Chapter Three
Amelie
The rest of the day is somewhat uneventful.
I say somewhat, because classes run smoothly, but because I also lifted the phone from the teacher in the toilet.
My plan was to intercept her messages with Sawyer for tonight.
It seems that Jess, or Miss Hart as I’m supposed to call her, was pushing to meet Sawyer at the trendier wine bar in the local village.
He wanted to go to the pub but reluctantly agreed to her request. I rattle off a quick text to say I - that is Jess - will meet him at the pub after all, then delete the message.
I even manage to put her phone back without getting caught. It’s child’s play to me.
When lunchtime rolls around, it’s easy to find Kalen and his brothers.
They sit in a group in the middle of the room, along with a few other students.
I make sure to sit with my back to them, far away.
I’m far more preoccupied with tonight's plan to worry about the other brothers.
Kalen was an easy target, but I need more information on the twins.
Tonight I plan to see how close I can get to my biggest stepbrother.
“What do you know about the twins?” I ask Elsie.
“Not much, they are third years. Onyx is scary as fuck. Slate is nice enough, if it benefits him. I wouldn’t say they are celibate, but I’ve never seen them with any girls here.
There was rumoured to be one last year, but she left the school crying and hasn’t ever been back.
Rumour has it that they like to share girls, but who knows, the whole family is very secretive.
Kalen may give away the most, but don’t be fooled by his pretty face and smooth words; he can - and will - stab you in the back when it comes to his family.
I wouldn’t even try to go there if I were you. ”
“Don’t be a spoil sport, you’re ruining my twin sandwich fantasies.
” She laughs at my comment, then the bell goes even though I haven’t eaten all of my lunch.
I have a free period next and need to find the study hall, which is in the library according to Elsie.
Elsie ducks out quickly with a goodbye, but I take my time to dispose of my lunch and watch the Knox boys as they leave.
Kalen smiles at me and I flip him off, which makes him laugh.
The twins glare at me, so I blow them a kiss, which just deepens the scowls on their beautiful faces.
Satisfied that I have added myself onto their radar, I head out.
Walking the halls, I rely on Susan to guide me safely, even though I have come to the conclusion that she has as much an idea as I do regarding directions. I take yet another right down a deserted hallway, everyone else already in their classes.
Ah-ha! I find a room that finally has a damn sign.
Literally, a sign on a stand that says, ‘study hall’.
Entering quietly so as not to disturb anyone, I look around in awe.
It very much looks like a home library, or the kind I always imagined someone with money would own.
Long walls lined with tall bookshelves, but not as big as an actual city library.
Have you ever been stuck in an alley, in the dark, and all you have are your senses to rely on...no? Well, I have and a wave of...something...rolls over my skin; the hairs on my arms stand on end. I use my peripheral vision to see if anyone is close.
One exit, three windows, none look like they open, but could potentially be smashed.
The thumping in my chest rings in my ears.
I’m being ridiculous; I’m at school, in the daylight and I’m new.
Who would want to hurt me? I swing to turn towards the exit, needing a time out to get myself in check, but I’m blocked mid swing.
Two large bodies trap me, and I instantly feel like a small car stuck between two semis.
“Don’t say a fucking word, keep your mouth shut, and everything will be fine.”
I don’t know which twin speaks, but I scoff in response. I may be hyper aware of my surroundings, but the issue with me is that when I’m faced with trouble, my mouth has a mind of its own and it likes to get defensive.
Each twin grabs an arm and lifts me enough to half-drag, half-carry me to a table at the back of the room. Dropping me in a chair, each takes a seat beside me, clearly smart enough to know I would try to run.
“Who are you?” one of them snaps.
“Who are you?” I mimic.
“Don’t get smart, we can make your life here harder than it needs to be.”
“Amelie.” I don’t care if they know who I am.
I realised with Kalen that they don’t know who I am yet.
Which makes me wonder why my incubator hasn’t disclosed that I’m here.
Maybe she hasn’t even told them she has a kid - though Principal Knox clearly knows already.
I didn’t miss the ‘step-daughter’ title he threw my way.
It really wouldn’t surprise me if the others didn’t know, though.
“Why did you transfer in during second year?”
“Isn’t that the point of this place; misfits and fuck ups having a place to go?”
“No one transfers in their second year, so you are here for a reason and we want to know what it is...so start talking.” I’m not sure which one it is, but he squeezes my leg under the table hard enough to leave a bruise.
“I don’t know what you're talking about. One minute I’m in court waiting for community service, and then bam, here I am and no choice in the matter. So how about you back the fuck off and leave me alone?”
“Not a chance in hell. We know you’re lying. Why did he bring you here? He doesn’t do anything unless it benefits him, so you have to benefit him somehow.”
“Who, your father? He’s the headmaster, right?” I play dumb. “Unless he likes high blood pressure and migraines, I can’t see any good reason for him wanting me here.”
“You have no idea what we are capable of.”
“I’m shaking in my boots… How about you go ask your father why I’m here. I’m fairly sure it’s against the rules to ask anyone that though. Maybe I murdered the last boy who touched me without my consent.”
“You wouldn’t be the only one here who has murdered someone, Princess, ask your little friend why she’s here.” They both laugh. It isn’t possible. Elsie doesn’t look like she could hurt a fly.
“How about instead of kidnapping a girl on her study break, you act like civilised human beings, and ask politely?”
“Watch your back, new girl. Stay away from our brother. We will find out one way or another, by force if necessary.” They both stand.
“I look forward to it. I’m sure you’ll find out very soon.” I wink at them as they storm away.
