Page 129 of Devil's Bargain

“Right,” he says, drawing the word out. He doesn’t believe me at all.

Josh throws his arm around my shoulder. “Let’s turn the frowns upside down, everyone! She’s fine! Look!” He squishes my cheeks. “She’s fine!”

Madeleine has her arms around Rick’s neck now. Her smile is too big for her perfect fucking face.

“Where’s Nina?”

“She’s gone inside already,” Steph says as we start walking.

I hike my bag higher onto my shoulder. My insides twist uncomfortably. It’s not like her to be this angry with me, but I guess I deserve it this time.

I don’t look at Rick and Madeleine as I pass, but her grating giggles remind me of nails on a chalkboard.

“We should all go to the warehouse this evening. We haven’t skated for a week,” Josh says behind me.

Matt takes the front steps two at a time. “Suffering withdrawals there, man?”

“You have no fucking clue!”

“I’m in!” Dallas says. “I need something to take my mind off things.”

I frown. “Trouble in paradise?”

Dallas nods and steps through the door as Ben holds it open. “You could say that.”

The hallway is bustling with students. I walk around a group of giggling girls. “I’m sorry, Dell. It will work out.”

She tucks her raven hair behind her ear and smiles softly. “I hope so.”

As I look up, I falter in my step. Scott is walking my way.

My heart ceases to beat.

“April!” he says, stopping in front of me, his hands in his trouser pockets. “I need a word with you in my classroom.”

I’m sure I’m pale as a ghost. Dread twists my gut and I fight the rising panic. My instincts tell me to run. “Why?”

He’s deceptively calm, but I can see the fury beneath his mask as he pierces me with his blue eyes. “You skipped detention yesterday.”

Ben furrows his brows and scans his eyes over my face before he turns to Scott and says, “She was unwell.”

Scott brings his attention to Ben. “Is that so?”

Ben stiffens. “That is so!”

Scott nudges his head for me to follow. “Are you coming, April?”

“Sure.” I don’t recognize this submissive side of myself. I would’ve given him a mouthful a couple of months back, but now…

Ben watches me with a questioning look as I follow behind Scott.

We turn down the next corridor, and Scott walks with determined steps. He hasn’t acknowledged me behind him yet, but all that changes when he looks left and right before seizing my arm and pulling me into an empty classroom.

The moment the door clicks shut, his hand flies out and punches me in the face. “You fucking whore!”

I hit the floor, cowering as he kicks me in the side and then my back. “Please,” I plead, tears streaming down my cheeks. “I’m sorry!”

He crouches down and fists my hair on the top of my head. “Did you like his cock in your ass?”

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