Page 23 of Pawn

“I have a name!” I call as he heads down the hall, high-fiving someone else instead.

“You do, but not while you’re wearing that blazer.” Nate’s voice comes from behind and I spin around to see him and Allie walking towards us. Allie’s in her hoodie and kilt, same old knee-high boots. Nate has his blazer hanging off his strong shoulders, green loafers on his feet.

“My blazer?”

Allie starts pulling it off, my backpack dropping to the floor before she pushes it in my face.

Georgina scoffs. She doesn’t have enough artillery without her Squad leader around. “Freaks.” She gives an exaggerated eye-roll before walking away. So does Allie but before she can drop the blazer I catch it in my hands and see what all the fuss is about.

“Later, Scandal.” Nate wiggles his fingers as Allie drags him along. And so much for friends.

When I look at the back of the blazer in my hands, the fabric clenches in my hold. Embroidered in shiny gold letters reads “King’s.” Huffing, I scrunch it up and push it in my locker. He doesn’t even have to be here to make things difficult.

You’re mine, Medusa.

“Hey, Jo?” When I look to my right, Pixie’s made her way back to my locker. I don’t say anything. I just wait for it. A cruel joke. A stupid prank. “Do you think you can tell me about the next party?”

My head to the side, I make sure I heard that right. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I’ll carry your drink all night!” She gives me a wide grin and nods, her round cheeks spreading to her eyes.

The bell rings and I’m almost too stunned to answer. “I’m fine. That’s … not my thing,” I manage to say but she stands there blinking like a perky robot. “Uh, so, see ya.” Moving around her, I dash to my class, shaking my head the further I get.

As usual, ERA is too fucked to wrap my head around.

I try to ignore any attention I get through homeroom and focus on my new schedule instead. A new year and a new semester mean new classes. Chemistry. History. I don’t know how the fuck I ended up in Calculus, but to soften the blow, there’s swimming. Not that I know how to swim, we don’t have that shit in The Grove and if we do, it’s at the community center surrounded by sixty-year-olds in speedos.

For our first swimming class, we learn safety and some light CPR. When I text Holly about buying a swimsuit, I make sure to tell her nothing too flashy.

The weird energy from my classmates doesn’t let up all day. Some students look afraid to talk to me. Others congratulate me on being the star of a party that didn’t even happen. The rest are angry that I got the queen of the Supreme Squad sent away.

Basically, ERA is still unbearable. Especially when I don’t have my friends by my side.

Allie’s not exactly giving me the cold shoulder but she’s not exactly talking to me either. Neither is Nate which means neither is Carlos by association.

It’s hard but I get through the first day. When the final bell rings I dash to the door, ready to get some time to myself. Damien isn’t the only one with a plan. I’m on my way to the Archibalds. I just need some time alone. Some time on my own to think.

The chilly wind hits my face when I get through the doors before my boots stop in their path. Damien’s parked at the front of the school, leaning against his chrome Lambo, the paint reflecting the sun.

It sucks that he looks this good with little effort, my heartbeat booming at the sight of him. His hair isn’t done in any special way but the way it swoops over that grey eye, sparkling in the sun, makes him look unreal. He’s in that leather jacket, the one that matches mine, and the sweater he’s wearing under it shows off his board chest.

That doesn’t make this easy. Pulling my backpack in front, I pull the blazer out as I approach him, that sinfully sexy smirk growing on his face. When I get in front of him, I know everyone else leaving the school has their eyes on us, but I don’t care, I need to prove a point. Shoving it at his chest, he doesn’t move his arms to catch it so it hits the ground, “KING’S” facing the sky.

“I don’t belong to you, Damien,” I spit.

“That’s no way to treat a gift, Rowland,” he says, his eyes glancing around before they bore into me. His jaw goes tight. “You know better than that by now. Now pick up that blazer and get inside.” Pushing that tight ass off the hood of his car, he makes his way to the driver’s seat but I don’t budge.

“No!”

He growls over the shiny chrome roof, “I don’t remember making a suggestion.” He’s not liking my attitude but after the weird day I’ve had, after the fucked up night we’ve been through, I still don’t care.

“Jo?” Willow’s voice comes from behind me and when I turn around, Christian walks beside her. She’s approaching us with a wary look on her face. God, I’m putting this girl through so much. Christian shakes his head, heading for the school parking lot.

“Where the fuck are you going, Medusa?” Damien calls.

“You don’t own me!” I yell, taking my sister’s hand in mine, following Christian. When he unlocks the car, I usher her in.

“Woah, what are you doing?” Christian asks through the rearview, his seatbelt in his hand.

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