High School Hit List (CLIQUE BAIT)

12. recklessness and fraud

William was picking me up for school. We'd decided it would be easiest, considering I was supposed to help him afterwards anyway. It would only strengthen the illusion of our relationship, so I didn't object. He was idling on my street as I stepped out into the rain, pulling the hood of my coat over my head as I let out a half-hearted yell to my mother that I would see her tonight.

"Morning," he said, with a tone much more perky than the one he usually greeted me with. His knitted sweater looked much more comfortable than the drenched coat I was wearing. I'd only walked twenty or so yards, but it was enough to let the rain seep through to the clothes I wore underneath.

"Hi," I said, taking a deep breath as I tried to slip into character. It was growing harder and harder to separate the two Chloes.

Thankfully, he switched the radio on, allowing my thoughts to drift from the confined space of the car. I wondered how things would be today. Would I be welcome at the table again? Would Claire insist I join her and her friends in math class?

My questions were slowly answered as the morning continued. I gave a publicly flirty farewell to William and headed to class to be enthusiastically greeted by Claire again. I sat with her, while she babbled to me about her Facebook invitation to a party held by a student from Richmond Prep this weekend.

"Anyway, you should totally try and make it," she concluded as the bell that signaled the beginning of lunch chimed. "It will be so much fun."

"I'll check my plans and let you know," I assured her. By check my plans, I meant check if level one would be attending. But with Claire's enthusiasm, I was already suspecting they would be. Why would she be so excited to be attending if Zach wouldn't be there?

"See you later," she said, giving me a wave before taking the arm of a girl she knew in the hallway. She seemed to know everyone.

I went to my locker, dropping my textbooks into the shelf and swapping them for a Michael Kors purse so I could buy a cappuccino. As I closed it, a platinum blonde beauty emerged beside me.

"Hey, Whittaker," she said. Sophie's pale eyes swam with an intense intimidation as they studied my face. My heart stuttered for a second, trying to catch up with what my brain was processing.

"Hi, Sophie," I said, injecting an extra dose of friendly into my voice. "How are you?"

"Just peachy," she said. Her fingers outstretched to caress the material across my chest. "Nice scarf."

My cheeks warmed. Did she know more than she should, or was that supposed to be one of her intimidating double-standard compliments? "Thanks."

"Coming to lunch?" she asked. "I hear Will's saving you a seat again."

"Yeah," I breathed. "That sounds great"

She gave me a smirk before spinning on her heel. I followed her hesitantly, completely aware that she must have some kind of motive behind seeking me out. That, or it was purely a coincidence, and she happened to see me walking by and thought it would make a great opportunity to intimidate me.

"Chloe!" A hand tapped my back before I could process who it was. It was Jack, his jet black hair mussed from the rain. "I was trying to find you."

A sharp cold filled my veins as I looked from him to Sophie. I hadn't considered a situation in which he would be close enough to cause trouble to my plan. He knew too much about me and Monica – it would be so easy to let it slip...

"Coming, Chloe?" Sophie asked, her eyes flitting to assess Jack in the way someone might test as to whether food had gone spoiled.

"Yeah – I just, um, why were you looking for me?" I asked Jack, internally swearing at myself for showing my confliction.