Free Better Than Revenge (Sweet Secrets #1) by Taylor Henderson Page A

took a seat on my porch steps.
    “Your old school sounds awesome, Lenny.”
    “It sure was. Awesome doesn't even come close to it.” Lena sighed wistfully as she reminisced.
    Blake ran a hand through his hair leaving it disheveled when he removed it. “So then why'd you leave?”
    “Not that we aren't happy you did,” I added on.
    Lena seemed hesitant to respond. “The school itself was awesome, but the people who went there weren't.” Lena's shoulders tensed as she locked her jaw and clenched her fists. She was silent as if she was debating on whether she should elaborate on her statement, but then seemed to think better of it. The only sound came from Lena's ragged breathing. I would have given anything to know what she was thinking about at that precise moment. Her facial expression was perfectly arranged and free of all emotions.
    “You don't have to tell us, Lena.” Blake's voice was compassionate and caring. I wanted to disagree with him and say that Lena didn't have to tell him , but she certainly had to tell me. If I don't find out what happened at her old school then it's all I'll think about until I figure it out.
    “It's not my secret to tell.” She shrugged her shoulders and looked away, not meeting our eyes.
    The silence that enveloped us was anything but comfortable. My eyes focused on the one dry patch of grass on our lawn until the sound of a revving car engine caught my attention.
    Brianna's car pulled into her driveway. Three thin girls climbed out before their leader turned the car off and pushed her own door open. The girl who got out of the passenger seat had familiar red hair, and her face was splattered with freckles. I was caught off guard when Brianna and her fellow skanks—with an exception to Ella because as far as I know, she hasn't made her skank-itude known yet—began to saunter across the lawn and over to where we were seated.
    The four girls stood in front of Lena, Blake, and I whilst Brianna cleared her throat to gain our attention. Lena, who had been looking off into the distance, snapped her head toward the girls.
    “Hey Ocean, Violet,” Brianna paused for a second as she looked Lena up and down before saying, “Red.”
    Ocean? Since when does Brianna have a nickname for Blake? “Ocean?” I voiced my thoughts.
    Brianna shrugged and bit her bottom lip, her eyes meeting Blake’s. “His eyes remind me of the ocean.”
    Blake wrapped his arm around my waist as if I was going to spring up at Brianna at any moment. Why would I care if she gave him a nickname?
    In response to Brianna's statement, Lena rolled her eyes, looked past Brianna and addressed her sister. “Why are you here? Don't you have homework to do? Does dad know where you are?”
    Ella rolled her eyes, glaring down at her older sister. “That's none of your business.”
    Lena scoffed, pushed herself off of the step she was sitting on, and brushed off her bottom. “Come on. I'm taking you home.”
    “Who made you queen of everything?” Ella questioned, crossing her skinny arms over her chest, and not once breaking eye contact with her older sister. “Besides, Brianna already offered to give me a ride home.”
    “Do you really want a repeat of last year? Can't you stop for a second and think about how your actions affect other people?”
    Ella took a step toward Lena. Her face was turning red, and her hands were balled up at her sides. “I hate you. I really do.”
    “I'm glad the feeling is mutual.”
    “I'm glad too. More importantly, I came to talk to Mrs. Forrester. So anytime now would be fine,” Brianna spoke, looking bored with the situation at hand.
    Everyone's head turned to look at Brianna. She smiled sheepishly before gesturing for Blake and me to move out of her way.
    Blake stood up, holding his hand down to me, but I ignored it. “Why do you need to talk to my mom?”
    “Someone's nosy.”
    “Get off of my lawn and take your supporting sluts with you.”
    Brianna smiled and pushed past me,