Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
RILEY
Monday came too quickly, and with it, a whole stomach full of nerves. I couldn't let the Tritons get the upper hand ever again. Especially since no one was going to come and rescue me from them.
The knife was tucked away in the bottom of my bag, wrapped in a kitchen towel and a Pringles can. I had destroyed several kitchen towels and one canister before realizing that it only cut through things with ease if my hand was on the hilt.
It was still sharp, but wouldn't stab me through the bag. Bringing the knife with me was a risky move. If I was caught with it, I'd be expelled and probably arrested.
It was the only way I felt safe even going to school after being kidnapped and used as bait. I shuddered thinking about what could have happened if the Tritons hadn't shown up when they did. Would Finn have dumped even more water on the rag?
The ride to school with Ivy had been quiet. I knew she was still mad about the weekend, but she wasn't mad enough not to give me a ride. We had never been angry with each other before, so it was new territory for us.
Aiden met us in the parking lot and raised a brow as Ivy walked toward the gates without a word. "She's in a mood."
"Because of me." I adjusted my bag across my body and he hooked his arm around mine. I was glad he was back to hanging out with us, but I was worried they'd still release the tape. "Are you sure you want to be around me?"
He rolled his eyes. "Girl. I'm like Jewel and done with their foolish games. I did some research, and it's a crime to release a sex tape without my permission. Even more so if they are using it to blackmail me."
The Tritons were nowhere to be seen when we got on campus. I was already on high alert, but not seeing them or their groupies anywhere in sight put me on edge. "I'm waiting for someone to jump out of a bush or from behind a building and put a bag over my head. How sad is that?"
"Maybe they're absent today." Aiden squeezed my arm and we separated to go to our lockers before heading to English.
Blake was already in his seat when we got to class. I had the sudden urge to take my knife out and go after him with it. I snorted to myself at the thought of asking someone if feeling murderous after you're kidnapped was normal.
He was texting on his phone, and the last thing I wanted was to make eye contact. I went to my desk, and sitting on the chair was a blue gift bag. My first thought was there was going to be something that exploded or something gross in it.
"Do you want me to throw it away?" Aiden slid into his seat and I stood with my back to Blake.
"No." I sat down, realizing having my back to the enemy wasn't the best idea. "I'll take care of it."
Instead of looking inside it, I shoved it in my bag as I pulled out my notebook and pens. I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of watching me open it in front of him. A small part of me hoped it was an actual gift, but the odds were not in my favor.
Mrs. Williams stood when the bell rang and leaned against the front of her desk with a stack of papers in her hand. After her normal Monday spiel, she sighed.
"I graded your essays over the weekend. Overall, I was pleased, but a few of you need to utilize your study groups to edit each other's papers.
Or just not procrastinate and rush." She walked around the room, handing out the papers.
"If you scored lower than a seventy, I will hold off on posting your grades to the parent portal until tomorrow. You may make corrections and resubmit."
I flipped my paper over once she handed it to me and felt my vision tunnel. A sixty-two? I quickly flipped through it, reading her comments in the margins. I barely even remembered writing the paper over a week ago, but clearly, I had my mind on other things.
"How'd you do?" Aiden leaned over and tried to peek at the front page, but I snatched it away, shoving it in my bag. "Wow. Both you and Ivy must be on the same cycle."
The rest of class passed in a blur as my brain latched onto the fact that I had failed an assignment. I needed to start focusing on school instead of everything else in my life. School should be the priority.
Now that I knew my mom was alive and with my father, I had to regain my focus. It was hard to though, knowing she was with a man she hated. Why would she leave me to be with him? It made no sense at all, unless she had lied to me all these years.
The bell rang, and I frowned down at my empty page of notes. I glanced over at Aiden, who had a page full. He raised a brow and pulled out his phone, taking a picture of them. "I'll text them to you."
"Thanks." I packed up and left the classroom, only to find Blake waiting outside.
He fell into step beside me as I walked toward psychology. "You aren't going to open the bag?" Blake was holding onto the straps of his backpack as he walked. He looked bashful, and it made my stomach fill with butterflies.
