Page 85 of Knox Academy Omnibus
“Busy. It’s no use acting out you know...he won’t send you home.”
Anger surges through me and I turn to Sawyer. I stare at his handsome face and I miss him so much it hurts. I hate that maybe he was playing me too, just like his brothers. Rage bubbles to the surface and I’m helpless to prevent it boiling over.
“I wish everyone would stop saying that!” I throw my hands up in the air and strike his chest with every word. Ah crap, I’m beating on a teacher. I’m so screwed.
“Amelie...Amelie...STOP!” Sawyer, to be fair, doesn’t lay a hand on me, but I don’t listen to him either. I continue to hit him, angry hot tears burning my cheeks as they fall without my permission.
Sawyer eventually snaps and grabs me by the tops of my arms. I struggle and fight against him, but he's too strong. He drags me through the nearest door, which turns out to be one of the girls’ bathrooms. He checks it’s empty and locks the door, shoving me against the wall. All self defence training has fled my mind; I just wildly kick out at him and struggle to break free. He shakes me, banging my head against the wall a little and I’m sure he’s about to lose his shit with me like he did in the kitchen at Monty’s house. Instead, he surprises me by planting his lips on mine.
Sawyer’s kiss is bruising, punishing, desperate. It shreds my soul and leaves me ragged and in tatters. His kiss is genuine; he’s not playing with me like the others, filling me with hope.
But his kiss is also as anguished as I feel. He wants me, but can’t have me. We can’t be together. This can never work. It’s a bucket of icy water wake up call.
We break apart at the same time, like we both just had the exact same realisation.
“Amelie, I’m so sorry-” Sawyer begins.
“Don’t-” I warn him.
“I have to tell you this, sorry. But I really care about you. Way more than I should. Not as a student or as a stepsister. And it’s driving me crazy that I can’t be with you in the way that you deserve.”
A sob wrenches free from my throat, and I push past him without speaking. I couldn’t even if I tried. What do you say tothat? Instead, I unlock the door and bolt, and Sawyer doesn’t come after me.
I arrive at Monty's office out of breath and panting, but thankfully I’m no longer crying. He’s standing at the open door waiting for me.
“Where’s Mr Knox?” he asks me as I enter his office and take a seat. I see that my message has been cleaned off the mirror...no, actually, the mirror has been replaced. It’s similar, but definitely different. I snort.
“I’m glad you're amused, Amelie,” Monty says as he closes the door and rounds his desk to take his seat.
“It’s not like I need a chaperone. I know where your office is.”
“I was afraid you would run,” he tells me.
“Where to?” I snap. “We’re in the middle of nowhere.”
“And yet, that hasn’t stopped you from leaving campus without permission before.
“What can I say,” I shrug nonchalantly. “It’s taco day in the canteen. I love me some tacos.”
“Be serious,” he tells me. There’s almost heat to his words, like I’m getting under his skin but he’s desperate not to show it.
“I never joke about food.”
“Why did you do it?”
“Do what?” I bat my eyelashes at him with a pantomime of false innocence. I’m enjoying myself.
“I don’t know what you hoped to achieve by breaking into my office to leave that petulant message.”
“Why don’t you have a picture of Laura in here?” I ask, throwing him off guard. He blinks rapidly for a moment, stunned.
“I don’t like to mix home with work.”
“Well that’s bullshit,” I snort. I don’t give a fuck about using bad language around him now. I’m done playing nice. “It wasmyheadmasterwho bribed me with a credit card on the proviso that I played nicely with mymother.”
“Amelie, I know why you’re at the school, but under normal circumstances your rap sheet wouldn’t be enough to warrant a place at a school like this. You are here as a favour to your mother who was looking for an opportunity to get closer to you and mend bridges. Not all pupils are the same. There are some very...unsavoury characters here at Knox Academy. Some who would use your mother to hurt me, given half a chance. And that is why I don’t keep a photo of her in my office.”
He’s good, I’ll give him that. But I survived on reading people and I know that he’s playing me right now.
