Bitter Kisses (It's Just High School #3) - Thandiwe Mpofu Page 0,96

“At least that’s what I thought until the night of the race.”

Oh fuck, here we go with the night of the race.

“What race?”

“Babe, I don’t have time to explain everything to you but maybe another day we can meet and talk, depending.”

She falls silent, watching me.

“Depending on what?”

“On what you say now.”

Is this bitch serious? Is she trying to see if I’m bullshitting about my amnesia or not?

“So, who are they to me now?” I ask instead.

“I’m pretty sure they’re both in love with you,” she grits out, folding her arms as she juts out her hip in an intimidating, mean-girl, high school pose.

Well, then.

Let’s prod you, Queen Bitch.

“Both of them?” I croak. “They’re in love with me?”

“I think so,” she says woodenly. “I’ve seen the way both of them are when they’re with you. I’ve seen the way they defend you and fight for you. They love you.”

“I don’t know them.”

“Yeah, I want to see how long it takes you to stay in that euphoria of memory loss, and honestly, I understand why your mind chose to protect you that way.”

“What?”

“It’s not common knowledge but I’ve been here all day. I heard what happened to you babe, and I’m so sorry. No one deserves to go through what you did.”

I look away, I didn’t know what to do with Roxy’s genuine sympathy. Or maybe it’s gleeful pity, you just never know with her.

“And because I was here today, I can also tell you that I’ve also seen one more thing that will prove my case.”

“What’s that?”

“The way Julian looked today,” she says. It’s as simple as that. “I know you saw him. I know you saw how busted up he looked, but I’m pretty sure the other guys looked worse. Hell, one of them is dead.”

“What?” I screech. This is news. “Julian… killed someone?”

“I wouldn’t be opposed if he did, to be honest with you,” Roxy says nonchalantly.

Oh God, no! No one told me that someone died. I’m still here and Julian is obviously still alive too, but no one has mentioned those bastards.

“Who is dead?”

“Sean Matthews and honestly, good riddance to stinking, disgusting rubbish,” she says seriously. “Someone needed to off him.”

“How… how did he die?” Did Julian beat him to death? If so, that explains the cuffs I saw on his wrist. Are they charging him for that?

“The media thinks he died in the fire,” Roxy says, looking at me seriously.

“What do you think?”

She glances down at my hospital gown, as if she can see the bandages wrapped around my torso.

“Same as you, only that idiot took deadly shots,”

Gunshots!

I remember there were three shots.

I only took one.

“Oh God.”

“He’s dead, Mia,” Roxy says. “And no one knows where Shane is, but I’m pretty sure no one will get near you with Julian, Cole and Liam watching over you like guard dogs.”

A powerful shudder moves through me.

“Why would they look out for me?”

“Well, they care for you, obviously, but Julian… I can’t really explain it. He’s different with you,” she says with a thoughtful look on her face. “The way he looks at you is different, and now that I think of it, it didn’t start the night of the race.”

Now, my poor broken heart is in my throat, beating wildly.

“What do you mean?”

“It didn’t start at the end of last school year. I mean, there were the football games nights where our school played their beast of a team. I swear, those were the only games you ever showed up for,” she says, stepping closer to me. “You’d show up dressed in freaking hoodies and skinny jeans, as if you wanted to blend in and be hidden. Then you’d sit at the very top of the bleachers, as if you wanted a vantage point to see the game but now I realize, you wanted to see him.”

I think I’m not even breathing now. “I…”

“Yes, I know, you don’t remember.” She rolls her eyes.

“I was going to say that doesn’t sound like me.”

“I thought so too! I mean, the Ice Queen doesn’t cower or hide from anyone,” she says. “The Ice Queen roasts people, just like you did Kristine. And before you ask, you and Kristine aren’t exactly friends anymore and I think she set you up with the Matthews, the assholes who did this to you, but well, I’m not supposed to tell you that.” Well fuck. What doesn’t this girl know? How does she even know all this? “Anyway, it’s only now that I realize you showed