The Anti-Prom - By Abby McDonald Page 0,70

be one of them, and a few hours of acting buddy-buddy was never going to change that. “Are we done yet?” I glare.

“Will you just listen?” Bliss cries. Sure, because it’s all about what she wants. “I said I’m sorry!”

“You didn’t, actually,” I correct her, feeling the anger kick, like it never left. Maybe it never will. “You’ve said plenty about how bad you feel, and what a terrible person you are, but you haven’t gotten around to, you know, trying to make me feel better.”

Bliss blinks. “Why are you making this so hard?”

I gape. “Seriously? You’re the one sitting back while they tear me to pieces, and it’s my fault?”

“No.” She backtracks, her face anxious. “That isn’t —”

“And what are you even doing out here, where they can see?” I jerk my head over at the patio, where her clique is gathering. “I mean, I’m the lowest of the lows on your grand hierarchy. Will you have to go grovel to them too, after? Say what a trashy slut I am, just to keep your place?”

“Jolene,” Bliss pleads, her eyes filling with tears. But I’m unmoved. God forbid she smear her mascara over someone as worthless as me.

“What?” I reply, fierce. “What do you want from me? I got you that stupid diary, made sure it went where you needed it. I came through for you!”

“And so did I!” Bliss whips back. “Or are you forgetting that whole warehouse cop thing?”

I snort. “You think just because you act like a real human being out in the world, it gives you the right to be a bitch back here? That’s not how it works. Friends don’t take that crap. They stick up for each other, no matter what.” I stop dead, realizing what I’ve just said.

Friends?

But before I can take it back, Kaitlin marches down the steps, planting herself down in front of Bliss. “What the hell was that about?” Kaitlin demands, a murderous expression on her face. Up close, I can see her dress is stained with liquid, and her hair is matted against her face. “Have you gone totally insane?”

Bliss looks at her blankly.

“Yeah, what’s going on, B?” That bitch Brianna and a pack of clique girls arrive a few beats after, circling like the audience in an arena. Ready for blood. “You left booze stains all over the carpet. My parents are going to kill me.” Brianna stops, seeing me here. She curls her lip in a sneer. “Uh, shouldn’t you be gone already?”

I give a bitter laugh. “I wish.”

“Leave it, Bree.” Bliss sighs.

“Ex-cuuse me?” Brianna whirls around.

“You heard me.” Her eyes narrow. “Shut up and stop being such a bitch.”

Brianna’s mouth drops open in shock. “What are you doing even talking to her?”

“Yeah!” Kaitlin elbows her way in again. “What’s with you tonight? You ruined my dress!”

I’m ready to bail and leave these girls to their stupid drama, but then Bliss sets her face in a fierce glare and announces, “Well, you hooked up with Cameron, so I guess we’re even now.”

I stop. The clique gasps.

Kaitlin turns a bright shade of pink, spluttering. “That’s, like, ridiculous!”

“No,” Bliss says loudly. “What’s ridiculous is thinking I wouldn’t find out. Are you totally stupid, or just a total skank?”

Kaitlin’s mouth drops open. The other girls stare at her, scandalized, and for a moment, it looks like Bliss will come out the victor in this showdown. Then Kaitlin launches herself at Bliss with an almighty screech. “You’re lying!”

“Eugh . . . Get off me!” Bliss backs up, trying to ward off Kaitlin’s attack. “Owww!”

I watch them, amazed. Kaitlin’s pulling at Bliss’s hair with one hand, while the other swats away at her body, while Bliss struggles to push her away.

“You take it back!”

“I saw you with him, in the limo!” Their shrieks fill the yard, but neither girl manages a single decent punch. Nope, it’s all girly scratching and hair-tugging as they reel back, dangerously close to the water.

God, these girls can’t fight for anything.

I stay on the sidelines, wondering if I should step in, but finally, a guy pushes through the crowd and tries to separate them. “Kaitlin, let her go!” He drags her away, still kicking. “What are you doing? Get a grip!”

“On what?” Bliss recovers. “Your dick?”

I can’t help it — I burst out laughing. But I’m the only one.

Cameron looks back and forth between them. His face changes, as slowly he realizes what’s going on.

“B —” he starts, guilty, but Bliss just yanks her tank top