Page 207 of Tis the Season to be Bullied

Briar’s been surprisingly quiet for the rest of the lesson, even when Veroza went into the hall for a few minutes to take a phone call. I haven’t dared look around once—even when I saw movement behind me—because I don’t want to catch feels again.

Briar walks past my table, but pauses right by the door.

“What? I snap, when Briar just keeps looking down at me.

“I was just imagining something.”

When I look up and see the suggestive smile playing on his mouth, I grimace. “You’re disgusting,” I say, gathering my things so I can stand and get the hell out of here.

“Because I can’t wait to see what you’re wearing under that skirt?”

My eyes go wide. I snarl and stand in a rush, lunging around my desk. Briar’s hands go up in mock surrender, a deep laugh bursting from him.

I don’t get very far. Where I was picturing my hands around his throat, throttling him until he begged for mercy, I instead trip up and fall face-first to the ground.

I’d been moving so fast, my lungs are knocked clean out of air. Gasping like a beached fish, I twist onto my side and stare down at my feet, which for some reason forgot how to move.

My shoelaces are knotted together.

Everyone still inside the class bursts into laughter. I push onto my knees, glaring up at Briar. He steps closer, grabs my chin, and tilts my head back so far my neck clicks.

“See? Everyone bows to the prince,” he murmurs, those words meant for my ears alone. He rakes ice-blue eyes over me. Where he touches me, my skin tingles.

I tear my chin free and fall back. Moving awkwardly, I get my feet in front of me and start undoing my laces.

It had to be him of course. And someone must have seen him do it—we were sitting right in front—but no one said a word.

The laughter fades as students leave. Briar stays to watch me working furiously at the knots, as if proud that he did such a good job.

Mr. Veroza appears, brow wrinkled. “Ms. Virgo? Everything all right?”

“Yeah,” I mutter, dropping my eyes. “Tripped on my shoelaces.”

Briar reaches out a hand and grabs my arm, hauling me up. “You make sure they’re real tight this time, Indigo.”

My snarl transforms into a tight smile which I turn to Mr. Veroza.

Yeah, I can tell him. And suffer the wrath Briar will no doubt shovel on my head. Instead, I’ll just turn the other cheek. Because, guess what?

If an animal goes long enough without eating, it fuckingstarves.

Briar

When I get into the hall, Indigo’s nowhere in sight. She must have sprinted down the hall for me not to see her.

I smile to myself and head for my locker to put my books away before lunch. And here I thought my week was going to be same as usual. I’m kinda glad I stumbled into Indigo in the woods last night.

But I guess she isn’t. I close my locker. Marcus is beside it, leaning with his back against the locker next to mine and tugging discreetly on his vape as he watches everyone move past us.

“Dylan said Cindy got it all on her phone,” he says, before I can even open my mouth. “They’re busy circulating it already.”

“Good,” I murmur, allowing myself a small smile.

“So I got my stuff in the car,” Marcus says. “Still cool if I come over.”

“Course.” I wave at him, frowning slightly. “You know it is.”

I take a second to scan my friend. His mood’s improved a little with this whole Indi thing, but he’s still standing stiff and proper.

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