Savage Vicious Heir: Part Two: A dark high school bully romance

10. Abigail

ABIGAIL

“I’m not sure about this.” I run my hands down the black bodycon dress hugging my figure.

“Abs, we are doing this.” Tally flashes me a reassuring smile.

“She’s right,” Liv adds. “You look amazing, and it’ll do you good to get out and let your hair down.”

I don’t share their optimism but when these girls put their mind to something there’s no arguing with them.

Besides, maybe they have a point.

I’ve managed a whole week of attending classes. Of going through the motions.

They’ve been there every step of the way, meeting me first thing and walking me to class, sitting with me at lunch. They even dropped the boys so I didn’t have to sit with Elliot.

I’m grateful, even if I know it won’t last forever.

“Here, drink this.” Liv hands me a glass of something.

“What is it?”

“A little Dutch courage. Don’t worry, we won’t let you get drunk.”

I take it from her, sniffing the contents. It smells fruity and a little bit bitter, but it doesn’t stop me from downing it in one.

“Holy crap, Abi.” Raine grins. “Atta girl.”

“You want another?” Liv asks and I shake my head.

“I think one is enough for now.”

I’ll never admit it to them, but what I really want is to lock myself away in my room and?—

No.

Not tonight.

Not while I’m with them.

I’ve managed to resist the urge to cut myself all week. Kept myself busy with revision and mindless TV. But it’s always there. A nagging little voice at the back of my mind whispering that it will make it all feel better.

“You know, you didn’t have to do this,” I say.

“Do what?” Tally frowns.

“Take me out. I know there’s a party at the Chapel tonight.”

It’s all everyone at school has talked about all week.

I’m surprised my sudden disappearance wasn’t the talk of the school, but I guess I have the girls and their boyfriends to thank for that.

“The boys can manage one little party without us.” She scoffs. “Besides, I’m so over watching the Heir chasers and their pathetic acts of desperation.”

“You’re not worried one of them might try something?” I ask.

I know how vicious those girls can be. How sneaky and manipulative.

“Oakley knows better.”

I glance at Liv and Raine and they both smirk.

“The boys know if they so much as look at another girl they’ll regret it,” Liv adds.

God, I envy them.

Their confidence and unwavering belief in their relationships.

“Okay, I think I’m done.” Tally smacks her lips together, blotting the corners of her mouth with a tissue. “What do you think?”

“You look gorgeous,” Liv says. “We should totally snap some photos to send to the boys. Show them what they’re missing out on.”

“Good idea.” A devious smile graces her lips as the three of them huddle together. “Come on, Abs, you need to get in here.”

“Oh, I don’t think so.” I wave them off, pretending to fix my hair in the mirror.

They don’t push it and I’m relieved even if a little disappointed.

But then someone thrusts another drink at me, and Tally declares a toast, “To girls’ night.”

We down our drinks and a shudder rolls through me.

“Ready?” Raine asks me quietly, and I nod.

As I’ll ever be.

The bar we go to is a weird mix of students and locals. The music vibrates through my chest making me feel a little light-headed, but I soak it up, enjoying the distraction from my own thoughts.

“Shots?” Tally calls and the girls nod as we make our way to the bar.

Liv leads the way, cutting a path through the sea of bodies as if she owns the place.

I guess when your surname is Beckworth, your brother is an Heir, and your father is one of the county’s most revered lawyers she kind of does.

“Abs, you good?” Tally squeezes my hand, startling me. But I cover my momentary panic with a smile.

“Yeah, fine.”

“I’m really glad you came,” she goes on. “I know it’s been a horrible few weeks but you have to try and move forward.”

“Yeah.” My smile is tight.

“Do you want a soft drink?” she asks as we finally reach the sleek black and chrome bar. I shake my head.

“No, I’ll have a drink but nothing too strong. And no shots.”

“Are you sure? A shot might help.”

“Fine.” I concede. “Maybe one.”

She turns to Liv to order our drinks and two minutes later, I have a shot glass in one hand and a sugary cocktail in the other.

“On three,” Raine announces, holding up her shot. “One. Two. Three.”

They all knock back their shots and I hesitate. This isn’t me, not really. But I don’t want to be sad little Abigail Bancroft. Not tonight.

I want to forget.

To forget my grief and heartache and the constant pit in my stomach.

Without overthinking it, I drink my shot, chasing it down with the sugary sweet cocktail.

“You good?” Raine studies me a little too closely.

“Fine.” I stare out at the dance floor, jealousy burning through me as I watch all the people dancing without a care in the world.

I’ve never had that.

