Page 119 of The Darkest Note

“What’s he done?”

I scrunch my nose. “Remember that scandal with the teacher a few weeks ago?”

“Yeah.” She bobs her head.

I give her a pointed look.

She gasps loudly. “No! They were talking about you?”

“That’s not the only thing. He destroyed my locker, my keyboard and…”

Breeze pounces out of her chair.

“Where are you going?” I call.

“To kill him. Duh!” She shoves up the sleeves of her shirt and turns toward the door.

I chase after her and drag her back to the couch. “Breeze. Wait.”

“Why should I wait? Why is his head not on a freaking pike?” Color flushes her cheeks. Her voice trembles, but it’s not because she’s scared. It’s because she’s enraged. “Who the hell does she think he is to try and ruin your life?” A humorless laugh falls past her lips. “And here I thought he was such a catch for helping you with your stage fright. I didn’t know it was an act.”

“That’s the thing.” I chew on my bottom lip.

She whips her hair around, her eyes on fire. “What’s the thing?”

“I don’t… know if it was an act.”

She frowns at me. “Explain that.”

“I know this might sound crazy but… a few weeks ago, he stood up for me when this jock tried to shame me in front of everyone in the cafeteria. And when I got pushed into the pool, I heard that he was the one who saved me.”

“Okay, so he’s not a total douche. Are we forgiving him for everything he’s done?”

“Of course not,” I say vehemently. And then, less vehemently, I tack on, “But it’s complicated.”

She thinks about it and then nods. “You think a guy who likes you is going to treat you like crap? Sweetie, how many girls have we seen in our neighborhood who end up getting hurt thinking like that?”

My chest pangs in pain. “You’re right. I know you’re right. The thing is…. I should hate him. And I did. At the start, I wanted him to die a painful death, but now—”

“Now you’re falling for him?”

“Absolutely not.”

“Good.” She sweeps her hand up my back. “Forget about, Dutch. He may be hot and rich… and gorgeous and talented…and—”

“Can you not?” I frown at her.

“But,” she smiles, “you don’t need a guy who swings hot and cold. Besides putting any kind of hope in Dutchchoosingyou out of all the harems of girls who fling themselves at him is just wishful thinking. You deserve a guy who’s more down to earth. Someone who only has one or two girls after him, instead of a horde.”

“Interesting way of thinking.”

“So let’s talk about Hunter.” Breeze grins.

I groan. “Breeze, can you stop pushing Hunter at me?”

“Is it not clear that I’m Team Hunter by now?”

“I’vebarelyspoken to him. And he’s several years older than me.”