Page 190 - My FlipBook

L IS A J. L A W R E N C E

for Greta to speak first. Her arms thin in a black sweater,
cat eyeliner.
“How are you?” Greta started with that. The only thing
she really knew to say.
“Good. Not bad.” Priya nodded, looking around them.
Only a few others—a group in their midtwenties—sat on
stools at the bar, drinking coffee. “You?”
Greta gave the same kind of nod, tapping her fingers on

the tabletop. The server came over. Greta ordered a limonata,
and Priya asked for a cappuccino.
After the server left, Priya looked at Greta and steepled
her fingers. She said, “So I noticed you haven’t been around
since the…incident…in the gym.”
Greta sighed and looked away. Too much to say about
that. “Nope. I’m sure you can understand why.” ADVANCE READING COPY

“Wow, that was…something.” Priya started to chuckle
and then pulled it in, like it had slipped out unintention-
ally. “I wouldn’t want to be on your brother’s bad side.” Greta
didn’t want to tell her she already was—lumped in with the
rest of them.
“I didn’t ask him to beat up Dylan.” She felt defensive for
Ash, her ferocious ally. “I was just as surprised as everyone else.”
“Oh”—Priya snorted—“I’m sure Dylan had it coming. It’s
just that no one else in that school has the balls.” She laughed

again, this time unapologetically.
The server plunked the drinks on the table and walked
away, probably sensing an abysmal tip. Greta knew she
wouldn’t be back.

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