Free Divide by Jessa Russo Page A

psycho I can be.”
    In a flash, Sana was in Rosemarie’s face, close enough to kiss her.
    “You will regret touching me, freak.”
    “Yeah. I bet. Run along now. You too, sheep. Baaaa. ”
    I looked over at Cam, who beamed like a little kid who’d just been given his first Red Rider BB gun, and I couldn’t help but smile along with him. These girls needed to get knocked down a couple rungs of the bitch ladder, and it seemed like our new friend, Rosemarie, would be the one to do it. God knows I hadn’t been able to, and up until just a few months ago, I’d been one of them.
    Ugh. I shuddered at the thought. As lonely as life had been since the whole Rod and Leslie fall out, and as much as I hated being shunned, I’d really been shocked at the way all of my former friends behaved.
    I’d been embarrassed.
    “And you ,” Sana brought her icy gaze back to me one more time before leaving. She pointed a pink-nailed finger at me, and her face scowled in anger. “Don’t think I don’t know what you did. I know you made Leslie sick.”
    I couldn’t help the snort that escaped my mouth. I would have hoped she was kidding, if for even a second I thought Sana was capable of such humor.
    “Sana,” Cam said, the edge to his voice a good indication he’d had enough. “Are you hearing yourself? You should probably just walk away now before you say something else that indicates your incredibly lacking intelligence.”
    “Whatever, Cam. Like I care what you think anymore, anyway. Look at the losers you hang out with now. I came over here to try to help you, but it’s obvious you’re too far gone. But don’t think we don’t know why Leslie has been out sick since yesterday. Everyone knows. Your head case sister, here, has guilt written all over her face.” Sana spun her extended pointer finger, circling my face, emphasizing her words.
    “Leave, Sana. Now,” Cam growled.
    “Whatevs.” With a flip of her cropped black hair, Sana Michaels, followed by her two BFFs, turned on her heels and headed to her shiny silver Audi on the other side of the senior lot.
    “Oh my God,” I said, my mouth hanging open in shock. “You guys. Do you really think…do they really think…there’s no way, right? They can’t possibly think I made someone sick. This is…”
    “This is effing ridiculous is what it is, Holl. Let’s go home before all the stupidity in the air seeps into our brains. I’ll drive us home, okay?”
    I nodded.
    Cam opened his side of the car and waited for me to walk around Penny. I climbed into the back seat in a daze. Rosemarie hopped into the front, then Cam slid into the driver’s side.
    People couldn’t really think I made Leslie sick, could they?
    “I just . . .” I stammered, as I buckled my seatbelt. “I have no words.”
    “That’s because there aren’t any words, Holl. Forget about it. You know these people are moronic. Forget about what Sana said.” He shook his head in disgust. “How did you ever let me date her, Holl?”
    “She was one of my friends then, Cam. It didn’t seem strange at the time.”
    After dropping Rosemarie off in the lower parking lot, Cam drove us home in silence. He was probably trying to figure out how he’d dated Sana for so long. I was trying to figure out how anyone could possibly think I made Leslie sick.
    And wondering if I had.

 
    Mick
     
    Three days had passed since I’d talked to Holland. My surprise phone call on Sunday took her aback, but she hadn’t tried to hang up until dinner time, and even then, I felt she’d been reluctant to go. The funny thing was, I couldn’t even remember what we talked about, just that I listened to her voice all Sunday afternoon.
    And I’d missed it ever since.
    I was done waiting for her to call me. I knew she wouldn’t. I just knew. She was scared of me—scared of starting something new. I saw her trepidation in her actions, heard it in her voice.
    But that glint in her eyes said differently. She’d dared me to