Fallen Crest High(98)

"That's so cool. You should go out for cross country. I bet you'd be awesome at it."

Adam gave me a biting smile. "Did you rest up this afternoon?"

I wanted to glare at him, but I held back and took a breath instead. "I did.

You?"

Cassandra laughed shrilly and placed a hand over his. She gave me a forced smile. "Oh, you wouldn't believe how long he napped."

I frowned. "I wouldn't?"

"No." She heartedly shook her head. "Not at all, not one bit." Then she wiggled two fingers at me. "You're so secretive, Samantha. We had no idea you liked to run."

My eyebrow shot up. "Well, how could you? We've been such great friends since…" I waited a beat and gave my own forced laugh. "Oh, that's right. We're not friends."

Her smile clamped up and she glared instead. "You don't have to be mean."

I smiled back. "Why not? It's so much fun."

Becky gasped and patted her chest in an exaggerated fashion. "Could this be?

Has Cassandra Uppity met her match?"

She turned her glare on her and an added coldness sparked in her depths.

"Watch it, Sallaway. You're two steps from being ousted at school."

Becky seemed to purr in her smile. "Adam's been my neighbor all my life.

We're good friends too."

Cassandra's eyes were sharp. "I don't see him defending you right now. Two steps, outcast, two steps and your humiliation is all mine. I like to serve my dishes best cold."

Becky lifted her hand and pretended to claw her. "Retract 'em, beeotch. We all know what they say about felines."

"What?"

She seemed to search for words. "That…they're the female version of the human species: catty, moody, and sneaky."

"You're a girl."

Becky shrugged. "I'm more a dog."

The smile on Cassandra's face was the crème of the crème and she leaned back. "You're right. You like to bound around looking like a fool most of the time when everyone knows you're just panting for any scraps from your master. You're low class, Rebecca. You used to accept it."

Becky turned green and looked away. I leaned forward, not sure what to do, but Adam remarked as he continued to lounge back in his chair, "Sullivan, chill."

She glared at him. "Why?"

He stared her down. "She's my friend."

She rolled her eyes and harrumphed before she shot from the table and stormed away.

Becky looked back up from her lap. A small smile started on her face. "Did she just leave?"

The other two Academy Elite females didn't say a word, but shared a look.

I frowned at that. What did that mean? And then we were all distracted when two new arrivals showed up. They were by the beach and paused in clear view from the mansion's top decks.

I sighed.

Tate and Tanya had arrived.

Both looked stylish, dressed in tight khakis and tank tops. Tanya's blonde hair was in curls as it lay past her shoulders and Tate's hair was swept up in some French-twist thing. I didn't know what it was, but it looked sophisticated.

Adam shot forward, but he didn't stand from the table. He raised his hand.

Tanya spotted him and gave him a bright smile and a wave in return. She started for him until Logan stepped in the middle and swept a hand around her waist. He pulled her close and seemed to whisper something in her ear. Tanya laid a hand on his shoulder and frowned, torn at some decision. When he continued to whisper and his hand started to massage her waist, she melted into him. Her head rested on his shoulder and Logan met my gaze with a brief flash of triumph before he took her hand.