Spellbound - Cara Lynn Shultz [88]
“Sorry,” I said again, feeling more and more guilty.
“Emma, stop apologizing. Please.” Brendan sighed. “Listen, let’s get out of here at lunch, okay? Let’s just go straight from English class.”
“Okay,” I agreed, relieved for whatever break I would get from the sure-to-hear rumors at the school.
Brendan opened the door to the school for me and we headed inside, parting ways so I could go to my dungeon basement locker first.
I spun the combination on my lock and opened the door, rummaging through the books I’d need for my morning classes. And that’s when I saw it.
The folded-up piece of paper wedged in the slot in the locker. I grabbed it, smiling. Brendan must have snuck down here before waiting outside for me.
When I opened the note, though, it was clear that it wasn’t from Brendan.
It contained one word: Slut.
I took a deep breath, and tried to steady my shaking hands as I refolded the note. It was written in block letters so there was no way to even try to match the handwriting. Not that I had any doubts as to who had left this in my locker. And even if Kristin hadn’t put it there herself, she’d probably told one of her little followers to do it.
Several ideas ran though my head. I’d go up to Kristin and hand her the note, saying, “Someone put this in my locker but it was clearly meant for you.” No, I’d just slip it in her locker. No, I’d hold on to it as evidence.
But then I realized if I did anything, she would just come after me with even more energy and vengeance than she already had. I shook my head. All this over Anthony, of all people. It’s like starting a world war over a parking ticket.
I crumpled up the note and stomped up the stairs to my classroom, first ducking into the ladies’ room to throw the note in the garbage.
And that’s when I heard the voice in the stall.
“I’d be surprised if Emma even showed her stupid face in this school again,” came the nasal voice. I whirled around and recognized the red-soled Christian Louboutin heels under the stall door. Only one girl ever wore Louboutins to school. Kristin.
I heard a toilet flush and scurried to the last stall in the row, shutting the door as softly as I could. I was afraid they could hear my heart beating, it was pounding so fast. I stepped back as far as I could so they couldn’t see my shoes.
“She’ll show up,” came another voice over the sound of a stall door opening. Amanda, I think it was. One of Kristin’s minions with a lot of money that made up for an unfortunate skin problem. “That girl has no shame.”
“That’s for sure,” came Kristin’s cackle. “I mean, Anthony hit it right away, and she has the nerve to get all mad at him over her stupid cousin.”
I breathed in sharply. It was one thing to be told what she was saying about me; it was entirely another to hear it firsthand.
“I can’t believe she tattled on Anthony for that stupid fight in the quad,” a third voice chimed in. Kendall, I think it was. “She has some nerve getting him kicked out of school.” So the story is that I went to Principal Casey about the fight.
“I can’t believe Brendan fell for her nice girl act,” Kristin sneered. “She’s probably given him, like, a thousand STDs already.” The other two girls laughed.
“Such a shame,” purred Kendall, over the sound of a faucet running. “He’s so hot. Remember when I hooked up with him at your Hamptons house in the summer?” Even though I knew it made no sense, I felt a stab of pain. I’d heard Brendan was no angel before I’d met him, but still—it hurt to hear it. I thought of Kendall—long strawberry-blond hair, legs that would have gone on forever if her shoes didn’t stop them—and winced.
“He’s totally dating down.” Amanda cackled. “I mean, Emma isn’t even that pretty.”
“She’s kind of cute,” Kendall disagreed, then added very quickly, “but nothing special.”
“Kendall, he’ll be yours by Christmas break,” Kristin promised.
“He better be,” Kendall squealed. “I’ll just need to wash him off first. I’d love to get him in the shower.” The other girls laughed.
“Trust me, she’s a nobody and he’ll get tired of her soon,” Kristin spat