What the fuck?

As I walked out of the classroom with books on one hand and my phone on the other, I saw a lot of text messages from the squad and a few missed calls from Madeline and... Scout? I thought he was still not talking to me.

Shaking my head, I pressed Madeline's name on the screen and waited for her to answer. It was not even on the second ring when she did.

"Hey, I just got out of Biol—"

"Where are you?!" she demanded, a little frantic.

"Uh, campus." What was her problem? "I'm on my way to the froyo place."

She paused. That was weird.

"So what's got your panties in a twist?" I asked.

Another pause.

"Hello?" I said, in a singsong tone.

"You don't have any idea what's going on, do you?"

I frowned. "What do you mean?"

"Check out the university's gossip source on instagram. Now." Without waiting for my reply, she hung up and left me staring at my phone.

"The hell?" I grumbled.

I opened instagram and searched for the campus gossip account. It was like our version of Gossip Girl, only ours was way too lowkey and not that big a deal.

But then, that was what I thought.

The latest post was a carousel of pictures. The first one was of me and Scout at a formal taken by a Kappa sister, the second was a stolen shot of me and Alfie drinking at the Brick, the third was another stolen shot of us entering the dorm building later that night, and the last one was (I didn't know how they managed to get it) a photo of me and Alfie from high school.

My eyes traveled down to the long caption about me cheating on their beloved ginger Prince Charming, Scout Crimson. How dare I cheat on someone so kind and well-liked, right?

A lot of the comments were calling me different kinds of insults. But honestly, it was nothing I've never heard before. People seriously needed to be more creative with this shit if they wanted to hurt my feelings.

This was just fucking pathetic.

I closed the app and looked up at the open sky, letting out a long sigh. This was the kind of drama I seriously didn't need right now. I still had Parents Weekend and my midterms to think about.

Not a moment later, my phone was ringing again.

This time, it was Naomi. Shit.

"Do you still have classes?" she asked, as soon as I answered.

"No."

"Good. Can you come by the house right now for a chat?"

She sounded chirpy. It wasn't a good sign. Because even though it sounded like an invitation, I knew it was an order.

"On my way," was my only reply.

"Great, I'll be waiting for you at the study."

When she hung up, I rubbed my temples in frustration. No time for froyo, then. I took one last look at the clear blue sky, before making a run for it.

Not a soul was around at the KPK house when I arrived twenty minutes later. It was rare to see it completely deserted like this.

I went straight to the study, which was like a mini library. It was the seniors who mostly used this room when they studied, since the little room couldn't accommodate fifty girls at the same time.

I knocked on the door twice before entering. Naomi looked up and smiled at me, patting the seat next to her on the luxe grey sofa.

"Take a seat beside me, Connie."

She looked so put together with her hair perfectly curled, and not a wrinkle on her white chiffon blouse. You'd think she was going to a formal event, but this was just her everyday get-up.

"Is this about that post?" I asked, the moment I sat down beside her. There was no point bothering with the bullshit. We both knew why I was here.

The corner of her lips turned up in a smile as she placed the book she was reading on the coffee table. But when she looked up at me again, it was gone.

"Yes, we need to discuss what needs to be done about it."

I got it. It was ruining the pristine reputation of the sorority.

"Will I get kicked out?"

Naomi looked at me, unfazed – the epitome of calm.

"Do you want to be?"

I thought about it. There were many pros if I wasn't a KPK pledge anymore. For one, no more skanks out to get me since I was pretty sure they had something to do with this. I just needed solid proof so I knew who to go after.

But I didn't want to quit and give them what they want, especially not without fucking payback.

"No," I told Naomi, making up my mind.

"That settles it," she said, nodding. "Ophelia is taking care of getting the images taken down, reporting it as slander. But no promises of getting them completely off the internet." She gave me a grave look. "Parents Weekend is coming up. We can't have issues like this going around. You also have the group mission to think about. Play it lowkey, alright?"

I blinked. That was it?

"You're not gonna ask what really happened?" I asked, watching her.

"That's your business." With a small smile, she added, "Besides, Scout came by the house this morning and explained that the person in the photo with you was an old high school friend and that he knew all about it."

