Page 47 of Rockwell Academy: The Twist

Jesse shifts awkwardly. “It’s complicated.”

“I thought you liked Imogen.”

Santi appears as confused as the rest of us.

“I do but–”

Jesse pulls on his mask, effectively disguising his face. “I’m dealing with it.” Is his muffled response and I wonder what he means by that?

The conversation ends when Santi lights the torches that are hanging like soldiers on a nearby wall. He hands one to Ali, who makes his way to the entrance to welcome the challengers back to where it all began.

He points to the door opening.

“Stand on either side and watch for trouble. Frankie said to prepare for it if one challenger decides to twist and the other one doesn’t agree with that.”

Jesse adds, “If they react badly, we’re to haul them to the cells and lock them in.”

“Interesting.” I gaze at the gold gleaming centurion mask in my hand. “What happens then?”

Jesse shrugs. “They get to cool down and if they agree to behave, Frankie will release them.”

“And if they don’t?”

Jesse shrugs. “They will. Frankie isn’t the kind to let them off easily if they throw shade on his pet project.”

Once again, I have huge respect for Frankie that I wasn’t expecting. It takes balls to set something like this up and it could go so badly wrong.

It did – last semester by all accounts, which led Frankie to hear about the Serpent Society in the first place. He filled me in when he learned about my plan—apparently, one of the group's members was hiding in the tunnel beneath the chamber and abducted one of the challengers. He raped her and dragged her back to her bed and was intent on the third part of his plan before they caught him. Murder.

Once again, I stare at Jesse and wonder how far he is under Jenna Sloane’s spell already. Is he really capable of kidnap, rape, murder? I’d stake my life on the fact he wouldn’t.

But I would.

Not the rape part, but the other two are just another day in the life of a would be mafia don.

PART III

FRANKIE & CASSIE

21

CASSIE

Why am I so nervous? I shouldn’t be. Frankie still hasn’t made his intentions clear but I would stake my life on him sticking. Since we returned to Rockwell, we picked up where we left off and life has been good – so far, anyway.

I am walking with Siri through the woods, Frankie and Jack deep in conversation behind us.

Only the challengers can take part in the Twist ceremony and we left a disgruntled Imogen and Summer behind. They can sign up for the start of The Claiming if they want to be part of this, although I’m not certain either of them thinks it’s a good idea.

“Are you nervous?” Siri asks as she links her arm in mine. A character trait of hers I’ve learned to live with. If anything, I kind of like it because Siri and I have grown close since we met and she has become one of my best friends.

“I don’t know why but yes, a little.”

“I’m not.” She purrs with satisfaction. “Jack told me he intends to stick. He likes where we’re going and doesn’t want anyone else.”

Her words are innocent but hurt anyway and despite our understanding, I still hate thinking of Jack with another girl. I’m a hypocrite, I accept that but there is still that part of me who wishes life was less complicated and we had done the inevitable and ended up together.

But then I met Frankie.

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