Page 47 of Dare To Fall

Lacy, Tina, Maggie, and Linda snicker. The jocks are grinning at each other, reveling in my suffering, and it feeds the growing rage inside me. We’re nothing but their entertainment. My gaze connects with Miles, and he gives me a sad smile. I don’t return it.

Mr. Drake arrives before anything else is said. I drop my attention down to the books on my desk and that’s where I keep my focus for the entire class. The second the bell sounds, I gather my things and run for the door.

“What’s your rush?” Bret calls. “Frightened Travers will make you suck his dick in front of us?”

“Oh my god, don’t encourage him.” Lacy snaps. “We all know he’ll do it.”

Jace rises from his chair. “I’d fucking pay to see that.”

“You that desperate to see Travers’ dick or Arabella giving head?” Brad laughs.

“I just want to see those pink lips wrapped around my cock.”

“Fucking asshole,” Garrett mutters, shooting a glare in Eli’s direction, but it’s loud enough for me to hear.

Every inch of me is aware of Kellan and Eli still sitting at their desks, listening to the interaction in silence as I dash for the door. I’ve just reached my locker when my phone pings. I ignore it, put away my books and then lock up. I can still hear the jocks laughing and joking further down the hallway.

The second the back of my neck prickles, I know Eli is watching me, but I don’t look in his direction. I storm along the hallway and into the girls’ restroom. Once I’m safely sealed in one of the stalls, I check my messages.

Sin: You did good, Kitten.

Me: Fuck you.

Sin: You’ll get to do that later when we’re alone.

Me: What you did wasn’t funny.

Sin: I gave them what they wanted.

Me: You’re an asshole.

Sin: You already know that.

Stuffing the phone back in my pocket, I clench my fists and brace my arms against the wall. I want to punch him for what he just did to me. Make him hurt. I take a few deep breaths to steady my nerves. The cell pings with another message, but I ignore it.

I have a session with Counselor Clarke soon. I’m not in the mood to listen to him coaxing me to spill all my secrets and darkest thoughts. None of the time I’ve been spending with him has helped.

I can’t get the image of Eli’s face as he walked into the classroom out of my head. The way his eyes had burned with malice and fury.

He’s acting … right?

Chapter 29

Eli

She refuses to answer any of my texts for the rest of the day, won’t look in my direction and avoids me as much as she can.

“I think you upset her,” Kellan says as she walks stiff-backed to a corner table with her dinner tray, gaze fixed straight ahead.

“Isn’t that the point?”

His eyes shift from her to me. “You don’t think it was over the top? You knew they were going to use that photograph at some point.”

“It was do that or something more violent. I went with the approach that would hurt her the least.”

He rubs his jaw. “I’m not sure you were successful in that.”

Squashing down the frustration I feel, I reach for my drink. “What are you saying? I need to tone it down? Ignore it? Wait until she goes missing and then find her dead in the cemetery before I react again?”

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