Page 38 of His To Claim

Jade throws her arms around me. “Same here, sis. I’ll let you hash things out with your man, but tonight you and I are gonnatalk this out.” She kisses my forehead and grabs Stella’s arm taking off toward the keg nearest our table. Ruby and Jax have escaped once again, and Kai has this redhead from my math class sitting on his lap.

The sky is aglow with hundreds of stars fading into nothingness and I suddenly wish I could do the same.

“Scar,” Drake groans when I continue to ignore him.

“Look, Drake, I already said enough about what happened. I really don’t wanna talk about it right now.”

“Scar,” I look up to him and his face is serious. “I just wanna know if this,” he points between us as he sighs, running his fingers through his hair. “If it’s…” He pauses again.

“If it’s what, Drake. Spit it out,” I ask, now irritated by his insinuation.

“If it’s real or just a move to put the fucker in his place.”

And now I’m fuming. “Fuck you, Drake. Fuck you for even suggesting that.”

“Well, what am I supposed to think, Scar? This whole time you’ve always told me we can’t risk it and now we’re here, this fucker kisses you, and you tell me you wanna be with me. I don’t…”

“Yes, I want to be with you because you respect me. Drake, you’ve always been there for me no questions asked. I want to be with you not because of him, not because of this school, but because I wanna be with you.” His green eyes darken, looking almost black in the night.

He pulls me to him and claims me, his mouth taking what it needs. What he needs to believe is that it's him I want. I kiss him back giving him the relief he needs, but just as quickly break the kiss.

“Was that our first fight?” I ask, smirking up at him.

“Yeah, babe, I think it was.” I bite my lip and he pulls me in closer.

For the rest of the party, I stay by Drake’s side. Jade and Stellaare talking to Liam and some guys from the lacrosse team and I can tell Jade’s getting flirty. Her straight hair is being twirled in one hand while the other one’s grazing Liam’s bicep.

Looking around, I see all my people here with me, enjoying themselves for the first time in a really long time and I realize that no matter the reasons for us being here, no matter the entitled assholes we must keep fighting off, this is where I want to be. This is where I belong. I know it is.

And I’ve never felt like I belonged.

Twelve

SCARLETT

Homework and hangouts between the six of us, now seven that Stella’s joined our group are all we do for the next few weeks.

Luckily, I’ve had zero run-ins with any of the guys or girls, although all Ace does is glare at me during classes.

Jade’s hung out with Liam a couple times and apparently, he’s told her Ace has been in a pissy mood since Liam spread the word that Ace and I are nothing, and that I am, in fact, with Drake.

We’ve all fallen into an easy routine and are kind of enjoying being here at Servite and things between Drake and I have been going pretty well.

According to Stella, we’ve become the new “it couple” since Ace seems to have booted Carrington for good, and Bass won’t even look toward Kinsley. I have to say I’m surprised. I was worried about how us taking things to the next step would go but so far so good.

Drake’s always been protective over me. We’re best friends, family. But ever since we got to Servite, he’s been more possessive and controlling, especially where Ace is concerned.

Yet somehow, Drake and I have only gotten closer. It’s usually me going over and sneaking into his room since Jax & Kai are never home, and their roommate Jake usually just hides out in his room doing homework. Jade and I have also bonded with Stella, while Ruby has been pretty absent, either out with Jax or locked in her room.

I’ve even avoided the creeper, Agent Servite. Looks like he and the Headmaster have been away at some conferences up north for the last two weeks. I couldn't care less where he is as long as it’s away from me.

Today is the first Saturday of October and the school is being transformed to look like an old, haunted house. Apparently, it’s tradition to turn the Servite Academy campus into a ghostly scene. Rumor has it this school was first built in the 1800s and was home to the children of some of the most notorious world leaders.

They were all part of some elite secret society, which turned out to be more of a cult that was discovered in the late 1800s. There was a tragic accident on October 31, 1902, where almost forty percent of the school’s population was killed in a tragic fire. The campus was closed for almost twenty years until it was finally rebuilt and turned into the current Servite Academy reopening in 1920.

The Academy is said to be cursed by the students who perished in the fire, which is why every October, the school pays tribute to the fallen by recreating what would have been their school today. It’s all a little far-fetched if you ask me, but whatever. The rich have to find peculiar ways to keep themselves entertained.

Besides, Jade and I have always loved Halloween.

---