What the hell? He didn't need to do that for me.

"Regardless," continued Naomi, "remember that we're your sisters. We'll be the last people to judge you."

My forehead creased. "What about KPK's reputation?"

She gave me a skeptical look, before assuring me, "It will take a lot more than petty gossip to even make a dent to our foundation."

I tried to keep the awe off my face. I was downright impressed, and maybe even a little touched that they protected me.

"Is there anything else that bothers you?"

Still a little dazed, I shook my head.

"Alright, then," she said in finality. "I won't keep you."

I nodded, understanding that I was dismissed. Standing up, I made a move to leave. I was almost at the door when Naomi called for me again.

"Oh, and Connie."

I turned around and looked back at her.

"If you're planning to make things even with the people behind this, make sure to double the damage."

The corner of my lips quirked up.

"But be discreet about it," she added, giving me a knowing look.

"Don't worry, Prez. It won't be my first time."

* * * * *

"Holy shit, Connie."

I looked up to the glass ceiling of the sunroom, trying my best to calm myself. Now that the shock wore off, I was fucking hellbent on tracking down the one who was behind this shit fest.

"Can we skip to the part where you stop freaking out and help me find out who the fucker is?" I snapped.

The only way those culprits got those pictures of me and Alfie in high school was from the MVHS yearbook, since neither of us posted much selfies together on social media. The question was, who leaked it? Because if we find that dickwad, we would find out who asked for it in the first place.

"Hold on, I'm still processing it."

There was a long pause. I could clearly imagine Frisco blinking hard as he let the information sink in.

"Crazy. Still can't believe you and Scout hooked up—"

"We're only pretending!" I cut him off. "I already told you this."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, trying to breathe hard. I was second-guessing my decision to ask help from this little athletic geek. But he was good with computers.

Plus, he was the only one from the crew I knew wouldn't totally freak out over this. Obviously, I was wrong. He still blew his shit. But not more than the rest of our friends would for sure.

"Either way, it's still weird," he muttered. "I haven't seen you guys even so much as look at each other in high school, and now you're... what, friends?"

I paused, before mumbling, "Yeah."

Scout wanted to take it to take it to the next level, but I wouldn't think about that right now. One problem at a time.

"Wow," breathed out Frisco.

"So can you do it or not?" I asked, growing impatient by the second.

He huffed. "Look, lotsa girls... aren't very fond of you here."

Translation: They fucking hate me.

"It can be anyone. I can find out who sent the photos but it'll take some time."

I sighed. "I don't have that."

"Hmm," he hummed, considering it. "I can ask Milo to hack that gossip account and see who sent it?"

Squeezing my eyes shut, I took a long and deep breath. "I've already thought of that, but I don't want anyone in Mount Valley to know about me and Scout." I let out a humorless laugh. "I like Milo. He's cool and all, but he's shit at keeping secrets."

Milo was a really close friend of Halo's (Oz's current girlfriend). I had no doubt that he would tell her, and she would tell Oz. Then, the secret would be out.

No, thanks.

Frisco chuckled. "I'm touched that you trust me enough to tell me you have a thing for Scout."

"Shut the fuck up," I spat. "I do not have a thing for Scout."

Lie #1.

"Sure, everyone thinks we're dating but he's just a friend."

Lie #2.

"We're just friends, okay?"

Lie #3.

"Well, you definitely fooled me," said a female voice.

I whipped around and saw Madeline. And Jamaica. And Lilian.

Fuck.

I watched them sit down on the carpet, joining me in the sunroom. They were waiting for me to say something. Right, I was definitely busted.

"Frisco, I'll call you back."

"Okay. I'll figure out a way to find out who did this, Con. I got your back."

I couldn't help the smile that came out. "Thanks."

"Spill," demanded Madeline, as soon as I hung up.

Biting my bottom lip, I looked at them apologetically. I didn't know where to begin. I wasn't sure if I should make up an excuse either.

So I just went with the truth.

"I meant to tell you girls... Scout and I had only been pretending to date for my task. We're really just hanging out."

