Forever Dark: Book 1 of the Forever Dark Series

Chapter 19 - Popular

The next morning, Naomi was doing her best to make me feel better about the idea of my parents's divorce, but I was still freaking out. As we walked across the school parking lot, a metallic blue Mustang roared by, almost hitting us. Bass-bumping, it screeched to a halt nearby and parked. The Bitch Patrol got out.

Dakota sneered. “Look, girls! It's the Fugly Twins! Where do you think you're going?”

“Whatever,” Naomi said. “Get out of our way.” She moved to push past Megan, but the Korean girl knocked her to the asphalt. Naomi clutched her knee and groaned.

My hands balled into fists, nails biting hard into my palms. “Stop it!” I shouted.

Dakota repeated, "Stop it!" in a high, mocking falsetto. “Or what?” she added. “Think you're tough? Whatcha gonna do, slut?”

I did nothing.

“Coward!” Dakota said. “I knew you were chicken. Stay away from Scott or next time, you'll be the one on the ground.”

The first period bell rang.

“Come on!” I used the distraction to grab Naomi's arm and pull her toward the school. By the time we got to the bathroom, Naomi and I were both crying. I dried my eyes with a paper towel and handed her one. “You OK?”

She dabbed her tears. “I'll live. I'm sorry, Cindy. I never thought they'd attack us, not like that! But it doesn't change anything.”

Doubt flashed through my mind. “Are you sure? You're hurt, and I'm next. I want Scott, but not if it's gonna get us killed.”

“Are you kidding? Eff those haters!” Naomi went into a rage, pacing back and forth in front of the stalls, her mascara-stained cheeks pinched into angry lines. “They're just jealous. They can't stop us.” Her green tights were ripped, beads of red rolling down her bare knee.

I couldn't take my eyes off it. “You're bleeding.”

Naomi looked at her torn tights. “Shit, I just bought these!”

I grabbed another paper towel and wet it under the faucet. I knelt down, pressing it against the scrape. Naomi winced. “Hey, that hurts! Be careful, will ya?”

“Sorry.” I pulled the towel away to get another look and as I did, something brushed the back of my mind, a vague sense of unease that vanished as quickly as it had come.

Six classes later, we stood in Naomi's kitchen, nuking pepperoni Hot Pockets. Her mom was at work and wouldn't be home for hours.

“Tell me again what divorce is like,” I asked. “Just the good parts.”

My BFF handed me a bottle of Diet Coke and leaned against the counter. “Well, my dad spoils me to make up for not being around, and they both let me get away with a lot more. It's easier to wear them down one at a time than when they're together.”

I twisted the cap off and drank. “My mom will probably move to New York to be closer to my aunt. I'll never see her again. Maybe that's not such a bad thing.”

Naomi said, “You don't know that. Sure, your mom's a mega-bitch now, but that might change once she's divorced. She might soften up a little.”

“Yeah, like that'll ever happen! I feel like if I'd been a better daughter—”

Naomi hugged me. “It's not your fault. That's the same thing I thought when my parents divorced, and it's bullshit!”

I held her tight. I felt strangely energized, almost electric, and I didn't want to let her go.