Page 54 of Liars

And yet…this felt different.

Because the way he looked at me, like he wanted to push me just to see if I’d push back, wasn’t something I imagined.

I swallowed, gripping the strap of my bag tighter. “Despite what I said, we didn’t have sex. He makes me so mad, and I just want to hurt him.”

“Or fuck him,” she added with a twisted smirk.

I stopped dead in my tracks and threw her a withering look. “Definitely not.”

Poppy brushed her hair behind her ears. “I got a front-row seat to the Kaylor and Kreed show this morning. Let me tell you, sparks were flying. I’m surprised I didn’t suffer any burns.”

I scoffed, resuming my pace toward the exit. “It wasn’t like that.”

“Itwasexactly like that. And I wasn’t the only one who saw it.”

My stomach clenched.Great. Just great.

I barely had time to get my footing at Public, and I’d already been shoved into the spotlight. “God, what a mess.” I blew out a breath, a puff of cold air expelling from my mouth. “I know I only have a few months of school left, and I shouldn’t care what anyone thinks, but this was not how I wanted to start.”

Poppy’s voice softened, just a fraction. “You’re worried about your reputation?”

I hesitated before muttering, “Two days in and I’m already being labeled a slut.”

Her expression darkened, but before she could respond, I pushed forward. “So, no. We didn’t have sex. But…” I trailed off, reluctant.

Because something did happen.

Maybe not physically, but the way Kreed looked at me—the way his smirk curled just enough to make my pulse trip, the way he let me hit him like he wanted to feel it—that was something.

Poppy arched a brow. “But?”

I exhaled sharply, relenting. “But something happened. I don’t know what.”

She studied me, her eyes brimming with understanding. “No one has that much tension without good cause.”

She wasn’t wrong. But I wasn’t about to admit that.

Instead, I gave her a quick, censored rundown of my version of events as we crossed the street. I left out the parts that made my stomach flutter. The parts that made my skin prickle with something that wasn’t entirely anger.

I didn’t care about my reputation as much as I cared about Poppy believing me. Because if I was going to survive Public, I needed someone on my side. And for the first time, I felt like I’d found a friend who actually understood.

Poppy wasn’t Carson or Kenny, but she was someone who got it. She got me.

And she got Kreed.

Which meant she understood exactly how much of a nightmare this whole situation was.

“Holy shit,” she whispered when I finished, opening the door to Stacks for me.

Walking inside, I buried my face in my hands as if that would somehow erase the embarrassment pooling in my chest, but no matter what I did, I couldn’t stop thinking about this morning. Couldn’t stop thinking about him…or Kreed’s dick.

“This is bad.” Poppy’s voice was serious now. “And I’m not talking about you twerking on his junk. I mean, the fact that it got out and now everyone thinks you two did the nasty. Kreed’s little stunt this morning is going to have consequences. A domino effect that’s essentially going to unleash a mob of girls who want to rip you apart.”

I exhaled sharply, following Poppy to the back corner of the diner. “You’re kidding.”

“I wish I was. The girls here aren’t just protective of what they want. They’re ruthless, and nearly every girl in this school has been trying to get Kreed to notice them. Something you managed to do on day one. That isn’t going to go over well.”

I clenched my jaw. “Fabulous. Just what I need. More problems outside of my control. I swear Kreed has made it his personal mission to ruin me, humiliate me?—”

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