Chapter 27
TWENTY-SEVEN
Bea’s eyes widen, pupils dilating, breath catching. Then, she’s moving, twisting toward me with this look—this look that makes my stomach drop before she even speaks.
“Stay here. I’ll be right back.”
“Wait, Bea—”
But she’s already gone.
One second, it’s just Naomi and Lilia, the next, the whole damn table explodes. Ava, Berlin, Zia, Sam—voices overlapping, punches, slaps. Someone knocks over a tray, but the sound of it clattering to the ground barely registers over the noise.
And I stand frozen in the middle of it, my pulse roaring in my ears. This is because of me. God, why does it always have to be because of me? It’s like I’ve dropped a match into gasoline without realizing it.
Then—
Bodies move. Fast.
Will, Liam, and Christian materialize out of nowhere, but Will is there first. He practically tackles Lilia as she lunges again, arms locking around her middle as he hauls her back. She’s still swinging, still trying to fight something that isn’t even there anymore, her breathing ragged.
Liam is arguing. Christian just plants himself there like a wall, pushing people away from each other every now and then.
“I have to say, I was a bit bored this morning.”
I whip around, my whole body twisting before my brain catches up.
Kai.
Sitting at the table. Legs kicked out, yet somehow, he makes it look graceful, as he tears into a croissant like this is some kind of entertainment put on just for him.
A slow, amused smile tugs at his lips. “I’m not anymore.”
I glare so hard my vision blurs. Is he serious? “You’re unbelievable.”
“Unbelievably handsome? Unbelievably talented?” he taunts, still smiling. “You’ll have to be more specific.”
I’m about to reply, until three teachers storm in, their expressions caught somewhere between exhausted and murderous.
People are still shouting, still pushing.
The teachers don’t bother saying anything for a few moments. In fact, they seem perfectly content just blowing their damn whistles, the ear-piercing kind, and I cover my ears with a grimace.
“Enough!” one of them yells. “Hands off each other! Now!”
It doesn’t fully stop until the teachers actually get involved. One of them even storms straight into the middle of it, the eye of the storm, eyes blazing.
“Everyone involved—office. Now.”
Things die down. Surprisingly.
And Kai just watches, completely relaxed, completely amused, licking a stray crumb off his thumb.
“Well,” he mutters, way too pleased with himself. “If nothing else… it’s turned into excellent theatre.”
I can’t have disagreed more.
***
Update. Liam, Lilia, Will and I are sat outside Mr. Ryder’s office.
The wait is long. The chairs are extremely uncomfortable.
In conclusion, no one really wants to be here.
I sit between Will and Liam, my hands clasped tightly in my lap, and across from us, Lilia is still fuming, arms crossed, glaring absolute murder at Will.
A scratch marks the side of her cheek.
Will, naturally, is enjoying this way too much, grinning at her like he’s waiting for her to snap.
“Stop stressing,” Liam mutters beside me. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
I glance at him, but before I can respond, he tilts his head. “Wait—have you ever been in trouble before?”
I shake my head.
Liam sighs, leaning back, stretching out and making himself comfortable. “Figures.” And he turns his head toward me, expression shifting. “You know we need to talk about this stalker situation,
right?”
I tense, but before I can respond, Lilia scoffs. “I still can’t believe you didn’t tell me about that.”
And there it is. The guilt twists in my stomach. I didn’t want anyone else involved. The fewer people who knew, the better. Safer. That’s what I kept telling myself.
Honestly, I probably shouldn’t have told anyone at all.
“Isn’t it great now that we’re working together?” Liam grins, and nudges Will with his elbow. “Isn’t it, Will?”
Will stares blankly at him for a moment, then finally, he shrugs. “It’s super,” he says, though it sounds more sarcastic if anything.
“We should meet at the arc at break, since fifteen minutes isn’t enough time to get to the hospital and back,” Liam suggests, though he has his phone out, probably already texting Kai and Christian about it.
So, I guess it really isn’t a suggestion.
“We should invite Kym, too,” he says after a few seconds, looking up from his phone.
I blink. “What?”
Are they friends?
Even Will has perked up slightly, one eyebrow raised in mild interest. “Is she your friend now?” he says and it’s almost lazy, slow. But there’s something else behind it.
“She’s Addie’s friend,” Liam corrects, before turning to me. “Right?” His eyes hopeful, desperate. Urging me to do what, lie?
Does he want to be friends with Kym that badly?
“Uh,” I start, unsure. “Well… we talk.”
“Good enough.”
Will makes a quiet noise in the back of his throat, something between amusement and disbelief. Liam, unbothered, turns to him. “Do you have an issue with that?”
