Chapter 14
The endless stares are getting old. I’d almost given in to Silas this morning, but I’m not desperate enough to fuck my step brother or become some sort of sex toy for his enjoyment, just to survive this place.
No matter how he makes me feel. After his kiss I’d done my best to avoid him, even after the lingering taste of him still sat on my lips.
Even though I can still touch my lips and feel him there, his kiss is aggressive, controlling and somehow I knew if he did it again, I wouldn’t stop him.
Even after the restless night, not knowing if the masked man would come back or not, I just want today to be over.
My dreams are becoming reality, and I’m not sure if it’s scarier because I don’t know who they are or because deep down I want this.
Blaire and her minions were another thing all together. I’d have to figure out how to deal with them. I doubt Cranford would appreciate violence to solve the problem, but I’m definitely open to any and all ideas to get her to back off.
“So you're the new girl?” I gasp out loud placing my hand over my chest when a soft voice speaks beside me.
“I am,” I say, still clutching my chest. Staring at the girl standing next to me.
The bubbly blonde smiles, she’s petite and if I thought I was short she is by far shorter than me, she’s almost pocket size.
I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face.
“Yes I know I’m tiny, but what I lack in size I make up for in sass.” she smiles, grabbing my hand in hers, tugging me gently toward a table of empty seats.
Okay, who is this girl?
“Come on Tenley, we’re going to become fast friends.”
Yep definitely makes up for it. She has a tight grip on my hand not letting me go for even a second.
She seems overly friendly. I’m still taken aback by how forward this girl is and how nice she is compared to the rest of the school.
Where was she on my first day at this new hell?
“Sorry didn’t mean to startle you.” She smiles as we walk past tables full of students staring at me.
“Don’t let them know they affect you. Trust me they’ll use it against you.” Wrinkling my nose, I stare down at her as she guides me into a seat.
“Eat, because you might not get a chance to soon.” She tips her head toward the table that holds my stepbrother and his friends.
So she knows who I am.
Silas is staring right at me, his eyes narrow as he watches the girl talk to me, flicking back and forth between us. Twisting his lips
Does he not want her near me?
Wouldn’t surprise me if the asshole wants to isolate me from everyone just to torture me more .
“I saw them watching you, trust me Silas Creed is the last person you want to piss off.”
“Too late.” I murmur. Knowing I’d somehow already gotten under his skin. She follows my line of sight when my gaze lands on Silas. Smirking in our direction he winks before his gaze drops from mine.
“Oh girl, please tell me you didn’t already piss him off?” she asks, placing her manicured hand over her heart.
Shaking my head. “No nothing like that, unfortunately it’s not only a school Silas and I share. He’s my stepbrother.” I grimace when her mouth pulls into a smile.
“Oh I know, that's the only thing people are talking about at Monarch right now.”
“Yay me,” I say, folding my arms and crossing my ankles, of course my arrival would cause a stir.
I clear my throat and shake my head, lifting my eyes to hers.
She smooths a hand over her hair staring off into the distance like she’s deep in thought.
“My stepbrother simply hates me because he can.”
“Silas has issues,” she says.
“That’s putting it mildly.” I snort.
“He’s been worse since his mother’s passing,” she shrugs.
“My mother and his were friends, once. A long time ago.” I admit.
I only know that fact from my mother.
“How did I miss that vital piece of information?” she huffs, sitting back in her chair.
“I’m Rain by the way, sorry I would have rescued you the first day but I’ve just gotten back from Paris, my parents had business there and I had to tag along.”
“Oh that would have been amazing?”
“Yeah it was pretty magical.”
Twirling her necklace around her neck her gaze flicks to the side then back to the table before she looks in the same direction again.
I catch her looking in the opposite direction to where Silas sits to another group of guys at a table.
Their voices drift across the cafeteria as they speak, they pay us no attention but I don’t miss the way Rain stares after them.
“Who are they?” I ask.
She startles for a moment then collects herself before she says. “Knox, Bode, Stone and Tripp.”
I take in the group, three of the four guys have dark hair and chiseled jaws, while the other is blonde and could very well be a model.
Another group of good-looking guys. I almost want to roll my eyes.
“They’re in the Monarch with Silas, Jagger, Zephyr and Neo. It's been like that for as long as I can remember,” she tells me.
“Huh?”
“Yeah, there’s six groups, all upperclassmen, each an asshole in their own ways, they get whatever they want, whoever they want and no one stands up to them.”
“Really?”
