Page 27 of Reign

“Baby killer.”

I jolt at the hiss at my back, then turn.

The guy meets my confused look with a morbid grin, adding, “Teacher fucker.”

Pointing to my chest, I ask, “Are you referring to me?”

“Ain’t no other chick I know that gets herself an abortion on a teacher’s salary.” He licks his top row of teeth.

“Huh?” My vision grows smaller with all the brow furrowing I’m doing.

A slam makes me jump in my seat. Falyn’s dropped her books on her lab desk and slithers onto her stool across from me. “Secret’s out, possum. Might as well own up to your hideousness.”

I shake my head, but only a confused fugue follows. My email about Ivy’s murder goes unnoticed, yet what Emma dubbed “another stupid rumor” gets the spotlight?

“What now, Falyn?” I ask, but I’m conscious of the growing stares, and the curious, car-accident attention that’s directed my way as more students filter into the classroom and take their seats.

“At least Piper still had the kid in her belly when she died,” someone in the back mutters, but it’s loud enough for the entire room to hear.

“Yeah, this one decided to have her womb scraped out instead of ‘fess up to fucking Dr. Luke, too,” his friend responds.

My palms slam against my desk as I stand. “The hell?”

Falyn pipes up. “Admit it, you got an abortion in a desperate move to hide your sluttiness before you went after Chase.”

“I did no such thing!”

“Oh, no?” The tip of Falyn’s tongue pokes out between her smirk. “Prove it. ‘Cause the whole school’s talking about you fucking Dr. Luke the second Piper was out of the way. Does the man just not use a condom?” She cackles. “Or do his gray-haired pubes just taste that good?”

This has Chase written all over it is the first thought to sink into my brain as my knees turn to gel and I fall into my seat. He swore it’d be worse this time.

“All right, class!” The professor wanders in, clapping his hands for attention. “Are we ready for our final exam before our highly anticipated break?” He scans the classroom, his hands clasped in front of him. “Who’s excited for Santa?”

The class groans in response.

“No? Your teenaged years have jaded you all, sadly. Well, here’s your first sack of coal. Grab an exam from the top of the pile and pass it back.”

Falyn cuts one last gleeful look my way before turning to the front.

I work hard to focus on the questions, do the experiments, and write down the answers, but whispers and fake coughs keep getting in the way.

Possum probably used tweezers…

So pathetic…

Like Chase would ever want her saggy pussy now…

Loser.

Fugly Piper wannabe.

But it’s the last one. Oh, the last one. That gets me.

Murderer.

I fly out of my seat, my stool toppling onto its side. It skids across the floor with a metallic shriek.

Heads pop up from papers, most mouths agape. Falyn props her chin in her hand, watching me with a hungry menace.

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