Chapter 3 The Punishment
The Punishment
Harper
A few years ago, the school decided it would be better to have everyone take lunch at the same time. That way clubs could meet. Students could talk to teachers when they needed to get extra help. And everyone got a break.
Great for everyone, right? Except that means all four horsemen will have lunch at the same time as me.
If they can find me. Ever since freshman year, I bring lunch from home because being in the cafeteria is hell for someone who wants to go unnoticed.
“Do you think this is a smart idea?” Kenz asks for the fifth time.
“Staying in the art room on the opposite side of the building from the cafeteria?” Duh. “Hell, yes. If they want me, I’m not going to make it easy for them to torment me. I’m not some lamb to the slaughter.”
I rode under their radar for three years of high school and they never noticed me in middle school. Just because they finally decided I’m interesting because I’m a virgin doesn’t mean I don’t know how to evade those fuckers.
“Are you sure they aren’t going to track you down?” Kenz picks at the sandwich she packed. “They have resources. They can find people when they want to.”
“I didn’t agree to their terms of ownership.” I hold my head up high while I hide from them. “They can’t force me to do anything.”
I hope. I mean seriously, someone would have reported it by now if they did something like that, right? They aren’t actually gods. They are high school boys. Fallible.
My phone buzzes a few more times, but I’ve been ignoring it since it started going off when the lunch bell rang.
“Don’t you think you should check that?” Kenz makes a gesture toward the phone. “You might piss them off.”
“So? If I piss them off, what will they do?” I shrug. Punish me? If they can find me. They have nothing on me. They barely even know me. They just found out I’m the last virgin and thought hmm, that would be fun to tackle. Fuck them.
“Did you check your phone after Luke gave it back?” Kenz cringes. Maybe she’s worried she’ll be punished by association. That’s actually not an unreasonable assumption, but her boyfriend will protect her. “What if he put a tracker app on it?”
“He couldn’t have. You have to have the passcode to add an app.” I pick up my phone and glance over the messages.
DEATH (Luke):
Where r u
PESTILENCE (Eli):
Come out, come out, wherever u are
DEATH (Luke):
If you make us hunt you
You will be caught
PESTILENCE (Eli):
And punished
WAR (Caden):
By all of us
FAMINE (Jack):
Last chance, sweetheart
DEATH (Luke):
Answer
They don’t seem to know where I am, but that doesn’t stop the prickle of fear creeping up my back. It’s not like I’m impossible to find. They’ve just never looked before.
The door to the classroom doesn’t have a glass window in it like some do. They could be out in the hall right now. How hard would it really be for them to find out my schedule? These aren’t regular students. They have access most don’t. My throat tightens and my palms grow clammy.
It’s fine. I’m fine. So what if they find me? What’s the worst they can do? Scold me? We’re at school and teachers are everywhere. I’m safe here.
My PB&J isn’t settling right, so I put the other half back in my bag as I glance at the door. Okay, I need to think ahead. Is there anywhere to hide in here?
Shit, hiding sucks, but I got damn good at it over the past years.
The kiln room in the back doesn’t lock, but would add another door between me and them. Besides, they won’t tear through the entire building for me. I’m not that important. They have to eat too. They’ll just realize I’m not worth it and give up.
PESTILENCE (Eli):
Ticktock, kitten
Eli can suck it.
“I could report them.” I stand and look at Kenz.
Her eyes widen and she shakes her head. “Are you insane? Do you know what they do to people who take things to the principal? You think they’re bad in school? They’d be all over you outside of school.”
It wasn’t even a good idea. I know better than that.
“I don’t know what to do.” I press my fingers against my temples. I can feel them like an ache behind my eyes. “This is so wrong. What the hell am I supposed to do?”
Kenz shakes her head. “I’d say screw the first guy you see, but I think that’d get you in more trouble. Unless that guy is a horseman.”
“There has to be a way out of this.” I look at the door. How long do I have until they find me? What do they mean by punishment?
I know what they do to guys. There’s a reason Caden walks around with busted knuckles. But it’s not all violence. No. Luke is cool and conniving. He can break someone with just a few words. They’ve ruined lives with a few choice rumors. Still, it’s not all beatdowns or gossip.
Humiliation. As public as possible. I’ve heard whispers but, besides freshman year, never saw them in action. That might be the worst part. I don’t know how far they’ll go. My stomach churns.
