Page 22 of Pawn

“Low!” I call after her but the door closes before she skips towards someone she now trusts more than her own sister.

Six

Jo

If ERA burned down at this very moment, I wouldn’t give a fuck.

I’d be ecstatic that I didn’t have to go through the torture of this day.

Christian and Isaac are both gone when I’m finally out of the car and I never thought I’d be wishing for Damien to still be here. At least he’d be a distraction.

A tall, chiselled, hunk of a distraction.

Everyone watches me as I walk in, like they know I’ve got blood on my hands. They don’t do a good job at hiding their whispers either. Never did.

“There she is.”

“Stay away from her.”

“Ssh, she’s looking this way.”

I’m still the social outcast. I’m still the Grim Reaper.

Letting my hair hang in my face I’m quick to my locker, avoiding everyone in my path. It’s time to go back to what I learned in The Grove. Head down, boots fast. Sticking to the dress code will help me do that. Tucking my leather jacket in my locker, I straighten out my uniform and pray for a quiet day.

“Nice blazer, Medusa.” When I turn around, one of the guys from the hockey team walks by, winking a sparkly blue eye. He tosses a puck in his hand. “Or is it King’s?”

“What?” I ask but he keeps going, laughing with the other boys around him.

A student bumps into me as I stare down the sparkling hall in a daze.

“Oh shit, I’m so sorry!” she explains, hands out in front of her, eyes avoiding my narrowed gaze. “Please don’t hurt me!” she squeaks, taking off down the hall.

My brows knit. Is it just me or is everyone being extra weird today?

“Hey, Medusa.” Georgina slams the wooden door to my locker closed. Tossing shiny blonde hair behind her, she leans against the wooden row. Her eyes narrow, straight nose scrunching. “I heard what happened.”

My body stiffens, my breath in my throat but I try to play it cool, giving her a look from head to toe. She’s added a sparkling belt to the waist of her uniform, cinching her blazer above her kilt. “What do you want, Georgina?”

“I heard about the party last night.” She checks her green and white nails as if she wasn’t the one to start the conversation. Like she’s already bored with me. “Heard it was killer.”

The last word echoes through my ears and they sound like they’re ringing through the halls.

Killer. Killer. Killer.

I straighten my posture, waiting for my demise with my head high.

“You think just because Lea’s not here and you’re with King you run this school?” she asks. “Guess what? You don’t! I do.” A snicker comes from behind her, Pixie backing up her crew as usual.

My chest falls and she arches a shaped brow when I let out an exhale. She’s not talking about what happened on Damien’s roof at all. Wait.

King’s?

My fists clench. “He doesn’t own me, Georgina and I know you’re mad you weren’t invited, but are you really surprised?” That gets her jaw to drop while I give her the bitchiest smile in return.

“Hey, it’s King’s girl!” Another jock in a jersey passes by, holding out a high-five for me but I leave him hanging.

He shrugs, walking away.

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