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Grinning like an idiot, I waved him off and rushed into the bathroom. I’d been bursting to pee since the class before big break, but didn’t want to waste a minute of my lunch hour with him. However, the moment I stepped inside the bathroom, I regretted it. Not only had I just come face-to-face with Bella Wilkinson, but she had two of her sixth-year friends with her.

Up until now, I had miraculously managed to avoid being on my own with her, and aside from the daily comments in the corridors and the lunch hall, she hadn’t given me any trouble. I had a feeling that was about to change. The look of pure loathing on her face as she prowled toward me only confirmed those feelings.

“Look who it is, girls,” Bella mused, looking as devastatingly beautiful as always, as she stood in front of my only exit. “The little whore without her guard dogs.”

“Leave it alone, Bella,” one of the girls—the one with the brown hair—surprised me by saying.

“She’s a bitch, Tash,” Bella spat out, casting a warning look to her friend. “You know what she cost me.”

In full-on flight mode, I turned on my heel and moved for the door, but she intercepted me, blocking my path. My heart hammered wildly in my chest, bucking and leaping and screaming at me to get away. Instead I just stood there, looking up at the girl I knew hated me. “I need to go,” I choked out, my voice barely more than a panicked whisper. “Let me out,” I added, forcing myself to straighten my shoulders.

“We’re not done talking,” Bella hissed. “We’re not even close to beingdone.”

“I don’t want to talk to you.” My heart was racing so hard it was making me feel faint. “I just want to go,” I said in a shaky tone. “I don’t want any trouble.”

“You just want to go,” Bella mimicked and then laughed. “Well, tough shit, honey, because I have plenty to say to you.”

You fool,my brain hissed,you know better than to come in here alone.

We only had three weeks of school left and then we were done for the summer. Bella would be done with Tommen altogether. I could have avoided her for twenty-one bloody days.

Dammit, why did I have to walk in here?

Tilting her head to one side, Bella smiled cruelly down at me. “How’s your daddy, Shannon?”

My body seized up as a concoction of devastation and humiliation flooded me.

“Did you hear about Shannon’s father, girls?” Bella continued to taunt. “Her father is an alky scab on the welfare.” Narrowing her eyes, she added, “Apparently, he beat the shit out of her at Easter and put her in the hospital, but I think fair play to the man. He was probably just trying to beat the slapper out of her.”

“Bella, stop!” the girl she had called Tash barked. “That’s enough.”

“It’s not enough,” Bella snarled. “That bitch stole my boyfriend, Tash.”

“Well, I’m not being a part of this,” the Tash girl said, and with that she stalked out of the bathroom, shoving Bella out of her way as she went.

The other girl, the blond one leaning against the sink, didn’t say anything at all. She just stood there, glancing anywhere but at me, reminding me of so many other girls I’d met down through the years and making me despise her most of all. I hated girls like her. The ones who knew something was wrong but did nothing to stop it.

Fight back, Shannon.Joey’s voice flooded my mind.Don’t let those bitches intimidate you!

“I didn’t steal your boyfriend,” I shot back, shaking from head to toe. “Because Johnny was never yours.”

Bella arched a finely plucked brow. “And you think he’syours?”

“Yeah,” I replied, shocking myself with my words. “He is.”

“Then you should know that he’s only with you for one thing,” she spat out, looking furious. “An easy fucking lay.”

“That’s all he was withyoufor,” I stunned myself by saying. “We’re not all like that, Bella.”

Her face reddened. “Excuse me?”

“Let me out,” I repeated, making a point of staring at the door. “Now.”

When she didn’t step aside, I moved to go around her, only to stagger backwards and land awkwardly on the floor when she pushed me full force in the chest.

“I said we’re not done, bitch.” Stalking toward me, Bella swiped my schoolbag off my shoulder. Unzipping it, she poured the contents on top of me. “You’re a dirty slut,” she hissed, shoving my forehead with her fingers. “You don’t belong in this school, so go back to the council estate with the rest of your fucked-up family.”

“You’re a useless cunt…”

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