I’d noticed all this on day one.
He was going to have girls after him. Of course.
Willow would’ve been after him.
I blinked a few times, shocked at that thought. Yes. She would’ve. And I would’ve done nothing. After seeing that she’d claimed him, I would’ve melted into the background, found my own group of friends, and I would’ve had no problem in school. All these issues—Cora and the ex—these would’ve been Willow’s battles.
Was I taking her stuff on?
“So, you know.” Cora had finished whatever she was saying.
I cringed, but I had to ask. “Sorry. I spaced for a bit there.”
“Oh.” She frowned. “You lost your sister, right?”
I nodded.
“Look, maybe it isn’t my place, and I know we just met, but people have been talking about you. They don’t know about your sister. I mean, I haven’t heard any of that. Ryan made us all promise not to say anything, and I’m guessing he threatened Peach too. She has a big mouth, so if it got out, it would be from her. But anyway, she told Erin you slept in Ryan’s bed when you were there, and Erin freaked.” She rolled her eyes. “Erin could be inside, which is why I’m saying all this to you now. Ryan doesn’t think things through sometimes. He doesn’t think Erin’s as bad as she is, but she’s evil incarnate. I swear.”
“Does she come at you sideways or straight on?”
“What?”
I wasn’t a fighter, but an eerie calm settled over me. “I need to know how to fight her, so how does she fight? Usual catty-bitch way? You know, saying shit behind my back and verbal jabs. Or is she a face-on bully kind of girl? There are all different sorts now.”
“Um . . .” Cora looked at the sky, her hands sliding inside her back pockets. “She has bleached blonde hair, and she’ll be surrounded by a whole bunch of girls. They all look the same. Glitter on their face, something pink. If she sees you inside, don’t go to the bathroom. She has a gang. They’ll come at you and try to hurt you but make it look like it was an accident.”
She was the type to sic her friends on me. I nodded. “Got it.”
“Wait.”
I had turned to go but looked back.
Cora seemed surprised. “Aren’t you scared?”
An image of Willow lying on the floor, her blood pooling around her, flashed in my head. “Not a goddamn bit.”
I started off. I was looking forward to this.
Chapter Five
I knew instantly which one was Erin.
She was the tall drink of water trying to cling to Ryan as they waited in line for tickets. She kept putting her hand on his arm, and he’d move it out of the way, shrugging off her touch.
It wasn’t working.
He was irritated, and he wanted her away, but his scowl and the way he kept messing his hair up were having the opposite effect on her. The blonde could-be-a-model only stood closer each time he rebuffed her.
Nick and Tom were already in line for snacks, along with a group of girls. I didn’t need two guesses to know they were Erin’s friends. Cora was right. They all looked the same—with tight jeans and different shades of pink sweaters, glitter all over their faces and necks.
Cora came up next to me. “That’s her.”
There was a mix of envy, fear, and caution in her voice. It hit me in the chest. This girl was reacting to the ex the same way she would’ve reacted to Willow. Willow was Erin. I couldn’t believe it, but it was true. The way she was standing, the way she whispered in Ryan’s ear—that was how Willow had been with her last boyfriend, and how she’d intimidated his previous girlfriend. She’d been scared of Willow the same way Cora feared Erin.
For some reason, that pissed me off.
Then Ryan saw me, and with his wave, the beast saw me too.
Her demeanor changed. Gone was the seductress. Her eyes grew cold, and her lips formed a sneer.
Hello, cold-hearted bully.
I fought against grinning. This girl was trying to intimidate me.
It was working on Cora, who shied away from her place beside me. She actually took two steps away, and I looked at her, meeting her gaze so she knew I knew.
I grunted. Well, screw it. I’d take Erin on alone.
I turned back to regard the ex again.
She was smug under a layer of frostiness. She assumed I would be afraid of her.
Her mistake.
Something came over me. It’d been itching at me since I heard about this Erin girl, but right then, it was like a blanket wrapped around me. It wasn’t a supporting or warm blanket. I wasn’t being enveloped like that. It was eagerness. It was anticipation. It was . . . I had a target.
This girl wanted to make me the target, but no, honey. It wasn’t going to work that way. Even if she knew about my sister, I wouldn’t have cared. I was fast feeling the first peak of adrenaline.
I had an outlet, and I went straight at her. No hesitation. No lagging. I wanted this fight, consequences be damned. I had nothing left to lose.
Surprise flared in her eyes, but then the authoritative look returned to her face. She expected me to bow down to her.
My lip curled. She had another thing coming.
“Hey.”
Even Ryan was cautious around this girl. I was beginning to wonder what powers she had tucked away for this reaction.
“I got you a ticket,” he added. He glanced at Erin before handing it to me. “Here you go. I wasn’t sure if you had money or not.”
I gestured behind me. “Give it to Cora.”
If he was scared of this bitch, then fine. I’d buy my own ticket. He hadn’t asked me on a date. He’d asked if I wanted to go to the movies. But instead of pulling out some cash, I continued staring at Erin.
She narrowed her eyes. “Do you have a staring problem?”
“Move.” I loved that simple command, and I stepped even closer. I was almost in her personal space. “You’re in my way.”
My voice was strong and clear. No break. No trembling. No softness. And I wasn’t being aggressive. I wasn’t tense. She was in the way. The ticket guy was right behind her.
“Oh.” She moved aside, but only barely. Folding her arms over her chest, she was still in the way. There was enough space for me to move forward, but I’d have to hunch to the side, stand awkwardly, and feel her breathing down my neck to get the ticket.
Fuck that.
I stepped right up to the counter, my arm jabbing into her.
She cried out.
I turned to look her right in the eye, our faces inches apart. “Then fucking move.”
She gasped, but I ignored her and bought my movie ticket.
After I pocketed my ticket, I turned to her. I was an inch taller, but I had to give her credit. Cora said Erin could’ve been a model, and she was right. The funny thing was—so could I and so could have Willow.
I’d never cared for our height. Sometimes I hated it during soccer, but I almost reveled in it while I stood toe to toe with Erin.
There were other people behind us, waiting to get their tickets, but I wasn’t going to be the first to move. No way. I couldn’t. She’d made this a pissing contest, and I wasn’t going to be the one to falter.
So there we were, standing ridiculously close, staring at each other. Her eyes were heated, her sneer reinforced, and I was dead inside. I had no problem showing her that.