Chasing Sin

28

"Hey, Haven. Happy Monday!" Aubrey greets me as I get out of my car, standing around the rest of our friends. I slam the door shut and shoot her a glare. "Ooh, what crawled up your ass?"

"I nearly got a ticket this morning because SOMEONE put an 'Honk if you hate police' bumper sticker on my car!" I shout, holding the sticker I ripped off as proof.

She and Beckett crack up, finding humor in my misery. I roll my eyes, shoving the sticker in my book bag and leaning against Taylor's Jeep.

"I had to give the muffins I made for you guys to the cop so I wouldn't get ticketed."

"WHAT?!" Beckett shouts. "So now we all have to suffer?"

I roll my eyes and take a Tootsie Roll out of my bag, tossing it at him.

"Who do you think did it?" Peyton asks.

"One name comes to mind," I say, looking at him. I cross my arms, angry but not sure what to do.

"Emily," Kace declares. "It had to be her. She said she wasn't done with you. We should have listened."

"Well what are we going to do now?" Taylor asks, a worried look on her face.

"I don't know," I say, shaking my head. "I mean, I could slash her tires. Or break her nose. Or smash her kneecaps with a crowbar. Or-"

"What about a slightly less violent alternative?" Skylar suggests. "The prank with the gummies was pretty much harmless, but still effective. That's how we should be thinking."

Sin pulls his car into the parking lot, getting out in a rush, and I realize he barely made it here two minutes before the bell rings.

"Hey," he says to us, nearly out of breath. It takes me aback a little to see him disoriented. He always seems to know what he's doing, and what everyone else should be doing, for that matter.

"Cutting it kind of close, huh?" I ask as we all migrate toward the front door of the school.

He gives me a look. "It's been a morning."

"For you and me both."

"I guess that's what Mondays are for," Sin says.

"Exactly. You have to work out the kinks before the week can really get going," I agree. "I have a feeling this kink isn't going away today, though."

He eyes me curiously and I hold up the bumper sticker in response, too annoyed to re-tell the story. He raises an eyebrow. "Emily Huntington's work, I'm assuming?"

"Speak of the devil."

"Well, good morning, Haven!" Emily says excitedly as she strides up to us. "How was your drive to school this morning? I hope there wasn't any traffic, or you know, routine police stops."

I shoot her a glare. "If you think all it's going to take is a bumper sticker to get to me, you've got another thing coming, Em."

"Good," she says, her high-pitched voice lowering a little a she returns my glare. "I hope you've got some bigger swings left in you, because batter's up."

"I'd think twice before you screw with me and my friends," I fire back. "You can't wipe away the past like you do your heavy foundation."

Her face contorts in anger, and she shouts a loud "ugh!" before spitting, "I wear the appropriate amount of foundation!"

The morning announcements are still being called out over the intercom, meaning not everyone can hear Emily screeching, but a few people are looking our way.