After the Ink [PUBLISHED]

Chapter Seventeen

Wednesday morning, candy cane grams are being delivered to each class. Casey and I never send one to each other and Jacob has sent me one once. When a gram is placed on my desk, my heart flutters. It can't be from anyone else but Dylan. I open the small snowman-shaped card where it says, Meet me at my car at lunch time. -D

There's a giddy feeling in my stomach, but also a nervous one. Dylan knows we can't keep up a relationship with Xavier keeping tabs on us. Maybe he's found a way to make things okay again.

During second period I can hardly wait for the bell to ring for lunch. When it does, I practically sprint out of the classroom and toward the parking lot. I walk to Dylan's normal spot, but his car is nowhere to be found. The thought of him skipping out on me crosses my mind, but I know he wouldn't do that. He probably skipped second period and is going to pick me up. Right?

I'm one second away from texting him when a familiar red car pulls up fast next to me. Kay gets out of her car and stands in front of me with her arms crossed.

"Get in," she says.

Like hell I'll get into the same vehicle as her. "No?" What is she even doing here? She's the last person I want to see.

She lets out a laugh that is anything but sweet. "If you haven't figured it out yet, I'm the one who sent you that stupid candy gram. Now, get in my car. We're going to chat."

I look around frantically, trying to spot Dylan, Casey, any of the boys, or even Jacob. No one is around to get me out of this situation. Part of me is curious to hear what she has to say, and that drives me to walk to the passenger side of the car.

Her car smells like roses and is spotless. It's newer and way nicer than mine. She puts the car in reverse and zooms out of the parking lot.

"You're going to listen to me, and you're going to listen well, okay?" she asks me, keeping her eyes on the road.

Suddenly, getting in the car with her doesn't seem like it was the best idea.

"Dylan wants to be with me. I know it," she says, sitting up straight. "You're just a distraction."

Her words mirror the boys when I asked about Dylan and Kay. They said she's the distraction.

"What do you want from me?" I ask her.

"I want you to break Dylan's heart into a million pieces so I can swoop in and take care of him," she flashes me a nauseatingly sweet smile.

Her dark hair is straight again with hardly a strand of hair out of place. Her makeup is flawless and I hate myself for liking the sweater she has on.

"How do you know he'll want you after I break his heart? What if he moves on to someone else?" I ask, attempting to make her see the flaws in her plan. There is a flicker of hope that she might move on from him and leave us alone. If she leaves us alone, then maybe Xavier will back off too.

"Sweetie, I knew from the moment I saw him that we are meant to be together. And trust me, I've had to fight off a lot of girls to get to him," she says through her glossy lips. "I mean, come on, you think me and you are the only girls chasing after him? Think about it."

My mind flashes to the blonde girl at the football game. Dylan is hot, there's no doubt about it. Girls at school lust after him. I hear the conversations about him. And I know better than to listen to what Kay says about other girls. She is trying to drive us apart.

"I don't know, you're the only nuisance I've encountered," I tell her.

She smirks. "I'm only telling you because you've experienced this kind of thing before, right? Couldn't keep your last boyfriend on his leash."