Callie Reeves is a perfectionist. She has control over everything from her friends to her grades, the cheerleading squad she captains and anyone inbetween - even when it comes to dating.
After creating a list of rules to keep her no-strings attache...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Blacklisting someone who craves attention and acknowledgement from their peers is torture. Especially when people make a point of moving away from said person as if they have the plague.
I cock my head to the side, smiling sweetly at a flustered Eden who looks clueless when his own friends abandon him at lunch. The giggles and amusement from the group I'm sitting with floats around in whispers, despite what I've done being anything but funny.
What I've done to Eden is a cruel punishment. And if he thinks I'm an ice queen then I'd hate to disappoint him.
"That was brilliant," Rose leans in to me, trying not to laugh but chuckling under her breath. "Please tell me you have something else up your sleeve."
"You've got to have something - what's next?"
"I heard he has a fear of clowns . . ."
I tune out the discussion of what other pranks or mean things Eden could be put through. Even though I should be on cloud nine by making him a pariah and pleasing the Elitists of the hierarchy - I hate the guilt nestling in my stomach.
But if I admit to feeling bad about what I've done to these people, I'd become a target. The whole table is filled with backstabbers, waiting for the opportunity to outdo the other at the first sign of weakness - they crave power and entertainment from others' misery.
I know I shouldn't be friends with people like this. But I don't belong anywhere else. Not with Summer and her friends, nor with Nina because of who she hangs out with. Specifically the person whose eyes are burning into the back of my skull.
He's probably disgusted or disappointed, maybe frustrated that I've been ignoring his messages. But seeing that photo freaked me out and made more sense as to why he's trying to convince me I'm good.
He still thinks I'm the girl that saved him.
》 》 》
Pinching the skin of my stomach, I frown and allow it to snap back into place. I poke it next, swearing that I see it ripple and sinking into the abyss. This diet isn't working - I can't lose this weight no matter what I do.
I pull down my shirt, pressing my palms to the back of my eyes when frustrated tears threaten to fall. 'Nobody is going to be able to lift an elephant so lose weight'. That was my captain's first comment to me during last month's first training session.
I don't want to let her down. I want to be a cheerleader, I need this. That way I won't be targeted for liking science - the comments are already getting to me and I don't like it.
Exiting the girls bathroom I regroup mentally and head to the bus stop. I unthread my headphones from my phone and place an earbud in. Catching something in my peripheral as I near the top of the stairs.
