Free Creeping with the Enemy by Kimberly Reid Page B

was.”
    I’m so glad Lana’s story has a happy ending, and I tell her so before I get out of the car. Bethanie and I aren’t BFFs yet, but she’s the closest friend I have at Langdon, and in a place where I couldn’t fit in even if I felt like trying, an ally is a necessity. Since I started Langdon, I’ve been pretty much a pariah with everyone—the headmistress, teachers, the popular kids—especially the popular kids. I would have transferred to North High the minute Lana gave me the chance if it wasn’t for Bethanie and Marco.
    Between every class, I hang out at Bethanie’s locker because I’ve decided she can handle hearing what I have to say. She’s only known Cole a week, definitely not enough time to be in love with him, let alone reach the point of stupid over him. But now it’s fifth period and I still haven’t seen her. I try her cell, and she doesn’t answer.
    â€œMiss Evans.”
    Oh no. I’ve caught the attention of Headmistress Smythe, which is a lot like catching a bad case of the flu—it takes forever to shake and makes you miserable until you do.
    â€œI’ve seen you here at Miss Larsen’s locker every period since first bell. I take it that means you know nothing of her whereabouts.”
    â€œWhat do you mean?”
    â€œI mean she didn’t come to school today and her parents didn’t call to excuse her. Repeated calls to her home have gone unanswered.”
    â€œI haven’t seen her all day, either.”
    â€œBethanie seems like a well-adjusted girl. I know that even the best students can be led astray by certain influences.”
    I don’t have to ask her if the certain influence she’s referring to is me.
    â€œIf I hear from Bethanie, I’ll ask her to check in at the front office. Now I’d better get to Western Civ.”
    On my way to class, I send Bethanie a text asking her what’s up. She responds that I should meet her outside the coffeehouse after school—she has something to tell me.
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    Bethanie pulls up in front of the coffeehouse and tells me to get in. “I don’t want to risk anyone from school seeing me,” she says, like she’s on some undercover mission.
    â€œYou mean because you skipped?”
    â€œYou noticed?”
    â€œSo did Smythe. If you’re going to skip, at least know how to do it. Either fake sick to your mom so she can let them know you’ll be out, or you should’ve called the office pretending to be your mom. I’m pretty sure Smythe called your house.”
    â€œSo what if she did?”
    â€œYou’ve made it your mission to get on Smythe’s good side, especially now that her Queen Suck-Up has been kicked out of school. I thought your plan was to take over that spot in the Langdon hierarchy.”
    â€œI don’t care about Smythe or Langdon Prep anymore,” Bethanie says, parking the car on a quiet side street a few blocks from the coffeehouse.
    â€œSo what happened between Friday and today, because that was your big plan three days ago.”
    â€œLove is what happened,” she says.
    I guess I was wrong about her not having time to get stupid over that guy. I stay quiet for a second, thinking how to handle this. What I want to say is Have you completely lost your mind? But that never works when Lana says it to me, and only pisses me off.
    â€œWow, that was kind of quick.”
    â€œWe spent the day together.”
    â€œDoing ...”
    â€œNot what you think. Cole is a complete gentleman,” she says, reaching behind my seat to pull out a bag from the floor. “He bought me these chocolates. Want one?”
    â€œI always want chocolate,” I say, taking a truffle from the box even if it is from a stalker. Yum, a stalker with great taste in expensive chocolate.
    â€œIt wasn’t even planned. I was parking my car this morning in my usual spot and he showed