Chapter 14 #2
“Where is this party?”
“It changes every week and each week The Monarch chooses who holds it. It’s very superficial and all that.”
“I’ll think about it.”
She squeals before she continues to eat.
A guy with brown wavy hair sits down next to her letting out a long breath before he acknowledges me.
“Hey, I’m Max.” he says, holding out his hand for me to take.
“Tenley, hi.”
“Oh I know who you are Tenley, in fact everyone even Rain here knows who you are.” He smirks, did I miss something?
Rain rolls her eyes making a face before continuing to eat her lunch.
“So you’re coming Friday right?” Max asks, taking a huge bite of his burger.
“She’s thinking about it.” Rain smiles at me.
“Oh well you should come, it'll be fun, the parties are usually wild.”
Somehow I doubt the likes of Silas and Blaire would enjoy me attending the party on friday.
“I see you’ve made some new friends.” Max says, as Blaire and her friends eye me, not disguising their looks as they give me a not so subtle look of disgust.
Silas glares my way and I almost give in and look away, but I hold his stare with my own. His gaze swivels between Max and me, his frown deepening before his jaw clenches.
Is he angry that I’m speaking to Max?
“Guess Silas doesn’t want you talking to me.” Max says as if reading my mind.
“He’s not the boss of me.” I state.
Screw him, just because he’s the king or god or whatever he thinks he is of this school doesn’t mean he’ll win.
“Maybe,” Max says, giving me a soft smile. “Well.” Max shrugs before Rain smacks his arm, shutting him up. I frown before eyeing them both. What was that about?
If I'm going to one up my step brother and his friends I need the inside scoop.
Rain and Max surely know as much about these boys as there is possiblly to know, in fact they'd know a lot about this school and everyone in it.
“Hey Rain,” I say looking at my new friend.
“Yeah.”
“What do you know about Silas and his friends?”
She and Max share a look before Max lets out a sigh.
“They’re dangerous Tenley, avoid them at all costs. Seriously. They’ll hurt you if they can, even the likes of you aren’t safe at Monarch.”
“The likes of me?” I scoff. Slight irritation flowing through me with Max's words.
“I mean your sweet, innocent, new bait.” Max says.
“New bait?” I scoff again this time feeling very irritated.
“I mean.” Max begins before Rain slaps his arm, shutting him up.
“What Max means is you’re the new meat, unfortunately that means you are going to have to deal with Malibu barbie and her trio of bimbos. ”
I sneak a glance at Blaire and sure enough the entire table is eyeing me like I'm a champion in the hunger games.
Did I miss something? Surely this isn’t just because of Silas?
“Why?” I ask, needing to know what I did.
Max and Rain share a look before Rain opens her mouth to speak.
“It’s hard to explain, and we…” She stops sharing another look with Max before she closes her mouth.
Whatever she is going to say is obviously important, so why does it seem like she can’t tell me?
“So.” I push for more information. Avoiding the more present one of me.
Rain lets out a breath before she says. “You know Silas obviously. But he’s as cold and harsh as he wants you to believe.
A true asshole if there ever was one. I’m sure he doesn’t have a heart.
The blonde guy is Neo Crassus, his favorite toy is his knife and he knows how to use it.
The guy with the piercings is Jagger Tobin, he’s quiet but don’t let that fool you, he’s just as deadly as the others.
And a little unstable. And lastly you have Zephyr Alton.
” She takes a breath and her and Max share a look.
“What?” I ask.
“Tenley, he murdered a guy last year in cold blood.” Rain swallows looking toward the table where Zephyr has now joined the others. His focus is solely on me, the unhinged look across his face is terrifying.
“He also killed his father,” Max adds.
My skin crawls as the corner of his mouth lifts, I draw in a bumpy breath as he watches me, his gaze darkens and I almost feel like I’m being taken to the depths of hell.
His stare makes my skin crawl, but at the same time I can’t look away.
Good god, even his stare is terrifying.
Zephyr winks the effect making my insides turn, feeling like a thousand bugs are crawling inside me .
“How is he not in jail?” I ask.
