Fate's Exchange (Twisted Fate, Book 1)

Chapter Forty-Six

"I'm sorry about your friend."

"What?" My smile faded, and I turned.

Blinking, I looked up in confusion and then surprise to find Suzie beside me. Memories flashed of my best friend from a previous life, before cheerleading and popularity and the constant need to 'fit in', which, in her case, meant making others feel bad about themselves so she could feel good. As if aspiring to make my point for me, every blonde hair was in place in a high ponytail, but for the second time that I could remember over the last year, she was alone.

I looked around, waiting for someone to jump out and laugh at me. After a minute without a response, I shifted my weight on the balls of my feet, and asked, "What? Do I have toothpaste on my shirt or something?" I looked down to be sure. "Why are you talking to me? Don't you have a whole squad of cheerleaders to be idolized by?"

Suzie was never friendly anymore, and if she was, it came with a 'Buyer Beware' sign emblazoned across her chest.

"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry your friend moved away," she said, appearing sincere.

She kept her gaze centered on me, even when I rolled my eyes and looked to the door of our class on my right-hand-side. Sighing, I pushed past her to sit at my usual desk. If I looked up, would I find a spark of humor in her eyes? Was she talking to me as part of some cliquey joke I wasn't privy to? Was I a punch line?

Undeterred, Suzie followed close behind, and avoided her usual desk to stand beside mine. "Look, I'm sorry. It sucks. If you want to talk, call me, okay?"

She dropped her phone number on the top of my desk, like somehow, I'd forgotten it even though I still had her listed in the contacts in my phone and sat in the desk behind me. I twisted in my seat and glared back at her. Seriously, what did she want?

"Why do you care, Suzie? You hated Tina."

Her eyes darted around the room and then she leaned forward to whisper, "I know why your friend left, okay? If you want to talk... Just tell Tina she's not alone, but he'll never be back," she said, nodding. "Mr. Tinsley, I mean. He's in jail now, which is exactly where he belongs."

My eyes widened as it all fell into place. The way she'd been so upset when he left, going after Tina, how aggressive she'd been. Suzie was never alone. "I think that, uh... I should be asking you that, actually, if what I think happened, happened. He did that? To you?"

She tucked a nonexistent strand of hair behind her ear and looked like she was about to come out with something sarcastic. Before she could respond, I scribbled my number on a piece of paper and put it on the desk behind me.

She hesitated before taking it, and then said, "Thanks. I, uh... no. Mr. Tinsley didn't touch me, Aly, if that what you're implying. I just know what he did and how many girls he hurt, and not just here."

"What?" I leaned forward, placing both of my palms on her desk. "How do you know?"

"Does it matter? He's gone." She shrugged and pinched her lips together.

So is Tina.

If nothing else, what happened with her had taught me not to pry. I was so close to breaking the cycle, I couldn't chance adding another puzzle which would send me back to square one, dying until I got that right, too. If Suzie wanted to talk, I would listen. Otherwise, I was keeping my nose where it belonged.

"I'm sorry for whatever happened to you, Suzie. I wish that Tina was stronger, but I'm glad that it's over," I whispered out the side of my mouth so that nobody would hear. "Even though Tina isn't here to say it, I know that she'd be grateful to you."