Mark My Words

6 | Deal With The Devil

Rosalie found it hard to believe that Joanna would let other teams bully her with aggressive kicks to the head like they did with Jade. Another strong reason for them all to despise Stone Ridge and Adams High.

"I wonder if there's something to motivate Joanna into doing what you want," Sami said as he slung his backpack over his shoulders and headed for the door. Rosalie followed after him, still tucking her shirt into her skirt.

"I don't know. I mean, she's..." Rosalie didn't want to say it, because she could already feel the heat flaring up to her cheeks when she thought about what Joanna said to Lennie. "Never mind."

"What?"

"I don't want to say it! You can't make me!" she cried, running ahead and scurrying down the stairs. She spun around the railing and darted for the kitchen with Sami hot on her heels.

"What is it?! No secrets! No secrets!" Sami whined, and Rosalie hesitated at the refrigerator. Sami slumped over the counter, pouting and batting his eyelashes at her.

Ever since they were kids, the two of them had a strict No Secrets rule just for the sake of transparency with one another. They spent so much time together that it had never been an issue. All of their personal secrets were out in the open. And... this wasn't exactly personal...

"Okay, fine," Rosalie huffed, turning back around. She closed her eyes and said it. "Joanna's gay. She said so to Lennie and I."

Sami straightened, eyes widening. "Are you sure she wasn't just kidding? I feel like that's something she'd kid about."

"No, she was serious. It sounds like Dylan knows, and so all the football guys probably know," she said. "I'm surprised it hasn't spread yet."

"Well, considering half the school thinks she's sleeping with the football team..." Sami said, and Rosalie had to do a double take. "Well, now it makes sense! No straight girl would want to hang out with them so often."

"Unless they're the cheerleaders."

"Yeah, and even then Harper Winters isn't too keen on it," he went on. "Ooh, this makes the betting so much easier."

Rosalie huffed at him and turned back around to prepare breakfast. As she pulled out boxes of cereal and mixed them into two separate bowls, she thought about her class's serious gambling problem. Bradshaw was a private school, and therefore attended by the richer half of the Montgomery population. Suffice to say everyone's allowances promoted the success of many betting pools.

They ate at the countertop before leaving. At the door, Khoshekh stood at the ready, and Rosalie held him up while Sami escaped before setting him back onto the foyer bench and making her own getaway. Khoshekh's paw caught on the edge of the door, trying to shove his face through the crack, but Rosalie tipped him back with a nudge of her foot.

"Sorry little man," she said, closing and locking the door. "I'll be back tonight! I promise!"

"Rosalie, come on, we'll be late!" Sami whined.

She ran to his car, holding her skirt down as she cried, "Sorry! Sorry!"

They both collapsed into their designated seats and pulled out of the driveway. As they continued the short trip to school, Sami pushed his sunglasses on and said with a shrug, "Well, if Joanna's gay, then you just need to figure out who she has a crush on. Convince them to go on a date with her or something."

"Even I wouldn't fall for that."

"It's worth a shot. You never know how horny someone is until you ask."