Hard(47)
Seriously? Professor Sweeten ripped my heart out, and they worried about the damn graduation party?
“I don’t know.”
“We need that party!” She spun the straw in her water. “Fine. We’ll move it up. Screw graduating. We’ll have a Shay Is Free party.”
I didn’t want to be free. In fact, I wanted to be so layered in school work, chalk dust, and demerit slips I’d be dreaming the ABCs when I got home.
“Maybe?” I frowned. “I’m not feeling like partying.”
Layna huffed. “You mean to tell me you have a giant ass house, pool, tennis courts, and gold fountains, and you don’t want to party?”
“It’s not that. Of course I want to celebrate.”
Maybe.
“Good. We’re on. We’ll have a big blowout. Fuck graduating. You’re rich. What do you need an education for?”
I didn’t need a degree, but a hell of a lot of other kids did. How would I help them now?
“We’ll figure something out,” I said. “Can we order dinner?”
Heaven dropped the menu and flashed me a glance that practically layered Atlanta in ice.
“Look, Shay. I love you, but get your head out of your ass.”
The table quieted. So did the tables surrounding us. Two booths away, someone broke a breadstick with a crack. She was immediately hushed.
“You’re a fucking billionaire. You have a car, a house, a future. You never have to worry about a goddamned thing ever again. So don’t sit here and pretend to be humble.”
“Pretend?”
Heaven’s lips pouted even when she was happy. Now that she scolded me? Disapproval was her superpower, and we hadn’t found any kryptonite to throw at her.
“You’ve always pretended that the money didn’t matter. Look at your purse. Your shoes. Your car. So you lived in an apartment with your mom before college. We all did, honey.” She scoffed. “I don’t know what’s sadder. You flaunting the money…or you pretending you never had any to begin with.”
“Heaven, I didn’t—”
“It doesn’t matter. Go plan your party. Live in your estate. Fuck your brother. God knows someone as rich as you can get away with whatever you want.”
“That’s not true!”
“I don’t even know why you’re sitting here with us,” Heaven said. “You’ve been checking your phone every ten seconds since we got here. Do you have somewhere better to be? Bank’s closed, sweetheart.”
“Holy Christ, Heaven.” Azariah frowned. “What climbed up your ass?”
Heaven returned to scouring the menu. She gave Azariah a pissy glance. “Just ask her what you wanted. Tell her why we came out tonight. Go on, Zar. Ask her.”
I swallowed. “Ask me what?”
Azariah was in no mood. Even I never riled her up that much. “Drop it, Heaven.”
“I’ll tell her if you don’t.”
Azariah’s nails were too sharp to risk getting her angry. I laid a hand over her wrist.
“What’s going on?” I asked.
Azariah’s gaze lowered. Something told me she wasn’t really reading the advertisement for the double fudge brownie sundae.
“I meant…to ask you for a loan.”
“A…what?”
“My car’s in bad shape. I need a new alternator and breaks.”
I swallowed. “Oh.”
“Just a loan. I’d pay you back.”
My best friend of fifteen years should never have looked that ashamed to come to me for help. “Of course.”
The rest of the table shifted, taking awkward sips of their drinks. Azariah shrugged at the other girls.
Layna was the first to speak. “Books this year were expensive. I was going to ask too.”
I stilled. I suddenly understood. Layna nudged Nikkole with an elbow into her side.
Nikkole smiled. “Trey is getting married. I have to buy a dress.”
I didn’t know what to say. “You…all want loans?”
Heaven showed me her broken phone. “My screen’s cracked. I need a new cell before this one dies.”
“Oh.” My stomach twisted. “I mean…I don’t know.”
Azariah’s voice softened. “I don’t think the car will make it through the week.”
“Well…I want to help, but—”
Heaven snorted. She tossed her phone into her purse and muttered to Layna. “Told you she wouldn’t do a damn thing.”
“Wait!” I said. “Why didn’t you think I’d help? You know that I’d do anything for you.”
“Would you? Now?” Heaven’s tone was too sharp for a girl I let copy from my homework all freshman year. “You don’t need us. Why would help out your so-called friends when you could sit up in your mansion and fuck your brother?”