“Okay.” I sighed again. “I just want it to beover.”
“It will be one day. And you know what they say—the best revenge is a life lived well. Keep focusing onthat.”
I forced a smile. “I’m trying. I’ve joined the Medusa Society, and they’re initiating me soon,” I replied. “They’re going to keep the bullies away from me, and I’ll also get a free ride through college once I graduate from here. One of the perks of membership,apparently.”
Her eyebrows rose. “That’s fantastic news!” she said. “I’ve never actually met any of those Medusa girls, but I’ve heard good things aboutthem.”
“Yeah, they’re reallynice.”
“When are you getting initiated into theirclub?”
“They messaged me last night to say that it’s happening tomorrow,” I said. “I’m not sure exactly when,though.”
“You better get to bed early tonight, then. None of your usual wild Friday night antics,” shejoked.
I giggled softly and nodded. “Yup, that’s me. Huge party animal,” I said. I gestured to the messenger bags. “Anyway, I should probably get started on my work for theday.”
“Of course.” Ms. Flores crouched down and removed several files from the bags. “Here’s all of your classwork for the day,” she said, handing three of them to me. “And this one contains your homework,” she added, handing me another bluefile.
I groaned. “There’s so much to getthrough.”
“You’ll be fine. You’re a smartkid.”
I motioned to the blue gift bag she’d left on the floor next to the other bags. “What’s that?” I asked. “Is it someone’sbirthday?”
Her eyes fell on the bag and widened. “Oh! I completely forgot about that,” she said. “It’s not mine. I found it outside your door when I arrived. I figured one of your friends left it there to cheer youup.”
My eyes narrowed as I stared at it. “It wasn’t ticking, was it?” I askedwryly.
Ms. Flores laughed. “No, I think it’s just a gift.” She glanced at her watch. “Anyway, I better head off. I have a meeting in a fewminutes.”
When she was gone, I set the coffee down on my nightstand and crouched next to the blue bag, eyes narrowing with suspicionagain.
I knew it wasn’t from Adam or Trina. They wouldn’t leave something outside my door like this. It could be from the Medusa girls, though. A sort of good luck gift, seeing as my initiation was happeningtomorrow.
I peered inside to see an envelope with my name on the front and a box wrapped in pale blue paper with a silver ribbon around it. The box also had a small card on it, tucked under the center of theribbon.
I fished it out and opened it to find a message scrawled in distinctly masculine handwriting.Thought you should have one of your own –H
My stomach started churning, and I dropped the card like it was onfire.
It was fromHunter.
For a few tense moments, I simply stared at the gift, unsure if I should open it or not. My curiosity finally won out, and I ripped the wrapping paper off to find a velvety jewelry box beneath. My brows shot up as I opened the box, revealing a sparklingnecklace.
The delicate chain was made of silver with tiny glinting diamonds on every second link, and the pendant was in the shape of an L. Not a regular L like my last necklace—well, Lindsay Connery’s necklace—but an elegant calligraphic L. It was inlaid with more diamonds and little violet-colored gems that I could only assume were amethysts. The deep shade of purple would complement my green eyesperfectly.
Hunter obviously knew that. He must’ve selected this piece very carefully in order to appeal to me and tug at my heartstrings, but I couldn’t let it get to me. I had to remain stubborn and refuse to engage with his bullshit, or else he’d worm his way right back into mylife.
With my pulse racing, I snapped the jewelry box shut and shoved it in the back of my desk drawer. The envelope went straight in the wastebasket next to my desk, still sealed. I assumed it contained a letter from Hunter, but I didn’t want to read anything he had to say tome.
The only reason I didn’t toss the necklace in the trash as well was that it was too beautiful to discard. I would never wear it—I wouldn’t give Hunter the satisfaction—but I could give it to the next friend I made whose named started with the letter L. Maybe Layla from the Medusa Society could have it if we grew closeenough.
I tried my best to put Hunter’s gift out of my mind and spent the next several hours working my ass off. By four o’clock, all of my Friday classwork was done, and I’d also managed to make a serious dent in my weekendhomework.
Trina showed up at my door just before five. We had an English test coming up soon, so we’d arranged to spend the evening studyingtogether.
As she unpacked her notebooks and different colored pens, I filled her in on the gift bag Hunter left by my doorstep this morning. Her eyes rolled so far back in her head that she looked like she was auditioning for an Exorcistreboot.