High School Hit List (CLIQUE BAIT)

40. the damsel and her demise

"Last I checked she was trying to fuck Sophie's cousin," he snorted.

Monica rolled her eyes. She knew Maddy didn't fuck half the boys she claimed, but even so, the boys still saw her as a mindless machine of seduction. "Order me a drink."

"Yes ma'am," Max said as Monica turned away, her eyes narrowed.

"Anyone would have thought we followed your instruction," Li yelled over the music as she slipped past a dancing couple and caught Mon's attention, her red lips parted in a broad grin. "Since when was Max anyone's bitch?"

Monica laughed. At least there was one sane person around tonight. She'd concluded long ago that Li was harmless. Another sheep in the flock.

A shudder tightened Mon's stomach. She'd left Chloe a note in her locker to ask if she wanted to come tonight as a bid to reach out. But, she'd also hoped she would decline it. Seeing Chloe here would be a nightmare. She wasn't at all surprised when she'd just ignored her, but... part of her was clinging to the hope that she might just show up.

"All you have to do is flirt," Monica said, almost forgetting the expectant expression of the girl in front of her as her mind traveled to her best friend. She raised her eyebrows, a knowing glance flattening her freckled features. "You're the expert at that, right?"

Li reciprocated her knowing look before flipping the topic. Of course she would, she'd never want anyone to overhear Monica's insinuation as to the reason she passed her classes. "I hear you've summoned us to the bathroom."

"Yeah, I need to—hey, Mike!"

The attention of the photographer only yards away turned to Monica, his brown eyes amused, the lens of a camera following the direction of his gaze. "What do you want, Red?"

"You only call me that because you don't remember my name," Monica said with an accusing look.

"I call you Red because it suits you. Red is the color of passion." He gave her a suggestive look before raising his camera and videoing her snide smirk.

"Oh please. Red is going to be the color of your blood when I punch you in the face," she said, but of course she didn't mean it. She just liked to tease. To flirt.

"I'll use this as evidence when I'm pressing charges," he said, grinning.

"Mon—I'll be right back, I swear I just saw Piers head out the door!" Li said with urgence.

Monica went to grab Li's arm and tell her to wait, but she'd already slipped away. She sighed, shooting a glare in her direction, and turned back to Mike. "Don't you have a job to do?"

"Yep," he said, looking through the huge piece of equipment sitting on a stand over his shoulder. "Doing it right now."

"Go perv on someone else," she said with a girlish laugh, sticking her hand up to shield herself from the lens as she turned away and walked in the opposite direction.

The jumble of people crammed into the club was enough to have Monica on a high. After all, she'd always been a people's person. Well, most of the time. Her life was balanced between silent moments with Chloe, where she could be whoever she wanted without an ounce of judgment, and being around others, where she could be the social butterfly she'd always longed to be.

She couldn't have both. And besides, the time when Chloe was without judgment had long since passed. She hated level one.

Monica paced back to the bar, where Max, guarding two drinks, was chatting with a scantily clad girl. She didn't hesitate to slip through to his other side and take one of the drinks, reveling in the sharp taste of vodka as it greeted the back of her throat.