“You’re Fawn Cornwall, right?” The other girl was blatantly self-assured, her perfect smile with her perfect white teeth meant to dazzle. “I’m Lou Merrill, the vice president of the student council.”
“I know,” she managed to say. “I voted for you, actually.” And the sick thing about it was that she wasn’t lying. She had voted for this girl because Grant had told her to.
The irony wasn’t lost on her, and she had a hysterical urge to laugh. Oh God. Was this really happening?
Her fingers tightened around her phone.
Are you stalking me now, prince?
I hope you are.
Because right now—-
I need you to be my prince.
The girl offered her hand, murmuring sweetly, “Grant’s told me all about you.”
Fawn managed not to flinch as their fingers came into contact. “Hi.” She tried, but she just couldn’t make herself say the other girl’s name. Around them, she could feel curious gazes turning towards them, and the questions running through everyone’s minds were so obvious she could practically hear them.
What’s someone like the vice president doing with someone like her?
Was it just because she was Grant Bennett’s girlfriend from childhood?
She better not turn into a stuck-up bitch just because of this.
Letting go of Fawn’s hand, Lou smiled again, saying, “Can I join you?” She gestured to Fawn’s table.
“Sure.” There wasn’t anything else to say, and as they took their seats, Lou across her, the urge to indulge in hysterics returned with a vengeance.
This is so surreal, Fawn thought wildly, it was almost like her life had turned into a movie.
Lou’s phone rang then, and the other girl opened her bag, asking, “Do you mind if I take this call?”
Fawn shook her head.
“Great, because—-” The girl glanced at her phone, and her lips curved in a smile that could only be described as smug. “It’s actually Grant.”
Ah.
The girl lifted the phone to her ear. “Hello, naughty boy. Sorry, I forgot to tell you I had to drop by the cafeteria.”
Fawn slowly placed her phone on the table, not wanting to be tempted to send the prince a message. You’re strong, Fawn. You can handle this on your own.
“Head over here, honey,” Lou was saying in a cajoling tone, and Fawn’s body jerked. “I’m actually with your girlfriend right now, so it’s going to be a fun threesome.” Lou’s eyes snared hers as she spoke, her dark eyes malevolent, and Fawn drew her breath sharply.
Ah.
Everything was clear all of a sudden.
“See you, hon,” Lou murmured huskily even as her taunting eyes remained on Fawn. When the call ended, she said lightly, “I hope you don’t mind what I call him. I’m just really affectionate.”
You mean loose, Fawn couldn’t help thinking but was immediately ashamed afterwards.
Lou suddenly laughed. “You hate me, don’t you?”
“Of course not,” she lied stiffly.
“Where were you yesterday?”
“Working.”
Lou’s lips twisted. “For the Prince of Darkness, right?”
She didn’t answer.
The other girl’s gaze turned pitying. “Are we really going to waste time playing this game?”
“I don’t know what you mean.” But she found herself reaching for her phone as she spoke, found herself typing just one word.
Hi.
She put the phone back on the table after sending the message to Priscilla. She just needed…to talk to him. She didn’t need the prince to come. She could still handle this on her own, but…she just needed to hear from him.
That was all, she told herself.
One message from him, and she would be reminded that she wasn’t alone, and it would be okay again.
Lou suddenly leaned forward, hissing, “You’re pathetic.”
Her eyes started to sting, a part of her believing the words, but she fought to keep her face expressionless. “I’m sorry,” she answered tonelessly, “that you think that.”
“You’re better off feeling sorry for yourself,” Lou snapped, “to still cling to a man who doesn’t—-”
A shadow fell over them, and Lou shut up as Grant appeared in front of them. His normally combed hair was unkempt, and his handsome face was tense and unsmiling.
“That was fast,” Lou trilled.
But Grant didn’t even look her way. His eyes were focused completely on Fawn. “Hey, luv.” His voice was wary, uncertain.
For one moment, she was so, so tempted to just cry and ask him, Why?
Why?
Why, Grant, why?
But the moment passed, and she managed to summon a smile from the last reserves of her strength. “Hi.”
“I miss you.” He bent down to kiss her, and her body became rigid.
How can you kiss me when you had sex with another girl?
Unable to bear the thought of sharing his lips with another girl, she moved at the last second, mumbling, “I think someone texted me.” As she reached for her phone again, Grant’s lips ended up making it only as far as her cheek.
Grant sucked in his breath.
Her fingers moved over the screen of her phone wildly, randomly opening and closing apps, giving herself an excuse not to look up.