“You’re going to replace me, just like that? Like I mean nothing to you?”
I don’t answer. How he can think that I lied about being with my mother but not about being with a friend is unbelievable. Why wouldn’t I want to be here for my last hours with him?
He shakes his head. “I can’t believe we were ever friends.”
His words hurt worse than my cracked ribs.
I feel the burning of a tear in my eyes, but I don’t let it out.
I swipe my hair to one side, revealing the bruise, revealing the truth.
But Langston won’t even look at me. He’s so irate.
“Langston! Time to go,” Mr. Pearce says as a new Mercedes sedan pulls up.
Mr. Pearce walks to the front passenger side. A beautiful woman sits in the driver’s seat—his new wife.
Langston still doesn’t look at me. He just starts walking to the car.
“Langston,” I whisper, hoping he’ll look at me.
He’ll give me a hug.
He’ll say we are still best friends.
That he’ll call.
Take care of me.
That this changes nothing.
Instead, he climbs into the back of the car without a word, without a glance back.
I watch in horror as the woman drives off with my best friend. I’m left stunned.
He left without a goodbye.
I hate him.
I shouldn’t have taken the beating for him. It wasn’t worth it.
I. Hate. Him.
I fall to the ground in a crumpled ball.
I hate him.
But that’s a lie too. I can’t hate him. Not yet. Soon though, I promise to hate him, to make it true. Because everything between us was a lie.
5
Langston
Fifteen Years Old
I’ve spent the last few years pretending that I didn’t know who Liesel Dunn was. That when her mother took a job as a maid in my friend Enzo’s house recently and they moved into his guest house, that I didn’t know her. I pretend that at one point she wasn’t the most important person in my life.
I pretend she was just a girl, just like all the rest.
A girl I would try to kiss, maybe even one day fuck before moving on to the next girl, and then the next and the next.
I pretend that Liesel means nothing to me. I pretend I don’t ask Enzo about his new roommate because I care but just because I have a fascination with all girls. I’m a horny bastard, after all. That’s all it is.
Zeke truly hates her. He thinks she’s a snob. He doesn’t know that she’s broken. That she only has money because I give money to Enzo, who gives money to her.
Enzo, on the other hand, likes Liesel. But what do I care?
He can have the lying whore if he wants.
I don’t hate her—I just don’t care anymore.
Liesel has spent the last several years either ignoring me or hating me. She also pretends I was never a part of her life. Yet, she still hangs out with the three of us constantly.
So annoying.
“I’m going to need you tonight,” Enzo says as he slams his locker shut.
I pull my algebra textbook out of my locker. “Just tell me the time and place.”
Enzo nods.
I’ve been working for Enzo for the last year. I always knew I would. It was my destiny, as it was Zeke’s. The three of us will conquer the world together. Threatening, stealing, killing to keep the empire that Enzo will one day inherit from his father.
We are the bad guys now.
“Do you need me?” Zeke asks.
Enzo turns to him.
“I could really use an outlet.” Zeke pounds his fist into his other hand.
“Who are you guys taking down?” Liesel asks, wrapping her arms around Enzo’s neck.
He kisses the back of her hand.
“Nothing you need to worry about, Liesel,” Enzo says.
Liesel sighs and lets go of him as she makes her way to the middle of the group. She folds her arms as she looks into each of our eyes, trying to get answers. I don’t think she wants to know because she wants to judge us. It’s more because she’s a nosy bitch who wants to be able to control my life like she did when we were little.
“Finally going to get this one his first kill?” Liesel asks, gesturing in my direction.
I seethe. She doesn’t know that I’ve already earned her nickname for me. I’ve killed. I don’t know if tonight’s mission is to kill, but if Enzo requires it of me, I will.
My soul is already lost. I’m evil, and I like it. I won’t let Liesel or anyone else change me.
Zeke laughs. “Langston isn’t capable of killing a fly, sweetheart. If anyone does the killing, it will be me.”
Liesel’s eyes dart from Zeke to me. Zeke’s words are true. He’s killed the most of all of us so far. He’s the biggest, the oldest, but Enzo and I will catch up soon. The only reason I don’t have as big of a number as Zeke is because I do most of the behind the scenes work. I’m the most skilled with a computer. I’ve become both the hunter and the killer.
Liesel searches for the truth in my eyes, but she can no longer read me as easily as she once could.
When she doesn’t find what she’s looking for, she gives up and turns to Enzo.
“Walk me to class,” Liesel says, shoving her textbook into Enzo’s hands with a wink.
She tosses her blonde curled hair over her shoulder as she loops her hand into the crook of Enzo’s arm, and he starts leading her away. I’m left to stare at her ass in a tight black dress with wedge heels, remembering her full face of makeup.
What the hell was that?
The only time I’ve ever seen her wear a dress was for my mother’s funeral. I’ve never seen her wear a dress, or makeup, or style her hair like this. High school has changed her. Money has changed her.
Zeke makes a whipped sound at Enzo, who just flips him off as they round the corner.
My blood boils.
I’m not jealous, just pissed. I didn’t think she’d become this fake just to get into Enzo’s pants.
Not that he cares about her in that way. He might fuck her a couple of times, but he doesn’t love her. He’ll fuck her and then expect her to go right back to being friends like they are now.
Three hours later, I spot Liesel waiting for Enzo to walk her to lunch.
I can’t take it anymore.
“If you’re just looking for someone to break that sweet hymen of yours, look no further,” I say as I approach her with a laugh.
Liesel folds her arms and stares at me like I’m a demon she wishes she could send to hell.
“Why would I want to fuck a puppet like you when I can have sex with the king?”
I laugh harder. “Enzo? Really? You think he wants to fuck you?”
“Yes. He does.”
I shake my head as I put one hand on the wall behind her, leaning close but not too close.
“Enzo’s like me. He’s a fuck ‘em and leave ‘em type. I don’t think your pretty little heart can take it.”
I tug on her blonde curls—I can’t resist.
She bats my hand away.
“I’m tougher than I look. And I know how to wrap a guy around my finger. If I want Enzo, I’ll have Enzo.”