BAD REPUTATION [SCOTT REED]

SIXTEEN

"YOU BELIEVE ME NOW, DON'T YOU!"
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Alona had stayed over with Zach over his house until 11 in the evening. After the thing with Clay on the parking lot, Zach had felt even worse than he had felt after the court trial and he asked her feebly if she could stay with him just for a little while, just like old times.

And by old times, it didn't mean they had sex.

Before they went to Zach's neighborhood, Alona had already told the Asian boy that their sexual relationship was over and she was happy with Scott. She wasn't sure if she truly liked him for the reason that she never actually liked someone so seriously before.

When it was time for Alona to go, Zach walks her to her car and opened the car door for her. The Hispanic girl smiled sympathetically at him, placing a hand on his cheek. "You sure you'll be okay?"

The girl noticed of what seemed to be a white flash from her left and her head snapped to the direction of it, her alarmed eyes skirting over the bushes.

Maybe it was a glitching lightbulb? Alona thought.

"Sadly, I'll have to pretend I do." Zach forced out a smile and kissed her palm. "I guess i'll have to face my Mom's wrath. She's not very keen with me bringing girls over.. plus, with what happened to court today.. she won't be too happy either."

Alona nodded, a little distracted with what she 'imagined' she saw. "7:10 by the parking lot tomorrow? You and I will put up the birthday banner for Alex, right?"

"Yeah. Want me to pick you up or...?" Zach offered but Alona shook her head. "I'm all good. I'm allowed to drive my car again since I'm no longer grounded."

There was another flash as Zach bent down to give her a hug and this time, Alona was sure it was a camera flash and not just a glitching lightbulb. When they pulled away, Alona narrowed her eyes from where the camera flash came from and Zach frowned, doing the same. "What? What is it?"

"Nothing." Alona answered. "I thought I saw something."

Alona drove away, feeling strange and vigilant, her eyes darting from the road ahead of her and the rear view mirror. She was so caught up with trying to look over the mirror that she had not noticed the familiar Jeep a certain boy owns parked a little distance away from Zach's house.

A certain boy named Montgomery de la Cruz.

♔

Scott stared blankly on empty space, surrounded with goons he called his friends. His eyes were glossy and bloodshot, a stick of joint held between his fingers, smoke twirling on the space around him.

The door of the pool house opened abruptly and the sounds of boisterous banters from the three newcomers erupted, mingling with the noisy chitchat of the stoned players beside Scott. Montgomery smirked when his eyes landed upon the gloomy boy, pulling out his phone from his back pocket.

"Hey Scotty." Montgomery greeted in a mocking manner, "Have you talked to your pretty little girlfriend yet?"

Scott's stormy blue eyes looked up slowly to meet Montgomery's green ones. He furrowed his eyebrows in annoyance. "What's it to you?"

"Well," Montgomery shrugged. "i was just wondering. You see, it was actually interesting when we passed by Zach's house awhile ago. Alona owns a white Subaru right?"

Scott nodded.

"It's quite funny because we just saw the very same Subaru parked outside his house." Monty feigns shock, taking a seat from beside the boy. "We saw something you'd rather not see but man, we're just looking out for you."

Scott shoved the boy harshly. "What are you talking about? Just get on with it."

Montgomery handed Scott his phone and watched smugly as the boy's eyes widened as he swiped on every photo the de la Cruz boy had captured.

"Do you believe me now, Scotty?" Montgomery taunted. "I told you she ain't done with Zach yet. Dempsey totally snitched on Bryce at court today, guess he betrayed you and Bryce now."

Scott weakly plopped back down on the couch, blinking rapidly at the photo of Zach kissing Alona's hand. Alona told him they were completely done and yet here she is, with him, their actions screaming intimacy.

"You believe me now, don't you?" Monty hissed, a devilish grin urging him on.

*
AAAAHHHG DARN U MONTY 😩
i know this was a very short chapter bc i havent updated in a few days now im so sorry i've just been busy with a few things and my mind is actually screwed ofer rn bc i have a lot of things to deal with