“I didn’t do that. You came on to me!” Toby’s shaking. He’s not just pissed; he’s terrified. “I never even brought up sex. You did. And I turned you down three times before…” He looks at me and stops, and I’m thankful for that. I don’t want the details. I don’t need them. I already know Meredith is the one who’s lying.

“Tell yourself what you’d like. Whatever you need to do to sleep better at night.” She turns and tries to walk away, but I grab her arm.

“Wait!”

She glares at my hand on her. “Get your hand off me before I get you suspended.” I lower my hand because I know she’ll do it. “Look at you two.” She scoffs. “You’re perfect for each other.”

For once I agree with her. “Get out of here. There’s obviously no reasoning with you. You’ve completely lost your mind.”

“And you’re about to lose everything.” She walks off the stage, and I go to Toby. He’s shattered. I can see it in his eyes.

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have come out and attacked her like that. I just couldn’t stand there anymore and listen to her…Ugh!” I want to scream. I want to ram my fist straight into a wall. No, straight into Meredith’s face.

“It’s not your fault. She wasn’t going to listen to me anyway. It’s over.”

I grab his hand. “No, it’s not. We still have time. It’s only Tuesday. We have until last period on Friday. We’re not giving up yet.”

“I wish Tori was on our side. She’s the only one who’s ever stood up to Meredith.” His mouth curves into a small, weak smile. “Well, other than when you shoved a wet dishtowel in her mouth and dragged her up the steps.”

“Want me to gag and hog-tie her until after graduation?” It’s a really bad attempt at lightening the mood, but I don’t know what else to do. I’m trying to remain optimistic, but the truth is, I’m pretty much as shot as Toby. Things look worse than bad.

He gives a feeble attempt at a shrug. “Maybe I should talk to Tori. She might be able to stop Meredith.”

“Tori isn’t going to listen to either one of us right now. She’s majorly pissed, and rightfully so.”

“Then I’m screwed.” He steps through the curtain and sits down on the edge of the stage. We always stay hidden in case the security cop walks through, but today, that doesn’t seem to matter much. I sit down next to him.

“We’ll talk to Tori. Together.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.” He looks away, and I can only imagine what Tori’s been saying about me behind my back.

“Go ahead. You can tell me.”

“This is coming from Jeff. He’s the only one still talking to me after Tori told everyone what we did. Even Ryder’s keeping his distance—though I’m sure that’s because Tori’s making him.”

It’s amazing how quickly Tori’s risen to the top. I’d think Meredith would be too busy trying to fight Tori for control of the school to mess with Toby and me, but maybe that’s exactly it. Maybe she doesn’t think she can fight Tori, and this is the only way to get people to like her better. By pitying her. By sympathizing with her. It’s completely twisted and sick, which means it must be exactly what she’s doing.

“Did you change your mind about wanting to know?”

I nod. It doesn’t matter what Tori’s saying. She has the right to be mad, to lash out. “Meredith is scared of Tori. Think about it. Tori’s gotten too powerful in this school. She’s dating Ryder, who is still ‘big man on campus’ even if he isn’t playing baseball this year.”

“Meredith definitely lost points after Tori told everyone about us. She gets the sympathy vote for being cheated on—even though that’s not at all how it really went down. But still. She’s not the one on top anymore.”

“No, she’s not, so we have to go above her.” I have to beg for Tori’s forgiveness, and then somehow get her to do me a favor afterwards. I’m so screwed.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

While Toby is in detention, I drive to Tori’s house. I decide seeing Toby and me together would only piss her off more. Going alone—while totally terrifying—is the only way. I use the hidden key under the welcome mat to let myself in because I know there’s no way Tori would willingly open the door for me.

I head straight for her room, knowing that’s where she’ll be. The door is shut, and even though the polite thing to do is knock, I let myself in.

Her head jerks up, and her eyes widen at me. “What the hell? Get out of my room! How did you even get in the house?”

“Tori, please. I need to talk to you.”

“I have nothing to say to you, Becca. You betrayed me. You went behind my back and you destroyed our friendship. Now go! I don’t owe you anything, and I’m certainly not going to sit here and listen to more of your lies.”

“This isn’t for me. It’s for Toby.”

She narrows her eyes. “What makes you think I’d want to help him either? He’s half of your deceitful little pair.” She gets up and tries to push me back into the hallway, but I dodge her and step fully into the room.

“Meredith is going to accuse Toby of forcing her to sleep with him.” I get the words out as fast as I can, making sure she hears them. “Please. He’s your brother—your twin. Meredith is going to destroy him. And not just at school. Something like this sticks with a person. He doesn’t deserve this. You know he didn’t do it. That’s not him.”

She whirls around on me. “He doesn’t deserve it?” A twisted laugh comes out of her mouth. “Maybe he does. Maybe this is payback for what he did to me. What you both did to me. Whatever you both get, you deserve it, even if it’s at Meredith’s hand.”

Who is she? This isn’t my best friend. She’s completely consumed by rage. “You can’t really believe that.”

“Don’t tell me what I believe. You have a hell of a lot of nerve, you know that?” She points to the door. “I want you gone. Now. Or I’m calling the cops.”

“Go ahead.” She sounds like Meredith, threatening to press charges on me. “Meredith may beat you to it, though.”

“I heard what you did to her.”

“I did it because of you. She was going to try to destroy our friendship. I couldn’t let her.”

“No, because you did that all on your own. You didn’t need any help.”

“I know. I went about it all wrong. Believe me, I get that. I feel awful, Tori.”

“So awful you’re going to break up with Toby?”

What? Is that what she wants me to do? “You can’t be serious.”

“What if I am? What if the only way I’ll even think about forgiving you is if you don’t see him anymore?”

“I…” I can’t do that. I know I can’t. “Toby isn’t just some fling. Why can’t you see that? I’m in love with him.”

“Get out.” Her voice shakes, and I can’t help wondering if she’s about to burst into tears. “You’re no better than Meredith. You used me. Used me to get to him!”

“You think I was your best friend for seventeen years just to get to Toby? Are you listening to yourself right now?”

“Insult me. That should help your cause.” She scoffs at me.

“I didn’t mean to insult you. I’m only trying to show you that we’re best friends because we get each other. We always have. Until now.”

“Yeah, because you went behind my back. God, Becca, you did this. You have no right to accuse me of anything.”

Accuse her? “I’m not.”

“Yes, you are. You’re going to say my rule is stupid. That I never should’ve enforced it. That none of this would’ve happened if I’d let you be friends with Toby in the first place.”

“You think I blame you?”

She stares at me, her eyes red and full of tears. “Don’t you?”

“No.” I step toward her, but she backs away. “I blame myself. I should’ve been honest with you, but I thought that would only hurt you. I thought maybe if you saw how much Toby and I care about each other, you’d see the rule wasn’t necessary. But I was wrong. I shouldn’t have tried to prove you wrong. I should’ve just talked to you like my best friend.”