Chapter Thirty-Four
Amelie
I stand back and admire my handy work, even though it’s crazy early o'clock and I should get some sleep. Baxter dropped me back at my room after dinner. I was expecting a more violent bang, but the boys did well at holding back. Though I suspect more is going on between them and Baxter. If I was hanging around, I would want to get to the bottom of it to find out what it is. What’s really with their injuries?
And Kalen’s hair? I could weep for him..
.if I cared. Which I don’t, I firmly tell myself.
Baxter told me I could leave anytime I wanted. The plane is on standby. I was going to finish out the week, say goodbye to Elsie, but I can’t. Goodbyes were never my strong suit anyway.
With Baxter’s help having the files printed, I decided to hit them all where it hurts.
..by showing the entire school everybody's sins. The only thing each student has at Knox Academy, is their secrets. Especially the Knox boys. The headmaster’s sons.
His perfect prefects. Worse, because he chose three of them to adopt knowing that they’re fuck ups.
Why them? That’s probably what every desperate fuckup looking for love in this place asks themselves.
I was surprised Baxter left his file for me. Three times bigger than anyone else’s, it made for an interesting read. Whoever this Rebel guy is, he must have some serious love for him and his family. What happened to Rebel's sisters was sickening and Baxter made sure to get vengeance.
I read the Knox brothers files and Elsie’s, flicked through a few more.
..but I decided against reading the rest of the files.
There’s not enough time. Doesn’t mean I can’t and won’t post them though.
I burned Elsie’s and Baxter’s files after reading them.
Baxter clearly didn’t give a fuck if I read his, and although I shouldn’t have read Elsie’s, I couldn’t resist. Besides, the clues were there, I just didn’t expect my perfect blonde bestie with the face of an angel to be a serial arsonist, who killed someone. Suddenly a lot makes sense.
Everyone else is fair game in this place. I don’t belong here; my petty criminal record is nothing compared to even the tamest file I read today.
Page after page is plastered around the school, like a news bulletin. Welcome to Monday 20th November: the day I fucked your life up and spilled all your secrets. The day I finally get to go home.
There are so many pages that it is impossible for anyone to clean this mess up before the students arrive.
I don’t even know how Baxter even managed to make so many copies.
But I’ve learned it’s best not to even ask with him.
He was also nice enough to include some less than appropriate images of the guys with me.
Gee, thanks. Under normal circumstances I would have lost it, but they really pack a punch.
Besides, I’m not coming back, so who cares if the whole school thinks I’m a slut on a scorned woman rampage?
I’m sure the students here really won’t care, but they will, and that is all that matters.
They all want to hide from their pasts. Everything that happened to them as kids.
I want to feel bad, but they didn’t think twice when they let out that video of me during my darkest times.
And I was raised to believe an eye for an eye.
No one makes a fool out of me and gets away with it.
And the kicker is, Baxter also included a slide show that is due to hit everyone’s tablets when the first bell rings.
I add the final touches to Sawyer’s office, in bold red paint: An eye for an eye.
I text Baxter and make sure the plane is on standby. I plan to watch as all this unfolds and then be on my merry way. No regrets.
He texts back that he will be waiting for me by the steps at 8:46am.
I head back to my room to write a letter to Elsie. She has been a good friend. Regret pangs at my heart but I shut it out. I have friends back home: my brother and Smalls. I can do this.
I didn’t sleep a wink last night. I’m up and dressed well before I need to leave. I pack a small bag. All it contains are a few basic items I plan to take with me. I grab my passport from its hiding place under the corner of my carpet. I have to pull the bed out to get to it, but it doesn’t matter.
I wear my uniform so I blend in with everyone else, though I do grab my favourite black hoodie to take on the plane with me. I walk through the doors and the whispers have already started. I smile, keep my head down, and take my place. A nice tight corner to hide in.
Kalen strides through first, oblivious to what has happened. People whisper as he walks by them. Slate and Onyx come running towards him.
“She really fucked with us!” Slate yells, though Kalen still looks confused. “We need to find Sawyer.”
Oops, no need, here he comes now. Also seemingly unaware.
The first bell sounds, and beeping fills the hallway.
I watch as the brothers - and the rest of the school - pull out their tablets.
