Page 33 of They Will Fall

“Everyone knows them. They’re The Lawless. But, you probably have no idea what that means.”

“I do.” Feeling a bit more levelheaded, I say, “I’m a former student here, and a Blue Blood.”

“Oh, so you know that those guys can practically do whatever the hell they want and get away with it?”

“I guess so, but our Lawless were never that cruel. I mean, they were bad. Just notthatbad.”

“Guess some get it bad, and some get it really bad.”

I gulp, a question weighing heavily on my mind. “Did they…did they ever—”

Her eyebrows flex. “Assault me? Hurt me? Fuck no! Tried once.” She tilts her head slightly to the left. “But I practically chewed off one of Arlo’s nuts. They’ve left me alone ever since.”

“Which one is Arlo?”

“Ugly-ass eye tattoo. Walks with a limp.”

I smile. “I take it the limp is your doing?”

“I mean, I like to think so.” She waves her hand through the air as she starts walking. “Walk with me. I’ll take you back to campus so you can call your friends, or whoever the hell you’re out here with.”

“Actually,” I say, “I’m all alone.”

It’s a partial truth. Technically, I wasn’t alone, but the minute I left Maddox, I was on this venture by myself.

My body jolts when the phone in my pocket buzzes. Quickly, I reach inside and pull it out.

Temper leans in and glances at the phone in my hand. “Please tell me that you time traveled here from the nineties and plan to return to your time with the news of our technological advancements.”

“Oh,” I laugh, holding up the old flip phone, “it’s not mine.”

“Annnnd, you have it, why?”

I laugh under my breath at her questions, loving how bold she is with someone she doesn't know from Adam. “So I can’t be traced.”

“Right. Right. Because you’re on the run as a serial killer and all?”

My eyes widen in surprise. “You heard that?”

“The ass end of the conversation. But, yeah. So is it true?”

My lips roll together and I steal a quick glance at her to read her expression. She’s so calm about the situation that I doubt she’d believe me even if I told her. “Maybe.”

“That’s cool as hell.” She stares blankly ahead of her, moving her hands through the air as if she’s framing a picture. “A life on the run as a wanted killer. Sounds like an adventure I want to go on.”

“It’s…definitely an adventure. But, I didn’t do what I’m being accused of.”

“Don’t burst my bubble, college girl. Let me dream that I’m walking with a real Thelma.”

“Thelma?”

“Thelma and Louise?” She huffs. “You are definitelynotfrom the nineties. Quite possibly, not this world at all, for that matter. Can I be your Louise?” She folds her hands in prayer. “Please say yes.”

“No idea what you’re talking about.”

“Eh, that’s probably for the best. They die in the end.”

Side-eyeing Temper, I quickly read the text from Scar, while trying to keep my new friend from seeing it.

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