Chapter 7 #3
I looked around and noticed that our conversation hadn’t gone unnoticed.
Hunter, Bryce, Celeste, and other guys watched me with narrowed eyes from the Jackals’ table.
Great, what did I do now? And at Meredith’s table, I saw a few of the guys sitting there had also been watching, too.
My appetite vanished, and I gathered up the rest of my food and tossed it, leaving the cafeteria as quickly as I possibly could.
“How are you doing, Chickadee?” Meredith sang a song under her breath as she skipped into Home Ec. and found me already browsing through the recipe book for something to make today.
“I’m fine,” I furrowed my brow at her, wondering why she was so chipper.
“Just fine?” Her eyes flicked to my empty lobes and made a tsk-tsk sound. “Not what I heard. Glad they aren’t ripped.”
For the love of…
“Is there anyone in this school not talking about me?” I grumbled between my teeth.
“Gossip has been slow since those girls disappeared,” she said, her voice tightening.
“ What? ” I asked, my eyes going wide and mouth dropping. “Girls have disappeared?”
Meredith nodded, appearing as troubled as I felt.
“It happens a lot here, especially lately…” Her voice trailed off for a second before she turned and picked up a frilly pink apron from the hook on the wall and tied it on, contrasting sharply against her leather tights and a dark, graphic tee and blue hair.
“Anyways, with that bitch-cunt after you, it’s been spreading like TMZ. ”
“Super,” I mumbled, my mind still whirling with the way she seemed so accepting of the girls’ disappearance, thinking that me being bullied trumped that news made me sick. The kids here were as bad as the Academy. I guess no matter where you went, gossip was still gossip.
Meredith poked my side, catching my attention, and offered a small, mischievous smile.
“Stop pouting. No one here really likes Celeste, anyways. At least, the people who matter don’t.
She’s used, old news, but she clings on hard…
” Her smile disappeared. “She’s a Jackal Whore.
She’s not even a real member of their club.
She thinks she has respect because she’s Hunter’s go-to fuck, but that’s all she is.
The moment he decides she’s done, that’s it for her. ”
For a moment, I felt kind of bad for Celeste. She was being used until deemed worthless and would eventually be spat out like old gum. It painted a dreary picture.
“You need to pick a group to side with, Chicky-Poo. It’s the best way to keep safe here,” Meredith reached over and stopped me from turning the page.
“I’m craving brownies, and they’re Haldon’s favourite.
” She turned away to grab supplies before I could even ask who that was.
But I shrugged and went along with her choice. I enjoyed brownies, anyway.
“I’ll be a silent supporter, but I really don’t want to get involved in…
whatever the fuck it is that they do,” I said without thinking.
Shit, Casey… you’re talking to someone who is most likely a member of one of these crews.
But Meredith just laughed and shook her head, not looking the slightest bit insulted.
“Don’t worry, you wouldn’t be invited to become a member.” She chuckled as she brought over a bag of flour, baking soda, and sugar. I followed with some eggs and butter.
“Well, I don’t want to be a groupie, or whatever, either,” I muttered as I gripped a mixing bowl. “If I have to pick a side, I will.”
“I know, Cutie-Patootie. You just want to be left alone …” She was quoting me from yesterday.
“But tough luck, Buttercup,” she went on, managing to fit two new nicknames.
“You don’t get a choice in Harley. The best you can do is take the better of the shitty options presented to you and hold the fuck on for dear life. ”
“Is that what you did?” I asked before I could stop myself. When her smile dropped and she looked down at me, I felt my face go red with embarrassment. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it like-”
“It’s alright.” She lowered her head, giving me a small smile, but it didn’t reach her eyes.
If anything, she seemed sad. “I think most of us here have gone through something, and we had to find refuge somewhere. I found mine with my crew.” She bit on her thumbnail.
Her words only confirmed my suspicions of where her allegiance laid.
“They’ve saved my ass countless times…” When she faced me again, she added, “If you’re alone, your chances of disappearing like those other girls increases.
Find a group, stick to them. Safety in numbers. ”
I didn’t want to pry, so I didn’t bother asking what she meant by that. It felt too personal, and if she wanted to talk about it, I figured she would have kept talking, but she didn’t. So I dropped it, and we focused on our task at hand.
