I shook my head. “Go ahead. Do they allow smoking?”
She flicked the lighter, producing a small flame before putting the cigarette between her lips and sucking in as she lit the other end. “No,” she said, grinning and releasing a puff of smoke. “Bad habit, I know. But we all have our little vices. This helps me deal with the bullshit at this school.”
“Is there a lot of bullshit I should know about?”
“You have no idea. It’s going to take more than a lunch period to fill you in.” She took a long drag on the cigarette. “But you can bet your ass all the garbage that goes on in this school, one way or the other stems back to the Elite.”
I couldn’t help but remember the shower of pills during the party at Grayson’s house.
“Word of advice, new girl.” Flicking the end of her cigarette onto the lush green grass, Mads frowned at me. “Watch your back. Thanks to your loose-lipped stepbrother, everyone knows you hooked up with one of the Elite, and some of the girls want to put you in your place for it.”
Oh, good. Future bitch fights.I could already see my rule of no fighting going right down the drain. I wasn’t about to let a group of jealous psychos put me in my place. “Thanks. I appreciate the warning.”
If anyone needed to be put into their place, it was Carter. My stepbrother and I were going to have ourselves a family sit down. Better to nip this shit in the bud than let it go on all year.
Chapter Five
Ihad every intention of confronting Carter the instant I walked through the front door, but it was my mother who was there waiting for me. Then I remembered the asshole jock had football practice after school. He wouldn’t be home for hours yet, which only burned my ass more. I wanted to tear into him now. Not later, when I’d had time to cool off.
Instead, I had to face my mother when all I wanted was to escape to my room and shut out the rest of the world, including the people I lived with.Especiallythe people I lived with.
Shit.
“Josie! I’m in the kitchen. I want to hear all about your first day!” Her voice rang out, all high-pitched and cheerful, the moment I closed the door.
She was about to be disappointed. Then again, I always disappointed her in some shape or another, so what made this any different?
I dropped my bag on the floor and meandered down the hallway into the kitchen, heading straight to the fridge. My ass plopped onto the counter stool after grabbing a bottled tea. “Maybe you should ask Carter. I’m sure he could tell you all about it,” I grumbled, my voice sharp with accusation.
Angie didn’t actually cook. If she was in the kitchen, it was because she was eating or directing the cook about dinner tonight. She tapped on her laptop, a sheet of paper laid out in front of her. “What does that mean? Did Carter do something?” There was only mild concern in her tone.
I didn’t bother to tell Mom for a number of reasons, including having to bring up the incident at her wedding where I’d had sex with Brock and she waked in. “No. I just didn’t have the best day.” That was me glossing over things. Trying to make them sound better than they actually were. All I needed was for her to meet me halfway, maybe ask what had gone wrong and listen sympathetically the way a mother should.
It looked like both of us were in for disappointment.
She muttered a curse under her breath, shaking her head. Her dark hair was carefully arranged into a smooth bun. “Of course you would say that. You’re always so negative.”
I opened the bottle of sweetened tea and took a sip. “Being the new kid always sucks. That is just a fact. Everybody is talking about you.”
“I would think that would be a good thing,” she said, lifting her eyes from the computer screen. I had to wonder just what the hell she did all day. It was a mystery. She had no job, other than looking pretty. God only knew what she was doing on her laptop. Online shopping?
“Not so much.” I would regret this, but the words were popping out of my mouth before I could stop them. “Carter has made it his mission in life to destroy me. He’s spreading rumors about me at school.” Maybe if I leveled with her, she would meet me halfway. I wasn’t holding my breath, seeing as she disregarded every claim I made against Carter.
“What kind of rumors?”
“The kind that damage your reputation,” I replied, picking at the label on the bottle.
She rolled her eyes. “Do you have to be so dramatic all the time? It is part of the high school experience. I’m sure the rumors will blow over, and it will only make you stronger.”
Yup. Should have known better. I wished my heart wouldn’t sink as it did. “And that’s why I can’t tell you anything.”
Giving me a sidelong glance, she stopped typing on her keyboard. “What do you expect from me? To coddle you?”
I scoffed. “Hardly. I’m not five.”
Angie’s mouth twisted into a grimace. “I wish you would try to get along with Carter for me, please.”
Did she have any idea what she was asking from me? It was like befriending the devil. “Sure, Mom,” I said.