Pretty Dark Nothing Read Online Free Page A

muttered to the picture as if it were Jeff in the flesh. “I trusted you. What do you see in her, anyway? God, I wish cameras had never been invented.” Quinn threw the picture frame into the back of her locker, slamming it shut.
    “Hey. What’s itching you this morning?” Teresa linked her arm through Quinn’s. “Let me guess. Kerstin?”
    “She’s like a rash that won’t go away,” Quinn said. “Seriously, Reese, sometimes I want to punch the freckles right off her nose.”
    “I get that.” Teresa pulled Quinn into a hug. “But she’s really not worth it.”
    “Easy for you to say. She didn’t steal your boyfriend.”
    “You can’t steal a guy that doesn’t want to be stolen.” Teresa brushed her long, black hair out of her face. “Besides, that was over two months ago. You would think rubbing it in your face would get old by now. When did she turn into such a bitch?”
    “The day she was born,” Quinn said.
    “Hey, Q.T.! Reese!” Ami bounded across the hall, her arms full of books, eyes flashing. “Want to hear the latest?” Ami launched into tell-all mode before either had time to answer. “Well, I just heard from Tyra who heard from Ashley that Marie is desperately in love with Aaron Collier. Do you blame her? He’s so cute. I wouldn’t mind going out with him. If I weren’t dating Jordan, of course.”
    Ami grinned, shuffled the books in her arms, pushed her Gucci glasses back up her nose, and took a huge breath.
    “Have you seen the motorcycle Aaron rides? And his earring? I’ve been trying to get more info on him for Marie, but he’s mucho misterioso . A year of living in Westland, but nobody seems to know much about him. Marcus told Marie that Aaron lives with his dad and brother over on Oakmont, but he’s never been invited over. Not the greatest neighborhood. Maybe he’s too embarrassed to have anyone over, or maybe he’s an axe murderer. And Marcus says he’s in a band. A sexy, hot, axe murderer-musician. Oh, it gets my blood pumping! Anyway, Marie really wants him to ask her to homecoming, but he doesn’t seem interested. Are you listening to me?” Ami followed Quinn’s gaze across the hall. Jeff and Kerstin’s lips were locked together in a serious smooch fest.
    “Can you believe them? Don’t they ever come up for air? Get a room!” Reese yelled at the tongue wrestlers. “He’s such an ass. You should be glad you’re not with him anymore.”
    Reese and Ami moved in front of Quinn to block her view, but between now and this morning, the image had already burned itself into her memory. A dull ache started behind her right eye, rapidly spreading across her forehead. Quinn rubbed her temple and leaned against the locker, too tired to care.
    “Yeah, totally forget about them!” Ami added. “Kerstin will never be able to replace you. Yeah, she’s with Jeff now, and Coach White did appoint her as cheerleading captain while you’re on academic probation, but … ”
    “Who told you that?” Reese snapped.
    “Nobody. It’s not that hard to figure out. Coach White says it’s because you’re overstressed, but everyone knows that’s code for academic probation. What happened, Quinn? You always get straight A’s. I mean, I know you’re having a bad year with the whole Kerstin stealing your boyfriend thing, but—”
    “I don’t think you’re helping.” Reese poked Ami to shut her up.
    It was true; Ami wasn’t helping. God, she wanted to disappear. On top of that, everywhere Quinn turned, there were Jeff and Kerstin, fondling one another. Her energy ebbed, and her lids grew heavy, the conversation between Ami and Reese a lulling rhythm. She closed her eyes for a second.
    Fog seeped from the lockers and folded itself around her, cloaking her in overwhelming doom. Ami and Reese’s voices sounded miles away. Their forms, eclipsed by misty darkness, faded in and out of her vision. She focused on the black-and-white tiles of the hallway floor, hoping to steady