Page 136 of Endgame

“Okay, maybe it helps a little,” I breathed before quickly turning my attention back to Molly. “Hey– I never got a chance to ask you about the party.”

“The party?” Now Molly was the one to blush. “What about it?”

“What was going on with you and Daryl King?” I asked nosily. “You disappeared with him and I didn’t see you for the rest of the night.” Awareness dawned on me and I waggled my brows. “Did you hook up with him?”

“We talked,” Molly squeezed out, looking mortified. “Just talked.”

“Just talked?” I stared at her in disbelief. “About what?”

Just then, several cheerleaders passed by us and one of them tossed some snotty comment over her shoulder. “Boyfriend stealing tramp,” the blonde tossed out with an obnoxiously loud voice.

I responded by flipping her the bird and saying, “Run along.”

“Did you actuallyspeakto me?” the blonde spat. Halting mid step, she spun around and glared at me. “Don’t think you can speak to me, you little tramp,” she growled.

Recognition flickered inside of me. I’d seen this girl before – had definitely heard her high-pitched whiney voice. “I’m the tramp?” My lips tipped up. “Have you looked in the mirror today? You have your skirt rolled so high the entire lunch room can see your boney ass.”

The blonde’s eyes narrowed in fury. “Better to be bony than a fat cow like you,” she quipped in a mocking tone. “Maybe you should lay off the carbs, sweetie.” She looked me up and down before sniffing in obvious distaste. “Ew. Just, ew.”

“Back off Ashley,” Molly was quick to defend.

Ashley!

That’s who she was. Ashley freaking Thomas – Britt’s best friend, and the other girl at the house the night Rourke dunked me in the pool.

“Mind your own damn business,Freddy Kruger,” Ashley hissed cruelly. Her tone was mocking, taunting, and I knew what she was talking about; Molly’s burns.

Molly’s face contorted in pain and she was on her feet in seconds, running from the lunch room.

“How dare you!” I snarled, walking right up to her so that we were chest to chest. Of course, this girl – like most people – towered above me, but I didn’t care. I wasn’t an aggressive person by nature, but Molly was my friend and I wasn’t about to sit back and let some nasty cheerleader talk to her like that. “How fuckingdareyou call her that name!”

“Get out of my face, you little heifer,” Ashley warned.

“Make me, bitch,” I shot back before shoving her in the chest, hard.

I could hear the bustle and loud cheering around us; the word ‘cat fight’ being thrown around, but I didn’t care. I was burning mad. “How would you feel?” I demanded. “If I mocked you for something you had zero control over?”

Ashley retaliated by shoving me back equally as hard and I staggered back a few feet. Damn, this bitch was strong. “Don’t freaking touch me,” she screamed.

The retort I had on the top of my tongue, not to mention the physical harm I intended to cause, was lost the moment a pair of strong arms came around my body, lifting me clean off my feet. “Simmer down, Six,” a familiar, deep voice said, and instantly, I gave up the fight to break free. Rourke was too freaking strong.

“Did you hear what she said?” I demanded, feeling tears sting at my eyes. Temper tears.

“No,” Rourke replied calmly. He set me down on my feet, but didn’t release me from his hold. “What did she say?”

My chest was heaving from sheer outrage on my friend’s behalf. Twisting in his arms, I looked up him and said, “She called MollyFreddy Krugerbecause of her burns!” Rage coursed through me once more and I lunged for Ashley. I didn’t get far though; not with Rourke’s steel grip on me.

“What the actual fuck, Ash?” Rourke demanded, and he was the one bristling with anger now. “You threwthe firein her face?”

Everyone in the room was silent; glued to the showdown happening between us.

“She was getting up in my business, Rourke,” Ashley shot back, with far less conviction in her voice now. She glanced around the room nervously before looking back at Rourke. “She should have stayed out of it.”

“So that gives you the right to torment her?” Rourke shook his head and sneered at the wide-eyed blonde. “I thought you were better than that, Ash. I really did.”

“She was defending me!”

I groaned internally when Britt walked over to stand beside Ashley. If I thought Rourke was bristling before, he turned completely rigid the moment Britt got involved.

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