Read Online The Original Crowd by Tijan - Free Book Online

yelling. Rounding the corner, I saw Tray leaning against the counter again, his eyes unreadable as he watched the scene before him. Mandy, eyes wild, hands gesturing in the air, was ranting about Devon and Jasmine. Seeing Grant lounging in the doorway, I figured he was her sober-cab since it was obvious Mandy was very drunk. Her speech was slurring, but everyone could make out exactly who she was damning to hell, the cheating bastard.
    Spotting me, she exclaimed, “I know now, Taryn! I know now. God, I want to kill that bastard. I thought she was a friend, but Jasmine’s nothing more than a back-stabbing bitch slut.”
    I was at a loss. Mandy was beyond control right now. Tray and Grant both looked detached, as if this were a common occurrence, one they’d grown immune to. And maybe it was.
    “Huh,” I faltered, shaking my head, “so you walked in on them?”
    That was the wrong thing to say because Mandy launched into a screech, painting a vivid picture of what she saw when she caught them: what clothes were missing, what position they were in, and the grunting noises they were making.
    “Okay,” I said quickly, “that’s good, I get the picture.”
    Mandy let out a sob, you could hear the catch in her throat when she said, “It’s been going on for a year.”
    I met Tray’s eyes, he was bemused, remembering my promise.
    “That slut has been going behind my back for a year. It started last year at homecoming. At Bryce’s party. I was in New York with student council so I missed it and I guess Devon got lonely,” she said bitterly, hiccupping on a sob. “I fucking hate them!”
    I moved beside her, but stayed a few feet away.
    “Oh my God, Taryn!” she wailed. “What am I going to do? Everyone’s going to know. And…I’m…I loved him. He was my first, you know…how could she do this to me? What am I thinking, of course she would’ve. Jasmine’s screwed every guy in our grade. They all just run to her, the only guy who’s sent her packing was Tray,” she scoffed, gesturing carelessly in Tray’s direction. “Guess she had to move onto a new target. Bryce wasn’t enough for her.”
    “You get even,” I said coldly, “and you keep your head high at school. Fuck whoever knows or talks about it.”
    “I don’t know if I can,” she sniffed, her eyes glued to mine, “I’m…I’m not like you.”
    “That’s bullshit,” I said firmly, not blinking. “You just haven’t gone through what I have.”
    “Yeah, but—”
    “No, Mandy. First thing first though,” I glanced to Grant, “can you give us a ride home? Devon was our ride here.”
    “Yeah, sure,” he said in surprise.
    “I want to get even. Tonight,” Mandy cried. “I want to—”.
    “Mandy,” I interrupted, “you need a shower. You need to calm down—slightly—and then we’ll figure out what we’re going to do.”
    She stared at me, seemingly enraptured by whatever she saw in my eyes, before she nodded slowly. “Okay.” She sniffed, moving to follow Grant as he was already walking outside.
    As I moved to follow, Tray pulled me back and asked quietly, “What are you planning?”
    “Why?” I shot back. “You want to get involved?”
    “No, but Devon’s a good guy even though he cheated on her. He doesn’t deserve whatever you might be dishing out.”
    “That is just like you to say he’s still a good guy. He’s a cheater. He’ll always be a cheater.”
    “Look, just don’t…paralyze the guy or something. He’s our best linebacker.”
    I wrenched my arm away, fixing him with a cold stare. “And we’re back to the precious football team…with their new game book.”
    His eyes went cold as he stepped back. “Whatever.”
    I walked out, letting the door slam shut behind me.
    *
    We didn’t end up doing anything that night. Mandy cried the entire ride back to our house. After she showered, she curled up on my bed and cried herself to sleep. I wasn’t sure what to do, so I slept on the couch in my room. I