his smart phone, hunted around for something, then handed it over.
‘Look!’ he said. ‘He put it up yesterday.’
There it was right on his page: Mike’s post, a response to the question ‘Have you ever done it in a car?’ was about the night he’d spent with a girl whose initials were
BR. He went into
graphic
detail of their time in the back seat of his car, none of which was true because she’d called a halt long before they got
that
far
.
Briar’s cheeks burned as if someone had doused them with gasoline and set them on fire.
Ohmigod.
Her ex had told the world they’d slept together. That’s why the others
were laughing. They thought she and Pat were out here getting naked.
How many people had read this and believed it was the truth? Mrs Parker had said she didn’t believe the rumours. Is that what she meant? Did the whole town know?
Of course they do. That lying piece of . . .
Briar threw the phone back at Pat and took off at a run, her stomach close to heaving, frantic to find Reena and get out of here.
If this really was her last night on earth, it had just become a total disaster.
By the time Briar made the journey from the mill to the lake, she was crying and furious at the same time. She heard Pat behind her, calling her name, but she kept moving,
desperate to find her friend.
Faces turned towards her as she ran up the path. Some showed concern, others were sneering.
‘Couldn’t handle him, huh?’ one of the girls said.
‘Briar?’ her friend called out, and hurried over. When Reena saw her tears, her eyes narrowed. ‘What happened? What did he do to you?’
‘He thinks . . . Did you know what Mike is saying about me? That he and I – went all the way?’
‘What? her friend blurted.
‘Yeah, on Facebook. Now everyone thinks I’m a slut who’ll put out for any guy who asks,’ Briar retorted, fury warring with mortal embarrassment. ‘That’s all
Pat wanted. You were right about him.’
Sniggers came from some of the other kids, who’d gathered around to witness her mortification.
‘Hey, if the shoe fits,’ one of the guys called out, then laughed.
Briar glared the offender, a classmate who should have known better. ‘It doesn’t fit. It never will.’
‘Briar, look I’m—’ Pat began as he caught up with her.
She whirled round, waving a finger at him like a weapon, bringing him to a halt. ‘You stay away from me, you jerk!’
‘Hey, I’m sorry. No harm, no foul,’ he said, raising his hands in surrender, but he didn’t appear that upset. More disappointed than anything.
‘Just so we’re clear – Mike lied. We
never
went that far.’
‘All you girls say that,’ one of the guys called out, then yelped when his girlfriend smacked him on the arm.
Briar zeroed in on Mike’s braying laughter as it was the loudest. For once she wished she was a guy – she’d flatten him in front of all the others and kick him when he was
down.
‘I want to hurt him so bad,’ Briar said, her hands clenching into tight fists.
‘Makes two of us, but now’s not the time,’ Reena said, taking her arm. ‘Let’s get you home.’
Jeers accompanied them across the parking lot. Just as they just reached Reena’s car, Joshua caught up with them.
‘What happened with Pat?’ he insisted. ‘What’d he do to make you cry?’
‘Why do you care?’ Briar snapped.
‘Come on, tell me what happened. Did he hurt you?’
Why would a Quinn give a damn?
‘He needs to know,’ Reena said, unusually solemn. ‘I’ll be in the car. Don’t take too long.’
Briar leaned against the vehicle, not caring if her jeans got dirty now that her whole evening, her life, was ruined. She folded her arms over her chest, heart thudding and felt another tear
roll down her cheek.
‘What did Daniels do to you? Just tell me,’ Joshua asked, closer now, but not so close that it made her uncomfortable.
‘He didn’t do anything bad. We just . . . kissed.’ Which had been great until
‘Look!’ he said. ‘He put it up yesterday.’
There it was right on his page: Mike’s post, a response to the question ‘Have you ever done it in a car?’ was about the night he’d spent with a girl whose initials were
BR. He went into
graphic
detail of their time in the back seat of his car, none of which was true because she’d called a halt long before they got
that
far
.
Briar’s cheeks burned as if someone had doused them with gasoline and set them on fire.
Ohmigod.
Her ex had told the world they’d slept together. That’s why the others
were laughing. They thought she and Pat were out here getting naked.
How many people had read this and believed it was the truth? Mrs Parker had said she didn’t believe the rumours. Is that what she meant? Did the whole town know?
Of course they do. That lying piece of . . .
Briar threw the phone back at Pat and took off at a run, her stomach close to heaving, frantic to find Reena and get out of here.
If this really was her last night on earth, it had just become a total disaster.
By the time Briar made the journey from the mill to the lake, she was crying and furious at the same time. She heard Pat behind her, calling her name, but she kept moving,
desperate to find her friend.
Faces turned towards her as she ran up the path. Some showed concern, others were sneering.
‘Couldn’t handle him, huh?’ one of the girls said.
‘Briar?’ her friend called out, and hurried over. When Reena saw her tears, her eyes narrowed. ‘What happened? What did he do to you?’
‘He thinks . . . Did you know what Mike is saying about me? That he and I – went all the way?’
‘What? her friend blurted.
‘Yeah, on Facebook. Now everyone thinks I’m a slut who’ll put out for any guy who asks,’ Briar retorted, fury warring with mortal embarrassment. ‘That’s all
Pat wanted. You were right about him.’
Sniggers came from some of the other kids, who’d gathered around to witness her mortification.
‘Hey, if the shoe fits,’ one of the guys called out, then laughed.
Briar glared the offender, a classmate who should have known better. ‘It doesn’t fit. It never will.’
‘Briar, look I’m—’ Pat began as he caught up with her.
She whirled round, waving a finger at him like a weapon, bringing him to a halt. ‘You stay away from me, you jerk!’
‘Hey, I’m sorry. No harm, no foul,’ he said, raising his hands in surrender, but he didn’t appear that upset. More disappointed than anything.
‘Just so we’re clear – Mike lied. We
never
went that far.’
‘All you girls say that,’ one of the guys called out, then yelped when his girlfriend smacked him on the arm.
Briar zeroed in on Mike’s braying laughter as it was the loudest. For once she wished she was a guy – she’d flatten him in front of all the others and kick him when he was
down.
‘I want to hurt him so bad,’ Briar said, her hands clenching into tight fists.
‘Makes two of us, but now’s not the time,’ Reena said, taking her arm. ‘Let’s get you home.’
Jeers accompanied them across the parking lot. Just as they just reached Reena’s car, Joshua caught up with them.
‘What happened with Pat?’ he insisted. ‘What’d he do to make you cry?’
‘Why do you care?’ Briar snapped.
‘Come on, tell me what happened. Did he hurt you?’
Why would a Quinn give a damn?
‘He needs to know,’ Reena said, unusually solemn. ‘I’ll be in the car. Don’t take too long.’
Briar leaned against the vehicle, not caring if her jeans got dirty now that her whole evening, her life, was ruined. She folded her arms over her chest, heart thudding and felt another tear
roll down her cheek.
‘What did Daniels do to you? Just tell me,’ Joshua asked, closer now, but not so close that it made her uncomfortable.
‘He didn’t do anything bad. We just . . . kissed.’ Which had been great until
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