“You shouldn’t have even been there,” Dalton says as if speaking to himself.
Leave it to him to blame me for what was going on in that room. Like I had any control over his friends. My only mistake was thinking for a second that a boy at Westover Prep would be interested in me. I’ll never make the same mistake again, that’s for dang sure.
“You belong at the library, not at some house party,” he continues.
Even with the wind whipping around in the car from the T-tops being gone, his words still manage to stay inside the car and stick to me like poison.
I don’t argue with him because he’s right. I’ll never be able to get the sight of Vaughn’s penis out of my head. Thankfully, Kyle was situated so that even though I could tell what was going on behind Bronwyn, I couldn’t actually see the details. In no way, shape, or form did I think seeing my first in-person penis would happen like it did tonight.
“You fucking ruin everything!” Dalton roars as his fists come down hard on the dash.
The movement startles me, but even though the wheel jerks in my hands, I manage to keep the stupid car on the road.
“You can’t take a hint? You must like the fucking teasing because you just keep showing up for more and more. Why can’t you just get out of my fucking life for good?” He’s still not looking at me, but with each ragged breath he takes, the angrier he gets. “You spend all of your time thinking you’re better than everyone else. Piper Schofield can’t be bothered to care what others think of her.”
His tone is mocking, and I’d like to say I ignore him, that I concentrate on driving since I’ve never been behind the wheel in this part of town before, but that’s not the case. The tremble in my feet and hands from worrying about Dalton’s car transitions to heated anger and hatred for the boy in the seat beside me.
“You don’t have a fucking clue what it’s like to be me!” I roar, turning my head to look in his direction.
His face is marked with tears, and the sight of the wetness on his cheeks disorients me for a second. Inwardly, I wonder if these tears are like mine, and he’s crying because he’s so angry. There’s no way he’s actually heartbroken over Bronwyn. They were frenemies at best. Then his lips turn up in a demonic sneer.
“You’re fucking pitiful.” His words are calm. There’s no sign of the rage and hostility that echoed through the car just moments ago. “You’re just the girl everyone loves to pick on. Everyone hates you. There isn’t one person at Westover Prep that likes you.”
As far as insults go, these aren’t so bad. Lord knows I’ve heard worse. I’ve been through years of misery from him and others, but tonight they strike a harder chord.
I shake my head, turning my attention back to the rows of trees that provide a false sense of security on the side of the road. Between the trees and the asphalt, I know for a fact that there’s at least a ten-foot-wide ravine. For a single second, I wonder what it would be like to drive us both over the edge of the cliff, but as quick as the urge is there, it’s gone. Imagining death isn’t new to me, but I’d never do that to my parents. Permanent pain isn’t something I’m into.
“Even that girl you showed up with tonight was in on the joke,” he interrupts, continuing like I didn’t just counter his claim.
“That isn’t true. Frankie is my best friend. She…” I squeeze the steering wheel until my hands ache from the effort. My eyes snap back to his. “No.”
His head bobs. “Yes, she was.”
My mouth runs dry, and tears burn the backs of my eyes. It’s not possible. Frankie has been my best friend for years. She hates Dalton and his shitty friends just as much as I do. Then a thought hits me. She was adamant about going to the party, wouldn’t take no for an answer when I tried to back out. She didn’t even bother to hide the ogling of Dalton from my bedroom window earlier when she arrived at my house. She wouldn’t be dumb enough to fall for his playboy ways, would she?
“And Bronwyn and I broke up. We planned the entire thing.”
Now I know he’s lying. He was just as shocked as I was when he shoved that damn door open, but my brain hasn’t had time to sift through the bullshit he’s spewing to get to the bottom of his words and find the truth.
The car begins to shake, and when my eyes snap to the front, I realize that my front tire has slipped off the road and is kicking up the rocks on the shoulder.