Page 123 of Wicked Dreams

She nods once.

I slide into my seat and keep my head down.

Someone kicks my bookbag as they pass, the contents scattering across the floor.

A cheerleader stops, one foot hovering over my fallen phone. She looks around, then laughs. “I expected more condoms, slut. Opening your legs to anyone who gets you drunk at a party.”

I glare at her. “That’s not?—”

“Why else would Caleb go for you? You’re an easy target.”

She uses her toe to send my phone skidding out of reach. It stops a few rows away, under a desk. “Oops. My bad.”

It continues like that throughout the day, only growing in intensity. I try to focus on the good: Caleb will be back on Wednesday, and I’ll get to see Claire on Friday. Although, I need to figure out how I’m going to get to the mall and back… I’ll have to both escape Caleb’s clutchesandget out of school undetected.

Should be interesting.

When I walk into my last class of the day, I’m defeated. Someone spilled chocolate milk on me after lunch, and my shirt smells sickly sweet. It sticks to my skin. Not to mention the brown stain on the white fabric.

Robert sees me and smiles, then does a double take.

Yeah, it’s that bad.

He motions me aside.

The teachers haven’t been acting any differently, which makes me believe it was just sent to the students. Howthatmiracle happened, I’ll never know.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” I say.

“What happened…?”

I sigh. “It’s been a long day.”

He squints at me. “Are you being bullied?”

“It’s nothing I can’t handle.”

The cheerleaders were the driving force today. Amelie and Savannah watched while their minions pinched me, ruined my things. The contents of my locker were coated in a fine layer of glitter. The back of my arms are bruised from fingers biting my flesh.

I’ve never been so tense.

And it’s probably because Amelie and Savannah both want Caleb—and here’s the proof that he wantsme.

He’s not even here to stop it. Won’t be until Wednesday.

“Okay, take your seat.” He does reach out now, putting his hand on my shoulder for a brief moment.

I tuck myself away in a corner for the rest of class, letting my mind wander. I thought I saw someone familiar at the party. It was just a brief moment, glancing out the window at someone by the bonfire. But I can’t put my finger on who it was. Maybe they’re the culprit.

Or it could be… literally anyone who went to the party and had their phone out. Someone smoking on the front porch or pausing their own make-out session in the shadows, or leaving the party at the same time as us.

I need to figure out who Unknown is. If I can uncover their motive, maybe I can stop them or tell someone who can help me.

The bell rings, shattering my thoughts. Chairs scrape back, and my classmates perform a mass exodus.

I stay where I am, wondering if I can just wait everyone out.

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