hapter 13
Once I worked through it all, everything suddenly felt clearer.
It wasn’t the end of the world.
Mom was right–people have to learn to grow up on their own eventually.
As for that kiss… I’d just pretend a stray dog had nipped me on the street.
I’d just splashed cold water on my face to calm down when Tanner’s video call came through. My mind hesitated, but my fingers hit accept out of pure
habit.
“Drielle, where the hell are you?”
“Everyone’s here waiting to eat, and you’re holding us up. Since when did you become such a diva?”
After graduation, Tanner and his close friends had made a pact to take turns hosting dinner parties every day to celebrate and unwind.
Today was Tanner’s turn to treat everyone.
But I had no desire to go anymore.
“I’m not coming. You guys go ahead and eat…”
Before I could finish, a deliberately sweet, breathy voice drifted from somewhere near Tanner: “Tanner, if Drielle doesn’t want to come, maybe she’s upset that I’m crashing your little group hangout?”
Before Tanner could respond, several guys rushed to reassure her: “Are you kidding? Having the campus queen grace us with her presence? We’re honored.”
“Drielle’s just petty like that–gets all worked up whenever any girl gets too close to Tanner. We’re used to it.”
Harper’s profile slipped into Tanner’s camera frame, positioned impossibly close to him.
She spoke in that understanding whisper:
“Tanner, maybe I should just leave. I don’t want to put you in an awkward position…”
Tanner’s expression darkened instantly. He turned and reached out to stop her: “Harper, don’t go anywhere.”
“I don’t know what’s gotten into Drielle today, but if she doesn’t want to come, that’s her loss.”
“We’re not waiting. Let’s eat.”
His words were ice–cold, directed straight at me. Without waiting for my response, he ended the call.
Fury blazed through my chest. I immediately blocked his number,
In all our years together, this was the first time I’d ever blocked him after a fight.
And once again, it was all because of Harper Sullivan.
Chester 34
Chapter 14
Everse Harper traded to chod sophomore year, I’d lost cut of how many times Tatier had broken his own rules for her.
We all go we fram to prisla the- and pretty in
During the moths when I indeed Bee texts wat
ady for that petten somber
bred in textbooks and test prep. Harper never seemed to have an off day. She’d wake makeup look, always posted and tumang
Because of Berzer, we testes, endured endem cold
Ideen counteré muit te was falling for her and tried to distance myself from hom, determined to let go.
But every tue, Taser would find me and prom
and user “Stop weerthanking Harper’s just a classmate, nothing more. Don’t read into it.”
Tas just being her est because she’s got rougher family ration a complicated–people prane her to her face but judge her behind her back.”
I bloed om
Harper’s home life was genuinely med stond how do they were getting
Besides, Tasser had severed to me bedre head he trt like her, I trusted hun
But gradually, without me realizing a Tanner and Harper developed a whole world of secrets I knew nothing about
bros
has changed to culege apytication for the sake
w pachet I must lo
My girling thighs were merged by a west ca
Mening bold, aren’t you made? Barking me? Was till I get home angry!
Tamer bad borrowed a friend’s pose to message me
1 prsty blocked that under to
Decking the time, I grabbed my hangs and headed for whood
was the foal day for aggåcation
cuss, and our teacher walded one last meeting
Traffic was heasy, and by the tune I arred, Tastes and Harper were already in the class cou
Harper was confidently my hual seat next to Tamper
When she saw mat approach, the made so move to get up, her eyes gleaming with triungh
Taster acted like he hadn’t noticed, his expression stone cold as he deliberately turned away to avoid my gaze.
He was dearly wang fur me to apologue fra
but I would’t
Fue by me–1 did want to next to huns anyway.
1 scaled the room and seed an empty seat beside my best friend joy, as far from them as possible.
“Mudents, you be half a day left for applications. Please double and triple check everything carefully.”
“Ay when about the thuices can speak with me privately for guidance.”
As a brute, the teacher dismissed us for free period
I was string to joy gossip about some cxlebrity scandal when someone tapped my head.
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