Page 16 of SNOB

My hand comes to my neck when he releases me, my body collapsing against the wall as I try to catch my breath.

“What’s the matter?” he chides, his finger coming to my chin with a strike of lightning. When I try to pull back, he lifts my head until I’m staring into those soulless eyes. “If you can’t handle that, you won’t handle what else I have coming.” And with that, he turns towards the door, unlocking it with one last look over his shoulder. “Next time I see you, you’ll be making those sounds on my cock.”

Greta backs out of his way as he exits, like he’s a landslide ready to demolish her. It’s not until the door closes that I can finally breathe again.

Greta rushes towards me as I slide to the floor. “God, Ember, are you okay?” Her eyes dart around me as if she’s checking for scars. “Did he hurt you?”

My lip burns like a wasp left its stinger, and I can still feel his grip around my throat. “I’m fine.”

Her hand comes to my shoulder, another sting coming with it. “I told you to stay away from The Crown. Especially Mac.”

“He came after me.”

Greta reaches into her leather tote, pulling out a silky black scrunchie. She pulls my hair up, putting it in a bun. “What did you do? Is it because of Hannah?” Moving to the sink, she grabs another fresh towel from a golden-handled drawer. “I didn’t think he’d care since they broke up.”

My stomach twists. “He dated Hannah?” Why am I surprised? They’re meant for each other.

She pats at my outfit, wiping my face. “It was more of a situationship. She wanted commitment. He wanted to fuck.” Her last word doesn’t calm the churn in my gut as her fingers come to my neck, cold and gentler than Mac’s. She mumbles something as her eyes land on my lips. “Ember you’re bleeding,” she pats the towel at my mouth, making me wince. “And you’re bruised. What the hell did he do?”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you convincing me or yourself?”

We both know the answer. Reaching into her bag, she pulls out a concealer several shades too light. She sticks her finger in, dabbing at my neck anyway.

“Dean Patel will lose her shit if she sees you like this. She’s looking for any reason to get you out of here and she already thinks you're...” Greta stops herself from stating the obvious. She sighs, her fine-lined eyes meeting mine. “I’m not blind, Mac is as hot as a flaming comet, but he’s not worth it. Ignore him. For your own good.”

Opening my mouth, I hesitate to speak. If I tell Greta how I really know him, she’ll know I’m exactly what everyone here thinks I am.

“You’re here by the grace of my family,” she says. “Don’t fuck it up with a guy like that.”

Greta’s right. I won’t let Mac stop me.

It’s taken years to know his name and it’s taken everything in me not to search the internet to find everything I can about the boy who ruined my life.

But there’s no time for that.

I deserve to be here. He doesn’t.

I deserve to get back everything he’s taken away from me.

“Ember Everett?”

I’m almost at the art building when I’m stopped by a champagne coloured suit.

What now?

Looking up, an older woman peers over her gold-rimmed glasses, layers of pearls hanging off her neck. Her white turtleneck gives her a look that reeks of authority despite her red-painted lips.

“Present?” I respond.

The woman twists her nose, her eyes wandering my appearance. I know what she’s thinking. Greta helped clean me up but my clothes are still wet. Glancing at the clock behind her, my jaw clenches. Forty minutes. I’m already forty minutes late for my first class and this will make me later.

“How nice to finally you, I’m Dean Patel.” Shit. “Can you empty your bag?”

“My bag?” My head jolts back hearing her request, my damp bag hanging off my shoulder. “Why?”

“I got a call that a prized possession of a V-I-S is missing.” Her voice is louder than I’d like. It makes students lingering in the halls turn toward us. “As the dean and the person who approved your recommendation, you should do as I say.”

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