Page 461 of Filthy Elites

Closing my eyes, I force back the tears that are trying to break free. This isn’t the moment to be weak. “I hate you,” I whisper.

Strong arms turn me until I’m face to face with an angry-looking Sebastian. His fingers grab my chin and he forces my head back so I can’t look away. Then he leans down and kisses me, keeping me in place while he plunders my mouth, his free hand grabbing my ass and showing everyone who’s watching that I belong to him.

He keeps his hold on me when he pulls his lips from mine. “Hate me all you want, it won’t make you any less mine.”

This time my tears really do break free and his lips purse as the first one rolls down my cheek. Releasing my chin, he stops the tear with his finger, then sucks it into his mouth. “I don’t want your tears, but for now if that’s all you’ll give me, I’ll take them, because everything you are belongs to me.”

The next ten minutes are a blur. Sebastian takes my hand and forces me to stay by his side as he parades me through the hallways, smiling and speaking to every single curious student who worships at the stupid fucking Elites’ feet. He introduces me to everyone as his girlfriend and by the time I’m at the door to my homeroom, I doubt there’s a single person who doesn’t know we’re apparently a couple.

The only person I was hoping to see is Courtney and she’s concerningly absent. I don’t know what Sebastian said to her when he told her not to pick me up, but she’s the only person here who knows that he and I are not really a couple and I need her. I need someone who cares more about me than they do about status and hierarchy, I need my bestie.

By the end of first period, I’m ready to go home and hide beneath my comforter. The blissful anonymity I had here is officially gone. When Sebastian kissed me, he might as well have put a target on my back because it seems every kid in my class either witnessed him trying to eat me alive, or knows someone who witnessed it. There’s even a video of it on Instagram and TikTok. Great.

People I’ve never spoken to want to be my friend, and the kids who have refused to acknowledge my existence since middle school suddenly want to reminisce about all the good times we never had. I hate it and I hate Sebastian for causing it.

I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve told people he’s not my boyfriend, but they don’t want to hear it. What I have to say doesn’t matter when the mighty Elite have spoken. When lunchtime rolls around, I’m desperate to escape to a quiet corner with Court and hide from all the curious stares and jealous daggers.

Grabbing my backpack I rush to the door, eager to find my friend, except Clay is leaning up against the wall outside my classroom, a knowing smirk stretched across his annoying mouth. “He said you’d try to hide.”

Ignoring him, I drag my bag onto my back and step past him, but my forward movement is halted when he grabs hold of the straps on my backpack and drags me backward.

“Come eat with us, you’ll only piss him off if he has to hunt you down,” he warns, his voice friendly.

“I don’t want to have lunch with him, I want to eat with my friend.”

“She can eat with us too. We don’t normally allow outsiders in, but if you ask him, he’ll make an exception for you.”

“Why is he doing this? He doesn’t even know me. He’s ruining my life,” I whisper-yell.

Rolling his eyes, he sighs. “Dramatic much?” Taking my bag from my shoulders, he holds it in his hand and then places his other palm high on my back and guides me away from the classroom and all the people who are pretending not to watch us.

“I was invisible, no one saw me and I liked it that way,” I say petulantly.

“He saw you.”

“Fucking great, I’m not invisible to stalkers, good to know,” I hiss beneath my breath.

We round the corner and Sebastian is striding toward us. His eyes narrow when he sees Clay has his hand on me. “You touching my girl?” he growls angrily.

“Just making sure she’s where you told me to bring her. Starling has something she wants to ask you,” Clay says, moving his hand away from me as he passes my bag to Sebastian.

“Is that right, little bird?” he purrs, stepping into my personal space until our chests are touching.

“I want to eat with my friend.”

“She can sit with us.”

“Alone, I want to eat with my friend alone, like we normally do.”

“No,” he says harshly, smashing his lips against mine punishingly hard, dominating me with his touch, like he thinks he can bend me to his will with a kiss.

“I’ll text Evan to find the friend,” Clay says from beside us.

At the sound of his voice Sebastian relaxes his hold on me, running a soft fingertip over my cheek. Discombobulated, I stumble a little and Sebastian carefully wraps his arm around my waist, his gentle touch in complete opposition to the way he just punished me with his kiss.

“I’ll text her, I just need to find my cell,” I say, reaching for my backpack.

“I have your cell,” he smiles, pulling my old model cell phone from his blazer and handing it to me.

---