Page 56 of Revenge of a Queen

“You’re fucking dumber than I thought,” I scoff at him and Jace chuckles beside me. I shoot him a death glare, “That was the fakest shit I’ve ever seen,” I say, stamping my foot and Marcus smiles.

“It’s really hot when you're jealous, baby,” he says, pulling me towards him but I am having none of it and move from his arms.

“I am not fucking jealous of that cunt,” I hiss, furious now, and my voice is getting louder but I can’t bring myself to care. “You invited a snake into your life, and you think I’m mad because I’m jealous? Are you fucking kidding me?”

His flirty smile disappears, and he looks like he hasn’t a clue how to handle me right now. Well, I’m fucking glad. I hope it pisses him off. “I'm sure it’s nothing, Ells,” he starts again, but I just scoff before turning away from him.

“Sort your fucking shit out, Riviera,” I grit, turning to stalk away from them and flipping off the people who are unabashedly staring at us now. Fuck this high school bullshit.

I suffer through morning classes with barely any attention given to whatever was being taught. I am too distracted, too on edge. How is one expected to learn about American History when you have a hit out on you and spent the weekend being shot at and almost barbequed?

It doesn’t help when I get a message from Asher telling me he has some stuff he needs to update me on. I have barely heard from him all weekend, which I’m sure had him on edge, just as much as me. I always notice the darkness in him is that much stronger the longer he spends away from Cassie.

By the time lunch rolls around, I am more than ready to go home, but on the off chance I survive Elliot Donovan and his fucking demons, I want to be able to graduate. The Rebels are quiet at lunch, they have been all weekend, but I guess the last few days have been a lot to swallow.

“Ash has something for us,” I muse, trying to make conversation and it seems only Linc takes the bait.

“What sort of something?” he questions.

“Probably not the sort you are wishing for, brother,” Jace cuts in with a wink and I laugh for the first time all day.

“Fuck off,” Linc replies, losing a little of that cool he always holds on to so tightly.

“Did he say what?” Marcus asks, interrupting them both, his sole focus on me.

I shake my head no, “I’m sure whatever it is won’t make me feel better,” I mumble with a grim smile and then silence descends between us again. I can’t stand the tension so I excuse myself and head to the bathroom so I can have a few moments alone with my thoughts.

As I am washing my hands, the toilet flushes behind me and the door opens, revealing Cherry for the second time today. She looks at me with disdain, the comforting look she offered me earlier nowhere to be seen. Ah, so I’m getting the real Cherry now that we don’t have an audience. I remain silent as I finish washing my hands and go to dry them.

“I’ll get him back you know,” she says to my back before I turn around to face her. “Marcus, I mean,” she confirms, like I didn’t understand her meaning. Maybe she is stupid after all.

“Is that so?” I respond without emotion; she is so predictable.

“I waited for him, watched him fuck his way through this entire school before he finally noticed me,” she says taking a step towards me, “I had him and you ruined it,” she spits. “I will get him back, I won’t lose him to some North bred whore who has decided to slum it,” she pushes me against the wall. I allow her little show of rage, as I assess her angle, and wonder what her endgame is here. This seems like a lot of anger over just one guy.

“Go back to that rich asshole from the North Side,” she adds, and I frown inwardly, who does she mean? Ash? Why would she bring him up? How the fuck does she even know about him, he hasn’t been here since the first week of school and that was months ago.

I push off the wall and that move alone causes her to falter backwards.

“Listen to me, Cherry, because I am only going to say this once,” I say firmly. “Marcus is mine, always has been. You may have thought you had him, but you didn’t. You never could and I am sorry for that,” I’m not but she doesn’t need to know that. “It will always be us, and anyone who tries to come between us. will regret it,” I pull the knife from my waistband and glide it slowly across my fingertips and her eyes follow the movement.

She gulps before finding her bravado, “Whatever psycho barbie, I’m out of here,” she says spinning around to leave. A wise choice on her part.

I follow her out the door and shout after her, “Oh, and Cherry?”

She turns looking at me with an angry expression as I continue, “Don’t make me come for you, you won’t like it if I do,” I say, pointing at her with my blade and she huffs at that, before turning and marching away as a laugh hits my ear.

“Naughty, Queenie,” Jace says from behind me. I turn to find him leaning on the wall a few feet from the door, just casually smoking a joint in the middle of the hallway.

“Pretty boy,” I acknowledge him, “Spying on me?” I ask and he smiles wider, blowing smoke into my face.

“It was me or your boyfriend,” he shrugs, and I roll my eyes. Stupid, overprotective bastards.

“I don’t need a babysitter,” I grit at him as I stalk back to the cafeteria, and he follows me with a laugh.

“Oh, trust me I know. I’ve seen your creative extra curriculars,” he muses taking another drag of his joint, like we aren’t in the middle of fucking school, “but an extra pair of eyes on you can’t hurt, can it?” He takes one last drag before stomping it out on the wall at the same time Principal Lock rounds the corner. Graham looks at him displeased, but Jace just mock salutes him and enters the cafeteria.

“Elle a word?” he asks, as I go to continue after Jace, halting me in my tracks.

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