Page 35 of The Order

“We don’t do that, Forest.Wedon’t thank them for anything. Without us, they would have nothing. The least you can do is take the food and leave them be instead of giving them a smile and a laugh,” Max hisses. His face is flustered, and his eyes are wide.

This isn't about me speaking to them.

I shake my head at him, grabbing the bags from the counter with a frown toward the two men. Fallan crosses his arms as he watches the exchange, eyeing down Max with a similar hatred he often has when he watches me. I whisper a silent “I’m sorry” to Hunter, which grows his look of confusion. I turn back toward Max, powered almost entirely by annoyance.

“I don’t need a lesson from you regarding regulations,” I spit, shoving his bag of popcorn in his chest, mocking his childish emotions.

“What are you smiling at, bottom feeder?!” Max yells. His voice almost carries over the sound of the actors in the film.

Fallan’s mouth is upturned, watching the exchange with a relaxed demeanor.

“You still haven't gathered how little she wants you, have you?” Fallan questions.

My heart drops.

Max looks ready to tear the man apart. It takes all I have to pull him away from the booth while avoiding the Official's lingering eyes. Hunter grabs Fallan, moving him out of the window and returning him to the back of the shed to fill new bags. I yank Max toward me, dragging him closer to our friends while balancing their treats in a tight hold. Max grabs me harshly, straining against my touch, nearly bruising my arms in the process.

“Let it go,” I whisper, trying to get him to calm down.

“That son of a bitch. I will kick his fucking teeth in-” Max begins.

I land my mouth on his again, feeling my stomach recoil. I do my best to feed into the touch, feeling his hands move away from my arms and drop to my sides. A few students whistle. Rae and Kai’s voices question what is going on. Even Colton and Josh egg on the action, telling Max, “She bites,” as they whistle. His lips are like poison on mine. Every part of me wants to get away. It's like a thousand hands are pounding on the door of my mind, screaming at me never to let him touch me like this again.

“Hands off!” an Official yells, making us break apart.

Many eyes are on us, a pair of blue ones from the booth lingering longer than others. I fight the urge to wipe my mouth. Max looks more relaxed, grabbing my hand and lowering me to the blanket with the others. I look behind me, seeing his anger momentarily melt away. Max grabs my waist, pulling me closer to him. Fallan shakes his head, moving away from the booth window once more.

“What was that about?’ Kai questions, grabbing the bags from my lap and dispersing them.

“Two dirty Unfortunates who don’t know when to be quiet,” Max says, shaking his head like Fallan.

“You instigated that,” I say, feeling Kai pinch my arm.

“You’re right,” Max says, drawing in a deep breath. “I’m sorry,” he whispers after a few moments. He gives me his soft smile that I have come to find comfort in. My tension eases, and I lean into him more.

“So, are you two … exclusive?” Rae scoffs at me.

“Are you two?” I question back, watching Kai scoot away from Rae out of embarrassment.

“You are incredibly unpredictable, you know that, right?” Max questions, returning to his light-hearted nature.

“I am fully aware,” I whisper. “So, tell me about the film,” I finish, nudging my brother with my foot.

“As far as I know, Gatsby…”

My brother's words fade away as quickly as a fire drenched in water. Every one of my hairs rise, working from my legs to the length of my arms. My mark burns hot, painfully exploring my whole torso. The dull aches behind my eyes are like hammers pounding a concrete wall. Something creeps over the space.

It is watching us.

It is watching me.

I don’t feel the air enter my lungs. My hands shake, my palms filling with a buzz as if they have lost blood flow. Kai’s voice comes out in nothing more than muffled noise. My skin fills with so much heat that Max brings the back of his hand to my forehead, checking for a fever.

“Kai … something feels off,” I whisper, grabbing my brother's wrist.

A blood-curdling scream fills the air, nearly bursting my eardrums. Everyone shoots to their feet, looking around for the source of the torturous sound. The Untouchable woman from earlier, who snuck behind the bushes, looks as pale as a ghost, running toward the screen with a staggered step. Crimson coats her front, blood drowning her scream. More people join in on her screams, backing away from her as her knees collide with the grass. She clutches her throat, holding back the blood that's trying to escape from the massive slash of skin torn away from her throat. I feel my lungs finally exhale, urging me to move forward.

Max grabs my coat. My hands fumble with the zipper to tear myself away from his grasp. The jacket slips off. I run toward the girl, feeling my brother follow close behind me. Hunter and Fallan step out from inside the booth, watching the sight in front of them with looks of shock. Anyone previously near the girl has backed away. Officials begin moving closer, each one of them fiddling in their pockets for med kits. Claw marks work down her front, each one deeper than the last. Her body is torn, and her skin is charred. It's like a burning blade had slashed her up and down.

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