The Education of Hailey Kendrick - Eileen Cook [53]
“Easy. Don’t get your panties all knotted up. I’m not saying he did anything. What I said is that he could have sold the information. You act like he’s your best friend now. Lately everything is all ‘Drew says this’ and ‘Drew does that.’ You’ve known this guy for like a week.”
“Why would anyone do this?”
“Why not? Money, most likely. Maybe it’s one of those staff people who don’t like us because we go to Evesham. You heard about the maid who got canned two years ago because she was caught trying on Stephanie Wild’s clothes? They clean our floors, wash our dishes, and make our meals. You have to figure sometimes they look at us and think it’s unfair. Heck, maybe it is unfair. It’s no wonder there are stories leaked out of here all the time.”
I crumpled the cover of one of the glossy magazines. I didn’t want to think Drew would do something like this, but I had told him everything that day at Denny’s. He’d admitted that he needed to make money for school in the fall. Selling Evesham secrets would be a fast way to make a buck, and he hadn’t exactly made a secret of what he thought of Evesham students in general. I think I had hoped it was different with me. My stomach clenched, filling with sour hot acid.
“I can’t believe this had to happen now. Things with Tristan were just starting to get better.”
“What do you mean?”
“He came to see me last night in the library.” I almost laughed when I saw Kelsie’s face. “You don’t have to look that shocked. We dated for four years, after all. Did you think he’d really never speak to me again?”
“So are you guys getting back together?”
I shrugged. “I don’t think he knows what he wants.”
“You don’t have to make him sound like a child who doesn’t know what to do. The situation really threw him. He trusted you.”
I leaned back, surprised at how angry she sounded. “I know. I didn’t mean to make it sound like he was doing something wrong. You know how he is. He can’t decide what he wants for dinner half the time.”
“You always do that. Make snide comments about him. If you don’t want to be with him, then don’t date him.”
“Do I have to do nothing but create poems in his honor? He’s a guy. He’s got great qualities and he has flaws. Why does everyone assume I don’t want to be with Tristan?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Hmm, let me think.” Kelsie placed her finger on the side of her chin in an exaggerated gesture. “It could be because you were caught kissing some other guy. Or it might be that you make fun of him, or it could be because suddenly you’re acting all strange, sneaking off campus, breaking stuff, hanging out with some townie instead of your friends.”
I cut her off before she could say any more. “Maybe I’m not hanging out with my usual crowd because just about everyone in it is making me into the campus pariah. Everyone is acting like the fact that they can’t get off campus is some great hardship. No one from student council has had anything to do with me, and even you only hang out with me when it works for you.”
Kelsie stood up, her face flushing red. “Do you know how many times in the past week I’ve stood up for you? You act like everyone is blowing you off, but you’re blowing them off just as much. You don’t come to any of your regular activities. You isolate yourself and then blame us. I gave a hundred bucks to a drug dealer to get you these magazines. What do you want?”
“You’re supposed to stand up for me. We’re best friends.” I reached a hand forward to touch her arm. I couldn’t understand how I kept screwing things up with the people that mattered. My dad was mad, my best friend was mad, my boyfriend didn’t even know if he wanted to be with me. My best guy friend wanted to be with me, but I didn’t know if I wanted to be with him, and someone on campus, possibly the only friend I felt like I had left, was selling out my secrets for a few extra bucks. “I don’t want to fight with you, too. I don’t want you to be mad. All I was trying to do was explain what’s going on for me.”
“Whatever. I have to go.” Kelsie crossed my room and flung the door open.