Clique Bait - Ann Valett Page 0,14

sit on the counter and vent about my dad until we were both late for class.

Of course, you had your fair share of bad mornings too. It’s still crazy to me how upset your mom got any time you had a graze or even a cough. You’re right. She is the most protective parent in our grade. I’ve never seen the other parents act like that, or even really care what their kids are doing.

I miss venting to you. These letters feel silly.

Love, Chloe

WILLIAM HELD THE door for me as I stepped into the snug little coffee shop. The inside was as dainty as the outside, adorned with flowers and ribboned decorations. It reminded me of those alternative joints that hipsters flock to for “candid” Instagram shots. It was the opposite of where I’d have pinned Level One to hang out. For them, I expected sophistication and glamour.

I regretted not changing from my school uniform when I spotted the girls at the table in the corner. Lola and Sophie sat on a light pink leather couch that lined the wall. Opposite them was Maddy with a cup held in her fingers. Unlike me, all of them had made a wardrobe change between school and here.

Sophie’s eyes were the first to flit up to mine. They were ever so slightly creased in the corners, as if she knew a brilliant secret that you’d never catch on to. Her gaze traveled between me and William, and then she lazily turned her head to Lola.

“What do you want to drink?” William asked.

“Um, coffee?” I glanced away from the group, not wanting to draw the wrong type of suspicion.

“No, I mean, what do you want to drink?” he asked.

I looked at him in confusion.

“This isn’t just a coffee shop. Not for us,” he clarified.

The appeal of the isolated coffee shop suddenly became apparent. “They serve alcohol?”

William nodded. “The owner’s a family friend of the Rutherfords.”

My eyes returned to the group, who was surveying us subtly over the rims of their cups. It made sense they were here for alcohol—only flaunting their status as above the rules—especially if it was via a connection to the evil twins.

I felt the gentle push of William’s hand against my waist and immediately stiffened. I’d forgotten we were supposed to look like a new couple. “Come on, go sit down and I’ll order us drinks.”

There was an empty table for two by the window, and I moved to take a seat where I could see the Level One girls, and they could see me. Being scrutinized by them was an unavoidable by-product of my plan, but it was also intimidating. I leveled my chin and crossed my legs, hoping a flush wasn’t developing on my cheeks.

If only I could hear their conversation . . .

William returned, pulling out the chair opposite me before glancing over his shoulder. As if on cue, Sophie raised herself from her seated position and clicked her way over the tiled floor. Her red painted fingers landed on William’s shoulder.

“Hey, Will, fancy seeing you here,” she said, her sky-blue eyes assessing his.

“Hi, Soph,” he said.

“It’s quite the coincidence,” she continued. “We were just talking about you, actually.”

“Really?” His gaze flickered to mine before returning to Sophie’s. “What were you talking about?”

“The party, of course,” she said. “You disappeared pretty early. Come to think of it, Zach did say you were busy with someone . . .”

Sophie’s gaze fell on me as she said her last words. William let out a breathy laugh before turning his chin in my direction. “Sophie, this is Chloe. Chlo, Soph.”

My surprise at his casual use of my nickname wore off quickly when Sophie’s eyes locked on mine again, this time in a chilling stare. Her smile didn’t falter, though, her demeanor remaining as pleasant as it had been with William. “I recognize her. AP Chem, right? Are you two . . . a thing?”

I looked to William, figuring that my blush was now probably good for our act. I was surprised Sophie paid attention to anyone below Level Two, but I was confident she wouldn’t connect me to Monica. Monica hadn’t exactly flaunted our friendship, especially after she’d made it onto Level One’s radar.

“We are actually,” William said, his expression not faltering. “We started seeing each other this summer.”

Sophie’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Weird. I didn’t think you were seeing anyone, Will. Especially after Lola’s end-of-summer pool party . . .”

William brushed off her comment with a nonchalant wave of his