Page 11 of Ruin

“I think Trixie and I will grab a pizza or something.”

Her whole body tenses.

But she still won’t look over at me.

“I have an itch, and I think she might be able to fix it.” I lean back, watching Trixie, watching her reaction.

Reading people. That’s something I never used to do.

But Cain always told me—watch what a person does, not what they say. Their body will give you more answers than their words ever will.

And right now?

Trixie is scared.

But she also seems unbothered.

I need to get her alone.

Maybe then I can get a better read on her.

* * *

The class finishes, and I look over as Lileah walks toward me. Trixie throws all her stuff into her bag. But before she can sling it over her shoulder, I take it from her.

“Where do you think you’re going? We’re getting pizza.” I place her bag back on the table, then turn to Lileah. “You have class while I’m at practice. Come there once you’re finished.”

“The girls want to know if the pool party is still on after school. I’ve said yes.”

I have to laugh at my sister. She’s always happy to have pool parties and I never complain about them either.

“I’m not sure if that’s a question or if you’re telling me,” I say, shaking my head. “But the party is still on.”

I grab Lileah’s books from her, wrap my arm over her shoulders as we leave the classroom, and motion for Trixie to follow behind us. “You want me to grab you a coffee on the way back?”

“Caramel?”

“Would I bring anything else?”

We stop by her locker, and I throw her books in before telling her I’ll see her after lunch.

As I make my way to the car, I hear someone call Trixie’s name, and I stop to see what she does. It’s the guy she was sitting with at lunch yesterday.

“You coming to lun-”

“She can’t. She has plans with me.” I cut him off, not bothering to figure out who in this school can actually have a conversation with her.

“Trixie?” he asks her.

I wait to see what she does.

All she does is smile and walk to my car. She waits for me while I stare at Ash.

I laugh. “If you’re fucking her, I promise to bring her back smiling for you.”

Ash turns to me and shakes his head. So they aren’t together.

Interesting.

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