Page 79 of Science Project

And with that, they disappeared down the hallway toward their class.

“What happened?” I whispered to Akio, watching them depart.

“Jace and Allie’s sex tape was leaked.”

“Their sex tape?”

“Sorta …” Akio paused. “Someone recorded them in the locker room.”

My lips quivered. “My God. That’s terrible. Who did that?”

Akio shrugged. “I don’t know.”

But I would bet my soul that it was Principal Vaughn. Dad had gotten him into recording young girls getting fucked, had shared his fair share of his own recordings with me with Principal Vaughn. They all used it for blackmail because this town was screwed to hell.

My stomach growled, and I placed my hand over it. “I didn’t get a chance to have breakfast,” I said. “I’m going to the cafeteria to see if they have anything left before I head to class. I’ll see you later.”

Before I could head down the hall, Akio grabbed my hand. “The librarian has muffins.”

He guided me to the staircase that led up to the library with his hand tightly squeezing mine and a pissed expression on his soft face. He had always been so nervous around me, always stuttering and fiddling with his shirt.

Never had I seen him so furious. Hell, Akio hadn’t stopped grimacing since I had told him about what had happened … or at least part of what had happened. As much as I liked him—loved him—I would never tell him the true extent to how Dad treated me. I had so much shame for allowing my own blood to fuck me.

More than once.

Akio would look at me so differently. Maybe even think I was disgusting.

When we made it up to the library, some girls sat in the back room for their free period. Akio marched us right up to the librarian herself, who smiled sweetly at him and readjusted her glasses.

“Akio, what can I do for you?”

“Can Nicole have one of your muffins?” Akio asked her. “She’s hungry.”

“Akio!” I scolded, not wanting to force her into giving me any of her food.

“It’s okay.” Without even a pause, she pulled out a plate of freshly baked muffins from underneath the counter and held them out for me. “Take as many as you’d like, my dear. I usually bake these for the girls in the first period, but they’re not hungry today.”

I glanced over at Akio to make sure it was okay, and he nodded.

After just taking a blueberry muffin, I thanked her. People were never so kind to me.

“Take another,” she said. “I can’t eat all these myself.”

“Are you sure?”

She extended the plate further toward me. “Go on.”

Once I took another muffin, she turned to Akio, who shook his head. He guided me to the back of the library and to the big beanbag chair where we had fucked last week. I sat down on the seat, finally feeling relaxed for once.

I slumped my shoulders forward and stuffed the muffin into my mouth. “Thank you.”

Akio nodded and stayed quiet.

When I finished my first muffin, I folded the wrapper. Akio held out his hand and took it from me. I smiled softly, my chest so warm and tight at the thought of people actually being nice to me for once. Most times, I didn’t deserve it.

But after what had happened this past week, I thought I did.

“What happened to your necklace?” Akio asked.

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