Page 20 of Boys Who Taint

“I don’t believe it.”

Her words.

Not mine.

Because I truly, fully believe I’m the murderer they all make me out to be.

And this? This is the worst kind of punishment a criminal like me deserves.

I glare at her over my shoulder. “Believe it, because it’s true.”

The deathly stare she throws back confirms everything I knew to be true.

This is the end.

The end of everything that ever could be.

Levi Torres and Aspen Caruso will never be.

Because this is the start of her hatred for me.

Aspen

He walksoff with that same swagger as always, scratching the back of his neck where his hairline meets the scorpion tattoo, but all I see is the shadow of a ghost of the person he once was.

Levi Torres … is a killer.

Those whispers in the hallway, everyone was saying it, but I never believed it to be true.

Until now.

My fist balls as I glare him down, wondering if he’ll ever look back at me, if he’ll ever attempt to undo what he just did.

I thought I knew who he was, but I guess you can’t really ever know anyone until you see them at their darkest moment. And Levi just confirmed my worst suspicions to be true.

His venomous words were injected straight into my veins.

He wants me to hate him?

Fine.

I’ll grant his fucking wish …

Even if it destroys my heart.

A sudden ruckus up ahead makes me lift my head.

BANG!

That sounds like … a fight.

Lots of screams and shouts are coming from beyond the cafeteria, and I dart into the hallway only to come to an abrupt halt when I see who’s throwing the punches.

My eyes widen.

My half brother Silas has Levi in a death grip against a door, which has been smashed to pieces. He slams him into the wall,punching him in the face, but Levi doesn't hit back. Instead, he takes off his hoodie as if to prepare for the confrontation.

“Stop!” I yell, running straight into the crowd. “Stop it!”

---