The Naughty List (The Naughty List #1)(22)
Author: Suzanne Young

I put my hands over my face and bent over, trying to think. Okay. So yes, I’d been spotted. But SOS communications always stayed top secret. There was no reason for Cassandra to use our evidence to confront her boyfriend. We could destroy the photos. She could just say she knew. Crab cakes! I’d never give an official ruling without hard evidence.

“Maybe we should just abort,” Kira said quietly from the backseat. “Tell Cassandra we didn’t find anything.”

I swallowed hard and looked up. I just couldn’t do that. I couldn’t let Marcus get away with it.

“We’re fine,” I said to the girls, my back straight. “Let’s hang out for a bit, and then we’ll follow them. I want to wrap this one up.”

Kira and Izzie exchanged a glance but then nodded and agreed. I was glad they did. Because I wasn’t sure what I’d say if they argued. I had the feeling that Christian Ferril was going to a big, honking problem.

SOS CHEATER INCIDENT REPORT

CASE: 046

CLIENT: Cassandra Heart

SUBJECT: Marcus Billings

FINDINGS: At approximately 7:00 p.m., February 6, Mr. Billings was observed having dinner with an unfashionable female accomplice at Applebee’s restaurant. They were photographed holding hands and using their feet under the table to fondle each other.

The pair was later followed to a parking area overlooking Skinner Butte. Photographs documenting the interaction were unclear due to the fogginess of Mr. Billings’s window. SOS did, however, recover an item that Mr. Billings tossed from his driver’s window, confirming sexual intercourse.

We trust that this report will remain confidential as some of the information contained within could compromise our top-secret status.

SOS is sorry for your loss, and we offer our deepest sympathies. We hope that we will not have to assist you again in the future, but please keep us in mind for referrals.

CHAPTER NINE

CASSANDRA WAS LESS THAN THRILLED TO SEE the glossy eight by tens of Marcus and Red Heels. It nearly broke my heart, especially when I considered her recently departed virginity. All of it left me feeling, well, bummed.

I watched from my locker across the busy school hallway as Cassandra unfolded the manila envelope I’d left there. Her face broke, then she recovered and glanced around quickly. Brave soul; she didn’t want anyone to see her cry. My chest ached.

Turning back to swirl the combination of my lock, I tried to decide what sort of flowers to send her. It should either be daffodils or daisies. I always sent flowers after I delivered bad news. It helped with self-esteem.

“Tessa?”

I jumped. When I turned, I was alarmed and certainly dismayed to be looking back into the dark brown eyes of Chloe, Christian’s sister. Hm. There was that forced smile again on her red lips. This couldn’t be good.

“Yes?” I asked, flipping my hair over my shoulder to cover my nervous twitch. Her smile turned into a smirk. She adjusted her stance in her open-toe heels.

“I just wanted to apologize for the other day at lunch. I know I was being a bitch, and I’m sorry.”

I blinked, then nodded. No need to argue with that.

“Anyways,” she said, staring down at her shoes. Her toes had only clear polish on them, and somehow, that set me a little at ease. She continued, “I just wanted to say that I was sorry and that I’m looking forward to hanging out with you this weekend.”

My stomach dropped. She obviously noticed my surprise because her full lips spread into a real smile. Not the fake one I’d gotten to see earlier.

“This weekend?” I tried to sound casual, but there was definitely an absence of perk in my voice. I looked around the hall, feeling my uneasiness beginning to make me shaky. What was going on?

“Oh,” she said, a little too surprised. “Aiden didn’t tell you? He invited me and Christian to his party this weekend.”

Aiden was having a party? I shook my head, trying to remember if he’d told me about it. Maybe he did, but I wasn’t sure. SOS had been so busy and … Wait. Aiden invited them?

“When did you talk to Aiden?” I asked. Was it normal to see little black spots in the corner of my vision? That had never happened before.

“I’m in his chemistry class,” she said. “We’re lab partners. You didn’t know?”

Oh, sweet vanilla sky! I was going to be sick. I put my palm against the cool metal of my locker to steady myself. Was I still ill from last week?

“Well,” Chloe said, licking her teeth as she slowly looked me up and down. “I’ll see you at lunch.”

I was frozen as I stood, watching as she turned and walked away. Her long blond locks swayed from side to side, brushing against her back and her short pleated skirt. My face was numb. There was a violent turn in my stomach, and I clutched at it. I dashed down the hall, barely making it into the girls’ bathroom. After two dry heaves and an unceremonious flush, I straightened, unsure as to why I’d been so sick lately. I was losing my grip. Somehow, Chloe had gotten under my skin. But what was it that made me so unnerved around her?

Stepping out of the stall, I studied my reflection, disappointed to see dark circles under my eyes and my furrowed brow. I twitched my nose and put back my shoulders. I needed to know more about her and her brother. I was the head of the Society of Smitten Kittens. I should know more by now.

The bell rang, and I sighed. I was late for history. This day had certainly not started well. Not well at all.

I debated using the menstruation excuse to get myself out of lunch detention, but in the end, I decided to take the high road. What sort of example would I be if I lied to get out of punishment? Not a very good one. And I had a liar quota. One I had already filled with SOS.

I could see Kira’s admiration as I stood listening to Mr. Powell scold me in front of our class. Her steely blue eyes told me that she wished she were as brave. It made me feel a little better.

After I’d gotten to my seat and recovered from the in-class humiliation, Kira slid a note over to me. I gave her a disapproving look but opened the folded notebook paper anyway.

You just missed it, it said. Christian got lunch detention like five minutes ago!

My pulse sped up. Fantastic. The person I wanted to avoid would now be alone at my side for the entire forty-three-minute captivity. I couldn’t take any more bad news. I needed Aiden.

Only, when I got out of class, Aiden wasn’t waiting at my locker. I stopped, mid-stride, and spun around the crowded hallway. Where was he? After another second, I continued my disconcerted walk to my locker. I twirled my combo with little grace, dropping my notebooks on the linoleum floor as I fumbled with them. Before I could be late again, I scooped them up and slammed my locker shut, trotting off to economics. Alone.