“Right.”
“So… I need to fight back.”
She pauses while I scroll through the rest of his profile. It’s from another life: action shots of him playing lacrosse, photos with his friends, one of him in the middle of a backflip off the bow of a boat. That isn’t the Caleb Asher I know.
The one I’ve come to understand is dark and insufferable. He glares more than he smiles. His touch is brutal, his words are harsh…
“How are you going to fight back?” Riley asks.
“I need…” I search through my memories, picking out pieces like starlight in the darkness. “Something will put him off-balance.”
“Okay,” she says. “But… I don’t think I can be involved in that kind of war, Margo. Because that’s what it would turn into, you know.”
I laugh, the wheels in my mind spinning. What would rattle Mr. Perfect? “I’ll let you go. But just warning you: we’re not done discussing you and Eli Black.”
“Yeah, yeah. Good luck with your scheming.”
“Night, Riley.”
8
The next week of school, Caleb Asher ignores me. Not a glance. Not a whisper. No insults, no name-calling—nothing.
It rattles me more than I admit. I have to wonder if he somehow read my mind: maybe he’s the one who just started a war, before I ever had a chance to act out a plan.
After a few days, Riley and I start to enjoy our newfound peace. We even creep into the lunchroom and claim a table in the corner, spying on the rest of the school. It’s like we’re camouflaged.
“You used to be friends with that?” Riley asks, pointing with her spoon toward Savannah.
She sits with her cheerleader friends at a table in the center of the room, taking up as much space and noise as possible. Today’s a game day, which means the football players are wearing their jerseys and the cheerleaders are in their uniforms. They stand out against the monotonous sea of white shirts.
“Um, yeah, when I was like nine.”
She snorts. “You had poor taste as a nine-year-old.”
“Yeah, I was friends with Caleb, too.”
“Like, friends-friends? Or, you went to the same school and kind of knew each other—”
“Definitely friends-friends,” I say. “Let’s not talk about that.”
She perks up. “Have you come up with a plan?”
“Oh, my diabolical mind-fuck of Caleb Asher? Yes, yes I have.” I make her wait a minute before I say, “I need to find a boyfriend.”
Silence.
Shock.
“What? Who?”
I shrug. “I’m not too picky. I just need someone to hold my hand and maybe kiss me… Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Who’s kissing you, Sheep?”
I guess that explains the weird expression on Riley’s face.
I grit my teeth as Caleb lowers himself down next to me. He drapes his arm over my shoulders and winks at Riley.
“Earth to Margo.” He taps my temple. “Anyone home?”
I grimace and try to slide away from him. I should know by now that it’s useless.
“Almost full week of ignoring me.” I look at Riley. “We almost made it.”
“Aw, you noticed. I’m flattered. Have you met Savannah?”
“You’re not serious.”
“Nah, I’m dead serious. Let’s go. Excuse us, Appleton.”
He lifts me out of my seat and guides me over to the table where Savannah reigns over the other cheerleaders.
“Savannah, sweetie,” Caleb says, drawing… all of the eyes. Every last one. “You were out last week, you must’ve missed the news: our old friend Margo has returned.”
I stare down at my shoes. That’s really the only available option when her icy gaze lands on his hand that’s currently glued to my shoulder.
“Savannah,” Caleb prompts. He grins.
“Welcome back,” Savannah answers in a voice that—well, it’s downright frozen. And insincere.
If I ever wanted to stab someone with a pencil more than Caleb, it’d be her.
I meet her eyes, and her smile gets more brittle.
“I’m sure you’d love to catch up with Margo, right?”
“Of course.” She feigns a frown. “Oh, but there’s no room at our table. Maybe next time, Margo, okay?”
Caleb sighs, and I have to remind myself that this is an act. However sincere he appears—he’s lying. Lying is what he does best. That, and he’s perfected the art of war. He sighs again and says, “Ah, you’re right. It’s okay. Margo can come sit with me.” He jerks his chin to the next table over, where his three friends and other guys are sprawled out.
Savannah pales. “No,” she snaps, looking around the table. “Stephanie, move over.”
“There’s no—”
“Move.”
The girl, who could be a freshman, stares at Savannah and tries to stop her chin from wobbling. She gets up and runs out of the cafeteria, the laughter of the cheerleaders chasing her.
Caleb is feeding me to the sharks.
“Sit.” Savannah points at the empty seat. “God knows you didn’t earn it.”
I glance at Caleb, who releases me one finger at a time.
“I’m so glad you two are getting reacquainted,” he says. “See you later.”
“See you,” Savannah replies, even though Caleb’s eyes don’t leave mine.
I don’t answer, just slide into the seat between two girls. A hush falls over the table as Caleb leaves, and I almost stand and bolt.
“Don’t you dare,” Savannah snaps, reaching across the table and grabbing my wrist. “You get up and then what?”
I snatch my wrist away and lean back. “Who exactly do you think you are?”
She shakes out her wheat-blonde hair. “Me? I’m not the one who stomped in here thinking she could slip right back into her old role—”
“And what role is that, exactly?” I put my elbows on the table. “I was never mean to you. I didn’t try to step on anyone’s toes—”
“Oh, bullshit, Margo.”
I press my lips together.
“You want to steal Caleb away from me!” Her cheeks turn pink.
I get up from the table. “Trust me, Sav. You can have him.”
I walk away, and a little voice in my head chants, Liar, liar, liar.
Riley catches me in the hallway, her eyes wide. “Whoa. So that is why we avoid the cafeteria. Agreed?”
I bump my fist against hers. “Agreed. Yikes.”
She barks out a laugh. “Yeah. Yikes.”
The bell rings soon after, flooding the hallway with students. A cheerleader slams her shoulder into mine, knocking me into the lockers. She doesn’t even glance at me as she passes.
A second later, another one snags my fallen bookbag with her foot, kicking it across the tile. Papers and books go flying.
Riley gasps, grabbing my shoulders. “You okay?”
I force myself to laugh, even as a lump forms in my throat. We dart between students to grab all of my things, but everything is too scattered. By the time Riley and I have gathered everything, the hallway is deserted.