly surprised.

“No. I won’t believe it.” My chest filled with possibility. “Aiden loves me. I’m his life.”

Christian didn’t say anything, but when he pulled up in front of my house, he shut off his car. He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel.

“Thanks for the ride. I’m okay now.” I was perky. If I could stay like this, things would be okay.

Christian pulled his eyebrows together. “Tessa,” he whispered. “It’s none of my business; you’ve made yourself clear. But I’d hate to see you get screwed over like this.”

I winced, feeling slapped by his words.

“Sorry.” He shook his head. “Listen, I’ll be honest, I do believe it. And I … I want to suggest something.”

I didn’t like how easily he accepted Aiden’s unfaithfulness. But then again, he didn’t know him like I did. “No, thanks—”

“One more mission,” Christian said. “Just one. No one even has to know.”

My stomach flipped, and the air seemed to escape from the car. I hadn’t considered—I would never consider—spying on Aiden.

I shook my head.

“You’re a professional, Tessa. You run a wildly successful nonprofit organization,” Christian said, looking down at the steering wheel. “If he wasn’t your boyfriend, would you be investigating him?”