Jessica and her posse made their way right for me. I looked away and busied myself with tidying up my food tray. I didn’t bother looking up even when they reached my side and Jessica’s shadow fell on me.

“I hear that you think you know the guys in Vengeance.” Her voice was accusatory. “Or so I hear.”

When I looked up, she was glaring at me. She folded her arms across her chest.

“So?” I really couldn’t be bothered with her but I knew there was no escaping this encounter. Jessica liked drama, and right now I was her drama. And while I couldn’t avoid it I could at least avoid participating in it.

“I just think its really sad that you’d go around claiming to be the girlfriend of possibly the hottest guy in town.”

I sighed. I didn’t feel the need or the want to defend myself to this girl. Because once you started you kind of had to keep going. So I simply fixed my eyes to hers and said, “I’m not claiming anything.”

“You did too,” said Tiffany—the taller of the two bimbos flanking Jessica. “You said he was your boyfriend.”

“Actually, I didn’t.” I corrected her. “Carrie did. Because I don’t think its any of your damn business so I wouldn’t waste my breath talking to you about it.”

Heavily made-up eyes filled with spite. “Well, are you or aren’t you?”

I stood up and collected my tray. “Like I said, its none of your damn business.”

When I went to move Jessica stepped in my way.

“I know Heath,” she said, and as she did she smirked and one eyebrow went up in a lascivious move as if she hid some dirty little secret about knowing Heath. She probably did know him. Hell, he could’ve fucked her for all I knew. But not since me. Definitely, not since me.

I know I said I was going to try to avoid participating in this encounter but now she had pissed me off just enough for me to want to make her shut her mouth.

“See, isn’t it funny that you claim to know Heath.” I said, and again I found her eyes and held them. “Yet, I’ve never seen you with him.”

“Oh, I’ve been with him.” Heavily made-up eyes filled with spite.

“I’m sure you have been.” I looked at her like I could care less, and then added, “but not in the last nine months.”

“How do you know that?” She asked darkly.

"Because he's been with me." I leaned in. "And only me."

I didn't know why I was engaging with her.

Again, she stepped directly in front of me. “Then prove it. Show me a picture of you two together.”

I thought of the images on my phone. Of Heath and I lying in bed the day he left. The selfie he had taken so every time he rang my phone his face would light up the screen. The pictures we’d taken at the beach the week before he’d left. The torso shot he’d taken for my own enjoyment in his absence. The one of his bare chest. His abs. His cock.

Yeah, Jessica wasn’t getting any of those.

“I’m not showing you anything.” I said, refusing to prove anything. I wasn’t about to let some two-faced mean girl bully me into validating my relationship.

I picked up my bag and threw it over my shoulder.

The sooner I got away from this insanity the better.

“Well, how about I show you a picture.” She did something to her phone and then turned it around to show me the screen. “Doesn’t look like a guy who has a girlfriend waiting for him at home now does it?” Her smirk was pure meanness. But I only caught a glimpse of it before the image on her phone had my complete attention. It was of Heath. With a stunning girl wrapped around him. And when I say stunning, I mean this girl was a volcanic hottie.

Panic tore through me.

Fuck.

Despite the jealousy stabbing at my stomach I shrugged as if I could care less. “Looks like Heath and one of his fans.”

Jessica’s smirk was vicious. “Oh honey, that’s not one of his fans. That’s my girlfriend, Mercedes. She’s a model who likes to play with rockstars. Oh, and she’s also the girl Heath fucked last night.” She wiggled her fingers in a wave goodbye. “Have a nice afternoon.”

I watched as she turned and sauntered out of the cafeteria, her two minions falling into step at her side. Heat burned on my cheeks but it was nothing like the fear tingling in my stomach.

I picked up my books and fled the cafeteria, pushing opening the glass doors and running straight into Grayson.

“Whoa!” He joked, grabbing me on the arms to steady the both of us. Then seeing my face asked, “Are you okay?”

The kindness in his handsome face made me want to cry. And I knew if I tried to speak I would probably burst into tears so I looked away as I nodded.

But Grayson was having nothing of it.

“Hey, what’s wrong?” He took me by the shoulders and gave me a little shake so I was forced to look at him. “What’s with the tears?”

“I’m fine. I’m just…” I stopped. What was I? Tired? Fatigued? Stressed over exams? Over my boyfriend being thousands of miles away? All of the above?

I looked up, resigned that no matter what I said or did, my current circumstances sucked. I sighed. “Want to go get something to drink?”

A big beaming smile crossed his boyish face. “I couldn’t think of anything better.”

* * *