Faking Perfection

8|Repercussions

𝟾|𝚁𝚎𝚙𝚎𝚛𝚌𝚞𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚜

"I don't know why you're so hell-bent on passing this stupid test." Willow rolls her eyes as she applies a second coat of lipgloss, smacking her lips together before she drops the tube back into her purse. "You've never been worried about passing before. You're like, the smartest person in our class."

I swirl my fork around my untouched chef salad, letting the slightly cool autumn breeze hit my skin. The sun is out today in the quad, shining down on my face as I welcome the first hints of fall weather. No one, not  even Willow's snide comments are going to bring me down.

"Studying isn't a bad thing," Christy snaps towards her. She points to my textbook sprawled out in front of me and sends me a large grin. "I'm proud of you, Izzy. I've never seen you so serious about something before."

Right. Because I'm known for my flaky, nonchalant, couldn't-give-two-fucks energy around here. I'm the popular girl with no depth to her, and for the longest time I was fine with that, but now...

Willow scoffs. "She was never like this until that nerd came around. Now we're becoming the study table with textbooks surrounding us."

Zane slips in beside me, throwing an arm over my shoulder. His familiar scent floods my nose, fresh and minty. "Ladies." He nods to my friends and then plants a kiss on my lips. "Are you ready for the party this weekend?"

Another party? I don't know how I never noticed before that partying is quite literally all I ever do, but I find myself sharing the same expression as Christy. Maybe she wasn't being a party pooper after all. Maybe, there are better things to do in life aside from drinking and fucking.

"Is that even a question you have to ask?" Willow bats her eyelashes toward him. "Of course, I'm going. It's your fuck buddy here that needs some convincing."

He arches a brow at me. "You aren't going?"

There are so many questions I want to ask. Such as, why is he in such a good mood when only a few days ago it seemed like some serious shit was going down at his house? When I tried to bring it up again the following day, I was quickly shut down. Now he seems like he's back to normal. I don't get it, and I'm also not appreciating the fact that I'm wanting to know more about him, which has never happened before, either. I don't feel that physical connection between us anymore that used to be there. The one that told me it didn't matter that we hardly knew each other before he got into my pants.

"I have other plans," I admit.

"With Mason fucking West," Willow adds.

"What is wrong with Mason?" Christy asks with a mouthful of a turkey sandwich. "Just because he doesn't go to the parties you go to doesn't mean he isn't cool."

Willow laughs. "That's exactly what it means."

"So, what? Do you think I'm not cool, then? Because I don't go to those stupid parties, either."

The tension is thick as Willow blinks absently at her, and then she says something she definitely should have kept to herself. "I tried telling Izzy plenty of times not to let you into our friend group, but she insisted you stay. I don't hang around people who study in their free time and go to bible group meetings at night. So, to answer your question, Christy, yes. I think you're as lame as it gets."

The paper bag Christy brought her sandwich in gets crumpled up and chucked at Willow's head, breadcrumbs getting into her hair before she storms off to head back inside. I watch her ponytail sway behind her, fists clenched at her sides before I narrow my eyes on Willow. "What the hell is wrong with you? She didn't deserve that."