Page 119 of Losing the Rhythm

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said.

“They almost lost the game because of you. And then we get out only to find you getting two boys arrested? Did you feel guilty because you were trying to have a fun time with others?”

“What?” I couldn’t grasp what they were getting at.

Trinity leaned closer to me. “Stop fucking your way through the guys. It’s disgusting. And how dare you drag other boys down with you. How low can you go?”

My jaw practically hit the ground with her venomous words. It felt like a sucker punch in my stomach. Frankly, I’d rather have Lindie hit me again than have to listen to those words from someone I barely talked to. I didn’t know how to respond and it only seemed to spur them on.

“You’re ruining lives with these fucking games,” India said. “I know one of them. He’s a good guy. Would never hurt anyone. Tell the police the truth before you destroy his future.”

“What the hell is going on here?” Hazel said, stalking forward with Lillian.

“None of your business.” If India had hackles, they would have risen then and there as she glared at the twins.

“It is when we know those boys didn’t come up with that disgusting plan on their own. That some girls planted it into their heads.”

“What are you even trying to say?” India glared hard. “You don’t run the school anymore. You like to believe that you do, but that went down the drain last year.”

“Do you really want to go this route?” Hazel said, stepping forward. “We may not be who we were last year. I couldn’t care less. But you came after someone I care about, and I’m not standing on the sidelines again.”

“What is this?” Trinity asked. “Some kind of misplaced guilt?”

“I’m making sure things are done right this time. I let you go too far last time. I’m not letting you do it again,” Hazel said. She lifted up her camera. “And don’t act like you’re all innocent either.”

Trinity paled as her gaze went to the camera. “You wouldn’t.”

“I would. You want to trash another student’s reputation. Then yours goes down with it.”

“She’s doing fine trashing it herself.” Trinity’s gaze cut to me briefly. “And dragging others down with her.”

Hazel snorted. “Let’s not play dumb. She hasn’t done a single thing to hurt her reputation. It’s only this way because of you.”

“You can’t prove that.”

“Oh, what is this? Are you going to go cry to your mommy and daddy for a lawyer? I wonder what they’ll think when they see the photos I have of you having too much fun last spring.”

“You’re seriously going to stoop this low forher?” Trinity snarled, her glare turning to me briefly.

“Yes, because someone needs to stop you. I’m over your games, Trinity. Have been for a while. And I’m done standing on the sidelines and watching. This ends. Now. If you do anything to Cadence, consider your life over. Not only will your parents never let you see the light of day ever again, but every single person in this town will know exactly the type of person you are. No one will ever trust you again. Do I make myself clear?”

Trinity’s eyes widened and she swallowed hard. “You wouldn’t do that to me. We’ve been best friends since elementary.”

“Then you know exactly what I’m capable of. I thought we were friends. I was right there with you when we talked about our future, traveling together, having fun, but you showed me the exact type of person you were last year and I can no longer just stand by and watch you destroy a person’s life and for what? Because you’re jealous? Because you never once had the balls to ask Paxon out? Or to even have a real conversation with him? I’m done, Trinity. You’re not the kind of person I want in my life.”

Trinity blinked furiously, her eyes turning watery. Then she made a weird screeching sound before turning around and stalking away.

“What the hell is going on?” I asked, staring at the twins like they’d grown extra heads. Definitely felt like they did. They didn’t say it out right but they had to have been talking about blackmail. And somehow, I was being dragged into the middle of it all.

“How about later, we talk,” Lillian said, glancing at her sister before giving me a wavering smile. “I think it’d be good for us, anyway.”

My phone buzzed, and I looked down at a text from Laura.

“Looks like it’s time for me to leave,” I said, waving my phone.

“Okay,” Hazel said.

They were right there as I got down from the back of the ambulance and then by my side as I made it toward the perimeter line that the police had made. George, Justin, Bryan, and Seth were right there waiting for me.

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