I’ve never been able to truly let go and be free.

“Can we dance?” I blurt, expecting the three of them to gawk at me like I’ve grown a second head.

I should have known better.

Tally grabs my hand and grins. “Let’s go,” she says, tugging me through the crowd.

The alcohol courses through my veins, making me all warm and a little fuzzy headed. But I like it. Besides, the girls will look out for me, I know they will.

They all start moving to the music, sexy and seductive. The way I’ve seen them do before. It isn’t me though, it never has been.

But I wish it was.

I wish I didn’t care what people thought about me or the scars marring my skin.

I wish I had whatever it is that makes them so desirable.

Confidence. Beauty. The determination to go after what they want.

The power to keep it.

I’m not that girl though.

I’m not the girl worth fighting for.

But maybe for tonight, I can pretend.

I can be somebody else.

Maybe tonight, I can be just like Tally or Liv or Raine.

Maybe.

“Maybe you should slow down,” Liv suggests as I sip drink number… Crap, I lost count about an hour ago.

But I feel good, so good.

Everything feels warm and fuzzy and great.

“I love you, Olivia. You’re a good friend.” I fall against her, hugging her tight.

“And you make a cute lush, but I think you should switch to water,” she admonishes.

But I’m too happy to care.

Or listen.

“Let her have this,” Raine says. “It’s one night. She can sleep off her hangover tomorrow and go back to moping.”

“Moping? You think I’ve been— Ooh, shots.” I grab the arm of the waitress passing by with a tray of J?ger bombs.

“Oh no, you’ve definitely had enough of the hard stuff,” Tally adds. “We’re good thanks.”

“Meanie.” I pout right as the DJ changes up the music.

Some eighties pop rock song blasts out of the speakers and I’m hit with a memory of me and my parents in the kitchen. The two of them dancing to this very song. So happy and healthy and… alive.

“I love this one,” I shriek excitedly, darting towards the dance floor.

“We should take her home,” someone murmurs behind me but I’m too lost in the music to care.

I weave my hands in the air like the other girls around me, closing my eyes and giving over to the beat while the raspy voice sings about six strings and diners and dreaming of running away.

And I’m smiling.

Not because I’m drunk or I’m dancing or because for once in my life I don’t feel like the scarred, damaged girl afraid of her own shadow.

I’m smiling because this song reminds me what life was like before the accident. Before Mum died and Dad got sick.

It reminds me of a better time.

A time when my house was filled with love and hope and happiness.

“Well aren’t you a cute little thing.” A heavy arm wraps around my waist and yanks me back into a hard chest. Panic slams into me and I freeze for a second, until my fight instinct takes over.

“Get off me,” I shriek. “Get off?—”

“Relax, we’re only dancing. We’re?—”

“I think she said get off, dickhead.” Raine glares at the boy—the man—holding me.

“Jealous, babe? I’m down for a threesome if you’re?—”

My elbow connects with his stomach, and he lets out a pained groan. “Fucking bitch.”

Raine reaches for me, pulling me into her side as Tally and Liv call for security.

Two burly doormen fight their way through the crowd and Liv whispers something to one of them. He gives her a small nod before grabbing the man by the scruff of his neck and shoving him towards the door.

“Are you okay?” Raine asks.

“I-I…” I choke on a sob.

“Come on, let’s get out of here.” She grabs my hand, and we follow the girls out of the bar.

The cool spring air hits me and the world tilts. “S-stop,” I inhale a sharp breath, trying to stave off the crippling wave of nausea.

“What’s wrong?” All three of them stare at me with concern.

My eyelids flutter as I try to stay focused. “I don’t feel so good. I—” I vomit all over the path.

“Shit, okay. I’m calling Oak,” Tally says.

“No, no,” I murmur, bent double as the nights worth of shots and cocktails burns my oesophagus and splatters all over the ground.

“Just call a taxi,” Raine suggests as she rubs my back.

“Sorry,” I murmur. “I’m so—” Another wave of nausea rocks through me.

“Abi?” someone yells but I’m falling.

Down. Down. Down.

“Oh God, Abi.”

“Fine, I’m fine.”

Except, I don’t feel fine. My head feels too big for my shoulders and everything is spinning.

“He’s going to kill us,” Tally says.

“W-who?” I ask but the words are quiet and slurred.

“Oak is on his way,” someone else says.

But I feel too sick to focus. Too tired and disoriented.

Maybe if I close my eyes for a little while, I can sleep it off.

Shadows dance across my vision as darkness floods in.

But I welcome it.

After all, it’s where I’ve always belonged.