Dear Love, I Hate You (Easton High)

“Just one round, for me. Please.” Lacey bats her eyelashes at Theo in a “I’ll make it worth your while” way and he sighs.

“One. That’s it,” he caves.

“Xav?” Brie turns to her boyfriend.

“Yeah, whatever,” Xavier drones, barely listening, and kicks Theo’s foot to get his attention. “Give it.” He straightens out his hand, and Theo passes him the joint.

I assume I was wrong about Xavier laying off the sauce, until he wets the tip of his fingers with his tongue and puts out the joint without a warning.

“The fuck?” Theo screeches, but Xavier’s already crushed the doobie with his shoe.

“You’re like a hit away from not being able to tell the difference between Lacey and your right hand. Thank me later,” Xavier says unapologetically, and the group laughs.

Theo blows out an annoyed “Fuck you, man.”

Axel commands Lacey to sit between Theo and Xavier to avoid the boys having to “Suck and Blow” each other—yes, I am aware of how dirty that sounds—and wraps it up with, “Everyone know the rules?”

“I’ve never played, actually.” I speak for the first time since I joined them.

That’s Brie’s cue.

“Ugh. Forgot she was here. How’s your sister, Vee? Still better than you at literally everything?” Brie cackles.

I wish I had the perfect comeback to shut her venom-spewing mouth, but all I can do is sit there and take it. Let her walk all over me. By all means, spit in my face.

Story of my fucking life.

“Oh, I’m sorry, where are my manners. Is it too bright for you here? We can turn off the patio light if you want. You must be used to the dark. You know, living in her shadow,” Brie adds.

I usually don’t give a flying shit about Brie’s comments, but right now, I feel like she’s scrabbling at the few strings still holding me together. It’s one thing to tell yourself you’re the family’s reject, and another to have a professional bully dig up your insecurities and weaponize them against you.

“What about mommy dearest? She send you back for a refund yet—”

“Oh, fuck off, Brie.”

We all stop breathing, trading glances that essentially say, “What. Just. Happened?”

Then it hits me.

Xavier.

Xavier happened.

“Excuse me?” Brie spits.

“Did I stutter? Stop talking shit to her.”

Stunned, I blink at my childhood bully. Did I just get transported into a parallel universe where Xavier Emery is a good person?

Meanwhile, Brie is staring daggers at me.

Not her boyfriend, who just put her in her place.

Me.

As though I’m the one she’s blaming for this.

“Why the fuck are you defending her?” she hisses.