Total pages in book: 34
Estimated words: 32770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32770 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 164(@200wpm)___ 131(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Ketchup drips out, but she doesn’t seem to care. I’m finding I like her more and more. I get the vibe she doesn’t necessarily fit in with any crowd fully but that she also isn’t trying to or cares that she doesn’t. That was easy to see with how she responded to Rose. She wasn’t the least bit worried about the wrath Rose could bring down on her. I wish I could be more like that.
“There was something,” Dunc pushes. I know he’s not going to let this go. He never lets anything go. He’s like a dog with a bone. It’s endearing to a degree but not so much at the moment. Especially not when it’s a subject you don’t really care to revisit. I know what happened at my old school wasn’t my fault, but I still feel shame about the whole thing. Even though I was the victim.
“It’s rich that Rose is calling you a bully after the stunt she pulled in the cafeteria yesterday.” Fleur shoves fries into her mouth next.
“What?” Dunc sits up straighter, his body tensing.
“Oh, is that a secret?” Fleur gives me an apologetic expression.
“Like you can keep those.”
“I’m the president of the school paper.”
“There are still papers?”
“Not really, but it’s still called that. We email it out, and it’s online.”
“Sadie.” Dunc grabs my hand.
“It’s nothing really. She ran into me. I dropped my tray.” Dunc closes his eyes. He’s fighting anger. That assholey side of him is begging to rear its ugly head, and he’s trying to keep it under control.
“What did she say, though? I couldn’t hear.” Fleur asks, unintentionally fueling the fire.
“Oh my God, you really can’t keep a secret.”
“Sorry?” She shrugs. “I mean, if you tell me to keep it, I will.”
“What did she say?” Dunc asks. His hold on my fingers tightens. Fleur leans toward me, not going to miss it this time.
“Have you two slept together?” I blurt out to Duncan. It’s not what Rose said, but there is some weirdness there. He doesn’t care for her, but she wants him.
“No.” Both Dunc and Fleur speak at the same time. I flick a glance to Fleur, wondering how she would know.
“I know things.” She smirks. “Why I’m the president of the newspaper.”
“Did she say that shit?” Dunc's face is one of disgust.
“No, you just seem annoyed with her, and she has a giant thing for you.”
“Ahh,” Fleur says. “She told you to stay away from him or else.”
“I think it’s clear Rose is fuckin’ annoying. I’ve known her since grade school.”
“Dunc hasn’t slept with anyone. Not from our school anyways.” Fleur bumps my shoulder with hers. “But suddenly the new girl has all of his attention, and that’s newsworthy.”
“Keep that to yourself.”
“Really?” she huffs. “It’s not like it’s a secret. Rose knows. Hell, everyone does. Dunc chatting some girl up is big news around here.” Her eyes bounce between Dunc and me. “Inviting me to sit with you guys. I think he wants us to be friends.” She wiggles her eyebrows.
“I’ll deal with Rose. Now about your old school.”
“I don’t know what Rose was talking about. I mean, I wouldn’t be shocked if the girls from there said the worst things they could about me. I wasn’t liked.”
“Why didn’t Van handle that shit?”
I roll my eyes. “Van was part of the problem.”
“The fuck.” Dunc releases my hand to get up.
“Stop! You wanted to hear this so don’t go running off before I can give you the rest.” He sits back down. “It hadn’t always been that way. I knew a lot of the girls would want to stay the night at my house in junior high because they wanted to be around Van. He ignored them. It pissed them off. Some couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t give them the time of day, but back then, football was Van’s focus.”
“He seems super focused. Kind of a dick. Must run in the family,” Fleur teases.
“It got out that Van and I weren’t blood related.”
“They turned on you,” Fleur says, already knowing where this story is going.
“They started to make up stories. Spread gossip. Then Van got involved. It was all just a mess.” That’s putting it mildly. It was pure torture for me from the moment I stepped into that building every day.
“And I bet Van never got shit, did he?” Fleur shakes her head. No, the boys never have to deal with that drama.
“Not that I noticed, but Van wouldn’t give a crap what was said about him. It all rolled off him. Except when it hit me. Then he hit others.”
“As he should,” Dunc says. He may have things to work out with Van, but I can tell he respects him for sticking up for me. Maybe some good will come out of this situation with Rose. “Eat.” He nods toward my food that I haven’t really touched beyond one bite. Fleur, however, has managed to clear half her tray.