But Will isn’t looking at Liam. He’s looking at me.
“None at all.”
Something about the way he says it makes me shift uncomfortably in my seat.
“Okay, perfect. I’ll find her after then,” Liam says easily.
I sit there, watching Will out of the corner of my eye. He doesn’t say anything else, just stares down at his fingers, idly picking at the tape on his camera.
What happened between those two?
And do I even want to know?
Knowing Will, and knowing Kym, they probably wouldn’t tell me anyway.
“Did you see Naomi’s face when they suspended her?” Lilia says with a slight smile, probably wanting to shift the topic.
And successfully doing so.
Liam snorts. “Okay, yeah,” he admits, “makes the whole thing worth it.”
Lilia throws her hands up. “Speak for yourself! I got bitch slapped.” She gestures to her cheek. “And Ava dug her claws into me.” She winces as she touches it.
Will tilts his head. “Did you forget what you did to my face?”
Lilia rolls her eyes. “You deserved it.”
He scoffs. “Did I now?”
“Obviously!”
Before they can start round two, the office door swings open, and Christian and Bea step out. One look at their faces and my stomach drops.
Christian barely spares us a glance before shaking his head, and from next to him, Bea mutters a quick “Good luck” and gives us a thumbs-up, but it’s the most unconvincing thing I’ve ever seen.
Then the secretary calls our names, and I know there’s no turning back.
Our fate has officially been sealed.
Mr. Ryder sits behind his desk as we walk in, looking frustrated and… tired. I almost feel bad for him, he has to deal with so many disasters in just one day.
He sighs. “Would someone like to explain why my staff had to break up what I can only describe as a caféteria riot?”
Silence.
Then, because Liam has no concept of self-preservation, he leans forward, elbows on his knees. “Technically, it wasn’t a riot. An aggressively coordinated disagreement?”
Mr. Ryder just stares at him, unimpressed, and I notice how similar his look of annoyance is to Christian’s. “Mr. Grey, I suggest you do not make this worse for yourself.”
The amused look on Liam’s face falters, probably seeing the look on the principal’s face. And he straightens slightly, clearing his throat. “Yes, sir.”
“I hear you escalated the situation, along with my son.” His gaze sweeps over all of us before landing on Will and Liam. “Is that what happened?”
Will answers with a quick, empty “Yes, sir.”
“Well…” Liam says at the same time, and every single gaze lands on him.
He looks around, reading the room, and he exhales, slumping slightly. “Yes, sir.”
Mr. Ryder gives them a long, disappointed look. The kind that makes you want to sink into your chair and disappear.
Then, his gaze shifts to me, his expression softening slightly. “Adeline, I assume you had nothing to do with this?”
I hesitate, fingers twisting in my lap. Lilia, beside me, nudges me gently, shooting me a reassuring smile.
“They were defending me,” I say through a long breath. “Because of something Naomi did.”
From the corner of my eye, I catch Liam glancing at me, and I hate what I see in his expression. Hate that everyone is seeing me this vulnerable.
Mr. Ryder looks like he wants to ask what exactly that something was, but then his gaze flickers over me—over the way I’m still holding my side, over the exhaustion probably written all over my face, over the bruises—and his expression shifts.
There’s something like understanding there, or maybe just… acceptance.
Instead, he nods once. “I will take the necessary actions,” he says firmly. “Naomi has already been suspended, and Ava and the others involved will face disciplinary action.”
Lilia exhales, visibly relieved.
“As for the rest of you,” Mr. Ryder continues, “starting from tomorrow, you will all be receiving a two-day suspension.”
I see Will raise his eyebrows, like he doesn’t quite believe it. It’s only for a second, but Mr. Ryder catches his expression. “Would you like me to make it longer?”
Will thinks about it. I can actually see the thought forming in his head, and I have to fight the urge to elbow him before he ruins it for everyone.
Liam quickly cuts in. “No, sir. Two days is great. Love that for us.”
Mr. Ryder sighs heavily, rubbing his temples. “Get out of my office.”
We don’t need to be told twice.
The second we’re back in the hall Will claps his hands together. “Who’s down for a celebratory suspension breakfast?”
Lilia groans. “Shut up.”
Liam grins, slinging an arm around my shoulders and letting me lean against him while we walk. “Welcome to the world of bad decisions, Addie.”
I roll my eyes, but a tiny, traitorous smile intrudes on my lips.
“Forget breakfast,” Lilia says, suddenly serious. “Addie needs to go to the hospital.”
I’m about to argue, but I recall the condition I’m currently in, weigh my options, and realize it would be entirely stupid to disagree.
Liam, mid-step, suddenly stops walking. “Wait—when do you have a free period?”