A Whole New Crowd(23)

Tray reached around me for the door. He murmured, close enough so it teased my skin, “You up for this?”

My body reacted to his closeness. I leaned into him, resting against his chest as he continued to hold the door. He didn’t move. He didn’t open the door, and I remained there. I drew strength from him in that moment. Then I nodded. I was ready.

Tray pulled open the door and I stepped inside first.

They were in the living room. “Oh please,” Jennica huffed. “What do you expect from me? An apology? You’re never around and when you are it’s all cheerleading this, student council that, not to mention yearbook crap and your perfect little family with your perfect little GPA and your precious scholarship to Brown. No, you’re a great girlfriend. You’re a perfect girlfriend, except you don’t give a shit where your man is or how he feels.”

There was shocked silence after that. Devon was watching Mandy. Jennica was being held back by Amber, whose brother was next to her. Samuel and another guy were lounging on the couches looking amused.

“I can’t believe you just said that.” Mandy leapt towards her. Devon moved to intercept her, but stranger guy beat him to it, leaping from the couch. Grabbing her shoulders, he held her back as Mandy tried to get around him. “Get off me, Dylan!”

“Mandy, stop.”

Jennica took a step back. Devon was in the middle, arms half raised between them, looking uncertain about which girl to go towards.

Amber turned to us and sneered. “Where have you two been?”

Tray smirked at her. “I was hungry.”

“You were hungry?”

“Yeah.” Tray settled against the wall and lifted an eyebrow, daring her to push it further.

She didn’t. Her chin went down and Mandy let out another scream, trying to claw her way through Dylan’s arms.

“Mandy, go to your room.”

She swung to me, startled. “Taryn—”

I shook my head. “Go.”

She glanced around, her eyebrows bunched forward and she was biting her lip. Then she jerked her head in a nod. “Fine.” She shoved Dylan aside and swept out of the room. I didn’t wait for her to go up the stairs. I turned on my heel and got in Jennica’s face. I had already dealt with too much crap that day to care about this minion. She saw the storm in my eyes and readied herself. Her little chin raised, her eyes grew haughty, and her skinny shoulders lifted.

“You’re pathetic. You screwed your best friend’s boyfriend. Congratulations. You got into a guy’s pants. Wonderful achievement for you. Revel in it. It’ll last a week. He’s going to drop you.” I glanced at him, saw he was already uncertain, and rolled my eyes. “She’s already dropped you and you’re now known as the friend who sleeps with her friend’s boyfriends. Congratulations on your new reputation. The only people who will want to be your friend will be people like you. You’ll never get the good friends, the ones who are actual friends.” I never looked away. I never faltered. The longer I talked, the more she withered beneath me. I was finished. “I’ve kept quiet, but I’m done. Mess with Mandy again and you will be messing with me.” I stepped closer. “That’s not a threat. It’s a fact. Ball’s in your court if you decide to take me on and with that said, get out of my house.”

“And who are—” she sputtered, taking another step back.

“I’m her sister. Enough said.”

Everyone was silent. Jennica had grown pale, shrinking away.

I said, “I’m waiting.”

Devon cursed, grabbed her arm, and hauled her behind him. The door slammed shut behind them. It wasn’t long before the rest followed them. Amber and Grant were next. Samuel, Dylan, and Tray remained for a moment.

There was more silence. Then Dylan threw his head back and a deep laugh came out. “Oh, I like you. I really like you.” He thumped Tray on his chest and chuckled. “She’s a cold-hearted bitch.”

I took it as a compliment, then heard him head upstairs and knock on Mandy’s door. I asked Tray, “Who is that?”

“My cousin. He’s not from around here.” Samuel stood up and flashed me a grin. “Evans, I could go for a burger.”

Tray nodded, but said, “I’ll be out in a minute.”

As he left, leaving the two of us alone, I shivered from different anticipation now. One smoldering look from him and every cell in my body stood straight up, jumping alive. I didn’t think I would get used to this from him. Ever.

Then he nodded. “Congratulations.”

“On what?”

“You earned their respect.”