Broken kingdom

That’s when it dawns on me. Sawyer might not know about my relationship with Oakley, but maybe she knows about my friendship with Hayley. 

Specifically, why I hated the girl so much. 

After taking a lengthy sip of my macchiato, I decide to hit them with it. 

“Oakley situation aside, there’s something else that’s been bothering me.” 

Dylan stops eating her muffin. “What’s up?” 

“I only get bits and pieces from my random flashbacks, but the few pieces I have make it clear I didn’t like Hayley very much and I was blackmailing her for some reason.” 

Their eyes widen in shock. 

I wince. “I’m hoping one of you might know why?” 

Dylan shakes her head. “I don’t have a clue. I didn’t know Hayley very well, but she seemed like a sweet girl. I can’t think of a single reason you’d go after her.” 

“Except for the fact that Oakley and Hayley spoke regularly, and they still cared about each other,” Sawyer mutters. 

When we both look at her, she holds up her hands and says, “Again, I have no idea what your relationship with Oak was like, but given you were pissed he turned you down, and you went so far as to hook up with Morgan behind his back...who’s to say you weren’t also blackmailing his ex-girlfriend Hayley because you were jealous?” 

 “Yeah, you’re right.” My heart sinks. “I was just hoping there might be something else.” 

Something that didn’t make me feel like a total asshole. 

“I’m sorry, Bianca. I wish I could help, but I don’t really know much about your relationship with Hayley either.” Sawyer looks sheepish. “Although there was this one time we were at a party and Hayley showed up. You weren’t happy to see her, yet you made it a point to become fast friends with her. When I asked you what was up, you told me to keep your friends close and your enemies closer.” 

Dammit. That totally sounds like something I would do. 

Well, not me…her.

I rub my temples and groan. “Sometimes I seriously hate the old Bianca.” 

I ruined this poor girl’s life all because I was jealous. 

And now she’s gone.

Sawyer squeezes my hand. “Don’t be so hard on yourself.” 

“How could I not be? I became frenemies with Hayley in order to gather some intel I could use to terrorize her.” 

Oakley had every right to be upset about it. 

It doesn’t matter that I didn’t upload the videos. 

I’m still the lowest of the low and I’m certain there’s a special place in hell for someone like me. 

Dylan frowns. “You’re not the same person you were back then, Bianca. The fact that you feel bad about it now says a lot.” 

I reach for my purse and stand since my next class starts in fifteen minutes. “Maybe, but it still doesn’t make me feel any better about blackmailing her over a guy.”

And it’s not like I can find her and apologize for any of it…

Because she’s dead.

 

Past…

“Hey.” 

I peer up at Morgan through my sunglasses. “Hi.” 

Earlier today she texted me that there was something super important she needed to talk to me about, so I told her to come over. 

I gesture to the raft I’m currently floating on. “As you can see I’m busy, so make it snappy.”

She blinks. “Seriously?” 

Ugh. 

A

Her green orbs peruse the length of my body before she looks up at me. “I think I’m ready.” 

Grabbing my towel off the back of a chair, I stare at her. “Ready for what?”

Drawing a breath, she takes a step forward. “For this…us.”

Color me confused. 

I raise an eyebrow. “Us?” 

Her teeth sink into her lower lip. “I want to be with you, Bianca. And now that I’m no longer pretending to be with Oak—”

I stop her right there, because holy hell. “Morgan…no.” Deciding to be honest with her, I give her the truth. “There’s someone else I’m into.” 

And if she utilizes even a fraction of her brain power, she’ll have no problem figuring out who that someone is.

Her face falls. “Oh.” She shuffles her feet. “I didn’t...I mean I guess I should have. I feel so dumb.” 

Well, shit. 

Despite my well-earned reputation as a stone-cold bitch, I do pity her. 

In my defense, I warned her not to catch feelings for me, but she went ahead and did it anyway. 

Which means I’m in the awkward position of having to deal with the fallout. 

“Look, Morgan,” I start. “It’s not you, it’s me.” 

 “Come on, Bianca—”

“It’s true,” I insist. “You’re a good catch and someday you’re go

Glassy-eyed, she shakes her head. “I’m so stupid.” 

No argument there. However, I’m not completely heartless. 

“I’m sorry I hurt you,” I tell her honestly. “Despite how we started, that wasn’t my intention.” 

 “Bianca?” 

“Yeah?”

She sucks in a deep breath. “I feel it’s only fair to warn you that she’s not into you.” Her expression turns serious. “You really need to watch your back around her…and your heart.” 

I have no idea what she means. “Who are you talking about?”

“Hayley.” She tilts her head. “That’s who you’re into …right?”

Given I want to know all the dirt, I don’t bother correcting her. “What do you know about Hayley?”

She laughs, but there’s no humor. “Well, for starters, the girl is always blowing up Oakley’s phone at all hours, so she’s obviously not over him.” Her teeth sink into her bottom lip. “And sometimes she—” her voice trails off. 

“Sometimes she what?” I prompt. 

“Well…sometimes she says really mean things about you. Like how you’re always so rude to everyone.” She starts ticking things off with her fingers. “She also said you make fun of people with disabilities. And you never tip the waiters and waitresses when you go out. Oh, and you sleep with a bunch of guys—”

“That’s not true,” I all but screech. 

I’m not exactly Miss Mary fucking Sunshine—but I always make sure to tip the waitstaff and I don’t sleep around. 

Not that there’s anything wrong with girls who do. 

But most of all? I would never ever in a million fucking years make fun of anyone with a disability.

Christ. No wonder Oakley thinks so low of me. 

The bitch has been sabotaging me behind my back this entire time. 

I’m so angry, I’m seeing red as I brush past Morgan. “Thank you for telling me.” 

“Where are you going?” she calls out. 

To handle this shit for once and all. 

 “Do you have an appointment?” the woman at the front desk questions. 

“No, but I called earlier, and you said you could get me on the schedule today.” 

“Okie dokie. Let me check you in.” Not bothering to look up, she presses a few keys on her keyboard. “What’s your name?” 

“Bianca Covington.” 

That gets her attention. 

Not that I’m surprised. Given my father is the owner of Trust Pharmaceuticals, my last name is the equivalent of gold in the medical community. 

Smiling tersely, she presses a few more keys. “All checked in. However, Dr. Young is ru

I have all the time in the world. 

I find a seat far away from the crotch goblin sitting on the other side of the waiting room.