Free The Hit List by Nikki Urang Page A

satisfaction of a response. She won’t continue if I don’t encourage her.
    It’s clear that our separation has only benefited Patrick. The only thing it’s gotten me so far is a lot of unwanted attention.
    Rachel kicks her feet against the wall below the windowsill. One of her friends jumps down and steps out in front of me. I sidestep so I don’t run right into her. She follows me down the hallway as I walk.
    “From what I’ve seen, she was the weak link in that partnership. I mean, look how well he’s doing. He was lucky to get out when he did.” Rachel shoves the magazine at one of the other girls.
    She’s right. I was the weak partner. But I’m determined not to let that happen here. I have to make this partnership work.
    “Don’t you have something to say, Sadie?” She smiles and the rest of the group turn to watch me.
    I stop and close my eyes as I take a deep breath. There are so many things I want to say to Rachel, so many things that would wipe that fucking smile right off her face. I don’t want to stoop to her level, but that doesn’t mean I won’t.
    “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Rachel.”
    She grins like she knows a secret. “I know no one wants you. Not Patrick and especially not Luke.”
    She thinks it’s an insult, but she doesn’t know that I don’t want them either. Patrick can go to hell and she can keep Luke. She doesn’t even know the whole story. All she knows is something she read in a magazine. How would she feel if she were left at her most vulnerable time by the partner she loved more than anything else in the world?
    “Why do you even care so much?” There are so many other things she could be focused on right now. Like Fall Showcase. Or her name being on The Hit List.
    She narrows her eyes at me. “Stay away from Luke.”
    “Maybe you should tell him to stay away from me. It’s not like I put my name on that stupid list.” I’m starting to see why Brielle hates Rachel so much.
    “Maybe someone put you on that list for a reason.” She stares intensely at me for a couple seconds before she shrugs and smiles. Her playful attitude returns to her face, like she doesn’t have a care in the world. “Or maybe they did it as a joke, because who would seriously work that hard to sleep with you?”
    My hands clench into fists at my side, my nails digging into my palm. Patrick didn’t want to keep working with me so he left. Luke is persistent right now, but he’ll get sick of the game quickly. Rachel’s right. No one wants to work that hard.
    And I don’t want them to. I don’t want any of that. I don’t want a boyfriend or a friend with benefits or some other unspecified relationship. I don’t want to be part of this game.
    I round the corner to the sound of Rachel’s laughter. I need to focus on the task ahead of me. As much as I don’t want to think about partnering with Luke, I want to think about Patrick even less.
    A boy stands beside a girl farther down the hallway. He touches her face and she smiles. “You deserve so much better than him.”
    They look cute together.
    Until another very angry student interrupts the moment by punching the first guy in the face. “Are you fucking kidding me, Justin? Did you seriously just try to cock-block me?”
    Justin lies on the ground, rubbing his jaw where a brightly colored bruise has already started to form behind the cut that drips blood down his chin.
    “What the fuck is wrong with you, Derek? Your name’s not on her. She’s fair game.”
    Derek looks like he’s ready for another round of punches. “Does she know we wanted to nail her for points?”
    “She does now, genius.” Justin scrambles off the floor and lunges at Derek.
    A teacher catches Justin before they make contact again. Derek steps back against the lockers with his hands raised. He’s crazy if he thinks the teachers will believe he had nothing to do with this. A couple more teachers run down the hallway to help with the