The Class Reject: A Pariah in Purgatory (Book II)

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

"Doesn't anyone answer their damn phone?" Jeno practically spat as he ran toward the dance hall. A nun barked at him to slow down before he took another turn in the maze-like hallway.

            But Wallace wasn't answering. And he couldn't remember the last time he spoke to Chara.  It was probably a good sign that Miren wasn't answering. But even a, "Don't worry about me, I'm not being aggressively murdered by Penelope" text would have sufficed. Then again, he was in no position to talk.

He could hear the dance hall before he saw it, but what he could see was the courtyard, and a group of people moving about the space. He almost dismissed them as drunken partygoers until he realized who they were. And one of them was Miren.

He cursed before bolting toward it.

"Please don't let this be bad."

***

            It wasn't bad—it was a step above a train wreck.

            "How could I be so stupid?!" Artemis said as she stormed into the space. But it was hard to place what she was the angriest about—the fact that she allowed herself to fall for the guy who broke Miren's heart, or that she ran into the courtyard. There was one entrance, and Parker was blocking it. Great.

            "I didn't do anything!" Parker shot his arms in the air. "She kissed me because I said I didn't like you, and she apparently also doesn't care that I'm dating Penelope." He moved closer to her, but she stepped back. He sighed. "But I'm sorry. I should have stopped it sooner."

            "You shouldn't have to stop on my accord," Artemis spat. "I'm not you're girlfriend. Nor am I your friend. I only joined up with you because of Miren. Now I betrayed her, and even Penelope, for you." She shook her head. "You act so fucking upstanding and considerate, but I think you just get some sick thrill out of manipulating girls."

            "I never manipulated anyone." Parker's eyes were the most serious she had probably ever seen. But it had to be another trick, right? Perhaps he was the greatest actor of them all.

            "Why don't you say that to my face?" Penelope said, emerging from the shrubbery area with Miren. It was hard for Miren to hide the panic in her eyes, but she just had to remind herself that she was innocent in all of this. Well, at least Miles was.

            I'm Miles. She repeated this over and over and over in her head as if it helped. Miles.

            Parker's mouth parted in confusion. "And what about you? Were you just hiding there this whole time? And with Miles of all people?"

            "We were just talking." Miren hated how defensive she sounded. She crossed her arms, hoping to reclaim some of the control she never had in the first place. "She said you blew her off and I just happened to be coming back from the restroom."

            "You don't have to defend yourself," Penelope said, rubbing her arm. Barf. Penelope's glare returned to her boyfriend. "And what about me? Do you know how much of your shit I put up with? All you do is pretend that I'm such an awful person when you're no prince yourself."

            "Will everyone stop acting like I gloat about being God's gift to the universe?" Parker was fuming. He pointed at Penelope. "Fine. You want me to be honest? Olive kissed me because like everyone else she realizes our relationship is a fucking joke. Only it took her all of two days to realize this, while I've been tricking myself into loving you for years now." He motioned toward Miren. "Honestly, Miles, I'm not even mad if you two were fooling around. But trust me when I say you should run as far away from her as possible."