Rich Prick – Tijan Page 0,101

if you do…” Bren’s grin was a slight bit evil. I liked it. She added, “I got no problem wading in.”

Penny looked past her. “And if you do? What then? Your crew will come? We’re girls.”

“So let’s keep this just girls.” Bren shrugged.

The camper door opened, and Mara stepped down, taking everyone in before her eyes fell to me. Her demeanor was frosty, and she didn’t waste time. “Get the fuck out of my way.”

I readied myself, rolling my shoulders back. Chin up. That’s what you do when you’re about to fight, right?

“I’m giving you your shot,” I told her, already bracing myself because I didn’t really know how this worked.

She frowned. “Say what?”

“I’m right here. Blaise gets tense every time you walk by us or get near us, and I don’t know... I figure this is coming, so go for it. I’m here. Take your shot. If you want to hit me, do it. If you want to say something to me, do that instead. I can take it. I’m ready.”

Her eyes narrowed.

A brief image of a snake winding up, raising its head for an attack flashed in my mind… Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea.

But I still added, “I’m kinda tired of waiting, to be honest. Time keeps moving. Feelings will fade, and you might not get your shot later, so strike while the iron is hot. Right? That’s the saying?”

Someone snorted behind me. I wasn’t sure which side it came from.

“You’re an idiot,” someone else muttered.

Again, I wasn’t sure, but I was betting that wasn’t Taz or Bren.

Mara rolled her eyes. “I don’t have anything to say to you.”

What? I frowned. “Why not?”

She shook her head. “Are you always this stupid? I’m leaving you alone. Take this and shoo, bitch.”

But… That’s not how this was supposed to happen. “I don’t get it. Aren’t you supposed to lay into me or something? Make me bleed? Cry, at least?”

“Why?” Her eyes flashed, but they looked hollow, empty. It was gone in the next breath. “My problems aren’t yours. Blaise never lied to me, and it ain’t your fault he fell for you and not me. It’s my fault I didn’t keep him.”

I had no clue how to process this. This was really not going how I’d prepared myself for. I had psyched myself up for a fight fight. “But—”

“Dear God.” A hand took my arm and pulled me back. Bren frowned at me. “She’s trying to be a good person. Leave it alone.”

I swung my head back to Mara. “I don’t get this.”

“What the fuck do you want from me?!” she screeched. That was more like it. Her hands formed fists and she came at me, but only took a few steps before stopping. “You are rubbing salt in the wound by doing this. Back off! I have shit to deal with, and it has nothing to do with you. This ain’t a television show where I’m the mean girl and I’m going to write whore and your phone number in the bathroom or something. Bitch. Whore. Slut. Is that what you want from me? For the last fucking time, I got my own shit to deal with, but I’m not a bully. I never actually planned on doing anything to you.”

“You told Blaise you were going to do something to me.”

A bitter laugh rippled from her. “I wanted to hurt him. Threatening you hurts him. That’s all I wanted. You helped me in the beginning of the year. Do you not remember?”

“I did?”

She laughed again. “I needed an answer on a test, and you moved your shoulder. You knew I didn’t know it, and you let me see your test. That one question helped me keep a passing grade. It meant a lot to me.”

I was pretty sure I hadn’t done that on purpose.

“Oh.” I eased back. “Yeah.”

Someone stifled a laugh behind me. This time I guessed it was Taz or Bren.

Mara waved, dismissing me. “Just go away. You got the guy. Stop rubbing it in by doing stuff like this. It’s barely manageable watching him fawn all over you, treating you like you’re made of glass or some shit. Want to do me a favor? Get away from me. That’ll help.”

And with that, she was done. She swung around, grabbed a bottle of wine, and stalked off. Her girls went with her, and I watched them move past the guys, giving them a wide berth too.

Taz stepped up. “That was refreshing. For once, no one came