“I’ll go tell Nix we’re leaving.”
“I’ll come with you,” Chloe said, leaving me alone with Celeste.
I turned slowly, running a hand down my face as tension filled the space between us.
“Thanks for coming to my rescue.” A shy smile tugged at her mouth.
She fucking smiled at me like I was her knight in shining armor.
“I didn’t do it for you.”
Hurt flickered in her gaze but she quickly steeled herself. “Well, thanks anyway. I didn’t come here to cause any trouble.”
“You don’t get it, Einstein. You don’t belong here with your designer clothes and flashy ride. You’re an easy target and a reminder of everything we won’t ever have.”
“Zane, that’s not—”
“Fair?” I sneered, and she blanched, the blood draining from her face. “Look, I know Harleigh is your sister. I know you like Chloe. But if you want to do everyone a favor, stay on your own side of the res.”And the fuck out of our lives.
“I’m a good person, you know.” She lifted her chin, eyes glittering with defiance. “But you’re too stubborn to even see it.”
Fuck.
This girl.
She didn’t know when the fuck to admit defeat.
I leaned in closer until I was breathing her air. Her scent. It messed with my head, the floral perfume she wore. Saturating my senses until I couldn’t fucking think straight.
Her breath hitched, anticipation crackling in the air. But this wasn’t going to be the heartfelt conversation I had no doubt she hoped for.
“I look at you,” I drawled, “and all I see is a spoiled little rich girl who will never have to work for anything in her life. You and me, Einstein, you and them.” I tipped my head over to where our friends were sitting. “We’re not the same. So don’t keep coming around here trying to pretend that we are.”
Celeste recoiled, her throat bobbing as she swallowed. “I see.” Pain shone in her eyes, but I didn’t let it soften the jagged edges of my cruelty.
She didn’t belong here, and the sooner she got that through her pretty little head, the better.
Celeste
I turnedand walked away from Zane with my head held high.
His words cut deep. Deeper than he would ever realize. But it wasn’t only the cruelty of them, it was the truth to them.
Iwasdifferent to all the kids here. Even my own sister. I had been raised in a world of money and lavish dinner parties and exclusive country clubs. I didn’t know the first thing about having to work for my allowance or next meal. But that didn’t mean I thought I was better than them, not for a second. I enjoyed Chloe’s company; we had a lot of things in common. I liked Kye’s happy-go-lucky attitude and his lame jokes. I appreciated Harleigh and Nix’s love for each other. Their unconditional acceptance of each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
I even liked Zane.
Despite his barbed words and hateful glare, I liked the boy with a chip the size of the Hudson River on his shoulder.
But he didn’t like me.
In fact, after his little outburst, hate seemed like a more accurate description for how he felt about me.
My heart sank in the pit of my stomach because for a split second, I’d foolishly thought that he was going to kiss me.
Chloe rushed over to me when she saw me approaching. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I forced my lips into a convincing smile. “My dad texted though. I need to go.”