“This is going to sound bad,” Matt started. “But I swear James, if you give me a chance to explain, it’s not what you think…”
“Oh, it’s exactly what he’s going to think. When I was referring to secrets, I didn’t actually mean your secret relationship. I was referring to the fact that you’re a liar. And manipulative. And a pretty terrible friend.” She reached out and grabbed James’ arm. "Remember that party over the summer where you and Rachel had that huge fight? Matt was there to console her.” She paused and a sinister smile crept over her face. “Sexually that is. I caught them in the act in the pool house.”
“What the fuck, Isabella?” Matt yelled. “That’s not even close to what happened.”
“Did you have sex with Rachel?” James asked. His voice was calm. Cold. Calculated.
Everything about the way James spoke made me want to hide under the table. But I was glued to my seat. Matt had slept with James’ girlfriend? That was what Isabella was blackmailing him for? He wasn’t allowed to speak to me in public because he’d slept with someone else? It didn’t even feel like he wanted to keep it from James. It felt a lot more like he was just keeping it from me. My whole body went cold.
“You know I wouldn’t do that,” Matt said. “It was all Rachel. She was upset and she…”
James lunged across the table, his hands making perfect contact with Matt’s throat.
Kennedy screamed and more students joined in.
Mason grabbed James by the back of his blazer, pulling him off. “Stop it! Both of you!”
“I’m gonna fucking kill you,” James said.
“I didn’t do anything! Rachel kissed me and…”
“Get her name out of your mouth!” James shoved Mason off of him. “Fucking asshole.” Instead of trying to attack Matt again he stormed out of the cafeteria. But not before his fist collided with one of the windows. The sound of glass shattering echoed all around us.
For just a second, no one moved. Or spoke. All I could hear was my own breathing.
But then Matt went to follow James.
“Don’t,” Rob said and stopped him in his tracks. “What the fuck, man? How could you do that to him? You of all people?”
“I didn’t. Rachel…”
“Nice, take the high road and blame his girlfriend? Screw you.”
Matt shoved his way past him, beelining toward the doors James had just gone through. I felt myself shrinking all over again. He hadn’t looked at me once. Not once since the truth had come out. But it was better that he hadn’t. Because Rob was right. It took two people to kiss. Matt had gone on and on about not wanting James to get hurt. When really? He’d already hurt him. Matt didn’t care about anyone but himself.
“Daddy said I shouldn’t tell,” Isabella said. “But I decided not to listen. Because I think everything is better out in the open. Don’t you agree?”
“You’re a nasty bitch, Isabella,” Rob said.
I’m pretty sure everyone was thinking it. But she still looked shocked that someone had actually said it out loud.
She rolled her eyes. “And you’re a little twerp who uses humor to hide from the fact that he’s living in his brother’s shadow. I was hoping we could all discuss this like adults, but clearly I’ve overlooked the fact that you’re all so juvenile. Ladies,” she said and turned to her friends who were sitting in silence watching their horrid ringleader. “Let’s go.”
All her minions stood as one and followed her from the table.
“Did you know?” Rob asked me. He sounded hurt. I wasn’t sure if it was because of what Isabella said or if he was somehow channeling James’ pain. Maybe it was both.
“No. He said we had to keep our relationship a secret because Isabella was blackmailing him. He never told me what she had on him. He’d hinted that if it came out it might hurt James.” I shook my head. I was such an idiot. What else would have hurt James?
Rob sighed like the weight of the world had just been put on his shoulders. If Matt was right about James, maybe it had. What if James tried to hurt himself? What if I was the only one besides Matt who realized he might?
“I should go stop them before they try to kill each other again,” Rob said.
Mason stood up. “I’ll come with you. Kennedy, do you mind telling your boyfriend I need to talk to him?”
She nodded.
“Thanks. He’s probably the only one that has something to smooth this over.” Mason followed Rob out of the cafeteria.
“Are you okay?” Kennedy asked.
I nodded, even though I wasn’t.
“I guess I should go find Cupcake. I’ll see you later.” She dumped her tray of uneaten food in the garbage and hurried off.
I didn’t know if she was sick. Or if she hated me. All I could think about was how many times I had dreamed of sitting at the Untouchables’ table. The first time I’d been here, Isabella poured milk on me. And this second time? I was sitting all alone at their table. Isabella had tricked me with her fake niceness again. I was so naive.
I stared at the empty table. I’d been right all along. I didn’t belong in their world. I didn’t want to be an Untouchable. And I didn’t want to be with someone like Matt.
Chapter 19
Monday
“Please, Miller,” I said from the back seat. I tried to hide my tears from him. Matt and Rob hadn’t shown up to our entrepreneurship class. I hadn’t seen any of the Untouchables the rest of the day. Even Isabella had left me all alone. Felix was ghosting me. And Kennedy hadn’t shown up with a smile and her camera at my locker to walk me out of school. It was like the whole school was hushed. And being alone with my thoughts? I felt like I was being swallowed whole. I needed my best friend. I had to go see Kennedy. I needed to fix whatever was broken between us before I lost everything.
“She’s not on the list,” Miller said.
“Please.” My voice cracked.