I sighed and dropped my keys on the granite of the kitchen counter with a clank before sitting down next to her at the table. “I’ve had a bad night,” I said.
“Oh, no. How bad?”
I looked up to see my mother’s eyes wide with concern. Her graying hair was pulled tight in a low bun at the nape of her neck.
“Mom,” I said, feeling my lower lip begin to quiver. “Aiden’s dating another girl.” And with that, I promptly fell apart.
“Shh…” my mother soothed, reaching over to brush back my hair as I laid my head on the cloth of the kitchen table. “Are you sure?”
“I saw him with her tonight,” I said, my voice choked off from the tears. “I saw them kiss.”
My mother tsked, and I felt her rest her cheek on mine. “It’ll be okay, sweetie.”
“It won’t,” I said. “He was with Mary Rudick.”
“Your ex-captain?” My mother straightened up and took me by the chin, helping me do the same. “But that’s against Smitten Kitten rules!” Her normally pale skin had grown a little pink in the cheeks.
I nodded. “I know. My own cheermate betrayed me. She’s even been telling the squad not to let me rejoin.”
“She can’t do that!”
I started tearing up again. Right then, I couldn’t even be angry; I was just so hurt by Aiden. “I love him, Mom. And he doesn’t love me anymore.”
My mother shook her head. “I’m sure that’s not true, Tessa.” She gave me a reassuring smile. “You’re a wonderful, beautiful girl. Aiden’s in college. Maybe he needs some time. Maybe he needs to figure out some things about himself right now.”
I sniffled, trying to decide if my mother was just trying to make me feel better or if she really thought Aiden still loved me. “I’m going to a party,” I said weakly. “The squad wants me to give Chris Townsend a chance.”
My mother smiled. “He’s a very nice boy. Cute, too.”
I laughed. “Yeah.”
My mother reached out, putting her hand over mine on the table. “Why don’t you give it a try? Honey, if you and Aiden are right for each other, he’ll come back. And if not…” She furrowed her brow and didn’t finish her sentence. But that was okay; I didn’t really want her to.
“I’ll try,” I said, twitching my nose. “Thanks, Mom.” I leaned over to give her a hug, holding back my tears. I was glad she was here tonight to comfort me. I knew the Smitten Kittens couldn’t do it right now, with all the mess we were in. And with Izzie’s trouble, I hardly felt right asking.
“It’s going to be okay,” my mother whispered in my ear as she held me.
I closed my eyes, leaning into her shoulder. Right now, I really needed to hear that.
ASSIGNMENT 1
7:00 A.M., SEPTEMBER 19
The operative waited patiently behind the blue Waste Management Dumpster. It smelled like rotten banana peels and sweat socks over there, but it was the best place from which to view the high school’s music room. Riley played bass in the band, and the operative had discovered that he and Megan had begun meeting there before school to talk. Or maybe more.
As a figure walked into the classroom, the operative crouched down, her black boots squishing in the sludge that was leaking from under the Dumpster. She crinkled her nose and took out her video camera to begin recording.
It was Riley. His navy blue T-shirt looked wrinkled, and she was almost positive that it didn’t match the track pants he was wearing. She wondered about the sudden change in his appearance.
Megan appeared. She came running in the room, her straight hair trailing behind her like a blonde ribbon.
From outside, the operative couldn’t hear what they were saying, and she hadn’t had enough time to plant a recorder. No. She’d have to use her lip-reading ability again. She was proud of the progress, really. Those online courses were very thorough.
Megan was talking, her arms flailing around her as she did. She looked upset. The operative narrowed her eyes and readjusted her feet in the sludge. She moved her lips along with Megan’s.
“Riley, it’s over. I don’t care. Jenn is going to find out! Yes—you know I do! Look, with this rumor about SOS going around, I can’t risk it!”
Right then, Megan’s lips began to tremble, making it hard for the operative to translate her words. Instead she pondered her next move.
If Megan cut off the relationship, Jenn would never find out about the almost affair with her best friend and boyfriend. That wouldn’t do.
The operative stood, her blood pumping as she walked closer to the window, not even trying to stay hidden anymore. But the subjects weren’t looking at her; they were staring at each other, looking heartbroken.
“Aw…” the operative muttered bitterly. “Maybe next time you don’t mess with an attached guy.” Once at the window, the operative leaned against it, running her fingers quietly down the glass as she recorded them.
Riley reached over, taking Megan’s hands as she cried, looking at the floor. He was murmuring something, something that looked like “I love you.”
Megan tilted her head toward Riley—her mascara smudged under her eyes, causing her makeup to become a monster-movie disaster. She said something, but the operative couldn’t read it. But she could guess.
Then it happened. Megan got up on her tiptoes, and Riley put his hands on her cheeks and leaned down, touching his lips to hers. Slowly they became more passionate until it was a full-on make out. The operative smiled and clicked off her camera.
Bingo. With that, she pulled a business card out of her black wraparound trench coat. She turned the stiff paper over in her hand. Then she brought the card to her mouth and kissed it, leaving a smooth, dark print.
Pulling back, she smiled. Then she took the card and slapped it—lipstick side first—against the window with a loud bang so it stuck there. Both Riley and Megan jumped apart, but the operative turned, flipping her black hood over her hair, and began walking across the parking lot. Away from them. Away from the smell of trash.
She could hear the window open behind her, probably to pull in the card. And even from a few yards away, she heard Megan gasp.
Now that Megan and Riley knew they were being followed, things would change. But first, there was time for revenge.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I’D JUST CAUGHT MY FAVORITE GUY WITH MY NOT-so-favorite ex-captain, and I couldn’t even enjoy the weekend. I spent it on the couch with a pint of Chubby Hubby ice cream and a CSI marathon—at least some of those people were worse off than me. To make life more tragic, I had to go to school on Monday looking halfway decent. The whole “getting back on the squad” image.