Chapter 8

AUTUMN POV

I folded my arms around myself and looked at her in defiance. There was no way I let someone like her intimidate me. “It’s funny how the people who know me the least have the most to say.”

She raised her brows and tried to look down at me from her five inches high heels. “Oh, she talks. I thought you just nod your head while banging someone else’s boyfriend and the admission board.”

“Watch your mouth, Margo, she and I are just friends,” said Frazier as he moved until he stood right in front of me, the side of his arm almost touching my shoulder. “And she didn’t sleep with the admission board.”

I looked at him in surprise. I thought he said that he didn’t do take-backs yet here he was, revising his own words. Did he do that because we were friends now or did he just have a change of heart? Whichever it was, I wasn’t the kind of girl who would hide behind a guy or stand there in silence and wait for someone to rescue me.

Margo, or whoever her name was, slid her gaze from Frazier to me then back at Frazier, as if deciding her next move. “Don’t be ridiculous, honey.” She unclasped her hands and put one hand on his shoulder. Her mouth wore the warm flush of a wild rose, and the same shade was echoed in the polish that enhanced her manicured nails. Her hand held him possessively as if showing her claim while her gaze sent me a warning.

Seriously, if anything, she should send the warning to his loose boyfriend who just kissed me inside the janitor closet a few minutes ago. If it wasn’t because of me and my strength of will, she would’ve caught us in a compromising position.

Frazier took her hand off him and put it back to the side of her body. “Then don’t talk shît about my friend either.” Funny how he was the one who started the rumor, but I kept my mouth shut. It was better to have him on my side than as an enemy.

Margo had the nerve to roll her eyes. “I’m not talking shît about her. It’s a fact. Didn’t you say the same thing at the party last night?”

I saw Frazier’s body go rigid. I would’ve said the same thing if I were her. He was the one responsible for all of this to happen.

“Besides,” she continued. “It’s no surprise really, considering she banged her English teacher in high school.” She slid her gaze back at me as her lips curled into a mocking smile. “What was his name again? Joe? Joseph?”

I froze. My whole body felt like a statue, I couldn’t move, not even a limb. How did she find out about my relationship with Joe? There were only a few people who knew about it. Did she know someone from Carlton? Even if she knew someone, there was no guarantee that someone knew about this. So far only Tyler and my best friends knew. And maybe villain X too but the rest of the kids in Carlton didn’t know about this.

I didn’t realize two pairs of eyes were watching my every move. While Margo looked at me with a victory smile on her face, Frazier’s expression was unreadable. He looked as if he didn’t want to believe what Margo said but at the same time, my face somewhat confirmed it.

In the end, he didn’t believe it. He took a step away from Margo and folded his arms over his equally big chest. “Don’t make shït up, Margo.” I didn’t know if I should warn him that it was actually the truth. Maybe I’d tell him, but certainly not in front of the evil bïtch.

Margo’s face looked hurt. “I didn’t make that up. It’s true she was trying to be Aria and Ezra in high school.”

“Oh yeah?” Frazier raised one brow, challenging her. “Then what’s your proof?”

“I didn’t need proof. A girl from her school told me about it last night. Apparently, she was banging her boyfriend and her teacher at the same time.” Margo shook her head and looked at me as if I was worse than a speck of dirt. “Sluts. I could never understand how their brains work.”

“Watch your tongue!” growled Frazier as he grabbed her arm and gave her a murdering look. Margo winced and tried to break free.

My mind went reeling at what she said. “A girl from my school?” I asked her, wanting her to confirm that what I had in mind wasn’t true. I wished with all of my heart that it wasn’t. Because I knew if it really was the truth, it would destroy me.

Margo shrugged one shoulder. “Some girl named Jess.” She leaned in forward and asked, “So you really banged your teacher behind your boyfriend’s back? Was it for higher grades or—”

I didn’t wait until she finished before walking away from the scene. Tears welled up in my eyes and everything became blurry.

