The Envy of Idols (Rich Boys of Burberry Prep #3) - C.M. Stunich Page 0,14

of his, like a sheet of ice sliding over my heated skin. “I haven't told her, if that's what you're asking.”

My lips purse. I can feel the others watching us, not just Lizzie but Miranda and Andrew, the other two Idols, Zack, Windsor. Only Myron seems totally uninterested.

“Are you going to? I bet she'd like to hear it from you.”

“What do you care about my relationship with Lizzie?” Tristan hisses, his voice drowned out by the crash of the ocean waves against the shore, and the distant laughter of party guests. My cheeks flush, and I'm not sure how to respond to that. And then—I'm going to blame Windsor's strange honesty gathering capabilities—I just blurt something out.

“Sometimes, when I look at the two of you, I think you're still in love with each other.” My voice cracks a little, and my heart pounds, but as soon as I say it, I feel a little better. Tristan stops walking, and I think for an instant there that I might get something real out of him.

But then his face shutters and darkens, and his eyes narrow.

For a split-second, I'm afraid I've royally pissed him off, but then I turn and spot Harper, Becky, and Ileana on the beach, surrounded by adoring fans. My throat gets tight when I see Greg, John, and that new guy, Ben, nearby. Ben was a fourth year, so he shouldn't have been on the school trip to Lake Tahoe. At the very least, he won't be at Burberry Prep next year.

“We have to get Ben before the summer is over.” My voice comes out thin and reedy and tinged with fear. I don't like that. I'm not afraid of Ben or John or Greg or anyone else. I turn to Tristan and catch his gray gaze. “He's not going to be at Burberry next year. We have to get him here, in the Hamptons.”

My hand tightens on the handle of my beach bag. Inside, there's a brand-new list. I felt like the last one was getting too cluttered, so I started over. I'm not ready to show the Idols this, not yet. But maybe one day.

Closing my eyes briefly, I can see it in my head. Everyone that was on that boat has their name written down all over again. What they did to me … I owe them all a lot more than I gave last year. Vengeance is due in spades.

Revenge On The Bluebloods of Burberry Prep

A list by Marnye Reed

The Girls: Harper du Pont, Becky Platter, and Ileana Taittinger

Their Cronies: Anna Kirkpatrick, Ebony Peterson, Gregory Van Horn, Abigail Fanning, John Hannibal, Valentina Pitt, Sai Patel, Mayleen Zhang, Jalen Donner, Kiara Xiao, and Ben Thresher

The Plebs

Tristan exhales, nostrils flaring, and then takes off down the small rise, dragging me with him. Everyone else follows, a little entourage of bluebloods-that-aren't-technically-Bluebloods, if you know what I mean. Windsor and Zack have the money, the looks, and the popularity to be in the Inner Circle. Hell, they have enough charisma to be Idols. And then there's Miranda and Andrew who used to be Bluebloods, but got kicked out, even though they're more worthy than any other person on that beach. And Lizzie … Lizzie would be a female Idol if she went to Burberry Prep, that's for damn sure. From what Zack tells me, she's the Queen of the Coventry Prep Elite.

The crowd on the beach hushes and goes still as we approach the bonfire together. All eyes are on Tristan as he heads over to one of the logs next to the fire, gestures for me to take a seat, and then leans down in front of me, so close that our mouths nearly touch.

“What can I get you to drink?” he asks as Harper scoffs and makes her way over to us. I'm so focused on Tristan though that I can barely look at her.

“Soda,” I whisper, and when he lifts one brow, I get more specific, “cherry Coke and a cup with ice and a straw?” Tristan leans in close and presses his lips to my cheek, leaving me with this hot, tingling sensation and literally no clue as to what's actually happening here.

Are we friends now?

“Done.” Tristan stands back up and turns, putting himself chest-to-chest with Harper as Zack sits down on one side of me, and Zayd sits down on the other. Double Z-boys. I almost smile, but then I see Greg and John watching me, and the hair on the back of