Page 78 of A Vicious Rumor

He growled. "I'm coming over," he seethed.

"Like hell you are," I said quickly. "I'm going to sleep. You should do the same. Don't come over!" I all but yelled before hanging up the phone.

My heart was beating so fast at the encounter. It was the first time that I'd ever felt like I had control of a situation that involved Tyson.

I switched my phone off, turned off my light, and allowed myself to drift off to sleep. Tomorrow would be another day. I could figure it all out, then.

24

TYSON

I didn't care about the fact that the fight with Scissors was later today.

I didn't care about the fact that the entire school seemed to be talking about it.

I didn't care that Kitty came to my house trying to threaten me with some dirt she thought she had on me and my dad unless I somehow restored her reputation at school.

I didn't even care that I'd received a rather threatening voicemail on my phone from an "Unlisted" number saying I'd run out of chances.

I just cared about seeing Lily and making sure she was okay. I still had her bracelet wrapped around my wrist, sitting right next to the one she'd made for me. I'd called her over and over again that night. I wandered the forest for hours looking for her until I finally gave up and had to go home.

I trekked into the house covered in mud and my father tried to berate me for it, but I was over him and everything. The only thing I cared about right now was Lily.

I hadn't been able to put eyes on her all day. Getting through the first two classes of the day was excruciating, but finally I walked into the science lab and sat down next to her at our lab station.

"I need to talk to you," I said to her.

"Shh," she said, putting her finger to her lips. "Class is starting."

I looked around. People were still making their way into the classroom. "The hell it is," I said. "I need to talk to you."

She rolled her eyes at me. I hadn't remembered her ever copping such an attitude with me. "After."

"Fine," I said. "But, I expect you to stay true to your word."

I leaned against the table and used the opportunity to look her over. She didn't look hurt. There were no bruises or scratches on her skin. She looked just as beautiful and pure as she always did.

At least on the outside. I knew what I'd done to her on Friday was beyond shitty. I had to explain to her why. She'd understand when I got the chance to tell her what Kitty threatened me with. And then...

And then...

What?

I didn't even know. Everything would go back to the way it was before? With me trying to keep her at bay? Trying to ignore my feelings for her? I hated this whole thing.

And it was all my dad's fault. If he knew how to run a goddamn business, then none of this would have happened. I wouldn't have ended up at my mom's. I wouldn't have ended up meeting the guys I did. I wouldn't have ended up getting involved in that world just to save his broke ass.

Which, by the way, seemed entirely saved. There'd been no concerning phone calls, no frantic "give me more times." It was as if the money problems had disappeared as soon as the investor had come on board. I needed to talk to Paper about what he was doing. It seemed too good to be true.

"Alright," the teacher said, walking into the classroom, "let's get started."

"You sit right there," I seethed at Lily as she tried to get up and head to the door. "First of all, we haven't even cleaned up our lab station, and second of all, you gave me your word we would talk."

She narrowed her eyes at me. "I said 'after.' I didn't say 'right after.'"

She had been entirely frustrating throughout the entire lab period. It's like she enjoyed testing me. If I suggested we do something one way, she'd say "absolutely not, it needs to be the other way." It's like she was deliberately trying to drive a wedge between us.

"Why are you being like this?" I said, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back into her seat.

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