Jess. How could she do this to me? She knew how sensitive I was about the whole Joe and Ashton thing. She knew that it would destroy me if this came out in public. She promised that she wouldn’t tell a soul, not even Colton. Then why did she break her promise? Out of all people, why did she tell her best friend’s darkest secret to a stranger she just met?

A hand caught my arm and before I knew I was turned to face a solid wall of muscle. I looked up and saw Frazier’s worried eyes. “Are you okay? Why did you suddenly run?”

I wanted to tell him the truth but not now. Right now I had to find Jess. So I shook my head and gave him a smile, one that I hoped would convince him that I was okay. “I’m late for class.”

“Oh.” He dropped his hand. “I’m sorry about what Margo said just now. I know I said earlier that I didn’t do takebacks, but I will clean up this mess.”

I gave him a brief nod, turned on my heels, and walked away.

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Frazier POV

I watched her walking away and a part of me wanted to hold her and asked her what she was hiding. She didn’t look fine, despite her solid attempt to convince me otherwise. Somehow I doubted that it has anything to do with what Margaux had said.

Autumn Summers. She was certainly full of secrets and harder to read than anyone I’ve ever met. Unlike other girls who came like an open book, she hid her true feelings well.

I pride myself on being good with girls yet I stupidly mistook her resistance as one of the oldest moves in the book which was playing hard to get. I should’ve known that she wasn’t like any other girls. She was different. She was like a set of unsolved puzzles and I couldn’t wait to put them all together so I could see the picture formed.

I raised my hand and let the side of my forefinger touch my lips. She didn’t return my kiss but the feeling of my lips against hers was enough to drive me crazy.

“I’ve never thought you’d be interested in banging someone like her.”

I closed my eyes for a brief second. Just my luck, the one girl I wanted to go away with was the one who stayed. I turned and faced her, trying not to yell at her when I said, “I didn’t sleep or bang her.”

Margaux nodded. She closed the gap between us and linked her arm with mine. “It would make more sense if you banged Freja.”

I frowned. “Freja is Ken’s girlfriend. I would never do something like that to him, he’s my best friend.” I may have the reputation of banging every pretty girl in Columbia but I would never violate the bro code. Once Ken laid his eyes on Freja, I steered clear of his way and even if they broke up, I would never make a move on Freja even if she was the last girl on earth.

I started to walk toward the exit with Margaux next to me. My mind was filled with the thought of Autumn that I almost didn’t listen to a word Margaux was saying.

“Yeah, but it would make more sense,” she continued her nonsensical argument. “Freja is hot. She has the body of a model, I can imagine her walking one of Victoria’s Secret runway shows. I can understand if you slept with her.

One of several things I liked about Margaux was that she was superficial, there was nothing deep going on in her pretty head. The only problem she faced daily was probably deciding which outfit to wear.

There was nothing wrong with being superficial. Nothing wrong with living on the surface and avoiding lapses into deep thought. It made life easier. But sometimes it also made it harder for me to understand her. Right now was one of those times.

“Why? What’s wrong with Autumn?”

“She’s...” Margaux shrugged as she struggled for the right words. “Ordinary. Average, I would say.”

Ordinary? Average? Autumn? With her brown hair and deep hazel eyes and sassy pink mouth. Autumn wasn’t ordinary, I would never consider her as average either. It had been only two days yet I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Like just a few minutes ago, standing in the janitor closet with limited space and close proximity between our bodies. When I could feel her breath on my face and the heat radiating from her body. There was nothing ordinary or average when it came to Autumn Summers.

I knew I wasn’t supposed to think of her this way, she and I were friends now. I should stop having these wild thoughts of her, it could ruin our friendship and her trust. But I couldn’t deny the feeling I was having with her when she was up close and personal. When her body grazed against mine and....stop it, Fray! What the fück is wrong with you?!

“Don’t you think so?” asked Margaux as we approached the front door. She looked up at me and her eyes told me that she was waiting for my answer.

“Don’t I think what?” I held the door open for her and she stepped outside.

“That she’s ordinary.”

Hell no. “Yeah,” I gave her the answer she wanted. I knew if I contradicted her, she would try her best to make Autumn’s life miserable and that was the last thing I wanted right now.