“I don’t like Harrison, but as women, sometimes we have to—”
Tobias sighs loudly.
She looks back and shakes her head. “You could have made this easier.”
“Nothing good comes from easy, Gabs.”
“Not like I would have been clingy.”
He shakes his head again. “Nothing good comes from lies, either. Look where it’s gotten you so far.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“Again, nothing good comes from easy.” He turns and walks away.
Her face turns red as she looks back at us. “Proper alignment brings popularity and safety from being bullied.”
“Is that a fucking threat?” Tris snaps.
“What? No,” Gabby huffs. “It’s the way it has always been. Harrison was safety. Being his made me safe from the bullshit—”
“Same bullshit you’ve been pulling with us?” Kiki asks.
She nods once. “In my defense, being a bitch has always worked.”
I can’t help but laugh.
“Laugh all you want, but it’s true. I’m not going to grovel anymore than I already have, but you’re all invited tonight, and I promise that I will do my part in not causing anymore chaos for you all.”
“Why?” Brisa laughs.
Gabby looks at me. “She knows why, so I’m assuming you do, as well. Which is why I’m not afraid that by admitting I was wrong will have any further consequences.”
Tris and Brisa look at me, seeking answers.
I shake my head. “I’m done with this, and I’m not coming to your party.”
“The fuck is the problem here?” Justice asks, walking up to us.
“No problems.” Kiki laughs. “Gabby was just seeing if we were coming to her party.”
He scratches his head in thought, and I wait for him to accept.
He looks at me. “T, we still busy tonight?”
“I am. You do whatever you want.”
He bends down so he’s eyeball to eyeball with Gabby, who legit looks shook. “I’d rather dine on glass then do shots of rubbing alcohol.”
Her voice quivers, “F-f-f-f-fine.”
He smirks at me. “We good?”
I nod.
He looks down at her again, and she looks up, feigning badass. “You stirred the pot enough, Queen Bee. Next time you decide to pull some bullshit like that, you’ll be hot and bothered when you look at me for another reason.” He leans in and sniffs her, and I want to gag. “You feel me?”
“F-f-fuck you.”
“Yeah, Queenie, that’s never gonna happen.” He chuckles then walks away.
Her face is beet red when she looks at us and clears her throat. “Again, I’m sorry.” Then she hurries to the door.
“What the hell was that all about?” Brisa laughs.
Kiki looks at me as if she’s waiting for me to tell them about the PBJ incident.
I close my eyes, telling her no.
She looks back at Brisa. “She has the hots for Justice.”
“So she’s trying to make friends with us to get to the boys?” Tris laughs. “Someone should really tell her we’ve been there, done that.”
“I’m pretty sure she just figured that out.” I shrug.
After doing a half-ass abs workout—half-assed because I refuse to change when I can’t really work out because of the boot—I say goodbye to the girls and sneak out, hoping to avoid Reeves and the other two horsemen. It works, but when I turn the corner, leaning against the wall is the freshly showered Lone Ranger of the horsemen—Tobias Easton.
“Got a minute?” he asks.
“For you?” I smile, and he pushes off the wall. “No.”
I start walking down the hall, but he easily catches up with me.
“She’s trying to right her wrong with you and Kiki.”
“Yeah, well, excuse me if I don’t buy her bullshit.” I stop, turn, and look up at him. “Tell me, Easton, why the hell do you care?”
“I don’t,” he snarls.
“Don’t come at me being all calm and acting like you give a fuck about her, and then bitch-slap me with asshole.”
His jaw tenses.
“Unless you do care about her.” I cock my head to the side. “Do you?”
“I care that she has another year in this place, and the only way she knows how to get ahead is by climbing on other people’s backs, a learned behavior. I care that she learned her lesson and is trying to make amends for the first time in the four years that I’ve known her, and you’re not giving her a second chance when it is in your nature to do so.”
“So, this lands on me now, huh?” I laugh.
He laughs wickedly. “You don’t get your shit back on track, you’re gonna have to eat those words.”
“So, now you care about me?”
His face contorts and a look of disgust mars his otherwise beautiful features. “I wouldn’t say care. Pissed fits