Page 64 of We Shouldn't Be Together
The shock of it makes me blow out a hard breath. “What?”
She cups her hands around her bouncing curls. “I don’t know what else to do.”
“You’re not making any sense.”
She shakes her head, and I notice the red lines framing her eyes. “I don’t know what to do. I’m not safe with them.”
My eyes narrow as I take her in. “Not safe with who?”
She drops her hands and steps back. “What am I doing? No, no, no. Forget this. I didn’t say anything, okay?”
I step forward and grab her wrist. Man, she’s shaking like a leaf. “Tabitha,” I coo. “Who’s hurting you?”
My words stun her. Her chin drops and her pouty lips form an o. She blinks at me, and there’s a softness to her gaze.
“Tell me,” I whisper.
She swallows and takes a beat before murmuring, “My friends.”
My brow lifts with surprise. “Your friends bully you?”
She gives a subtle nod, like she’s too afraid to confirm it.
“How?” it’s all I can think to ask.
“Like we do to Jamie,” she utters. “I pass it on.”
I drop her wrist, taking a step back to give myself breathing room. The need to curse is on the tip of my tongue.
She sighs. “Forget it. I know it’s not an excuse.”
I brace myself. “They really do mean things to you?”
She picks at the shiny pink gloss on her fingernails. “It just feels safer to be their friend. Although, nowadays, it feels like I keep becoming the closest target.”
“Does this happen every day?”
“Yeah. I try so hard to make Camila happy, but something always sets her off. That’s why I pivot her toward other girls. I need to save my sanity by giving her a new target.” Tabitha exhales a shaky breath and cups the sides of her face. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I’m so ashamed.”
“Hey, don’t beat yourself up. I had no idea. You three girls always seem in perfect sync. An evil sync.”
Her head lowers as she watches her shoes. “I don’t want to be evil. It hurts.”
I take a step forward. “Then stop.”
“I can’t.”
I grab her elbows and tilt them upwards, forcing her to hold her head up. “Why not?”
Her eyes jitter as she holds my stare. “They won’t let me.”
“Bull.”
“Ugh.” She reefs herself out of my grip. “You have no idea. You’ve obviously never been singled out.”
“You bully Jamie, and she doesn’t take it out on anyone else.”
“Really? And what about in your friend group?”
