DEAD INSIDE

(23)

"So I heard Hugo was waiting at your locker after lunch?" Marla asked after Benji, Dino's cute waiter, had left us to get our drinks and place our food orders.

Vanessa had been waiting for us by the door of the family pizza place when we'd arrived and I had to blink back tears when I saw how her shoulders sagged visibly in relief when she saw us.

She still looked too thin but there was some life in her gorgeous hazel eyes and the dark bags under them had disappeared.

"Hmm..." I groaned.

"What did he want?" Deedee prodded.

"Something to do with this D they all keep going on about but that seems to disappear whenever things get too serious, I imagine..." I mumbled, hoping they'd change the topic.

If Mel chuckled lightly at my bad joke, Deedee and Marla didn't seem to appreciate my humor.

"Ali..." The latter grunted.

"He was worried about me after hearing that I had received more threats. He asked whether I had talked to the Police and when I told him I had, he was surprised his Dad hadn't told him about it..." I answered in a robotic voice.

"That's strange..." Mel looked deep in thoughts. "His Dad should have known..."

"Maybe he does but didn't tell his cheating son..." Marla had never been a big fan of Hugo but hearing her you'd have thought she was the one he'd cheated on.

"Put your claws away, girl! The sad little boy is not worth you wasting so much energy about him..." Mel was obviously as surprised as I was.

"I heard some things, that's all..." Marla mumbled.

"Some things I clearly won't appreciate, it seems..."

Her grimace was answer enough.

"I'd rather not know, then..." I decided.

"The thing is, it's better if I'm the one to tell you..." She interjected hesitantly, which made me frown.

I sighed and nodded once to indicate I was ready, when in fact I was nowhere near ready.

"Leann wasn't the first..." She said in a small voice.

"So she told me on Friday..." I pointed out.

"Yeah but we thought it had happened at the end of last year..." She countered.

"To be honest, I didn't really think about that." I replied. "One photo was enough to make up my mind..." I said and eager to change the topic I added, "Did I tell you it was Milo who'd sent it?"

Judging from their stunned expressions, I could tell that I hadn't.

"What I was about to say was that Hugo pledged every single year since the two of you got together and that every single time he did, he had to prove his worth to Jodie by sleeping with various girls..."

Funnily enough, my friends looked more disgusted than I was.

"Ok..." I muttered after shrugging.

"Ok?" She yell-whispered her curls bouncing around her face like tiny springs.

"What else do you want me to say?" I was getting annoyed now. "Do you want me to pull a Carrie and to go all psycho on him?!" I asked loudly enough to catch the attention of the three families seated nearby. I sent them an apologetic smile and made sure to lower my voice before pursuing, "How about I send a freaking letter to my stalker and ask him how I should proceed?!"