My face reddened, my skin heating. Is that how Lucas saw me? Hopping from one person to the next in desperate search of attention? Taking a deep breath, I tried to force myself to sober up enough to drive home. But my head was buzzing and I didn’t feel comfortable getting behind the wheel yet.

Danielle and Candace were conversing among themselves, and for once, I was glad I couldn’t hear what they were saying.

I could feel it from all sides, pricking my skin like sharp fingernails. Judgment. Disapproval. Suspicion.

I didn’t belong.

Suddenly, Alex hurled his empty glass bottle against a tree, the sound of shattering glass making me jump.

“God fucking damn them!” he yelled, his voice hitting that ragged volume of sheer unbridled fury. “It didn’t use to be like this, man. Those motherfuckers used to know their place.”

Nate and Matthew nodded in agreement, their faces set hard as stone.

“We never had problems like this until they started showing up either,” Danielle said. She looked at Candace, gasping, “Who whips out a gun like that?”

“That’s what happens when people start feeling sorry for them,” Veronica said, as if the real problem here was nothing more than misplaced empathy. “They’ve always been trashy. Kathryn Peters paid for Manson’s therapy out of her own pocket, you know. Didn’t even do any good. He’s still carrying that knife around like he’s waiting for the opportunity to stab someone.”

“He’s never stabbed anyone,” I said.

Alex whirled around, jabbing his finger at me. “Why the hell are you still here? Why didn’t you bail with your little boyfriends?” His lip curled in disgust. “Or did they not want you either?”

I clenched my fists, glaring at him from my seat.

“You need to learn to fucking control yourself, Alex,” I snapped. “You did this!” I pointed to his car, my voice rising. “This is your fault! People could have gotten seriously hurt. But you couldn’t handle losing so instead you’re throwing a tantrum like a baby!”

“As if you’re one to talk,” he said. “You just can’t resist making yourself the center of attention, can you? Always so eager to throw yourself into the middle of shit that doesn’t even involve you.”

He wanted a reaction out of me, and more furious words were rising in my throat. It would feel so good to go off on him, to scream and rage for what he’d done. But I had no safe way to get home, I was stuck here with them.

When I told Jason I didn’t need saving, I had been so wrong.

But to my surprise, Danielle spoke up.

“Calm down, Alex,” she said, her tone bored. “Jess was only having a little fun with them. She’s not with them.” She glanced over at me, but the look she gave me was strange. “She’s on our side.”

I didn’t know if I was being assured or warned.

“I need water,” I muttered, leaving my seat to walk back to my car. The tow truck was arriving, momentarily distracting Alex from his raging as the Hellcat was loaded onto the flatbed. I retrieved one of my water bottles from the backseat and gulped it down, but it didn’t settle my churning stomach.