Page 59 of Falling in Reverse

“Listen, there’s no point in being stupid about this, Bay. Those guys the other night could've hurt you." I crane my head and look at her, attempting to keep my piqued irritation from lashing out.

They could've, I'm not denying that fact. However, I can’t control reminiscing about the what-ifs.

My cell vibrates off the table, and I quickly scoop it up to see if I’ve heard anything from Trav.

UNKNOWN: I want to meet.

Emilio.

"I'm fine,” I force from my lips, powering down my nerves and my brain on that problem. “And I'm gonna run a few different avenues through The Landings.”

"How?" Her bedroom eyes of mixed browns hold a curious and apprehensive look. I could be up to anything, she knows that. My family is my number one priority and has been forever.

I smirk against her unease. "I'll take a picture and show you the next time. You'll love it."

Nessa heaves a brow. "What did you do?" I laugh, which makes Nessa chuckle along with me. “You’re bad as hell.”

“Says the bitch who smashed Karen with a display toaster.”

My best friend lifts a dismissive shoulder. “She didn’t like my shirt.”

“You mean lack of?”

“Free country, baby.” She smiles wide, and then bites down on her mauve-colored lip. "Sooo…is there anything else you wanna tell me?”

“Like?”

“There’s a guy who’s been watching you this whole time with a knife sitting on the table.”

“What?” I don’t peer around, only because that’s the stupid thing to do. If someone is observing me, I definitely don’t want him to know we found him out.

“Sitting at one of the lunch tables by the wall.” She flicks her brown eyes at me like we’re talking about regular girl shit. “Black hoodie, looks like he has tattoos along his neck.”

“Did you say a knife on the table?”

“I did,” Nessa says matter-of-factly, with a bob of her head. “Dude appears like he’s about to murder you.”

“Does he look like a pretty boy?” I press, because if that little prick is at my school, I’m going to be the first one to introduce him to a South Shore lunch while slamming a chair over his head for dessert.

“Mhm, no. I think he looks like he’s the kinda guy who would take that knife, hold it up against your throat, and fuck you hard against a wall.”

“Geezus fucking Christ,” I groan, tucking my chin into my chest.

“Who is he?”

“How the fuck should I know?”

“Interesting…well, maybe you should make your intentions known.” I flick my eyes to Nessa, who’s wearing a shit-eating smile. “You know, that you don’t need a shadow accompanying you around anywhere.”

“If I find him following me, I will.” The alarm on my phone rings, announcing lunch is over for me and so is my mini time frame for a nap.

Nessa and I leave the cafeteria to get to our next classes and I take the opportunity to turn around to find a mysterious man in a black hoodie.

But there’s no one.

If Emilio believes himself to be sneaky, he’s never fucked with a South Shore bitch before.

SIXTEEN

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