Page 48 of The Darkest Note

I’ve decided not to tell anyone about what’s going on at Redwood. Especially not Breeze. She’ll turn up at my new school with a machete, demanding to see Dutch.

It’d be like an ant attacking a giant. Dutch wouldn’t hesitate to crush her under his boot.

I don’t want my sister or my best friend to be on Dutch’s hit list. It’s safer all around if I keep my troubles to myself.

But the anger, frustration and helplessness has been boiling inside me and it needs a way to come out. Sometimes, beating the crap out of a punching bag doesn’t feel the same as embracing a friend.

“Do you miss me that much?” Breeze laughs.

I nod into her neck.

She pats my back. “What’s wrong? You haven’t made any super rich friends at Redwood?”

“None as good as you,” I mumble. Serena counts as a friend, well, half-friend. Sort of friend? I haven’t seen her around since she invited herself to my table.

“What about boys?” Breeze asks.

“What about boys?” I respond innocently.

“Tell me you’ve gotten some action.” Breeze wiggles her eyebrows. “A little under the table activities.” She makes a gesture with her fingers. “If you know what I mean.”

I smack her hand. “Stop that.”

“You think the rich boys at Redwood Prep would go for her?” Viola asks, bouncing into the room.

Her long hair is pulled back into a ponytail that swishes cheerfully when she plops beside me. She’s got her arms full of cheap, dollar-store face masks, cucumbers, and nail polish.

“Your sister’s got a gorgeous face and a rocking bod,” Breeze argues. “Besides, boys don’t care if a girl has money. All they care about is—”

I slap a hand over my best friend’s mouth. “Boys are not a priority for me right now.” I glare at my sister. “And they definitely shouldn’t be for you.”

Viola rolls her eyes.

I wiggle a finger at her. “I mean it.”

Mom got pregnant when she was in her teens. Some vices are hereditary, but I’m hoping like crazy that the ‘get knocked up before eighteen’ gene skips us both entirely.

Viola is much more boy crazy than I am, which worries me. I’m working most of the time and she doesn’t have anyone else to make sure she’s staying safe. ‘One thing led to another’ is not the kind of story I want my sister to have.

She scoffs. “I’m not going to be a virgin like you all my life.”

“There’s nothing wrong with being a virgin,” I defend myself.

“You know what would be great?” Breeze slings an arm around my neck. “If you found a really cute guy at Redwood Prep to pop your cherry.”

“No, that sounds awful,” I mumble, thinking of all the pretentious guys I’ve met.

Breeze laughs. “Are you surenoone has been paying attention? I mean, I’veseenyou in that short Redwood Prep skirt. Every time you so much as bend over, you flash a cheek.”

“I do not!” I gasp.

Breeze grins. “Unless those guys are blind, someone should have dragged you off into a dark corner by now.”

I think of Dutch’s hot and heavy hands. The feel of them, as they landed on my upper thighs sent my entire body into flames. What’s embarrassing is I’m not sure if those flames were from desire or hate.

“Trust me. There is no guy at Redwood,” I say to the floor.

“What if he’s not at Redwood?” Viola muses. Taking a small brush, she pours a mixture into a bowl and starts stirring. “What if he’s, I don’t know, Rick’s friend.”