By the end of class, we’d made some fresh brownies, separated them, and I walked off to my final class, which just happened to be English with the two asshole Jackals I disliked so much. I walked into class, keeping my head down, and took my seat.
“Hey, Princess.” Hunter made a flicking motion with his tongue, and I openly gagged.
“What’s the matter, bitch? Too good to roll around with East End filth, hey?
” Bryce practically spat at me. I noticed that one boy, the one with a beautiful tanned complexion and long black hair that fell nearly halfway down his back, was watching our interaction closely, his black eyes full of disgust when his intense gaze slid over to the guys.
“No, I’m just not interested in desperate assholes…” I murmured as Mr. Kennard came strolling into the room.
“What the fuck did you just say?” Bryce hissed at me and I could feel the hairs on my arms rise.
Goddamn word vomit … I got carried away again and let it slip, and now, my big mouth was going to get me into trouble again.
But before I could say anything, the bell rang to signal the beginning of class, and a discussion had started about the progression of Othello.
However, the entire time, Hunter and Bryce were glaring at me, and I knew that I’d need to make a quick escape out of here as soon as the bell rang.
I was tense in my seat the entire period, hovering on the edge of my chair.
In my peripheral, I saw the long, dark-haired boy was still watching, looking back and forth between me and the two assholes.
But I didn’t look over. I remained focused on my notes and kept my fists clenched on my lap.
Finally, when the bell rang, I leapt out of my chair and booked it.
I got lost in the crowded hallways as students hurried out, desperate to leave school behind for another day.
I glanced back over my shoulder to see Hunter and Bryce in hot pursuit, but I was small, and I could easily let myself get lost in the swarm of people.
I scurried to my locker and grabbed my bag and coat, and slammed it shut, ready to run down the hall to freedom.
But as I passed the stairwell, a hand shot out and roughly ripped me away from the crowd.
I inhaled a huge breath, about to yell for help, but a huge, meaty hand slapped over my mouth, and I was hauled up the stairs like I’d been as light as a feather.
The sense of fear was prickling all over my skin when I saw Bryce amongst the four guys who were herding me back up the stairs.
Students made a wide berth for us and avoided eye contact.
I kicked and shouted against the hand, muffling my scream, but it was of no use.
I was pulled into a small alcove halfway up to the second floor and held there as the guys surrounded me, hiding me from the view of any passing students.
I was terrified and shaking. I had no doubts that the one holding me was Hunter.
“That smart mouth of yours is already getting you into trouble, Princess,” Hunter murmured in my ear. I shuddered and tried to shake my head, but he laughed lightly. “I can think of better ways to put those luscious lips of yours to use…”
I struggled again, but he lifted me up off the ground, crushing me against the wall of the brick alcove.
“I’ve always loved your snarky attitude.” His voice was husky, and his eyes stared straight into mine in a way that frightened me.
“Super,” I said to him. “Now, do you mind backing up a step? You’re invading my bubble. I have boundary issues.”
He ignored me and instead, leaned in closer and muttered, “Didn’t use to.”
“Let. Go. Of. Me,” I hissed at him.
“What are you going to do, little Cooper? Going to kick my ass? This isn’t primary school,” he chuckled.
With his free hand, he reached up and tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear.
“It’s not so easy now.” I shrank away from him, but I really had nowhere to go.
His buddies had all turned, facing away, their bodies shielding us from anyone who might be loitering behind to talk with their friends before heading home.
“ Not interested-”
“You’re not giving me a chance, Princess. You’re still stuck in elementary when all we did was fight. I’m over fighting with you…” His hazel eyes roved down over my body, and I recognized the gleam in them.
“I want nothing to do with you, and whatever the fuck it is, your group of fucktards are up to. I just want to get through this year in one piece.”
He pressed his lips tightly together, and the hand on my waist clenched a bit. “My fucktards are my fucking family. We look out for each other.”
“And what about the petty crimes? Or is it worse than that? What kind of shit have you gotten involved in, Hunter?”
“We do what we have to do to survive here, Casey,” he growled.