The Original Crowd (48 page)

That drew her up.

“Really?” Aidrian asked, perplexed. “He’s a nerd.”

“He’s a computer nerd who’s going to save my life. So no, he’s not a nerd.”

“Oh.” She was at a loss for words. “I thought…I mean…he’s a nerd!”

“He’s going to be one of those hot nerds. Hot and rich. Mark my words,” I remarked, walking away.

Crystal burst out laughing as I passed her. She fell in line, “I’m in awe of you. I mean, really, truly, madly, deeply. Just awe. Almost idol worship awe.”

“She’s entertaining,” I remarked dryly.

“Hey,” she stopped me.

I heard her tone and I knew what was coming.

“No,” I spoke first, “it’s great that you know what hell my weekend was. It’s great that you think I shouldn’t be here. But really—I’m fine.”

She looked taken aback. “Okay, fine. I just…I just wanted to say that if you ever want to get stark raving drunk, look me up.”

I relaxed slightly. “Thanks. I might take you up on that,” I said, gentling my tone, but I couldn’t erase the impatience I was feeling.

The rest of the morning passed and everyone knew to stay away from me. It might’ve been announced over the P.A. system. Swear. I’d walk down the hallways and people would scatter, making a path for me.

It might’ve been the scowl on my face.

“Miss Matthews, you are wanted in the principal’s office.” Of course, my teacher had to tell me this at the end of class.

“Now? At lunch?”

“It’s important.”

So off I went. As I traipsed through the hallway, I saw Amber and Jasmine giggling over something. Sasha stood just to the side, glaring at Jasmine’s back. Tristan was at her own locker, with her own following already malingering around her. The girl worked fast—she’d be ready to usurp Amber’s power in a week.

“Miss Matthews,” the receptionist greeted me.

“I got a note.”

“Yes, Principal Marshalls is waiting for you in his office right now.”

He wasn’t alone. I saw Coach Hailey with one empty chair beside her. Guess that had my name on it.

“Miss Matthews, take a seat,” Principal Marshalls offered, gesturing to the chair.

As we both sat, he started, “Ms. Hailey tells me that you had a less than professional attitude with her Friday morning.”

“Well, yeah. Mandy couldn’t go to the game and so I tried telling her that, but she told me I was full of it.”

“I did not!” Coach Hailey gasped.

“Yes, you did. You told me you wouldn’t accept that Mandy couldn’t be there and you’d expect her at the Dome when you arrived. Your exact words. So yeah, I had an attitude because you had one first,” I stated matter-of-factly.

Principal Marshalls cleared his throat, sending a beseeching look Hailey’s way. “I think the more important matter is your sister. Where is she, Taryn?”

I shrugged.

“I realize you may be scared about ‘narcing’ on your sister, but this meeting is more about our concern for Mandy. She’s been struggling lately, we’ve all noticed.”

“And here she thought she was hiding it so well,” I remarked, rolling my eyes.

“Miss Matthews, I don’t think you realize how serious this is.”

“I do. But it’s not my place to send memos for my sister.”

I was right and Principal Marshalls knew it. I saw a flash of guilt in his eyes.

“This girl is awful. She has an attitude with everyone. I can’t believe you let her stay in our school,” Coach Hailey cried out.

“I thought you were a counselor,” I shot her way.

“I am.” She blinked, the evil robot was reconfiguring what the definition of a counselor was.

“You’re not even nice,” I pointed out. “Are you sure?”

“Taryn,” the principal barked, “you will learn to mind your mouthyou’re your manners.”

Sounded like the name of a rock band.

I rolled my eyes, but shut up.

“We have two items on the agenda here. One, your sister’s disappearance and two, your attitude.”

“Ask all my teachers. I don’t have an attitude with them.”

“Yes, this is why Mr. Martson found you and Tray Evans in an inappropriate position this morning.”

See—inappropriate position, inappropriate boundaries—same thing.

I grinned. “It didn’t
feel
inappropriate.”

“See! Mr. Marshalls, she should be in a boot camp somewhere. There are places that do outdoor therapy, I think Miss Matthews would benefit most from that type of environment.”

“Oh come on!” I cried out. “You just don’t like me because I didn’t take your crap. And Mandy being gone is not my responsibility to explain. When her parents finally show up, it’s their job.”

Principal Marshalls had been watching the exchange. He said, “I agree—”

With who?

“I agree with Miss Matthews that her sister’s absence should be explained by her parents and not her sister. But I agree with Ms. Hailey that your attitude does need dealing with, Taryn.” Oh, like the use of my first name is going to scare me. Bite my ass.

He continued his blah, blah, blahing, “I think some consequences should be handed out for your attitude.”

“Like I’m the only one with an attitude in this school!” I cried out. “That is so unfair.”

“When you transferred here, we were given specific instructions and warnings on your behaviors. You have one of the largest files in school and this is not the first time you’ve been sent to my office.”

Please, that chair was begging to be tipped over.

“And you have an impressive record of skipping classes.”

“Like I’m the only one,” I retorted.

“Which is why you’re primarily here for the prevention of further behaviors,” he explained in a tone that was supposed to sound kind, but he sounded like a pompous ass in my opinion.

“She’s not even taking you seriously,” Coach Hailey remarked, shaking her head. “Boot camp, Peter. It’s the only thing that’ll get through to her.”

And fuck you too.

“Can she not be here?” I asked, glaring. “She’s made it abundantly clear what her opinion is. Is there any other reason for her presence?”

Principal Marshalls frowned, but replied, “I agree, Miss Matthews. Ms. Hailey, we’ve already taken up enough of your time. I’ll keep your recommendations in mind and if you could have them typed in a report, it’d be most appreciated.”

