Page 83 of Fighting the Odds

“Wait, what are you going to tell your dad?”

“Don’t know. I mean, we can tell him a video was sent out about you, but then we have to explain about the rape.” He sits back down and takes a bite of his food.

“Why don’t we just say she was being bullied and we left with her so she wouldn’t be subjected to it?” Zander proposes..

“I don’t know if he’s going to believe that. Especially since she’s been coming to school, and that’s been going on,” Colton answers. “Why not just say some of the shithead kids were bullying her when they caught sight of her bruises and wouldn’t stop? She got upset and was going to walk home and we didn’t want any part of it. We can add in that we were so upset and felt the best thing for us to do was leave so we didn’t end up in a physical altercation that would get us expelled from school.”

“That might work. Now, back to what I was saying. My date should be first. What do you want to do, Sierra?” Braxton jumps right back in, adamant about his position.

Fuck, these guys are going to break down all the walls I’ve been building around my heart. They already are.

Chapter 39

Sierra

Walking up the lawn to school, I’m suddenly rethinking why I felt I needed to do this. Just like normal, everyone huddles into their cliques and I can feel their eyes on me. I try not to think about what they’re whispering.

“It’s okay, babe. We’re right by your side,” Zander leans in and whispers in my ear, squeezing my hand.

“Did you just call me babe?”

“Sure did, and I can’t wait to kiss you at the end of our date tonight.” They couldn’t agree, so Cyrus decided they should pull straws, short straw wins, and that was Zander.

They questioned Cyrus why he didn’t pull a straw and he cockily said he didn’t need to since, for the time being, he got me all to himself at night. Personally, I think he enjoyed rubbing it in.

“You think there’s a kiss at the end?”

“I hope so,” he whispers, his breath dancing along the exposed skin on my neck, sending tingles down my spine.

“You can hope. I know I am when we go on ours.” My head spins to the left to see Braxton winking slyly at me.

Okay, he’s very presumptuous.

My eyes roam the groups standing outside, and I notice Savannah isn’t present. Nor are all her worshippers. It doesn’t escape my notice that Wesley isn’t present either.

“Are you sure you want to do this, Sierra?” Zander asks, giving my hand a squeeze and brushing his shoulder against mine. The contact makes me feel warm and fuzzy. “We can turn around and go back to your place, veg on the couch, and get to know each other.”

“Honestly, I’m not sure, but I need to do this. I’m not going to let them think they’re getting to me. I’m walking in that building with my head held high,” I say, trying to stay confident not only for them, but for me as well.

“We’re going to be right there with you every step of the way,” Zander reassures me.

“Let’s get this over with,” Colton growls as he steps in front of me and heads up the stairs to the front door of the school.

I give a smile. It’s forced, but I want them to believe I can do this.

Both Zander and Braxton squeeze my hands, and we follow behind Colton toward the den of Hell.

With each step I take, the pit in the bottom of my stomach becomes heavier. My hands become clammy and I can feel trickles of sweat rolling down my back and between my breasts.

Every fiber of my being is telling me to turn and run and never set foot in this place again. There’s only one problem—if I do that, then Wesley, Savannah and all the other assholes here in this school win.

“Here we go,” I mumble under my breath as Colton opens the door and takes his first step inside.

A hush takes over the hallway, all the chatter now deathly quiet as all eyes focus on the four of us. Mainly me. I go to pull my hands out of the guys’, but they hold me tighter, refusing to let go.

Colton turns around to face me. “Ignore them. You need to go to your locker?”

I can’t form a word, so I nod.

---