EVIL QUEEN - Rebel Hart Page 0,44

much.”

“Leave me alone, Colette,” Cherri said simply and stood up to walk away.

She didn’t get far, though. Colette jumped up and ran into Cherri’s path. “Do you remember when we all took that trip to Cabo during our spring break and hung out with all those college students?” Despite the fact that she was forcing a smile, tears were streaming down her face. “You and Avery ditched us for, like, half of the time. Your friendship is so sweet. You miss her, right? You should tell her.”

“Colette, if you don’t get out of my fucking face, I’m gonna punch you in yours.”

Jaxon stepped forward, but Colette threw her hand out. “No! Don’t!” she said to him, and then she looked at Cherri. “Do you want to punch me? You should do that! Punch me! Punch me as much as you want until you feel better.”

“If I punch you, it’s gonna be until your body hits the concrete,” Cherri said.

“That’s fine!” Colette said. “Hit me until you knock me out. If I let you, will you talk to Avery again?”

“Colette,” I said. “It’s not worth it.”

“She’s going through grief!” Colette yelped. “It’s okay, Cherri. I understand. When Deon died—”

That was all she got out of her mouth. I honestly didn’t think Cherri would do it, but the second Deon’s name left Colette’s mouth, Cherri lifted her fist and punched Colette square in the nose. Jaxon got behind her just in time to catch her body as it started toward the ground.

Colette ripped out of his grip. “Jaxon, stop!”

“I’m not gonna stand here while you get your ass kicked!” Jaxon shouted back.

“Then leave!” she screamed.

“Fine!” Jaxon threw his hands up in the air and stormed away without looking back.

Colette walked back up to Cherri and stood in front of her again. “Hit me again.”

For a quick moment, I saw the sadness in Cherri’s eyes. It flashed there briefly and then disappeared. “Move.”

“No! Keep hitting me!” Colette replied. “Deon’s dead!”

Again, Cherri socked Colette right in the face. That time, she flew back and collapsed on the floor, a splatter of blood splashing across the concrete.

“Colette, stop it,” I said.

She ignored me entirely as she stood up off the ground again and got back in Cherri’s face. More and more people left the sad scene behind as each time Colette got back up, Cherri knocked her back down. Eventually, it was just Colette, Cherri, Sicily, and me in the courtyard. On the last of a series of hits, either because she was growing angrier or because she was ready for the interaction to be over, Cherri cocked her fist back as far as she could, and when it slammed into Colette’s face, her entire body rigidified, and her eyes rolled into the back of her head. As quickly as I could, I slid behind Colette’s body as she fell backward, sending us both toppling to the ground.

Sicily jumped up to grab Cherri’s arm and pulled her back. “All right, Cherri. That’s enough.”

“That’s what she wanted,” Cherri snapped back. She looked down at me, and all I could do was glare up at her with Colette’s limp body collapsed against mine. “Keep her away from me.”

“I knew Deon before you,” I said. “He’d appreciate that you are tough, but he wouldn’t like knowing you’re evil.”

Cherri pulled back. “What’d you just say?”

“You heard me,” I growled back. “He wouldn’t accept this.”

For a long time, Cherri just looked back at me, but her pupils were shifting in all directions, and I could tell she was considering what I’d said. Finally, though, they settled back into their same steel, and she wrinkled up her nose at me. “Just stay away from me. All of you.”

With that, Cherri stepped over Colette and me as we slumped on the floor and walked back into school.

“Jeez,” Sicily said, rubbing the back of his head. “What do you need me to do?”

“If you’re gonna support her, then nothing,” I spat back. “She’ll listen to you if you even try to talk some sense into her. That’s not Cherri, and you know it.”

Sicily nodded. “Yeah, I know, but I can’t blame her. Can you?” It was clear on Sicily’s face that he, either from being insightful or from knowing more than he was letting on, could tell I related to Cherri’s plight as much as I was against it. He didn’t rush an answer out of me, but when it was clear that I wasn’t going to answer him, he nodded. “Yeah. Exactly.”