They stared at me for what felt like an eternity. Finally, Madeline spoke, looking dubious as hell.

"Isn't that what dating is all about, though?" she said. "'Hanging out?'"

"But we're only friends," I insisted.

"Who are you fooling, us or yourself?" asked Jamaica, with a raised eyebrow. "'Cause girl, you can't fake the way he looks at you."

"And the way he treats you," added Lilian, like she was pointing out a mere fact. "Scout is quite the thoughtful person but it's as if he prioritizes your needs before anything else."

I didn't want that. If Scout had a flaw, it was that he was too selfless. He needed to learn how to put himself first.

"So what's the deal with this ex?" asked Madeline. Before I could answer, her brows furrowed. "Wait," she said, holding up a finger while her eyes turned to slits as she put the pieces of the puzzle together. "Is this the quarterback?"

Lilian gasped, while Jamaica's eyes widened in realization.

"Yeah," I confirmed, nodding. "He's one of my best friends."

"He's hot," noted Madeline.

Jamaica tsked. "Loyalty, Mads."

"What?" replied Madeline innocently. "It's an observation."

Jamaica shook her head, before turning to face me. "What happened that night, Cons?"

I averted my eyes, refusing to meet any of theirs.

"You know we won't judge you, right?" said Madeline softly.

I fiddled with my fingers, watching them intertwine.

"Alfie... Alfie has always been there for me. Whenever I had problems with my dad, he was there. He made it go away. Either we'd go for a drive, or just do something to distract me. He made sure that I would feel better, even just for a little while. When things got bad, he was still there. He didn't go away or think I was a hassle."

He stayed by my side through it all.

That was why neither of us were worried when our relationship ended. We both knew our friendship was too solid and strong that it would survive anything.

After taking a deep breath, I raised my head and I hoped that the girls would understand where I was coming from.

"This time," I continued, "he needed me to make everything go away."

I shrugged.

"And I did."

It was quiet for a while, not one of us speaking.

We heard laughter right by the door of the sunroom as a group of girls passed the hallway, reminding us of the world outside.

But in this room, it was as if time stopped.

"It was a mistake," I admitted quietly. "But I don't regret it."

"So it's like that," mumbled Jamaica.

Madeline nodded. "It runs that deep between you guys, huh?"

I gave them a weak smile. "He's my ride or die."

"What if it's not the romantic sort of love between you two?" wondered Lilian.

Our attention turned to her.

"Think about it," she told us. Then, she gestured towards me. "They're not quite in love. It's more of a physical connection between them, from what I see. Granted, it's not healthy. But neither of them will realize it's toxic until someone comes along that will make them see it."

Jamaica and Madeline seemed to think about it, but I shook my head.

"Alfie's not toxic," I defended my best friend.

"Darling, I'm not saying he is," said Lilian, gently squeezing my hand. "It's your relationship. It's as if you've relied on each other too much for too long that you've each become dependent. Him, more so."

"He has no one else," I replied quietly. "I won't abandon him."

Alfie's parents were divorced. His mother was always out of the country that he was practically living on his own, while his father was still in rehab from addiction. To top things off, he was an only child.

He found his family through us, the crew. But sometimes, it wasn't enough.

Sometimes, even I wasn't enough.

"You don't have to," said Lilian. "You just have to draw the line."

How could I draw the line when it had been blurred for so long that I had no idea where it was anymore?

Madeline cleared her throat, and asked Lilian, "When you said 'until someone comes along,' did you mean Scout?"

She nodded thoughtfully. "Yes, well – Cons thought what happened between her and this Alfie fellow was a mistake, didn't she? She wouldn't have thought that way if Scout wasn't in the picture, now would she?"

Damn, she made a good point.

Jamaica suddenly jumped in surprise, with her eyes directed behind me. Then, she added under her breath, "Oop, speak of the devil."

We all turned our heads towards the door, where Scout stood by the doorway. He looked like he was a man on a mission, looking all pissed and serious.

Without me having to say anything, the girls stood up and headed for the door. They flashed me encouraging smiles, with Lilian even giving me a thumbs up.

