Chapter Twenty-Two

n.

During my relationship with Cason, he always woke up bright and early on the weekends and sent a daily good morning text. Being me, I took that as a challenge, and started waking up at six just to beat him to it. He never noticed, since he's one of the most sane people I know, and wouldn't think that much into it. Still, it became a habit of mine even after we broke up.

I'd wake up, get ready, and do some morning yoga. It always felt nice when the sun would finally push it's way over the trees, pour through my window and drape it's warmth over my skin. Today, on a Saturday that was supposed to include a nice day trip to the spa with Peyton, was ruined by a brown envelope. Two of them, actually, addressed to the both of us.

I tear the red seal with a fire stamp on it, and pull out the crisp white paper inside, before doing a quick scan. Fuck. I shoot a text to my mom's assisstant to change it to a day for one. Peyton wouldn't be going on any spa trips with me again, ever.

Still, I'd rather her hear this from me, finally, than from the whispers of everyone on campus. I shake her awake, immediately avoiding the hit that I knew was coming. She becomes violent when roused from sleep.

"This had better be good, Stassi. Otherwise, I'll take that new bag you just got and soak it in nail polish remover" she threatens. I smile sadly, knowing that I'd miss her humor after today. And aware that she'd definitely ruin my purse after this. I'd have to hide it.

"It's pretty bad, actually, Pey. I need to talk to you about something really important". She pushes herself up, and leans against the headboard sleepily, pulling the cover up to her chin.

"What's this about?" she asks, eyeing me warily.

"Skylar and Blake have an offline blog together, and they wrote about US in it. More specifically, about what went down Freshman year with Briar Hearst and Grayson. To be more accurate, what REALLY happened".

She gets a look on her face that I can't decipher, staring unblinkingly into my eyes.

"Continue".

"Well...Grayson never kissed Briar Hearst. She saw him making out with me. I can explain, although the words won't make it much better".

She grins, amused by my declaration. "There's no need. I'm well aware of what happened that night. My best friend and boyfriend went missing from a party at the same time, do you think I didn't follow?

I heard both of you venting to one another- him about me, and you about all of the pressure from your mom. You allowed him to talk about how clingy and obsessive I was without protest.

Why do you think I was so angry for all of these years? Out of everybody, he chose you to cheat on me with. And instead of telling me, you lied about it and bullied a girl out of here to cover your ass.

I know YOU, Nastassia Petrov, and I've never expected anything less. But I got my revenge. You showed Grayson your true colors, and I made sure that the two of you could never be friends. Plus, I robbed him of any relationship that he possibly could have had with a girl in this school, and YOU of any real friendship beside ours. I kept you all to myself since you felt too guilty to go against my word.

They do say payback's a bitch. And I've always been an ice cold one. Don't worry about the kiss, babe. We can call it even".