Page 78 of Shattered Stars

27

Rhi

This timeshe succeeds in knocking me off my feet, swinging a branch at me and smacking my legs from under me. I lift my hands ready to defend myself, ready for her to jump on me. But she’s not stupid enough to make that mistake again. I guess she treasures her nose too much.

Instead, I feel the chain of my necklace catch at my neck. I try to grab at it, but it snaps and my locket flies from my neck and into Summer’s waiting hands.

I roll up onto my backside and scowl at her. She’s so fucking petty. I can’t believe we’re actually going to do this. And yet I can. I have something Summer desperately, desperately wants. Tristan Kennedy’s attention.

“If this is about Tristan …” I say.

“It’s not,” she says, her voice a little shrill. The girl may be an amazing cheerleader but she’s a really shitty actress.

“I don’t want to fight over some boy. He’s all yours and you are welcome to him.”

“It’s not about Tristan Kennedy,” she snaps.

“Then seriously, Summer, what is your problem?” I watch as she twirls my necklace around her fingers. I’m going to try and reason with her and if that doesn’t work I’m going to give her what’s coming to her. I am so sick of this girl.

“What is my problem?” she mocks, holding up my necklace and letting the locket twist one way and then the other. “You. You’re my problem, Pig Girl.”

“But why?” I ask, feeling anger and exasperation boil in my gut. “What have I ever actually done to you?”

Her eyes flash. “Except break my nose.”

“Summer, you turned my nose into a snout!” A nose for a nose. It seems pretty fair.

“But it’s not just that. It’s your existence. Your presence. I don’t like the way you look, or the way you act and I definitely don’t like the way you smell.”

To be honest, she has me there. I’ve just sprinted around half the campus. The sweat is running down my face and soaking into my top. I’m sure I do smell pretty awful.

I climb up onto my feet, brushing dead leaves off my body.

“Okay, so you don’t like me. So can we please just call this quits? I’m more than happy to ignore you, go out of my way not to look at you, or talk to you ever again, if you agree to do the same.” I hold out my hand. “Just give me back my necklace.” I bet Coach is timing our laps. If he doesn’t see us sprinting past the gym soon, he’s going to come looking for us and he’s already lost his patience twice with me today. I’m trying to stay out of trouble, not wander straight into it.

She twirls my necklace around her fingers and grips the locket tightly.

“Most of all I don’t like the way you capture so much of everyone’s freaking attention. I don’t like the way people look at you, talk about you–”

“They’re only talking about me because you spread all those stupid stories.”

She smiles sweetly, the smile I often see her use on Dr. Johnson. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Before those rumors, most people didn’t even know I existed!”

“Buthedid!” she yells. Her cheeks swamping with color as soon as the words have left her mouth.

“It’s not my fault if he’s looking at me and not you Summer. Take it up with him.”

“It is your fault. I know you’ve done something, something to bewitch him.” She shakes the locket at me. “Something like a love charm. Something like this.” She laughs. “You’re so pathetic, Pig Girl. Did you actually think he wouldn’t work that out?”

“Give it back, Summer.”

“No fucking way.”

“It isn’t a love charm. If I actually wanted to seduce him, wouldn’t I be with him? Instead of rebuffing him every chance I’ve had? Think logically, why would I use a love charm on him then ignore all his advances. I am not interested in being with Tristan Kennedy. Not one little bit.”

She jerks, thinking about this. Realizing most probably that I’m right. Then she shakes her head. “You’re playing hard to get. You want everyone to believe you’re too good for Tristan Kennedy.” She scoffs. “You’re deluded.”