“Hey. You’re Skylar and Zoe’s new roommate?” One of the girls pointed to the ceiling with her pen. “The one who has the attic apartment?”
“Yeah. Hi.”
She used the pen to point to herself. “Jessica. You’re Mara?”
I nodded.
Jessica pointed to the other two girls. “That’s Allie and Hawah.”
Both nodded and waved.
They were all in sweats and T-shirts, their hair pulled up in messy buns. I was guessing they were upperclassmen, like Skylar and Zoe. It was also in their relaxed attitudes. Freshman girls were different at parties. They were dressed up, or in jeans, and there was an edge of uncertainty, desperation to them or they went the opposite route of being so confident that they came off like know-it-alls. They weren’t all like that, but I partied enough to tell. The other two at the table were guys, and both gave me a small nod.
“I’m Derrick.”
The other guy waved his pen toward me. “Yo. I’m Martin.”
I said hello to both.
Skylar popped her head into the room. “First pizzas are done. You guys want dibs before we let the others know?”
The chairs were pushed back, and the girls went first.
The guys were after that. Martin lingered, asking me, “You want a piece? I can grab you one.”
I shook my head. “Not hungry. I’ll grab one later.”
“You sure?” He jerked a thumb toward the other room. “Darren and the others will eat everything in that kitchen when they’re let in. Football players are insatiable.” He was smirking at me, and I knew who he was connected to now.
“You’re on the team?”
His smile widened. “Yep. Running back.”
“Martin,” came from the kitchen.
He glanced in and back to me. “Last chance. One slice?”
I laughed but raised my drink. “I’m good for now. Promise.”
“Okay.” He disappeared inside as one of the girls was coming back, her plate piled high with pizza. She sat down at her spot, putting her drink next to her plate. “Not hungry?”
I shook my head. “Not yet.”
She gave me a once-over, what she could see of me, and her top lip curled up. “You don’t have an eating disorder, do you?”
I gave her the same once-over, my lip curving up too. “No. Do you?”
It was a cheap shot back at her, but she had a healthy and toned body. I could tell under her shirt and sweats. The truth is that I wished I had more muscle on me and there’d been times I spent lifting weights, but it never seemed to work. I just got more tired and felt washed out. I was envious of her, but no way was she going to know that.
She flushed but picked up a piece of pizza and took a big bite out of it. “So fucking good. Glad I enjoy eating.”
The other two girls were coming in, and they slowed, hearing their friend, their gazes jumping to me.
I narrowed my eyes, but only leaned forward. “You don’t have to be a bitch.”
“Hey!” one of the girls cried, but I didn’t remember which one. Allie? It wasn’t Jessica, who looked resigned to this exchange. She put her plate down, sliding into her seat.
“Allie,” she addressed the bitchy one. “Be nice.”
Hawah was the other one, and she was slower to sit, taking the other seat by Allie, who was still glaring at me as she kept eating her pizza. She started making noises, all directed at me. “Yum. So delicious. I looove pizza. I love food. So yum–”
I was aware of a loud sudden noise of voices from the living room, but I was up and moving around the table. I halted just before her. She had edged her seat back, her eyes wary but still hostile.
God. I hated girls like this.
“What’s your problem with me?”
She rolled her eyes. “My problem? I don’t have the problem. You do.” She gave me a once-over. “Obviously. I bet you’re the type to starve yourself and then eat a biscuit and throw that shit up. Ugh. What your breath must smell like.”
I leaned down, slowly, so I was staring her right in the eyes. “Let me say this slow for you, so you can keep up. You and me, we don’t know each other, but I know you now. What you threw at me, all that does is give me a window into how you think. How you view people because it’s what makes sense to your dumbass self. What I know about you, is that you’re petty, insecure. And every fucking time you’re here, I’m going to come down and make your life hell. Because while I’m not an insecure and petty bitch, I am one that likes to draw out my payback. Buckle up, bitch. You just made me an enemy—”
The light switched in her eyes. She went from being mean and mad, to being rageful. The chair was shoved back and she lunged for me.
As her hands touched me, I saw red.
There was yelling, chairs were scraping.
I knew in the back of my head that people were running in and what they would see, but I was so sick of taking shit from other girls. It’d been almost nonstop most of my life. About my size, about who I was sleeping with. I kept all my business quiet, and now this? Because I chose not to eat pizza the very first moment it was offered? Screw. Her.
“Hey–whoa!”
There was a scramble, then two hands gripped me around my waist, and I was being lifted away.
“Shit.” A male voice grunted as I was being carried out of the room.
Once we were in the other room, I was let go, but he, whoever he was, wasn’t releasing me. I shoved him off. “Let go! She attacked me.”
It had been Wade and he kept one of his hands on my waist, or was trying. “What the hell was that about?”
A crowd formed around us, some of the guys from that room–I was frazzled. I couldn’t remember their names, though I just talked to them. Gavin and Miles came over too, both frowning, and they moved to stand between me and that room.
“You are such a bitch!” Jessica came to the doorway, trying to get at me.
I laughed, and winced because it sounded ugly. “I just educated you. You’re the petty, insecure bitch. I’m the bitch who’s now your enemy.”
She screamed, breaking free.
Miles moved in, catching her. That made her try harder.
I was keeping an eye on the kitchen, and just as I started to look to get a better view, I saw Allie coming around and trying for me that way. I moved, going at her because no fucking way was I going to take this lying down. I hadn’t started the fight, but I sure as shit was going to end it.
She was running fast too.
“Wha–OH MY GOD!” Skylar yelled.
I heard another scream. These girls wanted to jump me.
I moved around Wade, taking two steps as Allie got to me. There was a group of guys standing to the side and at our sudden movements, they moved into the hallway.
“Damn.”
“Okay then.”
Allie lunged for me, I ducked, reached back, and caught her hair. Bracing myself, I yanked her entire body down to the floor. Hard. Once she was down, I kicked at her shoulder, pushing her over so she was on her stomach and then I knelt on her back, a hand pushing her face into the floor. “Going to stop or should we keep going?”
There were more yells behind me. I was hoping someone was holding Jessica back because she was still screaming at me.