Page 202 of Wicked Brutal

I study him. “You don’t actually believe she’s out of it.”

His eyes cut to mine. “I believe you need to stay the fuck away from her.”

“Why?”

“Because you don’t know what you’re poking at.”

“Do you?” His jaw flexes. I let that sit for a second.“She always knows things.”

“I just fucking said that.”

“Have you ever wondered why?”

Iz opens his mouth. Stops. And for once, he has absolutely fucking nothing to say.

Prom should not be the thing that breaks my brain today. There are significantly bigger contenders. Switzerland. Victor. My father. The fact that at least three adults employed by this school might currently be reporting my movements back to him. The baby I’m hiding beneath an increasingly strategic collection of sweaters. Ryan publicly treating me like something he scraped off his shoe while privately sleeping with one hand spread over my stomach.

The list is long. Prom shouldn’t even make the top twenty.

“No,” Becca says, not even looking up.

Penny makes an offended noise beside me. “Okay, what is wrong with this one?”

“It’s too fitted.” Becca barely glances at her phone.

“That is the sixth dress you’ve said that about.”

“Then stop showing her dresses designed to suction themselves to her internal organs.” Cat laughs from across the table.

We’re tucked into the back corner of the library during our free period, surrounded by books none of us are even pretending to read anymore.

Penny swipes again. “Okay, what about this?”

“No.”

“You didn’t even look.”

“I saw the waist.”

“What is wrong with the waist?”

“Everything.”

Penny drops her phone onto the table. “Oh my God, you are impossible.”

“I’m correct.”

“Those aren’t synonyms, Becca.”

“They are when I’m talking.” I bite back a laugh. Becca looks at me. “You laugh now. She’s trying to dress you like a bridesmaid at a vineyard wedding.”

“I like that dress,” Penny says.

“You also date Xander.”

Penny stares at her. “What does that have to do with literally anything?”

“It’s evidence of questionable judgment.”