“Yeah, he fucked me so hard on Red Night, I sawstars, I swear.”
The third-floor bathroom is the only one that’s not crammed with tits, sneers, and drama. Or itwas. But now it smells like a vanilla and rose swamp. Perfume floats by in pink clouds with the thick, sticky stench of superiority.
Lighted mirrors line the wall like the backstage of a high school theater. The Formica counter, fake-marble print and all, is permanently stained with rouge from years past.
“I thought you were hanging out withCarl…” one of the juniorOmegasisters asks Hailey Twinston as they primp next to me.
“Not anymore.” Hailey giggles and tosses her crimped blonde hair over her shoulder. “Besides, Carl isn’t coming back from his vacation. And I think Aiden had everything to do with it.”
At the mention of the asshole’s name, my insides tense. Hailey rests her ass on the counter and addresses the group as they line their lashes and spread glittery body butter over strategic spots of their décolletages.
Zoe Griffin, theOmegawith bright pink hair, ignores her and continues doing her dramatic makeup for a zombie look. “Did Carldisappearwith the other sisters during Terror Tuesday?”
Hailey’s face is so smug, I want to hit it. “No, after. But Aiden got jealous when he saw Carl and me together before Red Night. He made abeelinefor me, first thing.”
Zoe calls her out on her delusion. “Aiden Cardell? He never does that. I thought he had Elowyn and Sutton up in his room— Oh, and thatSigmawho’s been hanging out with them recently.”
“Blaire,” Isa Montez says. “I thought Aiden hadclassonly going forONEs.”
Hailey’s smile drops, and her voice lowers to a murmur. “I don’t think they were there. Not that I saw.” She shakes her head to get rid of any negative thoughts. I pretend to focus on making my silk costume perfect, smearing my hands over the skirt. “Well, they weren’t when his huge dick was inside me.”
Isa shrugs. “I thought he only fucked girls in groups.”
Scout Turner, a sophomore with a strange calm no one knows what to do with, slips out of a stall like she’s been listening the whole time. She doesn’t say a word, just brushes aside Hailey’s makeup bag and washes her hands while theroom drowns in silence. Her gaze lifts to the mirror, scanning each of us with a look that feels like judgment and a scolding all at once. Then she’s gone. Door swinging shut. The gossip dies with her.
Zoe doesn’t hesitate to resume the previous discussion, like she’s been holding back a point she wanted to make and was only waiting for the eavesdropper to leave. She drops her deep plum-colored lipstick into her bag, crosses her arms, and juts out her chin at the blonde. One of her long, coffin-shaped fingernails taps against her opposite bicep. “You must be special if he was with you alone, then.”
Hailey’s pompous grin is back. “Yeah, I guess. I mean…heisshowing up as my date tonight.”
My stomach drops. Nausea rises in my throat as fury lights every hair I have on fire. She cannot be serious.
“He is? Holy shit. Really?” Isa gasps.
Zoe eyes her suspiciously. “Aiden Cardell’s showing up asyourdate to the party.”
Hailey pulls her black off-the-shoulder top down and uses a finger to correct a wayward line of her red lips. “Yep! Why do you think I dressed as Sandy? I wouldn’t go without my Danny!”
He’sdressing upfor her, too? That isnotthe asshole I know.
Worse? I know it’s hisbirthdaytonight, too. And he’s spending it withher?
Before I commit a felony, I strut the fuck out of the bathroom, teetering on my high-heeled boots. As soon as I grab my phone from my pocket, I text Talon.
Me
where r u? Come to the party.
Talon
I told you. im hiding out at my dads in case 4-0 are still looking for me. cops all over that race.
Me
it’s been 2 damn weeks, Talon. Aiden is fine. They aren’t looking. He wouldn’t press charges.
Talon
i’m not taking a chance.