Page 63 of The Monster I Am
I sneak into the closest restroom, checking for the all-clear first. Ironic since it’s the same one that Millie’s friend overheard someone talking about the fire during the night of the dance.
I wouldn’t put it past Liv to arrange another ambush but, thankfully, there’s only one other person inside a stall when I enter.
Darting into a stall, I close the door behind me. I waste no time jiggling around as I dig the shorts out of the unholy darkness,cursing quietly under my breath when they immediately get sucked back into my ass crack. Dammit.
These stupid things are a lost cause. I swear I’m cursed to endure booty shorts at this academy. Maybe Rylan might be more generous this time and let me have his pants if I let him into mine.
Do these things even count as shorts? I’ve seen bikini models with more clothing on their peaches.
As I fetch my phone out to ask Rylan if he’s got a spare pair, the sound of soft sobs catches my attention from the next stall.
“Hey?” I say, frowning. “Are you okay in there?”
There’s a sharp sniffle as someone obviously wipes their nose in a hasty attempt to cover up their despair.
“I’m fine,” a meek voice replies, and I’m taken aback. Why do they sound so familiar?
I exit the stall and stand in front of their door, tapping my knuckles on the wood gently. “Are you sure?” I ask. “Do you need a tampax or something?”
Soph has trained me well. I always make sure I carry multiple spares now in case there’s another period emergency. But hey—it led to one hell of a friendship. Girlhood could solve a lot of the problems in this world.
“No,” the soft voice answers sadly. “I’m fine.”
It’s on the tip of my tongue, face twisting as I run through possibilities. Finally, it clicks, and I lean closer to the door.
“Peyton? Is that you?”
The person on the other side of the door falls silent, movement halting. Slowly, I hear the lock turn, and Peyton’s face appears, mascara streaks staining her cheeks.
“I’m okay, Bexley. Thank you for checking on me,” she mutters.
She goes to close the door again but I stop her with my hand. “Wait,” I say quickly. “Did Liv do something to you because of me?”
I swear if that narcissistic idiot took her frustration out on her friend, I’ll lose my shit. Peyton has been nothing but nice to me this entire time, only tied to Liv by association. Even though she’s a cheerleader and I know very little about her, I get the impression she’s not in the same camp as them. Especially since she looked rather cozy with Steele at the dance.
Peyton shakes her head, wiping her nose with a snotty inhale. “No, nothing like that. She’s gone to get her nail fixed.”
“Oh,” I murmur in relief. “Want to talk about it? I’m a good listener.”
I expect her to refuse politely, but when she hesitates for a moment, I recognize the desperate silent cry for a friend.
“Come on,” I gesture with a warm smile. “Let’s go for a drive. I’ll sneak you out.”
Peyton’s light brown eyes glimmer molten honey in the sunlight, fixed on the tiny waves lapping at the rocks.
I don’t know why the beach is always my go-to, but there’s something soothing about the quiet, gentle breeze and water that helps calm my nervous system. So, I figured it might help Peyton too.
We barely spoke on the drive here, and even now, she’s a locked fortress. But her body is less tense, hugging her knees as we sit in the sun.
“Can I call anyone for you?” I offer. “A friend or relative?”
A small smile cracks through, but she shakes her head. “I just need a moment. I’ll be okay.”
I nod. “Sounds like one of those days all around.”
Peyton turns her head to face me, cheeks still pink and blotchy. “I’m so sorry for what they did to you. I don’t understand why they are so cruel.”
“It’s not your fault,” I tell her. “Some people are just like that. But we’re not—and that’s the main thing.”