“It was pushed under the rug, the Monarch can control things.” Max tells me.
“Why?” I question.
“They just can.” Rain says.
“But everyone knows he did it?” I ask them.
Max shrugs. “Rumors were he had an alibi for the guy and that his father was self defense, but I think Mr Creed paid them off.” Max tells me, the information is more intriguing than anything.
My gaze collides with Zephyr’s and the corner of Zephyr’s mouth lifts and suddenly my appetite is gone.
The grin on his face widens, all too creepily until it scares me.
Did he really kill two people?
I don’t plan on getting to know to find that out.
“Just stay away if you can.” Max says.
“Thanks, I'll do my best.” I say, not sharing the predicament I found myself in before I came here.
“He looks familiar?” I tell Max and Rain, because he does. I feel like I've seen him before. In fact I feel like I’ve seen them all before. But that's not possible.
Sharing a look again Max and Rain both go to open their mouths to speak but instead they both close them like they’ve forgotten the words they were going to speak.
Needing to get out of this weirdness I try to lighten the mood.
“Thanks for coming over.” I smile because I really am glad they did. I need a friend here. Or at least someone I can count on.
Rain and Max smile at me with they’re bright smiles, I don’t miss the way it falls slightly before Rain drops her head to the table, maybe I’m not the only one putting on a front.
I catch a glimpse of the guy with dark hair staring at her, the corner of his mouth lifts, his smile is creepy as fuck. He gives Zephyr a run for his money. A shiver runs down my spine when it widens, reminding me of the Joker.
“Who is that?” I ask Max and Rain, they both glance at the guy before Rain leans in and whispers. “Knox Lawson, he makes Silas and Zephyr seem like angels. He’s a psychopath Tenley.”
Wow, okay. Stay clear of Knox. Got it.
Having to use the restroom before class I quickly do what I have to and make my way from the bathroom, suddenly something is thrown over my head and everything goes dark.
I scream as hands pull me along, ripping at my hair with each step, something stabs me and I realize it’s a nail.
Tears fill my eyes as the daunting feeling of something bad about to happen hits me.
I try to call out but the feeling of suffocating renders me speechless.
I hear a door open and then I’m tilting forward as hands on my back shove me hard. I fall into a wall with a hard thud, pan shoots up the side of my shoulder and I wince, trying my best not to let it show.
The door bangs shut and a loud click echoes as the lock is put in place. Lifting my hand I rip the cover from my head and I’m met with complete darkness. I wince again when my shoulder hurts as I move to a standing position, my feet stumble as I finally get my balance.
My eyes do they’re best to adjust to it but I can’t see anything in front of me, lifting my hands I stretch my fingers out so I can feel my surroundings.
Wood. I’m met with wood. A door perhaps?
I turn in a circle doing the same, I'm met with four walls and my fear begins to settle in, I'm in a small room. Locked in a small space. I swallow deeply, trying my best to calm my emotions.
It’s fine, just breathe.
Thump, thump, thump, sounds my heart.
My body shakes with fear as tears build in my eyes.
Small space.
Thump, thump, thump.
I can’t get out.
Closing my eyes I do my best to control the way my heart beats rapidly, wildly thumping as I try the door banging it with my shoulder to get out.
Please.
Oh, god.
Just breathe, just breathe .
My hand reaches for my throat as the other claws at the door. Pieces of the wood splinter under my nails.
I swallow again this time I begin to hyperventilate, sweat beads down my back and across my forehead as I bang my hands against the door, I can’t speak, my voice is lost to fear, the only noise that comes from me is a tiny whimper, my chest feels tight as the room begins to swallow me whole.
Panic.
Thump, thump, thump.
The walls, they’re closing in, I can’t breathe.
“Please.” I finally croak out struggling to breathe over my fear.
I can’t do this.
I can't do small spaces. I can’t.
I gasp trying to breathe, the air from the room has vanished and nothing but fear is left.
Tears fill my eyes as the darkness begins to take me.
You’re not safe. Run. get out.
This has Silas written all over it.
I bang on last time before I see nothing and then everything goes black as I lose the ability to stay awake.
I let the darkness take me.