Page 71 of The Heiress
Grabbing the smoothie—whose it was, I didn’t know—I held it over Addison who had calmly sat back down in her chair, lounging like Cleopatra in a bath of warm milk.
“You think you’re so smart,” I hissed, the glass teetering in my hand above her. The worst tantrum I’d ever thrown had been the time I’d flung a hairbrush across the room after Mom had told me for the umpteenth time that I was not allowed to dye my hair. My cousin Jasmine had turned platinum blond, and Dionne, my school friend rocked lilac highlights. They’d transformed into goddesses while I’d been stuck with light brown hair of the plainest kind. In hindsight, it had been tremendously childish, but this...this was justified. Addison O’Day deserved her comeuppance for her meanness. My voice shook as I reached deep within for my worst insult. “But you’re just a bully, Addison, a bully!”
Addison cackled and I sensed I was about to be humiliated in a very brutal and public way. “A bully, Elisha?” Gah, I hated that she sounded so calm and composed while I was seething and shaking. “This coming from the girl who lies, who pretends she’s friends with Bianca because she hasnone of her own.” Her eyes darted to the girls around the table, Bianca and Siri amongst them. Several sniggers rang out. “Good for you for standing up for BethVan der Clause,Elisha. Losers and loners tend to hang out together.”
Her laugh was cruel and I only hoped Millie had taken Beth out of earshot. With my heart beating in the danger zone, rational thoughts vanished and the tilting cup was about to spill over Addison’s uniform—a taste of her own medicine.
But before I could perform the payback, a hand grasped mine, a strong firm hand.
“Don’t Elisha.” Phoenix stood over me, prying the glass from my finger tips, his eyes fixed on mine. “She’s not worth it.” I wasn’t sure if he’d whispered the words or it was a telepathic transfer.
With a coolheadedness, he placed the glass back on the table and put his arm on my shoulder, pulling me away.
“See what I mean?” Addison’s vile mouth didn’t know when to stop. Even as Phoenix guided me away, we could hear her. “Losers stick together, right? How’s your mother’s community service going, Phoenix? Is she picking up all that trash?”
Within seconds, I was swept into the hallway, rage burning in my chest. Addison had done it again—torn Phoenix and Laura to shreds.
Max, Taylor, Millie and Beth surrounded us, everyone asking if we were all right. My anger was so great I was sure steam was coming out of my ears.
“Hey, you guys okay?” It was a familiar voice, after all the captain of the football team had given plenty of interviews since the Covington Chargers had won the state championship, but I’d never been in close proximity of Cullen Mercer before. “Phoenix? Beth?” He looked at me like he wasn’t quite sure of my name.
“Yeah, we’re good,” Phoenix said, his arm tightening around my shoulder. It surprised me, considering we were in the hallway with an ever increasing circle of students.
“She needs to be put in her place,” someone said, and it set off a murmur of agreement.
“Thanks, Elisha,” Beth piped up.
“Hey, let’s get you cleaned up,” I said, my heart wrenching for her. My fellow reindeer banded around and led Beth to the restroom.
“Hey,” Phoenix said as I slipped from his hold. “You okay?”
“Are you?” I asked. Strangely enough, Addison’s hateful words to me didn’t faze me in the slightest, but her rudeness to Beth and Phoenix and Laura—that riled me up.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” Phoenix said.
“I’ll just go see Beth, okay?” I said.
Phoenix smiled. “Yeah, you go. I’ll catch you later.” But before I could scuttle away, he pulled me in and planted a soft kiss on my cheek.
In front of Taylor and Max.
In front of Millie and Tennessee.
In front of Cullen, the football captain.
In front of everyone.
