Page 76 of My Heart to Keep
She pulled her bottom lip in between in her teeth. “Yep.”
Man, she was gorgeous. Rosy cheeks, plump lips, and a body that was all mine. Hell, she was all mine, and one day she would be my wife.
But first we had to finish high school.
Icouldn’t believe we were in April, and our senior prom was next week. I debated whether I wanted to go. Maiken had bagged his prom at the academy. He wasn’t interested in attending any proms.
“Homecoming was enough for me,” he’d said.
I couldn’t blame him. That had been the night Sloane had hit him with her car, the same night Marcus had too much to drink, and the same darn night that I’d almost knocked out Sloane’s teeth.
I hadn’t planned on going to my senior prom either. I had my valedictorian speech to finish. It wasn’t anywhere near ready, and with exams coming up next month, I wanted to be ahead of the curve. The last I’d checked with Mrs. Flowers, I was still in the number-one spot, and barring any unforeseen hiccups, like failing a test, the prestigious award was mine to lose.
Still, Celia had convinced me to go to prom.
“Come on,” she’d begged. “You’ll regret not going. And I don’t have a date.”
Maybe I would look back and wonder why I didn’t go. Besides, I couldn’t let my best friend down.
I was almost at Celia’s car when Trevor caught up to me. “Quinn.”
I pivoted on my heel. “Hey, I’m in a hurry.” Celia and I had shopping on our agenda for that afternoon.
He pushed his unruly blond hair out of his eyes and was about to say something when Claire ran up, sporting a sneer.
She dug her claws into Trevor’s arm, a clear sign for me to back off. “You were supposed to meet me at your car.” She pouted at Trevor.
He ignored her and asked me, “Is Maiken going to the prom with you?”
I studied him, wondering where he was going with his question.
Claire didn’t wonder at all. “You are not taking her.” Her tone was nasty and full of disgust.
I clenched my teeth. “I have a name.”
She let go of Trevor. “You know, Quinn, I’m not holding back anymore. You are not so special.” She waved her hand up and down my body. “You have no meat on your bones. Your breasts are flat. You look and smell like one of your pigs. And you dress like you just walked out of a thrift store.”
I laughed, even though I was seething inside, even though my hands began to tremble around the straps of my backpack.
She bared her teeth. “Stay the fuck away from my boyfriend.”
Trevor swung out his arm in front of Claire. “Seriously, Claire, how many times have I told you? Quinn and I are friends.”
“You want to screw her.” Claire’s voice went up in pitch. “Maybe you already did.” She skirted around Trevor and got in my face. “We only have a few weeks left of school, but I can make your life a living hell, which I should’ve done long before now.”
And the claws finally come out.
I opened my arms. “Do whatever you want. I don’t have time for your jealousy.”
Between Claire’s sneers and glares in the hall and Tessa giving me the middle finger anytime I saw her, I was done with the petty drama. Tessa deserved her one-week suspension. Noah deserved being benched by Coach Dean along with a one-day suspension, and Dustin had received a one-day suspension as well for the part he’d played.
Claire stuck out her chin. “Go near Trevor again, and you’ll see what I’m made of.”
Celia drove up and beeped the horn.
That was my cue to get out of Dodge. One thing I wouldn’t miss about high school was the mean girls. I had no idea what college would be like, but I hoped I didn’t have to deal with the Claires and Tessas of the world.
Trevor said something to Claire that I couldn’t quite hear.
