Stuck With The Four Hotties

I’m done playing games.

The next morning, I take Miranda and Andrew with me and grab some of my new first year friends from The Mess. It doesn’t take much to encourage them to take up residence in Harper’s gazebo, that little niche she’s selected for herself and her cronies.

Kiara likes to come out here before class and do yoga.

I know that seeing these first years in her spot is going to piss her off to no end.

And once a bully, always a bully.

“I agree,” I say to Principal Collins as we walk down the path together under the pretense of discussing universities. She, too, went to Bornstead. “It is important to visit the campus before making a final decision; I figured we’d head up there for spring break.”

“A productive use of the break,” she says, nodding appreciatively, her skin crinkling slightly as she smiles at me and adjusts her glasses. “I’ll admit, Marnye, I was worried when you started hanging out with the Idols. I most certainly never expected you to become an Idol yourself.” I raise my brows at her frank discussion of student politics, but then, the woman isn’t stupid. The tradition of Bluebloods at Burberry Prep is over a hundred years old. Of course the staff knows about it, just like they know about the Infinity Club. Would not surprise me to find out that some of them are members, too.

“Get the fuck out of here!” Kiara snaps, grabbing a first year girl by the tie and shoving her out of the gazebo so hard that she trips and ends up ass deep in the decorative pond outside the gazebo. “I’ve seen you slobbering all over Jason, you pathetic whore.”

“I never laid a finger on him!” the girl shouts back, and I feel the smallest twinge of guilt. I may or may not have selected these specific first years knowing that one of them’s been flirting with Kiara’s new boyfriend, Jason Marrin. “And he asked me out.”

“You bitch,” Kiara snarls, storming over and slapping the younger girl as hard as she can across the face.

“Miss Xiao!” Principal Collins shouts, her eyes wide. She veers away from me and takes off in that direction as Kiara snaps her gaze around and sputters, trying to come up with an excuse for her behavior.

But hmm.

That zero tolerance bullying policy is still in effect.

Good thing I slipped some of the notes Kiara’s been writing to Harper under the Principal’s office door. I made sure none of them implicated her majesty in any way though. I am not ready for her to go down, especially not for such a small infraction.

Although … I guess threatening to kill someone for supposedly sleeping with your boyfriend is pretty fucked-up.

I continue walking, heading back into the chapel just in time for breakfast. When I get to The Mess, Lizzie is waiting for me.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

Oh for fuck’s sake.

“I can’t believe you tried to blackmail Tristan into fucking you. You’re pathetic.” Creed circles Lizzie like a shark. In fact, all the boys are surrounding her, and her face is streaked with tears. To be fair, what she tried to do was beyond fucked-up, but I did say no bullying, didn’t I?

“She’s a waste of life,” Tristan says, his eyes narrowed. “I liked you as a friend, and you used my love for Marnye against me. Don’t you see how pathetic you are?”

“Boys.”

I walk across the stone floor, heels clacking, and pause next to them. “Marnye,” Zack says, stepping back, like he’s acknowledging it’s my turn

to talk.

My eyes meet Lizzie’s amber ones.

“I think you should go back to Coventry Prep,” I say, and her mouth drops open. “Go back there and hang out with your old friends. You’re done here.”

“But I-”

“No.” I cut her off and look her directly in the face. “You are done here.

Go home.”

The door bursts open behind us, and Miranda comes in with Myron Talbot on her heels. She grabs me by the arm, and squeezes in what I can only assume is a bit of a warning. Don’t mess with the girl Myron likes, or he’ll destroy you. That’s what it feels like she’s trying to say.

Meanwhile, Andrew buries himself in his oatmeal and stays the hell out of this. Smart choice. Wish I could do the same.

“You guys can sit down,” I tell my cadre of boyfriends, and even though Windsor looks askance at Myron, like he’d quite willingly step between me and him if needed, he listens. For once.

All five boys sit around the high table and get comfortable. Creed has one boot up on the actual table itself which, you know, could be considered bad manners but that I find cute anyway. I tear my eyes away from them to stare at Lizzie Walton.

“I tried to make things fair. Even though I’ve been in love with Tristan Vanderbilt since first year, even though I’ve endured so much shit from him. I wanted to give him the privilege of making a fair and unbiased choice, but

… you’re not as nice as you pretend to be, are you?”

She just stares at me from those amber eyes of hers, her face crestfallen, as splinted and sharp as broken glass.

“To tell you the truth, I only came here because of Tristan. I mean, I liked you Marnye, I wanted to be friends, but I don’t think I can. Not when you’ve got him.” She gestures in the direction of the high table and then sighs, reaching up to smooth her palms over her dark hair. “I can leave by Friday

-”

I cut her off.

“Tomorrow,” I say, and my voice is deadly serious.

Lizzie pauses as Myron pushes off the wall to come stand beside her, taking her elbow in a possessive manner.

“I’m going with her. But I won’t leave my best friend exposed. Also, I’m tired of being kept on a leash. I know you have special little rules to live by to make yourself feel better, and Tristan might find them cute, but to be quite

frank, I don’t give a fuck. You can thank me later-I left the q

ueen bee and her bitch for you to squash.”