As if Celia knew what I was thinking, she said, “Marcus.”
Growling, I pushed through the crowd. People had no problem carving a path for me like I was the queen at this party.
Sloane, with her short white hair and big brown eyes, was facing off against Holly Camara. Holly was the same height as Sloane, with long brown hair and blue eyes. Where Sloane had the weight, Holly had the muscle. The girl was in shape since she danced and did cheerleading.
“I was talking to Marcus.” Holly snarled at Sloane. “He’s not yours anymore.”
I grabbed Sloane’s arm and spun her to face me. “I didn’t invite you.”
She’d broken up with Marcus recently and was moving out of town.
Marcus stood behind the girls, watching intently with a smug grin as though he were enjoying being the proud peacock.
Sloane twisted her pink-painted lips, pinning her brown gaze on me. “Marcus invited me.”
I sneered at the younger Maxwell brother. “He was invited out of pity.”
Marcus didn’t react, which only infuriated me more.
Tessa Stevens, my former archenemy and head cheerleader, came to her teammate’s rescue. “Holly, she’s not worth it. She’s moving anyways. Marcus will be free soon.”
Holly shrugged off Tessa, wanting nothing more than to deck Sloane.
Oh, hell no.
“This is my party,” I said to Sloane. “Marcus had no right to invite you. So leave now.”
Sloane’s nostrils flared as she got in my face, practically touching my nose with hers “Or what, Quinn? You’re too much of a coward to punch me.”
She did not just say that. I didn’t even think. My fist was flying in one second flat. The crack of my knuckles hitting her jaw sounded like joy and felt like agony as the pain zipped up my arm.
As if my punch were the gun that went off to start a road race, shouts and catcalls ensued.
“Fight. Fight. Fight,” the crowd chanted.
Sloane returned the gesture, only she hit my mouth and not my nose.
Stars danced in my vision as blood seeped into my mouth. The metallic taste burst on my tongue and woke me up.
But before I could react, Celia jumped on Sloane’s back and grabbed handfuls of my enemy’s hair. “You can’t hit my best friend.”
“Get off me,” Sloane shrieked, throwing Celia to the ground.
As if in slow motion, my BFF fell backward, her head colliding with the barn floor.
Holly dove at Sloane, who fell into me, and I went down hard on my butt.
Liam ran up. “Ladies, enough!”
Maiken emerged from the crowd. “Quinn, are you okay?”
I crawled over to Celia on my hands and knees. Any pain I had was muted when I saw her unconscious. “Celia!” I tapped on her face, but she didn’t move. “Celia? Celia?” Tears burned my eyes, acid scorched my throat, and I had the urge to throw up.
Liam joined me on the floor, feeling for a pulse. “Maiken, call an ambulance. Dustin, get my dad. He’s up at the house.”
Tears poured out as I tapped Celia’s face again. “Hey, wake up.”
Hands landed on the sides of my arms. “Quinn,” Marcus said.
