Red Thorns (Thorns Duet #1) by Rina Kent

Well, at least, most of them. Brianna, Reina, and Owen are rogue.

Prescott, too, though he’s not as talkative as the rest of them.

Now that Sebastian is caught up with his coach, I’m all alone on the battlefield. It’s not that I need his protection, considering I was doing just fine before he came along, but it feels good to not be in a constant state of war with the world.

Brianna is still as nasty as ever, but everyone else isn’t. It’s as if they’re finally acceptant of me, and as a result, I haven’t been as venomous or as sarcastic as I was in the past.

Besides, I’m in a good mood today and no one will ruin it.

“Um, excuse me?” Brianna taps her glittery nails on the table in front of me.

“To what do I owe the pleasure, Bee?” I mock.

“It’s Bree!” she screeches, her veins tightening in her red neck, seeming to be on the verge of popping. “And your ass is not welcome here, you skank.”

I stare around the table, pretending to search for something. “I don’t see your name anywhere here, so I can sit my ass anywhere I like.”

“You must think you’re all that just because Sebastian looked in your trashy direction. Bitch.”

“Bree,” Reina calls while stroking circles on her temples. She’s been silent, almost meek lately, no longer tormenting me as if it’s her favorite sport.

“I’m done playing, Rei. It’s time this fucking bitch learns her place.”

“It’s gone on for long enough,” Josh says through a mouthful of French fries.

I stare at everyone present at the table. Some snicker, others smirk, and most are elbowing each other and murmuring under their breaths.

As if they’re all in on a joke I’m not privy to.

I stare at Reina because, with Sebastian out of the picture, she’s the one who calls the shots. “What’s going on?”

“Over here.” Brianna taps her long finger in front of me again. “Game over, Naomi.”

“Bree.” Prescott shakes his head at her and Lucy’s lips part in pure shock.

“Is someone going to tell me what’s going on?” I don’t recognize the spooked tone in my voice or the premonition of something horrible rushing my way.

Brianna’s shrill laughter echoes around us, and for some reason, my limbs lock. “Did you really think Sebastian would be interested in someone as unimportant as you just because? Are you that dumb to believe that’s possible? The only reason he ever approached you is because we dared him to fuck you, take your V-card, and make a show of it. But you went ahead and fell for the bet like the stupid little bitch you are.”

I’m so stunned for a second that I don’t speak. My ears feel like they’re closing and the shatter around me seems like it’s coming from underwater.

Something feels off.

Me. I feel totally off.

It’s like I’m frozen and there’s nothing to unfreeze me or even allow me to move.

“Uh-oh.” Someone laughs, and for the life of me, I can’t figure out who. “She’s broken.”

The snickers and laughter rise in volume, and all I can do is sit there, staring numbly ahead of me.

At Reina.

“That’s not true,” I murmur.

Somewhere deep inside me, I know it is. Everything makes sense. The way he was insistent about courting me. The way he inserted himself into my life and refused to leave, no matter how much I tried to kick him out.

“Oh, it is true.” Josh licks his upper lip. “It should’ve been me, not him. Come on, Rei, let it be me this time.”

“Say it,” I whisper to Reina. “Say it’s not true.”

She releases a sigh, letting her hands drop on the table. “Do you really believe that?”

No. No, I don’t.

But if she says it, there won’t be anything to compete against. It’s Reina’s word against all their nonsense.

Surely, there’s an alternative reality where all of this is a distasteful joke.

You’re the only distasteful joke here, Naomi.

“It was so cute watching you act like a puppy in love when we all knew Sebastian was playing with you.” Brianna laughs. “Didn’t she look like a perfect fool?”

Many agree and laugh, some point their fingers at me as the whispers erupt.

“What a joke.”

“Look at her. She’s still broken.”

“Someone call the doctor.”

“Even her friend knew…”

My gaze snaps to my side to find Lucy staring at her lap, zipping and unzipping her bag at a rapid speed. Her face is red, her freckles dark, and her lips are pursed.

Tears I never wanted to shed in front of these assholes fill my lids. When I speak, my voice is so low and pained, it’s like it’s coming from a dark corner I didn’t know existed inside me. “You knew?”

She slowly stares up at me with tears clinging to her lashes. “It’s not that, I…”

“You knew.”

It’s not a question, but a mere statement of facts from the way her brows are knitted and her nose is scrunching.

The girl I called my best friend was well aware of the game played against me and didn’t say anything.

I stagger to a standing position and grab my bag with stiff fingers. My arm feels as heavy as my tongue inside my mouth.