Page 49 of Not A Whisper

Grant: Don’t let him get under your skin. Remember he’s a liar and manipulator.

Grant: Whatever he threatens you with, don’t let it bother you. I’ll make sure nothing happens to you.

Grant: Text me when you’re back at the library.

Grant: It’s been over an hour, where are you?

Grant: Just stopped by the library and you’re still not there. Where are you?

Grant: Briella. Answer me.

I can hardly read Grant’s text messages as my vision blurs with tears.Garry’sthe liar? Clearly, he’s not the only one.

How have I been so blind? Of course Grant is as corrupt as Garry. He blackmailed me easily and without a care in the world. Hiding an engagement is probably child’s play.

But Trip and Jason? Why would they go along with this? How could they do this to me? I know they like their games and Grant’s their best friend, butthis? Hiding his engagement from me while introducing me to their parents, promising to be around more… They’re sick.

I can’t do this. Iwon’tdo this. I asked for a chance atsomething real and all I got in return were more games. Quickly, I pull up the group chat. With trembling fingers, I type out:

Me: This is over. I never want to see or hear from any of you again.

Without waiting for a response, I block all three of them. I don’t need to waffle back and forth on this. In my chest, my heart cracks and splinters. The pain steals my breath away.

For a second, my bottom lip trembles and my knees wobble—threatening to give out.

No,not here! I can’t fall apart here.

I gather up my resolve and shove the pain down. I’ll cry later. Right now, it’s time to get back to work.

Thirteen

Ishould’ve known better than to text them.

In my haste and heartache, I wasn’t thinking. My mistake doesn’t bite me in the ass until later, though. As the library clears out between dinner and night classes, Jonathan and I prepare for the evening shift.

“You ready?” Jonathan asks, stretching as he stands. “Megan is over there talking to Professor Morty but she’s here. Debra said she’s running late.”

Am I ready to go home and wallow? No, keeping busy has been my saving grace when it comes to protecting my sanity this afternoon. But I can’t avoid my feelings forever. With a sigh, I push my chair back.

“Let me go make sure the returns are ready to be shelved. You can go ahead.”

Jonathan frowns, but I leave before he can ask me any questions. I’m sure he’s noticed how quiet I’ve been during the second half of our shift. Thankfully, he hasn’t said anything. Part of me wonders if he has any clue about how devious Garry Gipson is. Has he been speculating about how I managed toacquire the funds for the new program? When he heard me tell our boss, he was quick to ask how.

“He said he liked what he heard and will send a check shortly,” I’d told my boss who was sitting in my seat behind the desk when I emerged from the breakroom.

This seemed to placate Ms. Barbara, but Jonathan? He seemed more suspicious than satisfied. When Ms. Barbara was out of earshot he pressed, “Did he say anything more about you and his son?”

I’d denied it. If I told him about what actually happened, I’d be dragging him into a mess he didn’t belong in. But, being the friend that he is, he’d grown introspective. His looks of concern were a nuisance but a part of me appreciated that he cared.

At leastsomeoneis thinking of me.

“Alright, well, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He waves me farewell as I head toward the back. The room full of returns is in the far right corner of the second floor. It sits beyond the break room toward the rooms students use to rent out for group projects.

I’m nearly there when I feel the presence of someone behind me. Before I can react as a shadow descends over me, a hand appears—coming to wrap itself around the front of my neck. My gasp is cut off as I’m yanked backward into a hard chest. Off-kilter, it’s easy for whoever is behind me to drag me down between two bookshelves.

My hands fly up to drag the hand away at the same time that I open my mouth to scream.

“Don’t you fucking make a sound,” a cold voice hisses in my ear.

---