Page 98 of The Rivals' Touch

Just then, Jacob walks past with his arm around a girl, and the sight makes me prickle. I have enough drama in my life, but why not add some more? Isn’t that what Abigail just said? “Hey, asshole!”

He comes to a halt and looks over his shoulder. “If it isn’t our very own Hedgewood slut.”

My mouth falls open. I don’t know if I should laugh or slap him. “You should know by now that cheap insults don’t work on me.” I smile a sugary smile at the girl. “I don’t believe we’ve met. I’m the resident Hedgewood slut. Well, I’m not sure it works now that I’m at Aycliffe? Maybe I’m an Aycliffe slut instead?” I pretend to think about it for all of two seconds. “Jacob here is a complete jerk who follows behind his dick like a dog with a wagging tail and his tongue hanging out. He even stabs his friends in the back to wet his cock.”

He gnashes his teeth. “You better shut your mouth!”

Pleased to have wound him up, my smile grows. I don’t know why I’m so insanely jealous, but I am. “Isn’t that so?”

That’s when Zayd decides to saunter up to us, a pencil behind his ear, black hair in disarray as if he’s rubbed his hand through it. “What did I miss?”

“Hi, Zayd!” I beam, clinging to him like one of those groupies who chase them down the corridors daily like a pack of dogs with puppy eyes. “We were just talking about what a fantastic friend Jacob is. Aren’t you, tall guy?” I say to Jacob and make a show of squeezing Zayd’s muscular arm through his hoodie. It’s official! These men are driving me insane, and I need to be committed.

Zayd looks confused and a little alarmed at my behavior. “Are you okay?”

I nod and offer him a deranged smile. “Never fucking better!” My mouth falls open in faux surprise and admiration. “Were your muscles always this big?”

Abigail sniggers next to me. Meanwhile, Jacob is about to punch a wall.

Zayd looks mildly frightened but then stiffens and cups my jaw roughly. “What happened?”

I try to move away, but he tightens his grip.

“What the fuck happened?!”

“I fell out of bed.”

“You fell out…” He grabs my arm and pulls me down the hall, ignoring my protests.

I dig my feet in, and the soles of my red chucks slide on the floor. “What the fuck, Zayd? Let me go!”

He throws me into the boys’ bathroom and roars at the guys at the urinals to leave.

My hands fly up to cover my eyes but not fast enough. Now I’ve seen enough dicks to last me until next year.

The door clicks shut, and I peek through my fingers to check if the coast is clear. It is; no more weiners on display.

“Talk!” he orders.

“I told you, I fell out of bed.”

His hand slams down on the stall wall next to us. “I want the fucking truth! Look at your jaw! Whoever did that wants others to see it!”

I glance at the door. “Zayd, please! I fell out of bed. Can we please leav—”

He kicks the stall and fists my hair. “Tell me the fucking truth!”

My nostrils flare. My scalp is on fire. It would be frightening if anyone else pulled my hair like this, but with Zayd, it turns me on.

“Was it your dad? I swear to god, I will ki—”

“It wasn’t my dad.”

His eyes widen. “Bennett did that?”

I don’t answer, and he doesn’t ease up on my hair.

“Bennett punched you in the face?!”

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