Ruthless

Chapter 31 EMILY FOLLOWS HER HEART

“Kelsey?” Emily pushed through the crowd, which had gotten even more packed since the party had begun an hour ago. When she turned a corner into one of the smaller dining rooms, everyone was gathered in a thick cluster, murmuring and staring as if something had just happened. Naomi, Riley, Kate, and Klaudia whispered heatedly. A cute, dark-haired guy was standing with them, and Emily did a double take. Was that Mr. Fitz, the old English teacher?

Emily had lost Kelsey as soon as she’d left the bathroom and hadn’t been able to find her since. Was Kelsey angry with Emily for knowing what Spencer had done but not saying anything?

Emily rushed past a large poster of Beau and Spencer’s portraits as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, and a guilty twinge twisted her gut. Spencer. Once upon a time, Emily had been fiercely loyal to her friends—it was why Her Ali used to call her “Killer.” Spencer had said some terrible things, but did that really warrant Emily outing her secret to Spencer’s enemy? Suddenly, a memory popped into her head: One night last summer, after her job at Poseidon’s, she’d gotten off the subway and spotted Spencer on the street corner, talking with a guy in a black beanie hat.

“Phineas, you’ve got to get me more,” Spencer begged.

The guy, Phineas, just shrugged. Emily had tried to get a good look at him—Spencer had mentioned him countless times—but he was standing in the shadows, his shoulders hunched. He said something Emily couldn’t hear.

“I wish you hadn’t turned me on to this in the first place,” Spencer said. “It’s ruined me.”

Phineas held up his hands helplessly. When Spencer’s shoulders started to shake, he didn’t comfort her.

Emily ducked around the corner, astonished. Spencer seemed so . . . weak. Overwhelmed. In trouble. Emily knew she should do something, make her presence known, throw her arms around Spencer and help her, but all she could think of was her scandalous pregnant belly. She didn’t want Spencer to see. It was just too horrifying.

Now, that reaction felt ridiculous. Spencer had found out Emily’s condition in the end—she, along with their other friends, had helped her when she had needed them most. If Emily had gone to Spencer in that moment, would she have gotten arrested? Would Kelsey have gone to juvie? Could Emily have prevented that horrible trajectory?

Suddenly, Aria’s face swam into view, breaking Emily from her thoughts. “I’ve been looking for you. Where have you been?”

Emily made a vague gesture. “Around. Listen, have you seen . . .” She was about to say Kelsey but stopped. “. . . Spencer?”

A strange look came over Aria’s face. “Didn’t you see what happened?”

Emily glanced into the shaken crowd again. “No . . .”

“I saw the tail end of it.” Aria’s eyes were wide. “But Spencer freaked. She attacked someone. I think it was that girl she’s convinced is A—Kelsey. She’s here.”

“Oh my God.” It was because of what Emily said about Spencer—Emily knew it. “Is anyone hurt?”

Aria shook her head. “But we need to find Spencer. Maybe she had a good reason to lash out like that.”

Emily stared around the room again. Suddenly, she saw a redheaded girl near the door, receiving her jacket from the coat-check girl. Kelsey.

She touched Aria’s arm. “I’ll be right back.”

Aria frowned. “Where are you going?”

“I’ll just be a sec.” Emily maneuvered awkwardly through the crowd of kids. By the time she got to Kelsey, Kelsey’s hand was on the front door. “Are you leaving?” Emily said breathlessly.

Kelsey turned and gave Emily a frazzled, almost puzzled look, as if she couldn’t exactly place who Emily was. Her lips were cracked, and her eyes bulged unnaturally. “Uh, yeah. I guess cast parties aren’t really my thing.”

“Did something happen?” Emily’s voice rose in pitch. “Did you talk to Spencer? You’re not mad at me, are you? For knowing? For not saying anything? I didn’t know how to tell you, but I should have.”

Kelsey’s lips parted. A muscle in her cheek twitched violently. Even though it was chilly in the coat-check area, beads of sweat had formed on her forehead. Wordlessly, she turned and started out the door to the parking lot.

“Where are you going?” Emily followed after her.

“Anywhere but here.” Kelsey stopped at her car and unlocked it with two sharp bleats. She pointed to the passenger side. “If you want to come, get in.”

Emily let out a long, relieved breath. She glanced back toward the restaurant, wondering if she should tell Aria where she was going. But Aria was looking for Spencer, and Emily doubted Spencer would want to see her right now. Emily wasn’t sure she was ready to see Spencer, either.

“I’m coming,” Emily said. She wrenched the door open and slid into the bucket seat.

Kelsey gave Emily a quick, twitchy grin. “Good,” she whispered, and then pulled out into the dark night.