Page 60 of The Monster I Am
Parker leans over and whispers something in Arch’s ear, the pair exchanging heated words while I attempt to placate my friend.
“I don’t understand…” she murmurs sadly. “Why would they do this? Do you think it has something to do with…” Trailing off, Soph scans the passing crowd nervously. “That thing?”
That thingbeing Rylan’s confession.
“Of course it is,” I answer with a sigh. “Liv just can’t seem to help herself. Her Willowbrook posse are mad and they know they can’t take it out on their leaders. So, we’re the next best thing.”
She scowls angrily. “They can’t punish you for Liv’s stupid insecurities. And this is beyond pranks and cruel words. It’s violence.”
“I know it is,” I reply. “But it doesn’t change the fact I’m sleeping with their leaders.”
Soph nods slowly. “Two of them anyway.”
I freeze, momentarily forgetting the radiating pain in my side and upper body from hitting the lockers. I haven’t had a chance to fill her in yet, and if I’m being honest, now is not the time or place either.
“I need to go get cleaned up and figure shit out,” I casually say, turning to Arch. “What do you want to do?”
Arch flicks a soggy piece of bread off his forearm. “Truthfully? I want to get the fuck out of here and shower. But we can’t.”
“Why not?” Soph asks, bewildered.
Laughing sarcastically, I raise a knowing eyebrow at her. “Because we’d look like we were running away. It’s what they want.”
She gapes at me. “And the alternative is staying here covered in trash juice?”
“Yep,” I answer dryly. “It’s great being me.”
Parker glares at some freshmen who giggle as they pass, their footsteps hastily picking up speed in fright when he curses them.
“And it couldn’t have happened tomorrow,” Soph scoffs. “At least you’d have your gym clothes.”
Straightening up, an idea hits me. I beam at her, grabbing the sides of her arms.
“I could kiss you, Sophia Beckett. But I won’t… because Parker scares me more than those pin-dick jocks ever could.”
I send Arch home with the promise to hold down the fort. Nurse Millar was kind as usual and signed off on him being excused for the rest of the day.
Me, however? I’m out for blood.
Never piss off a woman whose only crime is liking a good dicking.
I know I’ll get in some shit for skipping class, but those consequences I’ll deal with later. The quiet corridors help put my plan into action, and when the break begins, I start hunting down the head cheerleader.
If she wants to fuck around, she can enter thefind outterritory.
People gasp and gawk at me as I stroll toward the quadrangle with my head held high. They’re in too much shock to do much else, completely stunned when I pass by with my sights on the glass door.
Liv is easy to spot, twirling her long hair in the sunlight. Every now and again, she glances over her shoulder with a smirk at someone. I don’t need the visual confirmation to see it’s Rylan, his disinterested frame paying no attention to her antics.
Perfect. The three of them are together by the wolf statue. It’s only fitting that they witness this.
I have no idea if they have been made aware of what went down, but at the moment, it’s not even a question in my mind as I lock in on my target.
Don’t punch her. Don’t punch her. Don’t fucking hit her.
Reminding myself that being expelled is a bad idea, I dig deep into my self-control as I step through the doors of the quad, eyes narrowing as Liv’s piercing squeal hits my ears.
More gasps explode around me, people stunned into silence. At least the dimwit has some awareness of her surroundings, body stilling as she takes notice of the change of atmosphere from people in the quad.
