Chapter 2
Thank God I finally made it through.
Today was the day Grayson finally showed his true colors.
After school, Grayson refused to take the bus home with me.
“Stella, you know my family’s place got bought out for development, right?”
“You know how much we got?”
He held up his fingers.
“Thirty million.”
I won’t be taking the bus anymore.”
You get what I’m saying?”
Honestly? I didn’t.
So I just said:
Cool, we can split Ubers then!”
Grayson clicked his tongue.
It’s not about transportation.”
Then what’s it about?”
His tone suddenly felt like I was talking to a stranger.
‘Mom says we’re moving out of this dump soon.”
‘I mean, we’re basically millionaires now. And you’re…”
“I’m what?”
Grayson sighed.
“I didn’t want to spell it out, but damn, you’re dense.”
Chapter 2
“Everyone deserves to reach for something better. You can’t expect me to hold myself back, right?”
“So Stella, you get it now?”
After all that bullshit, I finally understood what Grayson meant.
He thinks his family’s payout makes him too good for me.
He wants to dump me.
Fine.”
He looked shocked that I agreed so easily.
had to ask:
Who’s this ‘something better”?”
Sutton Clarke.”
She’s more… on my level right now.”
- The gorgeous rich girl everyone worships.
Cool.”
pulled out my phone.
I’ll agree to break up, but you’re telling my mom yourself.”
irayson frowned.
Stella, we’re not kids anymore. Is that really necessary?”
stood firm.
She won’t believe it unless she hears it from you.”
He clicked his tongue again.
‘Fine.”
“TskTsk. Breaking up with poor people is such a hassle.”
Excuse me?
Chapter 2
Poor people? Is he talking about me?
When Mom heard Grayson’s voice, she lit up.
Grayson sweetie! Come over for dinner tonight!”
Your mom’s been MIA lately-not answering calls or texts.”
Grayson was quiet for a moment, like he actually felt bad.
Actually, I’m calling to tell you something.”
I think we need to focus on school right now. We can’t get distracted by relationships.”
So Stella and I decided to break up amicably.”
What do you mean amicably?!”
yelled into the phone:
Grayson, stop lying!”
Mom! His family got rich and now he thinks I’m not good enough!”
He’s dumping me for the popular girl!”
Grayson hung up immediately.
Stella Sterling!”
First time he’d ever snapped at me like that.
Why can’t you be classy about this?”
‘Did you have to make me look like the bad guy to your mom?”
Are you kidding me right now?
“Whatever, it’s done.”
“Starting tomorrow I’m officially going after Sutton. Tell everyone at school we’re over.”
Watching Grayson walk away, I felt weirdly grateful Mom made me play poor all these years.
How else would I have seen his true colors?
Chapter 2
But what made me happiest?
Finally done pretending to be broke.
And no more fucking buses.
