“Oh my God, you guys, can you believe she did that? She’s crazy.”
Angelina shakes her head, examining her nails. “She’s so fucking crazy. Like Hunter would even care about her making out with his best friend. Everyone knows he only has eyes for Riley.”
Melina rolls her eyes. “She’s such an idiot.”
“She’s jealous is what she is,” Angelina says. Glancing at me, she says, “When he took you to that ball in New York, she lost her everloving shit. You might’ve noticed by the lighted display up front, but she has serious crown envy. She knows Hunter’s the closest thing to a real prince she’ll ever get her claws into. She could’ve killed you, honestly.”
“Like, of course he’s going to take his girlfriend to the ball, Valerie,” Melina says, rolling her eyes. “What did she expect?”
“It’s psychotic behavior, honestly,” Angelina says.
I’m still uncomfortable with their serpentine natures and how easily they jump from team to team, but they’re not answering the only question I have. “Why did Anderson get involved?”
Melina’s eyes light up. She grabs my arm, like this morsel is too delicious and she can’t stand it. “Oh my God, they’re fucking. Did you not know?”
“Jesus, Melina, you don’t have to be so crass,” Angelina tells her. Her gaze flits to me. “But yeah, they’re totally doing it. It started because she was so mad about you sleeping with her boyfriend, she decided to do the same thing to you, but then it didn’t really work because… I mean, when you can have Hunter Maxwell, honestly, who cares what your exes are up to?”
“He wasn’t your ex yet, though,” Melina says quickly, searching my face for any sign that I might be upset. “The first time she blew him was after her party. It was her idea to get you two back together. He didn’t even want to date you, she made him do it.”
Angelina nudges her friend, eyes widening at her overstep. “Tone it down, Melina. God.” Looking back at me, she says, “Sorry, Riles. That was an ugly way to tell you. Melina needs to learn to check her gleeful schadenfreude.”
Gleeful schadenfreude is redundant. Schadenfreude is, by its very definition, gleeful. And rooted in low self-esteem. No wonder Sherlock doesn’t like her. Melina should probably talk to somebody about her issues. Not for Sherlock’s benefit, but so she can be a happier person.
Wait, why is that what I’m focusing on?
My tummy feels a little rocky. My chest feels a little tight, but I’m not entirely sure why. It’s not like I have any feelings left for Anderson, but I can’t deny it’s a bit humiliating to hear.
And I didn’t even suspect anything. I knew we weren’t talking much after we got back together, but I can’t believe…
“I guess that means she cheated on you, too, huh?” Melina poses, frowning at Hunter.
He’s not fazed by this news at all, but he is watching me to see if I am.
I’m thrown by it, I’m not gonna lie.
Once the shock subsides, though, I can’t say I care all that much. If anything, I find it kinda sad that Valerie was so hellbent on revenge, she fucked someone she probably didn’t even like just to try to hurt me.
I also think it’s a touch poetic that Hunter didn’t even have to take her down. She did it to herself.
It’s hard to imagine her rebounding from this when Melina and Angelina have decided to frame it this way. People are viewing what she did with ridicule, and that might be the final blow to her popular status.
She should’ve just let it go.
Melina and Angelina keep gossiping, but Hunter grabs me and hauls me away.
“Are you all right?” he asks.
I glance up at him. “Yeah. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“The Anderson stuff…”
I shrug. “It’s gross, but I don’t care. It’s his business who he bangs. I did get suspicious that he was attracted to her at homecoming, but…” I look up at him, smiling faintly. “It only really bothers me to think that you are.”
“I’m not,” he says firmly, stopping me and grabbing my arm so he can pull me close. “You know that, right?”
I look up at him and nod. “Yeah, I know that.”
“Good.” He bends to kiss me. “You’re the only woman in the world as far as I’m concerned.”
I try to smile, but I know it’s not very bright. “Now I’m wondering if I ever kissed him after she did and thinking maybe I should just cut my lips off and try to grow new ones.”
Hunter smirks, grazing the sensitive seam of my lips with his blunt fingertip. “Gonna have to overrule you there. I love these lips.”
“I guess it doesn’t matter if he did or not,” I mutter, dropping his gaze. “It’s not like I haven’t kissed lips that have touched hers. I’ve kissed you.”