Loose Change~ Montgomery De La Cruz / Zach Dempsey/Scott Reed

Chapter 5

"So, are you still planning on spending the night next week?"

Ophelia looked away from her assignment towards Hannah, who was now sitting across from her.

"Yeah, why?" She laughed, "Are your parents tired of me already? I've only been over, like, four other times."

"No, no, no" she said quickly, "It's just that Courtney wants to spend the night this weekend."

"Courtney Crimsen?"

"Yeah."

Ophelia was confused. "Why?"

Hannah bit her lip. "Just cause."

Ophelia leaned closer. "I can tell you're hiding something. What is it?"

Hannah sighed. "It's just..."

"Go on..."

"I think I have a stalker."

Ophelia tensed. "You have a...what?"

Hannah shook her head, quickly. "It's not that big of a deal, really. Courtney thinks he can lure him out."

"Do you want my help?"

"I don't want to bother you with this" she said, "Just come over the next weekend, okay? Will that work?"

"Yeah, that'll work."

Actually, it wouldn't. Montgomery had been in one of his moods that morning when she saw him, and she really didn't want to spend any time with him until he calmed down. That boy could cause an argument out of anything when he was angry.

She recalled the time she dropped a piece of ice out of the ice maker onto the floor, picked it up, and tossed into the sink. He yelled at her because he thought kicking it under the fridge would be better. After all, it would clean underneath the refrigerator.

Number one, Ophelia knew that was a terrible idea. Number two, it was her house, and he had no say over the cleaning.

Hannah spoke.

"Hey, instead you could go to the basketball game on Friday, since your boyfriends playing" she tried.

Ophelia chuckled, "Nice try. My boyfriend isn't on the basketball team."

Hannah shrugged her shoulders, and laughed.

Ophelia recalled the time the photo of Hannah and Courtney came out. She recognized them immediately. She had been in that room before.

Ophelia didn't go to Hannah's house that weekend.

In fact, for the next week she tried to keep her at a distance all together. Hannah definitely noticed. She would text and call, and try to find her in the hallway. But Ophelia was good at hiding.

She shook her head at the memory. She was so cruel to her. She was too caught up in what would happen if people saw them together, or if anyone found out they had sleepovers together.

Montgomery still didn't know, which she was glad for. She would have bet money that Justin would have told him as soon as he heard it on the tapes. But he didn't. And she was grateful for that. But it didn't matter, because there's no way Bryce would keep his mouth shut once he heard.

Ophelia closed her eyes. What would Bryce do when he heard?

She watched Bryce. He stood a few feet in front of her at his locker. He was laughing and messing around with his friends. How could he act so normal? After everything he had done?