65. Sable
SABLE
Wobbly legs take me from the hall and away from the front door. While I’d love to sprint away, I’m not stupid enough to leave just with the clothes on my back. I don’t have money or connections. I don’t have the luxury of being impulsive when I’m the only thing standing between me and death.
Bellthorn Academy never stood so clear in front of me.
From the first moment I arrived, dragged and coerced by Lex, I let my own desires lead.
I thought that because these men made me feel good, it meant this wasn’t that bad.
It is bad. The fact that I liked it is a question for later.
It doesn’t matter. My pussy is not in control here, not anymore.
If Soren can stand all high in his morals and then promise to take care of me and do this, I can’t expect anything better from the others.
Jesus, if Soren is willing to fuck the woman who tortured me just days ago, I can’t think of what Orion would do.
The eyes of every student stick on me as I make my way to my room, but I don’t fucking care anymore.
Look your fill, I’m done with this place.
Fuck these clothes. Damn, it’s been months since I wore anything with color.
Fuck the rules, this program, and the rich families of this country who send their sons and daughters to this academy knowing they are breeding the next generation of psychos.
My breath comes out chopped, my hands tremble when I twist the doorknob to my room, and for a long second, I think it’s going to be locked, but it’s not.
The conversation last night at least meant something to them.
The guys are gone. All that's left of them is the messy sheet and the memories flashing behind my eyelids. Tears try and fail to scrub them clean, and I shake myself free of the feelings. I can’t lick my wounds right now because at any moment one of the doors will open, and I won’t get a chance to leave.
I don’t take my suitcase. It’s heavy, and it attracts too much attention.
I don’t know every path in this school yet, so my only option is to go through the regular corridors, and those corridors are full of students.
I grab my largest bag and stuff it with my essentials.
Clothes I brought with me yet never wore.
Every item I take out is colorful, and it’s such a stupid thing to be rebellious about, but I want to purge this place from my system.
Once I’m packed, I run out of the room.
There’s no time for anything but rushing and praying under my breath that I make it in time. Every step brings me closer to the end of this prison sentence, this miserable ride I accepted, thinking it was better than what waited outside. Dumb Sable .
My parents were right to keep me away from Bellthorn.
I thought it was because I wasn’t smart enough or I wasn’t following Dad’s footsteps, but now I see that it was this place.
The students’ eyes follow me as usual, but no one dares to approach.
At this point, Cillian probably told Lex that I ran, so I need to be fast. This place is huge, but the guys know its secret, and I don’t.
I’m only a few yards away from the main hall when I hear Lex’s voice. “Where’s Sable?”
Cillian already told him I ran? Damn. This is all going too fast.
My back hit the stones behind me, and I hold my breath, afraid they'll discover me and drag me back to my room. I won’t go quietly this time. I never signed up to be the Offering, and now they know. They can’t make me stay.
“Soren was out with her,” Orion replies. Why isn’t he speaking to Cillian?
Lex grunts, and my eyes squeeze shut. A moment goes by, and I almost relax, thinking they moved along, but I jump when Lex talks once again.
“He’s not answering the phone. Let’s go.”
This time, their steps move away from me, and I know they are gone.
I risk a look to the right, and my heart skips a beat when I still see their heads above everyone else going down the corridor.
I swallow my fears. I can’t stay here forever.
I don’t understand why Lex isn’t telling Orion about Cillian coming to get me, but that doesn’t matter.
Maybe Cillian is on my side and giving me time to run.
Having an ally in this situation would be amazing, if he could delay just another ten minutes…
I pray in silence and come out from my hiding place, quickly running down the main stairs.
I know Lex enough at this point, and he doesn’t like to use the known paths.
At least I have that going for me. My knuckles are white, gripping the straps of my bag.
I never walked with a bag around Bellthorn, so I feel that everyone knows what I’m doing.
It’s fucked up how much I feel like a prisoner.
I’m escaping this place as if it’s not a school.
My hands shake, and my heart hammers, trying to get out of my mouth.
This can’t be normal. None of this is. My eyes scan my surroundings when I finally make it to the main hall.
No sign of any of them, and the front door sits so close yet so far.
I know that it is rare for people to open the gigantic doors.
Instead, everyone uses the side entrance.
My steps eat the ground beneath my feet, hungry for freedom, until I’m right in front of the smaller door beside the bigger set.
It’s not locked. Of course it’s not. This place wasn’t supposed to be a prison to anyone but me.
Shaky hands reach for the knob with a fortifying breath, but before I can open it, a hand pushes the door closed again.
Soren.
His eyes are wild, his hair all over the place, and his shirt still completely open.
He looks like someone who just finished fucking, but unsure on his feet.
Did she fuck him senseless? Pain twists my guts.
Thankfully, my anger is bigger than my sorrow, and I don’t cry in front of him.
My eyes are hard, my jaw set, and the grip on my bag only gets tighter.
“Let me go,” I say, refusing to let the tears color my voice. “I don’t want you anymore.”
His nostrils flare with my demand, but I’m prepared to fight.
The moment he lays his hand on me, I’m going to scream my head off.
How dare he touch Arabella and then try to touch me?
I’m sick just thinking of it. Time stands still while we look at each other.
If I thought we got closer in the last weeks, this moment proves it was all a lie.
I barely recognize him. His hand slides off the door, and he takes a step back, leaning against the wall.
He stares at me with cold, calculating eyes, and maybe something raw I have no interest in seeing.
I frown in confusion and grief as I reach for the knob.
He doesn’t move this time, just watches me.
His gaze is heavy, yet no words come out.
Filled with uncertainty, I pull the door open.
Soren closes his eyes in pain, but he lets me go.
It hurts that he won’t even try to explain himself.
Even if no words would make me stay, still, I wish he had at least tried.
I run to the gates, secretly hoping he’ll call me back, and I can forgive him like the stupid bitch I am.