My face will be the first thing they see.
Fury lines their faces as the slideshow begins to automatically play.
They wanted to play with fire? Well, I learned early in life that any form of fire, burns. I have the scars to prove it.
“We need to find Dad. Now.” Sawyer demands and they storm off towards Monty's office.
That’s my cue to leave. I pull myself from my hiding spot. Their being predictable worked in my favour. Walking from the building, a huge relief washes over me.
Payback feels good. Anyone who ever made out like it didn’t, wasn’t doing it right.
I didn’t forget about Laura though. I left her some very nice images to wake up to. Turns out, Monty isn’t any better than his sons when it comes to a woman’s heart.
“Ready to leave?” Baxter asks. I nod. I take the helmet he holds out for me, turning back one last time to look at the place where I almost thought I might belong.
Four angry faces greet me.
“We need to leave now,” I yell and Baxter takes off.
Breaking the number one rule of Knox Academy surely wouldn’t have them coming to drag me back here. I’m not a big criminal.
We don’t ride for too long but we also don’t go to the main airport.
Baxter pulls up at a small private airstrip.
The plane isn’t big enough to get me to Australia and when I tap Baxter on the shoulder to question it, he quickly explains that he’s got me a private flight to a bigger airport across the country, which will fly me home on a chartered flight. Okay, that doesn’t sound so bad.
He gets off the bike and goes to talk to someone. Less than five minutes later he returns, looking pissed.
He tells me that we have two hours to kill until my flight leaves. There were some issues with the damn plane that they’re trying to figure out, so Baxter takes me to a small cafe just off the highway.
Baxter lets me call Smalls. He has agreed to pick me up when I land in Australia.
I made him promise not to tell Aadi or Dad.
Told him it was an early Christmas surprise.
He was excited to hear from me; I have been ignoring him.
Even though it’s stupid. He has a right to move on; after all, at the time I was also moving on.
Except, all I managed to do was end up hating myself more than I did when I arrived.
“Are you sure you want to leave? It’s kind of nice having a sidekick.”
“All I’ve wanted since I came here was to go home. But being your sidekick was fun whilst it lasted.”
“It’s hard work being an evil genius all alone.” He laughs at himself. I haven’t seen Baxter this carefree in a while.
“I bet. Are you going to tell me why you wanted everyone’s files?” He shrugs.
“Just good to know what your enemies are capable of. Besides, they’re the kind of people I might one day need to call upon. It’s good to know their skills set.”
“Can you do me one last favour?”
“You know favours are not free around here. Maybe you’ll fuck me after all?” he asks hopefully.
“Nice try. Maybe I can owe you one?”
“Okay, but know that one day I will collect.”
I slide an envelope across the table. “I need this to get to Elsie. Tell her I’m sorry.” He takes the envelope and folds it, sliding it into his pocket.
“You want a drink whilst we wait? I’ll grab us some breakfast.”
“Please,” I call after him. He places our order, pays and comes back.
“They’ll bring it over when it’s ready.”
“Thanks.”
“So, that kiss…” he begins with a teasing smile.
“Nope,” I cut him off, popping the p.
“Is it a blood thing? Because I’m not one of them?” I pull a face. “Hate to break it to you, but Kalen aside, none of them are actually related.”
“Shut up,” I groan. The waitress approaches with our drinks and food on a tray. I tuck straight in.
“Because if it’s a family thing, I’m older than you, I could let you call me daddy, for a price.” He shoots me a wicked grin and I kick him under the table, whilst smiling sweetly.
“Fuck off, Branson.”
“Ooooh surnaming me, tough girl.” He laughs when I flip him off. I like this side of him, the banter is easy and relaxed. We could have been good friends. My brother and Smalls would definitely approve of my being friends with Baxter.
We sit and chat and pass the time, not talking about anything of consequence.
Eventually though, Baxter checks his watch and tells me it’s time to go.
I don’t hesitate. We pay and head out to the bike, taking the short trip back to the airstrip.
When we pull up my blood freezes. There’s a car there waiting.
A black limo. Laura is my first thought.
Only she would willingly use that car. I climb off the back of Baxter’s bike and hand him my helmet.
“Thanks.” I don’t know what else to say.