Matt shifted in his seat, making his thigh brush against mine and distracting me from Rob’s question.
“Interesting,” I said. It came out as more of a question than anything and Rob laughed.
“You’re hilarious, Sissy,” Isabella said. “I’m always telling her that.”
What the hell kind of game was she playing here? I realized that in all the awkwardness, I’d forgotten to introduce Kennedy. “Oh and guys, this is Kennedy,” I said.
“You’re dating Cupcake, right?” Rob asked.
“Mhm.” Kennedy’s voice had never sounded so small before. I wondered if she truly was sick.
“Speaking of dating,” Isabella said and batted her eyelashes at James. “How’s your girlfriend handling the Harvard news?”
Matt had told me the other night that James’ parents were giving him an ultimatum. His girlfriend or Harvard. It was like Isabella had been waiting for the perfect time to make this jab at him. What was her problem?
James ran his fingers through his hair, looking more distressed than he had after I brought up Harvard in the first place.
I studied his face. Or did he just look…sad? I tried to view him like Matt did. The drinking. The drugs. His behavior was sporadic. But his general mood wasn’t. James Hunter was always sad. It was one of the first things I ever noticed about him.
“You have told her, haven’t you?” Isabella asked when James didn’t respond.
“Isabella, stop it,” Matt said.
“Oh no,” she said. “You have to tell her the truth about this. Secrets are so toxic in relationships. Isn’t that right, Matthew?” she said and turned to him.
I was pretty sure I stopped breathing. No. No, no, no.
“I know you guys were thinking that I’d never let Brooklyn sit with us again after that milk spilled on her the other day. Let alone that I’d extend the invitation to her little friend. But that was before I realized that she actually is one of us. Isn’t that right, Sissy?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” I said. But I was scared I did. She had to be talking about me dating Matt. What else could it possibly be? Mr. Pruitt said he’d talk to her. Had he really told her everything? He’d said he’d fix it. Not make it a million times worse. Damn it, Mr. Pruitt! This was why Isabella invited me over here. To torture me again. She’d even let me sit right next to Matt so she could publicly shame both of us.
Isabella frowned. “Of course you do. You’re dating Matthew. And by extension, you’re one of us now.”
Everyone at the table was eerily quiet.
James raised his left eyebrow and stared at Matt like he was trying to figure out why he’d been left out of the loop.
I didn’t know what to say. And clearly Matt didn’t know what to say. Did this mean that we were in the clear? That she was done blackmailing him? Maybe Mr. Pruitt had actually fixed it.
“You ruined the surprise,” Kennedy said, finally breaking the silence. “They were planning on telling everyone later this week.” She kicked me under the table. “Right, Brooklyn?”
I bit the inside of my lip so I wouldn’t yelp. “Yeah.”
Matt seemed to relax next to me.
“It’s about time you asked her out,” Mason said. “He’s been crushing on you since the beginning of the semester.”
I could feel my cheeks turning red.
“You’re awfully quiet,” Mason said to Rob. “Did you know?”
Rob shrugged. “Yeah, I have a class with them. They’re kind of ridiculous. Always making me feel like I’m third-wheeling on our group project.” He winked at me.
“Why didn’t you tell us, Matt?” James asked.
“Dating someone our parents don’t approve of isn’t exactly working out so well for you,” Rob said.
I felt myself sinking in my chair. I knew that’s what Rob thought. That I was from the wrong part of town. That Matt’s parents wouldn’t accept me. Matt had just let Rob assume he was embarrassed of me. It stung.
“That’s not it,” Matt said. “I don’t care what Mom or Dad think. They’ll probably love her.” He looked over at me, the first time really acknowledging me in front of all his friends. “But none of that matters. Because I love her.”
For a second, everyone drifted away. All I saw was him. And he slid his hand into mine, showing our solidarity. It was the first public display of affection we were ever allowed to have at Empire High. And I was smiling so hard it hurt.
“So why didn’t you tell everyone right away then?” Isabella asked. “If it wasn’t the very reasonable idea that you were embarrassed of her upbringing and where she lived and how she, you know…carries herself.” She waved her hand at me like that explained everything.
“Secret relationships are fun,” Kennedy said, trying her best to stand up for me. “The forbidden aspect and all that? They were just having fun sneaking around.”
“We both know that’s not it, sweetie,” Isabella said. “Matt, I think it’s about time you told James the truth, don’t you? Come clean. The truth shall set you free.”
She was a murderous psychopath. And now she was quoting scripture? This girl was completely nuts.
“What is she talking about?” James asked.
“Nothing.” Matt was glaring at Isabella. “Can I talk to you in private? Now?” He pulled his hand out of mine.
“Why? I think it’s time we put it all out there. I mean, you finally came clean about your charity case of a girlfriend. Why not admit to the rest of it?”
I wanted to know what Isabella had on Matt. Desperately. But not like this. Not right in front of James when Matt swore it was going to hurt him.
“Isabella…” I started.
“Shut your Daddy-stealing mouth. I wasn’t talking to you. I was talking to your whore of a boyfriend who owes my future hubby an apology.”
I didn’t close my mouth because she’d told me to. I closed it because I wanted to know why she’d described Matt as a whore. And how it had anything to do with James.
“James, can I talk to you for a second?” Matt said.
“No, Matthew. Here. Now. You have five seconds to tell him the truth or I’ll tell him for you.”