My phone buzzes on the table and I drop my gaze to find a text from Miranda, one of my friends from Hope Falls, and I welcome it greedily, scooping up my phone, more than grateful for the distraction. Only it doesn’t stop buzzing, message after message pops up, and I scan over them, my brows furrowing deeper the further I read along.
Miranda - Dude, WTF???? Where have you been? Erica is saying your mom moved you to Bradford. BRADFORD!!!!
Miranda - Fuck me! Tell me you’re not one of those hoity-toity uniform wearing rich bitches now, coz if you are, you know I’ll have to come and kick your ass.
Miranda - Alsooooo……. Colby? Why’s he telling everyone that you sucked every dick you could find over the summer and that he dumped you? He’s calling you a cunt to anyone who’ll listen.
Miranda - He’s lying right? You guys were tight and I know you’re not a cheater. He’s saying you’re being a stuck up bitch and not responding to any calls. Like he dumped you and then you just ghosted big time.
I let out a breath and get busy responding.
Brielle - The fuck! As if anyone is going to believe that shit. First up, yes. Mom moved us in with her rich boyfriend and kinda sprung it on me last minute, so I’m stuck in Bradford until he decides to break up with her. And second, you know I’m not some dick sucking whore! Colby was screwing around behind my back. I literally walked in on him mid-fuck and he’s pissed that he got caught! I cut all communication with him and he can’t handle it.
Miranda - No freaking way!
Brielle - How do you not know this? Didn’t Erica tell you guys?
Miranda - No, that bitch hasn’t told us shit!
What the hell? That doesn’t make sense. Erica told me that she was doing damage control all that first day. How can people not know this? But then, does it even really matter what they all think of me? As long as my friends know the truth and have my back, that’s all that matters.
Before I get to respond, another text comes in and my gaze drops down the screen.
Miranda - Is this why Colby was arrested? Did he do something?
My brows shoot right up into my hairline, my eyes widening like saucers. Colby got arrested? What the fuck? No, that couldn’t be right. Colby was an ass, but he’s not a criminal.
Brielle - What do you mean he got arrested? What happened? Have charges been pressed?
Miranda - I’ve got no idea. We’ve all been trying to figure it out, but since you’ve been MIA all week, I just assumed it had something to do with you. He’s at school today so I guess that means whatever he did couldn’t be that bad, right?
Brielle - Suppose so. Let me know if you find out anything.
Miranda - Sure, girl. Gotta run. Principal Fanning just sprung me on my phone and he’s coming this way!
I laugh, able to imagine the scene so clearly because the exact thing has happened to me so many times. Phones are prohibited to use at Hope Falls, but here, they seem chill about it, as long as phones are on silent and aren’t visible or distracting during class time.
Even knowing the strict phone rules of Hope Falls, I can’t resist scrolling through my recent contacts list and pressing on Erica’s name. Bringing the phone up to my ear, it rings twice before she accepts the call. “Colby got arrested?” I screech down the line. “How could you not tell me that? What happened?”
“Chill out,” she laughs. “Apparently the cops raided his house and arrested him on Monday night, but he was let go after twenty-four hours. I wasn’t at school yesterday. I was feeling sorry for myself at home after allowing you to get me wasted on mimosas, so I only just found out this morning. I’ve been trying to get a message off to you all morning, but it’s been a busy day.”
“Oh, shit sorry. I didn’t mean to accuse you of not telling me. I just figured you’d already have known about it,” I say with a cringe. Ilaria, Chanel, and Arizona are watching me through narrowed gazes after catching my earlier question. “Do you know what’s going on? What did he do?”
“I’ve got no idea. Everyone thinks it has something to do with you because you’re not here anymore. You know, the timing is coincidental, and despite how much I tell them that you have nothing to do with it, they don’t want to hear me.”
I groan, rolling my eyes as I slump down in my chair. “It’s bad enough that he’s talking shit about me to anyone who’ll listen, but now they think I tried to have him arrested? That’s bullshit.”