Page 43 of Bitter Lies

Gah.

∞∞∞

It’s Halloween. I haven’t seen more than a glimpse of Griffin since we argued, and Max is avoiding me, too. The only time I’m face-to-face with Griffin is during our Psych class, to which he’s taken to following me around the room because I’m so fucking angry I’m back to avoiding him like the plague. Finally, I gave up, and now I’m back in my original seat, where he avoids my gaze anyway and ices me out with his rigid demeanor.

I just finished my last class for the week, Poli Sci 101, where I’m pretty sure I failed our test. I mean, how the fuck am I supposed to know what an ideology is? Gah.

Glumly, I head back to the house, resigned to spending another evening alone when I spy Miranda outside the coffee shop chatting with a cute guy. Curiously, I wonder if she and Griffin are still dating because despite his nasty behavior that night, I’ve seen her around a few times, although they haven’t technically been together. That I know of, I think sourly.

Griffin isn’t a one-girl kind of guy, which makes fucking him that much more insane, pun intended. Shit, I also should’ve insisted he use protection. Good thing I have an IUD, something I never considered until after the incident.

Since I’m just that desperate for human interaction—score one for my mental health—I stop and greet her, acknowledging that my only quasi-friend is fucking my unrequited love. Could I be more pathetic?

“Hey, Miranda.”

She turns to me with surprise and gives me an uncomfortable smile before glancing back at the guy. Crinkling my brow, I back off at the distant expression before I realize this isn’t about me. I’m assuming she doesn’t want me to relay this interaction back to Griff.

Since I fucked him not so long ago, I think it’s only fair I ignore her flirting. Besides, Griffin doesn’t know the meaning of the word “exclusive.”

I give her a small smile as she says goodbye to the guy and turns to grin at me sheepishly.

“Sorry, I know Griff’s your friend. I don’t want to put you in a weird place.”

Shrugging, I clear my throat and aim for casual. “Don’t worry about it.”

Inexplicably, I feel bad for what I did with Griffin because it’s not cool to do to another chick, although I remind myself, she has to know he’s stepping out on her.

“Thanks. I like Griff, I do, but he doesn’t seem all that invested,” she says, motioning for me to sit.

Pulling out a chair, I collapse across from her and smile sadly. “Yeah.”

I don’t know what to say because Griffin’s a free agent. He always has been, even with his bitch side piece in high school, to her dismay.

“Anyway, enough about him. Are you going to any cool parties tonight?”

Snorting, I shake my head no.

“Why not?”

“Miranda, other than my brother and Griffin, you’re the only person I really know,” I mutter.

She cocks her head to the side, her pretty hair spilling over her shoulder. “You’ve been here for two months.”

“Yeah, well, I don’t play well with others,” I say dryly.

Laughing, she smacks her hand on the table. “We’ll have to fix that. C’mon, we have a party to get to.”

Smiling, I walk with her back to her dorm, surprised to find I actually like the bitch.

∞∞∞

Three hours later, I’m sipping on a beer and glancing around the party uneasily. I know I can’t mix alcohol with my meds, but I figure one drink can’t hurt, and I need the liquid courage.

Miranda loaned me a costume that completely transformed my appearance, which relaxes me a little. For whatever reason, going incognito feels freeing, as though my past’s dirty deeds fell away with the new persona.

I’ve got on a tight black bodysuit that reveals every bony inch of my slight frame, and with it, I mourn the loss of my previously subtle curves. A short black wig hides my purple hair, and she applied fake lashes and makeup that transformed me into a wicked siren.

Hell, she even found a pair of tinted contacts, and now instead of my deep blue eyes, I’m looking out of the world with a green hue.

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