Instigators

Chapter S I X T E E N

       

Tiana's POV

My heart ached to see Miley going through so much at school. Everyone was constantly picking on her. I defended her until she told me to give it up.

Beth was really petty for making that public announcement. She didn't benefit from it. I wanted her to suffer for it. No one hurts my best friend and gets away with it.

I knew Grace wouldn't help me at all since she was angry with Miley. I didn't tell Miley about my secret plans either.

"Hey, princess." Tario winked as he leaned in to kiss me.

Miley swooned and Grace gagged in response.

"When will it be official? I'm dying for Tariana." Miley smiled.

"Don't worry about it." Tario said.

It'd been about two weeks and a half since our first date where Grace tried to kill me. We'd gone on so much more since then. Our last date was on a Friday. It was our fifth one, and Tario took me to the Cheesecake Factory. I loved being around him, and he seemed to feel the same way. Maybe it was time that we did become official.

"I like Tariana." I nodded, trying to drop a hint.

"I'm going to get a head start on my way to class." Grace cleared her throat and walked away.

"What was that about?" Tario asked.

"Grace is mad at me because I was messing around with Kendall behind her back." Miley answered.

"That explains why she burned all your pictures together. Is that why Beth started that whole rumor?" Tario mustn't have checked The Instigators. All of the school's drama was on there, even our own. It would get a little suspicious if we posted about everything except the stuff that involved us.

Grace had gotten over Kendall, but I guess it was the betrayal that had gotten to her. Grace almost murdered me, and I forgave her. She needed to man up and forgive Miley.

I caught a glimpse of Roxy's now pink hair as she entered the school building. Maybe I could get a bit of info out of her.

"I've got to go as well." I pecked Tario's and Miley's cheeks before going to follow her.

"Aye, that's my girl. Hands off." I heard Tario say to Miley.

"Hop off," she scoffed. Their voices got farther and farther. It made me smile knowing that my two of my favorite people were getting along.

I caught up with Roxy just as she entered the cafeteria.

"Hey, Roxy! Can I talk to you?" I approached her.

"What for?" she asked as she paid for a blueberry muffin.

"Let's get a seat." I suggested. She nodded slowly, but sat with me at a table near the window.

"What is this about?" she pulled her sweater sleeve down with her fingertips.

"I just wanted to know if you had anything new on Beth." I whispered. There weren't a lot of people around, but I didn't want to risk it.

"She goes to the skate park a lot to hang out with the people there. They smoke and stuff. She wears a lot of emo clothing when she's there." Roxy said.

"So what I'm hearing is that Beth is a low-key emo smoker?" I asked incredulously.

"Yeah, but why do you want info on her?" She brushed the crumbs off the table and onto the floor in one swift motion.