Chapter 41 #2
“Fine, whatever, you’re not pampered,” I drawled as my phone dinged, along with everyone else’s.
That meant it was a school-wide group text.
I picked up my phone, but Nash grabbed it out of my hand just as all eyes in the classroom turned my way.
I swallowed hard, my heart immediately leaping up into my throat.
Some of the class snickered, others looked away, and a few of the guys whistled.
Whatever it was…I was the star of the show.
“What is it?”
“You don’t want to see,” Nash said, and the shaking started in my body. Why? Why couldn’t I catch a fucking break?
I determinedly held out my hand. “Give me my phone, Nash.”
“Princess, I’m telling you….” I glared at him.
“Fine, you want to see it.” He slammed my phone down on the desk, and if I weren’t already so preoccupied, I would’ve smacked him for doing that.
I couldn’t afford a new one with no access to my bank accounts.
Picking up my phone, I opened the group text, and there I was from the waist up, naked and flashing my breasts.
My bruises were on display to everyone before I got myself turned away from Vicky.
The bitch had filmed me in the shower, which was horrible all on its own, but the all-caps message that flashed across the screen was so much worse than anything I could’ve imagined.
YOU MUST HAVE SENT MIXED MESSAGES
I gasped, trying to draw in air past my constricted airways.
As I looked around the room, I felt the walls shrinking in on me.
Everything came flooding back in a single rush.
My mum’s illness and attack, my father dumping me here like I was disposable, the constant bullying coming from all sides, and finally, Axel and what he did all pressed down on me.
I couldn’t breathe, and I grabbed at my sweater, pulling it away from my chest as I gulped for air.
Nash grabbed me by the shoulders and gave me a shake, forcing me to look at him as he stared at me inches from my face.
“Don’t fucking do it. Don’t you dare give Vicky any more to attack you with,” he whispered, but his voice was firm, and I nodded as I stared into his blue eyes, unyielding in their command.
“You’re going to hold your head up. Got it?
” He slowly let go as I nodded, then glared at the class.
“What the fuck are you looking at? Anyone dares to laugh or make a single comment, you will be dealing with me,” Nash growled.
The bell rang, and everyone scattered. Despite what he told them, I knew that I had it coming. They wouldn’t be able to contain themselves. This was just too perfect. Nash waited for me to get my stuff, and as I put the bag on my shoulder, he held out his hand. I stared at it and then up at him.
“How did you know it was her?”
Nash glanced at me. “Don’t think I had anything to do with this.
I’m an ass most of the time, but I’m not that big of a prick.
The only person I know who dislikes you that much is Vicky.
She is also the only one that has access to you in the shower other than Blake and Myles and I fucking know it wasn’t them.
It was a logical guess.” I looked away, my mind running through this morning.
Had she planned that, or was it just done because I was back and didn’t lock the door? I guess it didn’t matter.
“Just take my hand. They won’t say shit to you with me near you, and even if they do, fuck ‘em.”
“No. I can’t hide behind you every time I’m in trouble.
If Vicky wants to victim-shame me, then let her.
It only shows what a terrible person she really is.
” I shook my head and then glanced at the doors—a group walking by looked inside.
The thought of walking out there was making me sweaty, but where the hell was I going to go?
It wasn’t like I could leave the property.
I took a step and then stopped and looked up at Nash.
“I know you said you were with her just to use her, but I’ll never understand what you saw in her to do that or why you wasted your time.
You may not think it, but you’re better than that. ”
Even though I wouldn’t take his hand, Nash walked close to my back as we stepped out into the hallway, and those who hadn’t left or maybe were waiting to get a glimpse of me all turned my way.
I didn’t pause or let my step falter as I marched down the center of the hallway like I owned the place.
I wouldn’t be made to feel bad for being assaulted.
Nash was right, I should keep my head up. Fuck them.
The walk from Bowfield Hall felt colder than expected, and each step closer to the front doors of the main building only amped up the feeling of doom.
It wasn’t going to get better. My phone dinged, and I jumped at the sound, but Nash’s phone remained quiet, so I pulled mine out. There was a message from Myles.
Snowflake Catcher: Hey there, Snowflake. Are you okay? I’m going to hire a car to bring me back.
R: Don’t do that. I’m okay, and your team needs you. You have a game in like forty minutes.
Snowflake Catcher: The game doesn’t matter. I don’t like this. You shouldn’t be alone.
R: I’m not. Nash is escorting me to my room. Lucky me.
Snowflake Catcher: Go to my room. Blake will be back from his appointment soon. You can stay in our room for the night.
I shook my head. I loved that he wanted to protect me and wrap me up in his arms every time something terrible happened, but he couldn’t always do that. It wasn’t realistic. I had to be able to look out for myself.
R: I’ll see Blake once he is back.
Snowflake Catcher: I love you, and I’m sorry that I’m not there.
R: Don’t be silly. You need to have a life. You can’t be consumed with trying to keep me out of trouble. Lately, it seems to find me like a bloodhound. I’ll be fine. I love you, too. Xoxo
Snowflake Catcher: xoxo
“God, you two make me want to hurl,” Nash said, and I glared over my shoulder at him.
“Then don’t read my texts, and you won’t be subjected to us,” I said as we reached the dorm.
Nash pulled the door open just in time for us to hear Vicky yelling.
“Get your hands off of me. Don’t you know who I am?
” We stepped inside, and as soon as Vicky caught sight of me, she went into full postal mode.
“You bitch, this is all your fault! I wish you’d never come here,” she screamed and pointed a finger at me as two guards dragged her into the Dean’s Office.
“It looks like Dean Henry plans on having a chat with her,” Nash said and then chuckled. “Good, saves me from having to come up with something creative.”
I opened my mouth to tell him not to bother and that I didn’t need his help, but he seemed to do the exact opposite of whatever I said, so I snapped my mouth shut and marched to the elevator. I looked over my shoulder when I realized that Nash wasn’t dogging my steps.
“You aren’t coming?”
“Wasn’t planning on it unless you want me to?”
“Nope, I’ll be fine. Thanks.”
The few people I walked past in the hall were decent enough not to say anything or laugh, which gave me hope for the world. Ivy was waiting for me by my door. When she saw me, she rushed over and hugged me.
“Oh my god. I can’t believe she did that to you. It was Vicky, right? I saw her get dragged out of here, so I assumed it was her.”
I nodded and opened my door, stopping as I stared at the guard on Vicky’s side, throwing everything into boxes.
“What? What’s happening?”
“Your roommate is being expelled,” he said flatly and didn’t offer any more info.
“The school has a very strict anti-bullying policy. Even so, they don’t tend to step in easily or often. I guess they kind of expect it, considering who all goes to school here. But what Vicky did was pretty close to a sexual assault. She crossed major lines,” Ivy said.
I didn’t say it, but this incident also drew a great big red circle on all the guys for Axel’s sudden disappearance.
I just wanted this drama to end. I came from a small school with little to no drama.
There was no crazy bullying, no killing of people, no evil fathers who carved up their sons.
I thought I had been doing really well. I’d arrived, held my head up, and learned the ropes.
But every minute here was another battle, and I was tired of it and how it made me feel small and insignificant, like I needed any more of that in my life.