Betrayed (The New Yorker) Read Online Free PDF Page A

Blondie’s next comment had her on her feet.
    “Maybe your stripper mother knows
her trade well. She must have trapped him by getting pregnant with your ugly
sister.”
    Lisette was seeing red. She took
two gigantic steps toward her target. “What did you say your name was again?”
    “Victoria—”
    “Listen, Blondie—”
    “I said Victoria—”
    “I heard—my head just doesn’t
absorb bullshit. If you ever speak about my family like that again, I will
knock your teeth out.”
    Lisette had issued her warning and
was just about to walk away when Victoria said “Slut—like mother, like
daughter.”
    Lisette’s rage led her from then
on. She put all her weight and strength into just one punch, and that was
enough to have Victoria on her ass, nose bleeding. But the sight of blood
didn’t make her feel like she had got her revenge. Instead Lisette wanted more.
She sat on Victoria and began slapping her, interchanging hands with the move
Victoria’s head made from side to side.
    She swore she was going to pull
each and every single blonde lock of hair, and leave Victoria with a shinny bald head. But her attack was stopped when she felt
an arm curl around her waist and pull her off her victim.
    “What is wrong with you?” She heard
Reno bellow as he set her on her feet, and used his body as a barrier for
Victoria. “Can’t you just leave me alone?”
    Lisette’s rage was now replaced by
embarrassment. Reno was making it clear to the whole football team and her new
sworn enemy that he didn’t want her. She chuckled at how ironic it all seemed
the one guy she wanted didn’t want her back. She smirked at him and looked past
him to Victoria. She already had half the football team fawning over her.
“Listen to me very carefully Bitch- toria , if you ever
speak of my family again, you won’t know what hit you.”
    Lisette turned on her heel in a
huff and stormed off. She had reached the school parking lot when she heard
someone run up behind her. She took a look over her shoulder and there was
Reno. Not thinking her next action through, all Lisette knew was she wanted to
get away. She began to run to her car. She unlocked and opened the front door,
and jumped in. Lisette was just about to pull away when Reno planted himself in
her path.
    She rolled the window down and
shouted out. “You’d better get out of my way or I will run you over.”
    “I don’t doubt it.” His lips curled
into a sly grin.
    “What do you want, my ego can only
take so much rejection in one day,” she yelled again.
    “Get out of the car.”
    “Why, you want payback for your
bitch of a girlfriend.” Just then she saw his face cringed as if he were in
pain. Awesome Lisette, she chided
herself. “I didn’t mean that you were going to hit me. But she deserved it.”
    Lisette watched as Reno walked to
the passenger door. She rolled the window down and for a few seconds they just
stared at each other.
    “What did she say to you?”
    “I’d rather not repeat it.” Lisette
stared straight ahead as her fingers curled tighter around the leather steering
wheel.
    “Nice car.”
    “Thanks, it’s supposed to be safe,
fast and it looks good too.” She scanned the interior of her car.
    “You don’t seem to like it very
much.” He grinned.
    “I would rather have a Volkswagen.
You know those little cute ones. But my papa says this is much safer. Safety before luxury.”
    “Do you want to go out with me
tonight?” Reno asked.
    Lisette stared at him, sure he was
going to take back his offer, or tell her that he was just joking. But he
seemed serious. Lisette smiled and almost said yes, but then a thought came to
mind. “Is this a pity date?”
    “No.”
    “You told me to leave you alone.”
    “I know.”
    “But now you are asking me out?”
    “Yes.”
    “Do you always answer questions
with one or two words?”
    “Maybe.”
    “Fine. I’ll wait
for you here.”
    Reno backed away from the car and
turned toward the locker room