Page 74 of Lines

Diamond is the picture perfect of a mean girl. She is the queen of the school. The prettiest, most popular girl; being blond and having blue eyes are a lucky coincidence. She is pushy and mean, and she will do anything to get on top. I can easily imagine what a girl like her wanted with Derek.

Every queen needs her king.

She takes one step forward, shoving her thin, manicured finger in my chest. “Don’t play dumb with me,” she threatens in a low voice. “And stay away from Derek. He’s mine.”

A short, irritated laugh escapes me. “Maybe you should tell that to him.” I lift my chin slightly in the air. “He’s the one coming tome, after all.”

As soon as the words leave my lips I know I did the wrong thing.

Diamond’s eyes are so narrowed they’re like slits, and she’s pursing her lips tightly. Her hands are clenched in fists, knuckles ash white, and I’m only waiting for her to snap at me. But I can’t help myself. He is the one coming after me, not the other way around.

My heart is racing furiously, but it doesn’t have anything to do with the previous excitement of going back downstairs and finding Derek. I’m more concerned about her attacking me in her cold fury.

“Is something wrong here?”

We both turn around and look at the person leaning against the doorframe, casually looking at her nails.

Jeanette.

That empty, even, low voice can’t belong to anyone else.

She has her hands crossed over her chest and looks at us.

It’s strange how she always manages to be around when I need her, but she likes to claim she doesn’t need friends or want the company of others. Even after our girl’s night.

Diamond takes her in from head to toe: her straight, black shoulder-length hair, her poker face, her tight, low-cut lacy top, and black skinny jeans all the way down to her high heel boots.

“Everything’s peachy,” Diamond mutters through clenched teeth.

Jeanette’s stone cold grey eyes don’t move from Diamond’s angry face for a few more seconds, then she looks over her shoulder, her gaze meeting mine. “Let’s go then.”

I slip around Diamond, but not before she elbows me in the gut on the way. I’m so going to have bruises from her.

Jeanette waits for me in front of the door, Diamond’s followers standing by the wall with their heads hung low.

“How did you know I was there?” I ask Jeanette on our way to the stairs.

She shrugs and keeps walking. “Just a hunch.”

“Isn’t that a bit…” I don’t get to finish my question, because I almost crash into Derek on the stairs.

“Hey.” He looks me straight in the eyes. He is standing a few steps lower than me which puts us on the same height. “Where were you?”

“There was a line to the bathroom,” I lie. I really don’t want to mention Diamond and her stupid requests.

Jeanette huffs next to me, and I can imagine her rolling her eyes at me, but she doesn’t say anything to contradict me.

“Even upstairs?” A frown caresses his forehead. “Andrew usually doesn’t like people going upstairs.”

“Yeah, well.” I shrug, taking one step down.

He keeps looking up and over my head. I see how his eyes harden, changing from light blue to the color of the storm, but I don’t look over my shoulder. I already know I’ll find Diamond and her friends behind us.

But the look is soon gone, and he smiles at me, taking my hand. “Let’s go down. I promised you another dance.”

Amelia

Derek:We still on for 2night? I’ll be back late afternoon, so just drop whenever.

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