I wait until they are out of sight to rub the leg, his damn fingernails dug in so hard I swear they broke the skin.
My mind goes to Elsie... I’m not allowed to just ask her why she’s here, but maybe once she trusts me she’ll tell me. Surely they couldn’t just let murderers walk the halls here?
I decide to give up on study, and go to see my tutor, Miss Davis. Surely our first explosive encounter was a one off?
I find her easily, knocking to alert her of my presence. “Amelie, how can I help you?” I can see the tension in her jaw; she really doesn’t like me. I wonder if she knows who I am.
“Is it true?”
“Come in and shut the door.”
I follow her instructions, but I don’t take a seat. I don’t plan to be here longer than I have to be.
“Now, is what true?” she asks calmly, putting down her pen and looking up at me warily.
“That there are murderers here?”
This makes her take interest. “It depends how you look at it…”
“Murder is murder. I have to deal with enough of that bullshit in my normal life, I don’t need to feel unsafe here without any backup.”
She laughs, the bitch actually laughs.
“This isn’t ‘The Hunger Games’, but yes, it’s true that there are some students here who have accidentally been in situations where someone has died. I wouldn’t say there are any cold blooded killers in the school. We take every students’ safety seriously.”
“Fine, thanks for your time.” I turn to leave, I reach the door when she stops me.
“Stay away from my son. I know who you are and I don’t want him around the likes of your family.”
I turn back to her, making my way over to her table. I place both my hands on her desk, leaning in close.
“How about we get something straight? I. Am. Nothing. Like. My. Incubator. And I never will be. I didn’t ask to be here, nor do I want to be.
As for your son, you’ll find it’s him seeking me out so you can take that up with him.
” I push back and leave this time, maybe now she knows the hatred I have for that woman she will back off and leave me alone. Three years can not go by fast enough.
I’m the one blasts through Susan, go figure we can have Spotify here in this god forsaken place. Anyone who hates the Beibs is lost on me, anytime his songs come on you really can’t help but bop along.
I wish I had some sluttier outfits. I sigh when checking my reflection out in the mirror.
I have to admit that I rock the tight black skinny jeans with rips in the knees, and a tight black bodysuit that dips low in the cleavage area.
I let my long dark hair fall in curls down my back.
I used to hate my naturally thick curly hair, but tonight I embrace it.
I finish my makeup with dark smokey eyes.
I think my outfit screams ‘I’m classy, but will fuck on the first date’.
I set a timer on Susan for six. Everything I need is in a small black clutch.
I grab my hoodie on the way out; the weather here is cold as fuck compared to back home but I don’t have a coat.
We would have beautiful sunny days and warm nights by now.
I drew a map to get me to the teachers’ parking lot because I didn’t want to risk bringing Susan in case they have some kind of GPS tracking on our devices - which they must do if she’s my walking talking map around this place normally.
I wouldn’t put it past them to check up on our whereabouts though, so she’s safer left at home.
I also googled directions to the only pub nearby and luckily, it’s a pretty straight drive there.
It’ll take about forty-five minutes though, we really are in the middle of nowhere.
Finding the old BMW the teacher in the toilet was bitching about is fairly easy, as I expected.
It really is a shitbox, but that works well for me too because Smalls taught me how to hotwire a car before I even started high school.
I had expected more security in this part of the school, and I hadn’t figured out how I was going to get past them, but to my surprise there is only a gate.
Nothing to worry about however, as all the cars have small tags on the wind shields that I expect will allow them to pass straight through.
My heart pounds and adrenaline fills my veins.
I haven’t been away from home all that long, but I miss the rush of doing runs with Smalls or my brother.
Pulling out onto the street, I check the mirrors until I’m in the clear.
The sweat from my palms starts to dry by the time I pull into an old side street close to my destination.
I’m not about to risk driving into the pub’s car park.
The adrenaline has worn off and paranoia sets in.
I chastise myself; what’s the worst that can happen?
I get expelled and sent home? Good. Isn’t that kind of the point?
I expect that I could have avoided all of this by just stealing the car and deliberately getting caught.
But if I’m being honest, I want to hurt my mother, and part of me is pissed that she can be a mother to those boys, but not to me.
It’s fucked up. So yeah, if I actually manage to seduce this Sawyer guy, bonus.
I want to fucking hurt her and tear her perfect little world apart.
I might be tough on the outside but deep down every girl should have their mother.
Chelsea, for the past seven years, has been a mother to me.
Her and my father got hitched last year.
Their being together is another reason why Smalls and I could never be more than friends; Chelsea took him in when his parents got involved with drugs and couldn’t take care of him.
Smalls loves her so much that he would never do anything to jeopardise that, and I get it.
She even accepted Aadi and I as her own, so I’m not prepared to mess with our family dynamic.
I sigh, realising how much I miss home. I can’t believe I have to go to stupid ‘family’ meals once a week just for the privilege of being able to contact my actual family.
The irony that my own mother is doing for the Knox boys what Chelsea did for me and Aadi isn’t lost on me, but those boys don’t need a mother.
They have one. Admittedly, she’s a shitty, stuck up, bitchy one.
But a mother nonetheless. They don’t need mine.
I need her. Needed. I’m just fine without her now.
I shake my head and clear my thoughts. Focus, Amelie, I tell myself.
I need to go inside and get this party started.
I’m going to get myself sent home; I just hope that tonight is enough.
How many of my stepbrothers will I be forced to fuck before mummy and stepdaddy dearest see fit to send me away? Only time will tell.