The Rivals Read Online Free PDF

me?” I ask.
    She nods. “Hell yeah.”
    I find myself wishing once again that I could just slide back to last year, to the way it was before I went to the Mockingbirds, before I became one, before everything about me was made public. “How did you know already that I’m head of the Mockingbirds?” I ask, because it’s not as if the Mockingbirds publicized my appointment with skywriting when my junior year ended a few months ago. Sure, word about my case—and my victory—started spreading, but not everyone here heard or cared that I was next in line to run the group. I was never tracking the comings and goings of the Mockingbirds roster before I needed them.
    “I knew you had your case last year, and I knew it was a big one. So I figured you were the one they asked to take over. I’m right, right?” she asks.
    “Yeah, you’re right. It’s me.”
    “He deserved it,” she says, narrowing her eyes, and I find myself softening, because she’s not like Natalie; she’s not like Ms. Merritt. She’s on my side, and I’d like to think that means she’s also on the good side, that she believes what I believe about the Mockingbirds—that we can help. “And now you get to be the enforcer. It’s poetic justice. It’s karma, you know.”
    I nod, liking the sound of poetic justice , but mostly liking the fact that though this girl knows my history, she sees me as a survivor, not a victim; a leader, not a slut. She may know my past, she may be privy to the report card on my sexual history, but she sees beyond it. I like her.
    “So how can I help you?” I ask. “And while we’re at it, how about a name? You know mine. What’s yours?”
    “Delaney Zirinski,” she says, and the name clicks instantly.
    “Delaney, you’re the girl who—” I start, then catch myself before saying more.
    “Yeah, I’m the girl who ,” she says, throwing it right back at me.
    I’m embarrassed as I fumble around on the job. And I deserve to have my words tossed back at me. Because here I am identifying her by the legend that precedes her, when I, of all people, should know better.
    “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry,” I say, because I don’t want to do to her what people are doing to me.
    But, like me, she is twined to her past. Everyone knows her here. Or knows of her , at least.
    “It’s cool,” she says, and then she stands taller, straighter, prouder as she continues. “I’m the girl who got kicked out of Matthew Winters. I’m the girl who got invited back. I’m the girl who said you can take your lame-ass apology and shove it .”
    I want to be like her. I want to own my past like she does. I want to say let them talk and then walk away without caring what people might think about me.
    Delaney Zirinski descended on Themis Academy last year in a cloud of controversy. She had gone to Matthew Winters in Exeter, New Hampshire, and had been accused of cheating by other students. The school investigated the claims—there was even a full disciplinary hearing with teachers and students jointly presiding over it—and found her guilty. She was promptly kicked out in what became a very public display of the school’s vaunted zero tolerance policy. But then, lo and behold, it turned out Delaney had been framed. Set up by the other students. The school’s headmaster made another very public display—this time of humility. He said all the right things: it’s our fault; we’re so sorry; you are welcome back. But Delaney and her mom would have none of it. Then Ms. Merritt swooped in, offering Delaney a slot at Themis Academy and embracing her with open arms.
    Did I mention that Matthew Winters is one of our biggest rivals? Both our headmistress and the dean were thrilled to grant asylum to the student one of our biggest rivals shouldn’t have disgraced. They made sure to point out that Themis would never cast aspersions on a student. What they didn’t say was that Themis would never do anything about anything,