Page 65 of Losing the Rhythm

“Go see her this weekend,” I said. “We’ll make sure she’s fine.”

Again, Seth got that expression on him. The same one he gave me when I wouldn’t let him carry Cadence. Like he didn’t trust me.

“I failed in the past,” I said, my throat feeling like it was about to close up. “I know better now. I won’t make that mistake again.”

His eyes widened as understanding fell over him.

“Okay. I’ll go see her.”

“Good.” I let him get back to cooking dinner, and he was more than happy to distract himself as he chopped and fried and stirred and did all the things a cook did to make a good meal.

I didn’t stay much longer after that.

Chapter Nineteen

I was just pulling into the parking lot on Monday, when my phone rang. I stared down at the number, thinking maybe despite feeling so well rested, I was seeing things and my brain was still muddled. But I didn’t recognize the number no matter how long I thought about it. Anyone who would normally call me was already marked on my phone. My lawyer, the guys, Micah, even his parents. The school. Hospitals. Doctors. Some returning clients and work contacts. And now, even my dad’s number.

The caller ID showed only an unfamiliar number.

“Hello?”

There was some giggling before the line went dead. I looked at my phone, confused for a second, seeing the call ended screen.

What the heck?

I was just getting out of my car when it happened again. The phone going off. The girly giggling. The call ended.

It happened again when I got to the steps. This time, any patience I ever had was completely gone.

“What the hell do you want?” I bit out.

“You gone from this school,” a girl snapped. Then they hung up with more laughter in the background.

Was this a new form of bullying?

“Why do you look like you’re about to murder your phone?” Bryan asked.

I jumped and looked back at him.

“Pranks,” I muttered and put my phone away. “You’re here first?”

He shrugged. “Guess so. Come on. Do you need to store anything in my locker?”

“They already gave me a new locker.”

“And it’s better to keep it empty so they don’t do that shit again.” Bryan’s expression darkened as he opened the door for me.

I eyed him as I walked by. “You aren’t thinking of doing something stupid like Paxon and Toby, right?” I asked.

“What makes you think they’re going to do something stupid?”

“Because they’ve been too quiet and I know they’re pissed.”

He just hummed as we headed further inside, not giving me an answer.

That solidified it. The guys were up to something. But what? I wasn’t so sure.

The halls were only partially filled and we headed directly to his locker. Others were still staring at me, burning their gazes into my skin, but they were different this time. There was something more aggressive about them. I met the eyes of a boy I didn’t know and he outright smirked as he nudged his friend. His friend glanced at me briefly before shaking his head and going back to digging in his locker. But that boy, he just kept smirking at me, eyes dropping down my body.

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