Chapter 4

"I pick dare. Hugh, can I kiss you?"

***

Everyone went wild—cheering, laughing, whistling.

I glanced over and froze. Mia was kissing Hugh.

And him? Not even blinking. His eyes were locked on her, all soft and dreamy.

My chest tightened, and before I knew it, tears slipped down my face.

That was when it hit me—he really liked her.

I was just his guilt trip with a pulse.

Not this time.

I wasn't wasting another fifteen years being dead weight.

Starting now, I'd let him go. Let them have each other.

My stomach twisted hard. The booze came roaring back up, burning my throat. I shot up and staggered into the bathroom, gripping the cold sink as I dry heaved, shaking.

The door creaked.

Entered Mia—mask off, smirk on.

"Wenna Wade," she drawled, "how long you planning to haunt Hugh like some sad little ghost?"

I blinked at her, eyes swimming. Couldn't even get a word out.

"Hugh's a rising star. Diplomat. Future glowing and all that. He needs someone polished, someone like me—who knows how to work a room and not embarrass him."

Her eyes narrowed. "You? You're a walking disaster. What do you even bring to the table?"

She leaned in, voice dropping.

"And FYI, his parents can't stand you either. They've already okayed me—his foster sister, by the way. So do us all a favor: walk out before this gets ugly."

My face went cold.

Last time around, I thought it was just Hugh and Bowie who hated me.

Guess I'd missed the family fan club.

Mia caught my freeze and laughed. "Oops, forgot—you're a retard. Did you even GET what I said?"

The words cut deep. I shoved her back, ready to leave, but she grabbed my wrist.

"Where do you think you're going, genius? Off to snitch? Don't bother—he's mine. You're out, whether you like it or not."

Then, out of nowhere, she snatched a bottle, smashed it against her own head, and crumpled.

Blood trickled down her face.

I just froze.

She peeked up, grinning through the fake pain, then screamed, "Hugh! Help! Wenna tried to kill me!"

He burst in, eyes wide. One look at the blood and his face went dark.

"What happened?"

He scooped her up, all hero mode.

Mia trembled against him. "You said Wenna wasn't feeling well, so I came to check on her. I told her she could go home if she was sick—and she smashed a bottle over my head!"

I shook my head so fast it hurt. "No! She did it herself!"

He didn't even blink. Just stared at me like I'd kicked his puppy.

"Wenna, really? Every time there's another girl near me, you lose it. Are you having another episode?"

That tone—cold, disgusted—hurt worse than any slap.

Just like that, I was back in middle school—

Hugh crushing on the class beauty.

The same girl who bet she could get him to fall for her, just to mess with another guy.

I was terrified she'd wreck him.

So yeah... I brought a knife. Thought I could scare her off.