Fallen Crest High(109)

"What are you talking about?" I shook my head. Was she mad? "There's no dinner?"

"There's a dinner, but do you really think I'm crazy enough to invite the Kade brothers? Everyone knows they don't care and we all know that we weren't really invited on that trip. You invited Adam, he invited us, and no one else cared if we went or not. That's how we went on the trip. You're completely right. Mason and Logan don't care about us, though I think they should.

Everyone knows they should've gone to this school. They should be our friends, but they're not. They made their choice."

I eyed her up and down and noted how her hands were in small fists, how her jaw was stiff, and how her shoulders were bunched together. A massive knot was going to form between them.

I spoke softly, "You're a bit pissed with them, huh?"

"What?" She looked taken aback.

"Nothing." I grabbed my fifth period book. "So no dinner tonight?"

"Oh no. I'm having a dinner and you're invited. You don't have to come; no offense will be taken if you don't. We all know you're probably tired." She lingered on my bruise. "But if you do, Adam will pick you up."

I grinned now. "He's not picking up Cassandra?"

Miranda grimaced. "Between you and me, I hope those two don't do more than their flirting. He doesn't care enough about her, and she deserves someone who's going to be there for her. Adam cares like that about you."

Oh no…

She laughed and waved at me. "Don't worry. I'm not going to play matchmaker. Everyone can tell that Sallaway did a number on you, but I do hope you'll come to dinner tonight."

"Can Becky come?"

Her eyes held mine steady. She didn't blink. "No."

So that's how it was going to be. I should've known.

Miranda looked over my shoulder and she chuckled to herself. "Look at that, I did you another favor."

Another one? I looked over and saw Jessica, Jill, Lydia, and Ashley at some lockers. All four of them stared at us with different emotions. Jessica was livid, as was Jill. Lydia was trying to fight off a smile at me and Ashley surprised me when she grinned.

Miranda added, "They wanted to confront you about why you wouldn't let them come on the trip, but now that I've deemed you one of my friends," she laid a hand on my shoulder. "They wouldn't dare." Her laugh was confident, it bordered on the verge of being cocky. "Welcome to the Elite, Samantha. I hope to see you at dinner tonight."

As she strolled down the hallway and linked elbows with Emily Connsway, the only female in their group who hadn't gone on the trip, Miranda stopped and lifted her head for a kiss from Peter Glasburg. He hadn't gone on the trip either. When both of them looked over and gave me a grin, I was jolted enough to jerk my hand up in a wave.

"What'd she want?"

I turned around. Becky was frowning at them with something else in her eyes.

I narrowed mine, was she hurt that I had talked to her?

"She was giving me a heads up that Jessica and Jill wanted to confront me about the trip."

Becky's eyes narrowed and I knew there was suspicion in them, but then she yawned suddenly and her shoulders sagged down. "I'm so tired. I can't handle any more fights."

"You can't?" I touched the side of my face. It was still tender and the pain started to throb again. "I don't remember you helping out from your version of the story."

She grinned and linked her hands together in front of her. It was a self-conscious movement. "I would've, but you were so funny to watch. And you kept telling you could handle it. You were taunting her, actually."