She was going to argue, but she smiled instead. Like she’d been given a compliment or something. I made a vow, then and there, that I’d find whatever report she was going to type up and I’d shred it. Then I’d find her backups on her computer and trash those. Maybe a bat to her computer would work.

When she left, Principal Marshalls leaned back, considering me. He sighed. “Taryn, you are a mystery to me. Most of these students that walk these hallways make perfect sense to me. I know exactly what’s troubling them, how to help them, or how to change them. But you…you were excelling in your classes. Now you’re dating Tray Evans, skipping classes, pissing off teachers, and breaking into my office via the venting shaft.”

What? I looked up, surprised to see him grinning knowingly at me. He pointed upwards. “Don’t think we didn’t know who was behind that little prank the other week.”

I feigned innocence.

“We just couldn’t prove it,” he remarked, “But we knew. Principal Corey is a very good friend of mine. I’ve gotten more than an earful about your juvenile pranks.”

They weren’t juvenile. And they weren’t pranks.

“But that’s in the past and now we’re dealing with the present.”

I readied myself, ready to handle whatever he threw out.

“I’ve heard rumors that you’re a swimmer. Quite good, in fact.”

What the hell?

“I think your consequence will be to join the swim team,” he announced. “I’ve already talked to Coach Greenly. He’s watched you swim and dive, he said you’re given an automatic spot on the varsity team, which is highly unusual here at Rawley, let me tell you. Girls have to compete against each other for varsity spots.”

I waited. There had to be a catch.

“My only stipulation is that you do not kicked off the team.”

Meaning no skipping practices, no attitude, and no drama with team-members.

“And you can start today,” he finished, looking proud.

“What? No! I have something I need to take care of after school,” I protested, jumping out of my chair.

“Whatever it is, it can wait. You don’t want to get kicked off the team before you even start, do you?”

Oh…fuck!

“Good. Now that that’s settled, you can leave, Miss Matthews.”

I shut the door behind me. When I got to the hallway, my mind was reeling as I walked to my locker.

Most of the hallway was empty. A few lingered, talking, whatnot, but as I opened my locker, I found myself reaching for my purse. In my wallet, I found the picture I was looking for: me and Brian. We’d gone to the beach that day and we were just being stupid. He was carrying me on his back, my legs were wrapped around his waist and he had turned his head, trying to lick my neck.

I took a deep breath and clipped the picture on my door.

“That your ex?” Tristan asked behind me.

“Yeah,” I murmured, my voice lacking heat.

“Look, I’m sorry. I heard about it in fourth period about him. Why you and Tray took off this weekend.”

“So what?” I laughed. “Now you’re going to be nice to me? Please.”

“I’m trying to apologize here. You can cut me some slack.”

“Why the fuck would I want to do that?” I asked, more curious than anything else. “You haven’t exactly been gracious to me at all.”

“I have done nothing
but
be nice to you,” Tristan cried out. “But you’ve judged me based on one time when I was messing with Mandy. You’re constantly going after me. If you’re not siccing Casners on me, then it’s Amber. I can’t get a break!”

“And you deserve a break?” I asked in disbelief.

“Yeah. I think I do. I’ve tried.”

“What have you done? If anything, I just don’t put up with your passive aggressive shit.”

“Look, I’m on the swim team, so I’m just saying we should try to get along.”

I didn’t even ask how she knew I was joining. The school had a better P.A. system than our actual P.A.

“What do you want from me, Tristan?” I finally asked, resignation settling in my bones.

“I don’t know. You’re Mandy’s sister. I thought it’d be nice if we could be friends, but apparently that’s not possible.”

“Look.” I was really trying here, like—patience of a god trying here, “Maybe…we got off on a wrong foot. And Amber didn’t exactly sell you either.”

“I can imagine.” Tristan rolled her eyes, shifting on her feet. “Look…truce? Start over?’

“Whatever,” I mumbled, but it was enough for Tristan.

The rest of the day passed like the morning. People steered clear of me, for the most part.

In seventh period, Molly was almost sullen in psych.

“You can say something. I’m not going to break,” I finally said, exasperated.

She blushed. “I’m just…I’m so sorry, Taryn.”

“So, who’d you hear it from?”

“Kayden overheard some sophomore talking about it. At first everyone was really mad at you because they all blamed you for not letting Tray go to the play-offs, but then someone said you went to a funeral. And then a freshman heard you and Tray talking in the gymnasium.”

I just groaned. The freshman had had front row seats to some inappropriate boundaries. Thank God the teacher had interrupted us. I never thought I’d think that.

Fuck.

I glanced over to Tray and saw him grinning at Carter—he was like a puppy at Petco. Carter was his best friend and I hadn’t realized how much till recently. Tray was ecstatic that Carter was at our school again.

No one could tell, but I saw it. There was a little look, a note of excitement on his poker face. His hazel eyes, those…seriously hot hazel-eyes that turned amber when he was…probably shouldn’t go there.

“So—” Molly was chewing her lip, looking terrified.

“What? Spit it out.”

“Okay? I mean…are you like…I don’t know, depressed?”

I rolled my eyes, but answered truthfully, “I handle shit like this by getting angry and getting even.”

“Huh?” She was confused. “I thought it was a…it was a car accident, right?”

“Doesn’t mean I can’t get revenge,” I said sweetly, leaning back in my chair.

“You’re nice. You wouldn’t understand,” I said bluntly.

“Yeah, but—” The girl was seriously perplexed.

Enough was enough. I wasn’t about to explain myself to an Invisible who recently discovered the fun of making out.

“So you and Larkins, huh?” I mentioned casually, sitting back, and waiting for her to blush. One…two…there is was. I couldn’t contain a chuckle.