“Yep.” She says popping the p.
Wow this is great intel.
“Wait so they’re like what… in charge?” I ask.
“Kinda, yeah I guess they are.” She murmurs. “Monarch isn’t everything you believe, Tenley.”
“Oh.” I say, the new information is slightly overwhelming.
“They’re ruthless Tenley.”
“The Monarch?” I ask trying to work out if I heard her correctly. I almost choke as the name doesn’t pass me by.
“Yep, six groups of families that have held the honor of this duty for generations, they keep the school in line, each one completely different to the next. Their set of skills to be precise.”
My eyes shoot up, “In line?”
“Yep,” she says again reaching for a french fry placing it in her mouth. Her mouth turns down like she wants to say more but is holding back .
“Is this a prison?” I ask.
She chuckles softly before pulling at her necklace again.
“It’s a lot, this school is kind of.” she says, twisting her lips.
“Overwhelming,” I say, finishing her sentence.
She laughs looking over at the table again, a frown appears on her face and I watch as it falls when she looks at one of the guys.
I’ll admit they’re good looking guys. But just like Silas they seem far too intimidating.
One of them catches her looking and his deathly glare burns toward us as he lifts the corner of his mouth.
“So which one do you like?” Rain jumps at my question, fidgeting with the sleeves of her jacket, before brushing her hair behind her ears.
“Oh, no it’s not like that, they barely know I exist.” she sighs a little before she picks at her food.
I highly doubt that, the one giving off the don’t fuck with me vibes is still looking at her, not us. Her.
“I’m sorry, if I said something wrong.” I say adverting the subject.
“It’s fine, really I should learn to keep my mouth shut.” she sighs.
“I’m sorry.”
“No, don’t be, I have a habit of running my mouth.” she grimaces.
“What is this place?” I shake my head trying to wrap my head around it.
Rolling her eyes, “Unfortunately it’s hard to explain, just be careful who you trust is all I can say.”
Eyeing her slightly, her eyes widen and she drops her mouth open. “Oh, my god I don’t mean me.”
We both laugh before we settle back into easy conversion.
Rain fidgets with her food, swirling her fork around her plate.
At first I assume it’s the guy who, by the way, hasn't taken his eyes off Rain.
So much for not noticing her. But then she drops her fork and lifts her gaze to mine.
Her teeth nibble on her lip and the anxiousness is coming from her in waves.
“What’s wrong?” I ask, placing my hand over hers .
“There’s something you should know.” She wraps an arm around herself placing her gaze at the food in front of her instead of me.
“Okay.” I say completely taken aback by her sudden change in demeanor.
“It’s about your father.” she says, giving me a sad smile.
“What about my father?” I question.
“There were rumors, well not were, are rumours about him.”
“Tell me.” I say, my heart suddenly feels like it’s in my throat.
How does she know about my father?
“He made mistakes that got him a permanent absence from the Monarch,” she says softly, bending her head so only I can hear her.
“What?” I laugh, unable to hide it. “My father went here?”
She nods.
“I knew he wanted me to go here, I never knew he went here.” I say, this new information about my father is overwhelming.
“He did a long time ago. You don’t remember?” She states.
This time I shake my head because I don’t. Is this why this place feels familiar?
“Are you saying he got a ban?”
She nods.“Rumors are it’s the reason why you are only here now,”
“So everyone knows that I’m, what. The outcast.”
“Tenley, it doesn't matter, regardless you are meant to be here.”
“It doesn’t feel like anyone wants me here.”
“They’re just afraid of change, trust me you have as much right to be here as everyone else. You have earnt your right to be here.” She says, replacing her hand on top of mine and squeezing mine gently. Her words sound familiar, like my fathers.
What right do I have to be here?
“I think my father did something that may have been the cause of his death.” I admit to her.
“You think someone here had a hand in killing him?” She asks.
I nod softly, feeling the tears prick the corner of my eyes.
Daddy what did you do ?
“My father wasn’t perfect, but he was my father, he made sure I always had everything. That my mother and I never went without.”
“We’ll find the answers, I promise.” Rain smiles pulling me in for a hug.
“I think I need to, because I don’t remember anything about this place and there has to be a reason for that.” I admit.
“So you're coming Friday, right?” Rain asks, changing the topic, which I’m grateful for.
“Pardon?”
“The party, there’s one every Friday, it’s insane.”
“Oh, I don’t think I’m invited.”
“Of course you are, everyone is. It’s like a right to attend.”