Page 129

I don’t even know what I’m crying over anymore. The fact that years of my life—pouring my heart and soul into those notebooks—have been stolen from me, or that the person who stole them is someone I trusted enough to call my best friend.

Everything is so tangled together, I can’t tell where the loss ends and the betrayal begins.

I’m lying on my bed, inconsolable, when a familiar car horn blares from the street. I push myself up and walk over to the window to find Misty standing beside her car. She waves me over with a bright smile.

How the fuck can she look happy right now? Did she come here to gloat? To twist the knife she already shoved into my back?

Blinding white rage takes over me, and before I can stop myself, I grab my jacket and storm downstairs, snatching my phone and keys on the way before slamming the front door behind me.

As I step outside, I realize Kayla is with her, both girls looking completely right as rain.

So she brought reinforcements. “She always was a pussy,” Sienna’s voice whispers inside my head.

My jaw clenches as I walk toward them, my head held so high that even Sienna would be proud of me. The effect is probably somewhat ruined by my swollen eyes and tear-streaked face, but whatever.

“Are you sick?” Kayla asks when I reach them, immediately taking a step back. “Because I can’t get sick. I have a track meet next week.”

“No, I’m not sick,” I bite out before turning my attention to Misty. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m taking you to a party.” She says it with a smile so wide I finally understand Sienna’s problem with them.

“I’m not in the mood for a party.”

“Well, you better get in the mood because you’re going,” she says before turning her back on me.

Misty circles the hood of her car before getting inside, while Kayla quietly climbs into the passenger seat. They both stare at me through the windshield while I remain planted in the middle of my yard.

“Come on!” Misty shouts through the open window. “We don’t have all night.”

“I said I’m not going to a party, Misty.”

“No?” She cocks a brow. “Not even a party Milo will be at?”

Milo.

Shit. I completely forgot about his game, even after I promised him I’d be there.

This day just keeps getting worse by the second.

“You should’ve seen him, poor guy. He kept searching the bleachers for you. It was so cute. Wasn’t it cute, Kayla?”

“It was whatever, “ Kayla says, looking less than thrilled about the prospect of me coming along.

“Come on. It’s Friday night. You’re not seriously going to spend it at home, are you? Not when a cute boy is dying to see you?” Misty bats her eyelashes.

What’s her game? She’s acting like we’re still best friends.

Wait… could I be wrong?

What if I’ve let my imagination get the better of me and convinced myself Misty took my notebooks when she had nothing to do with it? What if Peyton is the only person I should be blaming?

When Misty gives me one of her sweet smiles, it only leaves me more confused.

Maybe it wasn’t her. But if it wasn’t, then who?

Even if Peyton did break into my house, how would she know where to look?

Unless… she overheard Misty talking about my box of notebooks somehow.