Page 39 of Caged in Flames

"I don't think so." I'm not about to suffer through a week-long project with his cocky ass.

Surprisingly, G stays silent. He stares Sawyer down, but the dick just ignores him. Coach calls time just as Sawyer slides into the desk opposite Gunner. I roll my eyes at the situation, which gets me a wink in return.

I'm a little upset that Gunner doesn’t try to intervene, but I realize it would be unfair to assume any of us would want to make a scene in class. Besides, I’m just as capable of standing up for myself here. But this doesn’t seem like a battle worth fighting.

Working on a group project outweighs the possibility of contributing to tomorrow’s gossip. I can picture the whispers that would run throughout the school about me then. Would they make me out to be another of his scorned lovers? Or would I just be a bitch for being difficult?

I grab the instructions and read over them. "We need to pick a decade and list at least three major historical events that occurred."

Gunner pulls out his phone to start doing some research, but Sawyer surprises me by saying, "We could do the Suffragette period". I narrow my eyes at the suggestion.

Clearly, he is trying to get in my good graces. Or it’s an attempt to make a good impression on the other girls in class. Who the hell knows with Sawyer?

"And what topics would you like to cover?" Gunner presses him for the details that I'm curious about myself.

He scoffs at us both. "I'm not doing the entire project for you. It's called a group for a reason." The ass turns to me and whispers quietly. “Aren’t you a fan of group activities?”

I blush, my entire face going red. What a dick. I used to tell him all about my favorite trope to read. “Shut up.”

"Fine. Let's try and find the three significant details we want to cover." Gunner says as his face remains on the screen, happy to ignore Sawyer’s teasing.

We spend the rest of the class period doing individual research. "Okay, so everyone picks one topic and brings it on Wednesday with the research. We can put it together for Friday's presentation."

There. We made it through the class. It wasn’t even that bad.

"Sounds good. Nixy, let me walk you to your music class." Gunner puts his hand low on my back and Sawyer stares for a brief second before it's replaced by his signature grin.

Sawyer rushes ahead of and holds open the classroom door for us. Why is he acting like a gentleman?

The confusion must show on my face, but he just smiles. “Just being polite.”

Since when is that a thing? I decide that there’s no point in asking this out loud and continue walking.

A few steps into the hallway a body steps in front of me. One of the football guys is blocking my path. Why does everyone here play football anyway? Where are the hot hockey players that I’ve read about?

“Hey, I’m Brett.” His raspy tone breaks me out of my thoughts. Even though he’s shorter than the two guys beside me, he still towers over me.

“Is that supposed to be a pickup line, dipshit?” Sawyer asks him before I have a chance to respond to the guy.

Gunner eyes Brett, but I see him look over to Sawyer briefly.

“I don’t know. You want it to be, sweet thing?” Oh gross. Sweet thing?

“Um, no thank you.” I say it politely, not wanting to make a big deal out of something so typical. I mean it wouldn’t be high school without the average sleazy jock.

Sawyer doesn’t seem to mind bulldozing that thought. He shoves Brett hard, pushing him several feet back from me. Surprisingly, Gunner rushes right beside him. Ready to defend him? Or me?

It’s kind of hot. Both of them are.

“Back off, asshole.” I’ve only seen that evil in Sawyer’s glare once before. The memory brings chills over my body, wiping out the heat that ran through me just moments ago. I stand frozen.

Brett doesn’t let it go though. “Oh, fuck off, Samuels. Just because you’ve fucked half the school doesn’t mean you own them. You didn’t even let me get her name.”

I roll my eyes. Idiot. Even if the guys have been keeping their heads down, we all know who runs the school.

Sawyer’s arm is pressed against Brett’s throat within seconds. “I don’t have to fuck anyone to own this school. Remember your fucking place.” He snarls out the words but releases the asshole.

Brett looks over at me and licks his lips. He might be cute, but he gives off a gross vibe. I’m not interested.

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