Red Thorns (Thorns Duet 1)

“Um, excuse me?” Brianna taps her glittery nails on the table in front of me.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Bee?” I mock.

“It’s Bree!” she screeches, her veins tightening in her red neck, seeming to be on the verge of popping. “And your ass is not welcome here, you skank.”

I stare around the table, pretending to search for something. “I don’t see your name anywhere here, so I can sit my ass anywhere I like.”

“You must think you’re all that just because Sebastian looked in your trashy direction. Bitch.”

“Bree,” Reina calls while stroking circles on her temples. She’s been silent, almost meek lately, no longer tormenting me as if it’s her favorite sport.

“I’m done playing, Rei. It’s time this fucking bitch learns her place.”

“It’s gone on for long enough,” Josh says through a mouthful of French fries.

I stare at everyone present at the table. Some snicker, others smirk, and most are elbowing each other and murmuring under their breaths.

As if they’re all in on a joke I’m not privy to.

I stare at Reina because, with Sebastian out of the picture, she’s the one who calls the shots. “What’s going on?”

“Over here.” Brianna taps her long finger in front of me again. “Game over, Naomi.”

“Bree.” Prescott shakes his head at her and Lucy’s lips part in pure shock.

“Is someone going to tell me what’s going on?” I don’t recognize the spooked tone in my voice or the premonition of something horrible rushing my way.

Brianna’s shrill laughter echoes around us, and for some reason, my limbs lock. “Did you really think Sebastian would be interested in someone as unimportant as you just because? Are you that dumb to believe that’s possible? The only reason he ever approached you is because we dared him to fuck you, take your V-card, and make a show of it. But you went ahead and fell for the bet like the stupid little bitch you are.”

I’m so stunned for a second that I don’t speak. My ears feel like they’re closing and the shatter around me seems like it’s coming from underwater.

Something feels off.

Me. I feel totally off.

It’s like I’m frozen and there’s nothing to unfreeze me or even allow me to move.

“Uh-oh.” Someone laughs, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out who. “She’s broken.”

The snickers and laughter rise in volume, and all I can do is sit there, staring numbly ahead of me.

At Reina.

“That’s not true,” I murmur.

Somewhere deep inside me, I know it is. Everything makes sense. The way he was insistent about courting me. The way he inserted himself into my life and refused to leave, no matter how much I tried to kick him out.

“Oh, it is true.” Josh licks his upper lip. “It should’ve been me, not him. Come on, Rei, let it be me this time.”

“Say it,” I whisper to Reina. “Say it’s not true.”

She releases a sigh, letting her hands drop on the table. “Do you really believe that?”

No. No, I don’t.

But if she says it, there won’t be anything to compete against. It’s Reina’s word against all their nonsense.

Surely, there’s an alternative reality where all of this is a distasteful joke.