Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 30019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 30019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 150(@200wpm)___ 120(@250wpm)___ 100(@300wpm)
"I'm sorry," I whisper, killing the engine. "I never meant to hurt you."
"Who says you did, Gage? Maybe I just realized that this friendship has become a lot more one-sided than I'm willing to accept." She shrugs, grabbing her stuff. "It's cool, though. I can take a hint. You're a big star now. You don't need me hanging around."
"Troian, that's not—"
She practically launches herself out of the truck before I can finish speaking. I growl, grabbing my shit and jumping out to run after her. Only to run right smack into Victoria and her posse.
"Jeez, Gage," Victoria snaps, scowling at me. "It's not like we were walking here or anything."
"My bad," I mutter, trying to step around her. "I'm in a hurry."
"Aww. Chasing after your sad little stalker?" She fake pouts at me. "Honestly, I don't even know why you bother with her. She's a pathetic charity case. You're a celebrity."
"And you're a clueless bitch who doesn't know what she's talking about as usual," I snap, stepping around her. "Seriously, Victoria. I don't know how anyone tolerates you when you're just a sad, lonely little girl who never grew the fuck up. Troian will always be superior to you. It's pathetic that you think bullying her now will ever change the fact that you'll be a nobody in less than a year while she's at one of the most prestigious schools in the country. If you get anywhere in life, it'll be through marriage to a man who doesn't even respect you. She'll do it through merit. Regardless of what you say about her, people will see the truth sooner or later. She's better than you in every single way. So why don't you fuck off with your attitude for once? It's not fooling anyone."
It's harsh, but it's true. And I've had enough of this girl talking shit about Troian like it'll change reality. I know the truth. She knows the truth. Sooner or later, everyone else will wake up to it, too.
Victoria Starling is a sad nobody, desperately clinging to high school relevance because she knows there's nothing beyond it for her. She can't bully the truth out of existence, no matter how hard she tries.
I'm done listening to her try.
"You…asshole!" she shrieks after me as I stride away.
I let the insult roll off my back because she's right. I am an asshole. But at least for once, it's for the right reasons.
By the time I make it through the parking lot, Troian is nowhere to be found. That's all right, though. She can run, but she can't hide. Not from me. I know what she wants now, and I intend to give it to her.
Chapter Six
Troian
Despite having Economics with Gage first thing, I manage to avoid him by waiting until the last possible minute to slip into class. By the time I make it through the door, there are only two empty seats—the one I always sit in beside him, and one in the very back.
I scurry to the seat in the back, ignoring the way his disapproving stare burns into me the whole way.
I'm not even in my seat before I see him preparing to rise from his.
Mr. Blake saves me with a sharp clap of his hands.
I sink down, letting the desk swallow me as I pretend to listen. I'm not sure I hear anything the entire class, but I do feel Gage staring at me the entire time.
He's so damn confusing!
I try not to think about what he meant when he said that he intended to send me that text, but it's all I can think about. He's messing with my head.
Maybe that's the point. Maybe that's his game. He wants my head and heart all tangled up. He doesn't really want me. He just doesn't want me to want anyone else, either.
Well, screw him. Friends don't treat friends that way.
As soon as the bell rings, I'm out of my seat, bolting toward the door.
I hear him calling my name, but I ignore him, letting myself get lost in the throng of students rushing to their next class. I hide out in the bathroom.
At least, that's the plan.
I'm not even inside for a full thirty seconds before the door swings open and Victoria sashays inside with two of her little groupies, Marnie and Melissa.
"Oh." Her lip curls in disgust when she sees me standing there. "It's you."
I roll my eyes instead of giving her whatever response she wants, slipping into a stall.
Her heels click across the linoleum floor in angry taps.
"Did you see Gage with his girlfriend last night?" she says to her annoying-ass friends, her voice loud. "She's hot, isn't she?"
"Totally," Melissa—or maybe it's Marnie—says. "No wonder he's crazy about her."
"Right? I was beginning to think he was gay or something, but I guess he just likes them older," Victoria says. "I can't really blame him. I'd probably go for someone older, too, if I had that thing following me around all the time. Seeing her sad, fat face all the time probably ruined the appeal of high school girls."