Damn it. He was the enemy. I wanted to stab him only an hour ago and now my body wanted him to stab me with something.
"No." It was best to keep my responses short so he didn't get the idea that he could keep talking to me.
"Okay then." His arm brushed mine and I made sure to move away from him so it wouldn't happen again. "How'd you do on that essay? Mrs. Williams is a harsh grader."
I didn't say anything as we got to our next class and he slid into the seat in front of mine. I needed to pay attention during psychology; it was the toughest of my classes. Although, after my English essay, maybe English was now.
He leaned his forearms on my desk and I wanted to trace a vein that popped up. "She gave me a ninety-two. She took a few points off because I used the APA format wrong in a few places."
He had to be fucking kidding me. He got an A when he didn't even take school seriously? Half the time in class he was staring at me, and in study group, he was a distraction.
"How much did you pay?"
His mouth curved into a sneer. "What?"
"For your paper. How much did you pay someone to write it for you?" I crossed my arms over my chest. "You don't even pay attention in class."
"Are you serious right now?" He stared at me, and when I didn't answer, hurt washed across his face. "I don't pay anyone."
He turned around and slumped in his seat as Mr. Bancroft began class. A wave of regret swept through me, but there was no way he scored so high on his first essay in an advanced class.
The bitterness that rolled in my belly made me feel nauseous. It wasn't like me to put down someone else's success.
It was all their fault.
The intercom played a few notes and the principal began his Monday morning announcements.
"Good morning, Sharks. A friendly reminder that paper towels, chip bags, and apple cores are not to be flushed down the toilets.
I shouldn't have to remind high schoolers of this, but here I am.
" A few students laughed. It was ridiculous that high schoolers did shit like that.
"Tickets for homecoming will be on sale at the ASB office until next Wednesday.
This year's theme is Under the Sea. All proceeds will go to help the relief efforts currently underway in cleaning the oil spill.
The student council reminds you to vote next week for homecoming queen during your lunch period. Nominations are due this Friday."
I started giggling. What kind of fucked up universe was I living in? The theme being Under the Sea was way too close to home. I couldn't stop laughing, and by the time Mr. Bancroft crossed his arms and Blake turned to glare at me, I had tears rolling down my cheeks from laughing so hard.
"Riley, why don't you step outside until you can calm yourself down." Mr. Bancroft gave me a concerned look as I stood.
I wasn't one to argue, and I really did need to get myself together. I went outside the door and leaned against the wall, my giggles turning into gasps for air. I put my hands on my knees and tried to catch my breath.
It was almost funny I was having a mental breakdown outside of psychology of all classes. I should have stayed home after the weekend I'd had, but what good would that have done?
A large hand touched my back and began rubbing in circles. I didn't need to look to know it was Blake.
My breath finally calmed down and I straightened to lean back against the wall. Blake’s brows pinched together in worry, and I shut my eyes as I rested my head against the side of the building.
"Are you all right?" His hand stroked the side of my arm, and as much as I wanted to bat his hand away, I also wanted him to touch me more. His hands were smooth and warm and made a calmness spread across me.
I wiped my cheeks. "You broke me."
He opened his mouth and then closed it, twisting his lips to the side. At least one of the Tritons thought about their words before speaking.
After a minute of silence, he sighed. "We didn't think-"
"What did you think would happen, Blake?" I pulled away from him. "You drugged me and took me to your secret lair where Jax's father tried to torture me!" A laugh burst out of me again, and I covered my face. "And the theme of homecoming is mermaids."
"We couldn't have you know where we were taking you. He was just supposed to talk to you about your mother and father." His voice was pleading. "If I could go back in time, I wouldn't have done it."
"It's too late for that now." I squeezed my eyes shut. "He knew I almost drowned and he knew I was scared of water. Why would you tell him that?"
"None of us said anything." He put his hand on my cheek. "He has a history with your mom and dad. We don't know what though."
I couldn't stop my body's reaction to his hand on my cheek; I leaned into it like a dog leans in to be petted. What was wrong with me? I should be running, not going toward him.
"Do you know anything?" His voice was gentle, but I was not about to let him start an interrogation.