I rolled my eyes, smiling inwardly at her goofiness.

"You okay?" asked Scout, when we were alone.

I went for the truth. "Outside, I'm good. Inside, I'm boiling."

He nodded, stepping inside the sunroom and going closer to me. "I'll help clear the rumors," he declared. "Don't worry about it."

"What's the point? It's out. People are already judging me." I let out a humorless laugh, waving a dismissive hand. "You know what? I honestly don't give a fuck."

But I did. A small part of me did.

"I'm used to being the bad girl," I continued, convincing him as much as I was convincing myself. "It's nothing new. You should know. You've heard them."

Even the old folks at home had something to say about me. Scout would have to be living under a rock if he hadn't already heard them.

"I couldn't care less about the rumors," I assured him. "But I do want to know who this dipshit is who thinks they can fuck me up with this childish fucking move. That's all I want right now."

"I'll find out who's behind this," he promised me, looking dead serious.

I shook my head. "I appreciate you wanting to help, but this is my fight. I can handle it on my own." There was no way I was involving him.

Before he could say more, my phone vibrated on my hand. It was Frisco calling. I swiped 'answer' almost immediately.

"Anything?" I asked.

"Sorry, Con," he sighed. "Nothing yet, but I'm tracking down my friend back in San Francisco. She's pretty good at this sorta stuff and she owes me. I'll let her look into this as soon as I find her."

"Yeah, okay." I pressed my lips together and closed my eyes. "Thanks, Frisco."

"Gotchu, fam."

When I hung up, I caught Scout watching me. He looked pissed. My phone's volume was at the max level, so I had no doubt that he heard the whole thing. But what the hell was he so mad about?

"You can handle this on your own, huh?"

Oh.

"I didn't want to burden you," I admitted, shrugging a shoulder to downplay the gravity of what I just said.

Scout's expression softened the tiniest bit. "You're not a burden," he whispered.

I almost gave in. I really almost did.

Scout had that effect on me. He made me want to run to him every time I had a problem. He made me feel safe and secure, like I could depend on him so much that I wanted to hand over every little worry I had.

That was the scariest part of what I felt for him because that meant he made me soft – weak. In my life, I couldn't afford to be weak. Not once, not ever.

So I hardened myself before looking back at those loving green eyes.

"I'm not a saint either," I deadpanned. "I don't do things by the book, like you. Whatever I'm about to do, I'd rather not involve you."

I didn't want him to taint his good boy record for me.

For what felt like forever, he just stared at me. I couldn't read what was on his mind because he kept his expression blank.

I braced myself for whatever he was about to say. I had my poker face on, so he could say anything and I wouldn't be fazed.

Finally, he nodded and looked away. A smile stretched across his lips, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"That's what Cameron and the others thought, too," he shared quietly, talking about his 'friends' from back home. "That's why they didn't include me in their plans to mess with your friends. That's why they kept it a secret from me, kept me in the dark. They thought I couldn't handle it."

When he brought his eyes back to mine, they didn't look angry.

They looked dead.

"Guess you think the same."

And with that, he turned around and left.

So much for bracing myself. Nothing could save me from the guilt of putting that look on Scout's handsome freckled face.

I wanted to run after him and explain. I wanted to tell him that in a twisted sort of sense, this was my way of looking out for him. I didn't want him to change who he was just because he wanted to help with getting back at whoever was after me.

He was unapologetically good. I liked him being good.

I would never do anything to change that part of him.

But I stayed rooted in the spot. I stood in the middle of the sunroom, staring at the space where I last saw Scout before he disappeared to a corner.

I stayed because if I chased after him, we would go back to how we were before Alfie came to visit. I'd go back to the happy version of me that Scout helped mold.

While this me right this moment, drowning in misery and feeling vindictive as fuck? This was who I'd always been. These feelings were what I was used to.

I welcomed them. In fact, I embraced the shit out of them because this was safe. This was familiar. This was my territory.

Scout Crimson wasn't.

_____________

Dun dun dunnn! And the plot thickens...

Feels so good to be back! How's everybody? :)

Coming up next...
Chapter 22: You Don't Know

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