“I should go home.” I shove everything into my backpack and grab my phone to text my mom. She’ll understand.
They haven’t texted in a few minutes. What does that mean? Maybe they’ve given up. This could be my chance to escape. My gaze goes to the doorknob and I hold my breath, waiting to see if it turns.
“Harper, you can’t avoid them forever.” Kenz puts her hands flat on the table. “Just play along at school. They won’t do anything right away, right? We’ll have time to figure something out.”
“I’m already fucking hiding from them and it’s not even halfway through the first day. I don’t know what punishment means either, and I don’t think I want to find out.” Pulling on my backpack, I head to the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I yank open the door and freeze. The four of them stand in the doorway, looking down on me. Jeezus, they’re a lot. Tall, attractive—
My heart skips. Yeah, that might be the worst part. They’re attractive. All of them. And a part of me doesn’t really want to fight that hard against them. It’s a small part, and I’ll beat that horny bitch into the ground over time.
“Found you.” Jack smirks.
I take a step back, but Luke grabs my arm. His hand is warm and firm on my bare skin. My eyes find Kenz, who looks pale. Earlier, Ms. Sullivan left the room for parts unknown. No one can help me.
“Not so fast, unicorn.” Luke draws me forward into the circle of them.
Their heat engulfs my body, and the haunting combination of their colognes wreaks havoc on my system. Individually, they all smell great, but together it blends into something tantalizing and alluring, making me want to dive into their warmth.
Shit. No. Calm down, horny bitch.
“What did I say?” Luke brings his face down so we’re eye to eye.
“Not so fast?” Fuck, I know it’s the wrong thing to say, but what can I do? Admit I hid from them. That I’m afraid of them. That their attention is too much.
Caden and Jack chuckle, but the sound is far from reassuring. More like hyenas before they pounce on their prey.
Luke’s eyes have an evil glint as he straightens. He doesn’t release my arm but tugs me along with him as the group of them falls in step surrounding me. Like I’m their prisoner being led to my execution. Don’t I get a last request?
“Is this really necessary?” I manage to get out around the lump in my throat.
“Yes,” Eli says from behind me.
Glad that clears everything up. I try to glance back toward the art room and swear I see Kenz following us. I don’t want her to get dragged into this.
Luke still holds my arm, but surprisingly, it isn’t tight enough to bruise. I don’t bother trying to drag my heels. With four men built for football, it wouldn’t take much to be thrown over one of their shoulders, and I definitely don’t want to show them or anyone else my panties today.
They’re quiet as we move through the hallways toward the loud cafeteria. The noise escalates as we draw near, but as the horsemen step into the room, a hush falls over the crowd in a wave.
Eli, Caden, and Jack fall back, and I see them take up position by the doors. Luke makes a hand gesture to one of the other football players, who goes up to the teacher on duty. Within a minute, the two leave the cafeteria, and the doors all close.
The kitchen is closed since lunch is almost over. Holy fuck, it’s only students in here and not a friendly face among them. Not that I know many of them personally. The instinct to run flows through me. Even though it would be pointless. It would add to my humiliation, so I tamp it down.
Luke drags me up onto a table in the center of the room. Eli jumps up to stand next to him, but Jack and Caden stand in the back near the doors.
I’m amazed the table holds our weight, but it wouldn’t dare give out while the horsemen are on it.
My knees literally shake and I can’t catch my breath. These guys can do anything to me. In front of all these students. Not one of them will help me.
Sure, I can report it after the fact, but right now, in this moment, the horsemen have complete control and that’s terrifying.
“You all know Harper, right?” Luke’s voice deepens and resonates throughout the entire room.
Some people mumble. I’m sure I’ve had classes with at least some of these students, but hiding from the horsemen means not making a lot of friends. The fewer people who knew me, the easier it was to slip under their radar.
“From now on, she’s ours.” Eli’s voice carries in the large room. “That means you don’t do anything with her. No talking. No touching. Pretend this is a huge game of cooties and you don’t want to get them from her.”
I can’t help my glare at him. I do not have cooties, and who are they to say what I can and can’t do?
“See, our little pet hasn’t quite figured out her place yet.” Luke pulls me close to him as Eli jumps down. I suck in my breath at the sensation of Luke pressed against my back. It’s a foreign feeling. No one has ever touched me like this. Surprisingly, I don’t actually hate it.