22. Sacrificing the Queen
Sacrificing the Queen
Harper
The school day flies, but I wish for once it would drag and hold off the inevitable. When I get to art, I ignore my table and walk over to Penny.
“How are you doing?”
She smiles, even though it looks like she has one hell of a hangover. “Better than I thought I’d feel. I can’t imagine taking that for fun.”
I nod. That’s exactly what Sidney is doing.
But then again, so did Izzy for her boyfriend, Zach’s brother.
My guys have fucked me in my sleep, but I usually wake up during.
I don’t know how I’d feel about not remembering their touches in the morning.
Waking up sore and having no idea what my guys did to me?
I trust my guys, but not someone like Zach.
“I’m okay, though.” Penny smiles, bringing me back to the conversation.
“Thank you.” I need to say it. She could have let Luke drink it and we never would have known she knew his drink was roofied.
She looks down at her hands before lifting her eyes to mine. “I’ve done things I’m not proud of in the past. Who hasn’t? But I couldn’t let Luke get drugged or let Sidney win. I kind of hoped he’d spill it like he did his water.”
“I owe you one.” When I look over my shoulder, Nico is at the door.
She touches my hand. “No, you don’t. I did what was right for my family.”
My insides warm, and I nod before heading over to take Nico’s backpack from Jack.
Jack smiles before heading off to his class.
Nico walks to his table with the crutches.
While he sits, I set his backpack on the table before taking his crutches to lean against the wall.
Grabbing a low stool, I drag it over and help him elevate his leg.
I squat down beside him and study his dark eyes for any sign of pain or fatigue. “How are you doing?”
He smirks and touches my jaw. “Better now.”
“Good.” I hold his hand against my face before standing and glancing toward my table with Tanner. He sits there watching me with a calculated look that makes chills course through my blood.
I really don’t like him, but I go to my seat and sit as far away from him as possible. He’s been quiet, and I’m afraid that, like everything else, that’s going to end today. Ms. Sullivan walks into the room and closes the door.
Angela Harris laughs and touches Nico’s arm. Yeah, that’s what my vanishing act cost. Nico having to put up with Angela until she names her favor. Even knowing he’s mine, it turns my stomach a little.
“We’re working on group projects today,” Ms. Sullivan announces. “If anyone needs assistance, just raise your hand and I’ll be over.”
She sits down behind her desk, and the room fills with the low rumble of people talking.
“You know what I love about slutty girls?” Tanner’s words make me stiffen.
I’m not acknowledging that. Nope, I don’t even care. I get out the notes for the project and get busy.
He leans in close to me. “They love all kinds of fucking. I bet Angela there would help lighten your load.”
I draw in a deep breath and release it. Nope.
“She’s a little freak. Pulled me into a closet and gave me an awesome blow job before class. She’s real fucking grateful to have a date to Homecoming. Have you sucked dick yet today, Harper?”
Nope. Ignore him and he won’t get what he wants, which is a reaction from me. He wants me to engage, and that’s not happening. I’m here for one purpose—to get this fucking project done so I don’t have to work after school with this asshole.
He twirls a pen in his hand. “I bet you’re either really good at it now, or they just fuck your mouth while you cry until they come. Is that how it is?”
He taps my hand with his pen, and I jerk it away, glaring at him. I press my lips together, refusing to talk to him.
He smirks. “What? You don’t like blow jobs? Is it too much work for your poor mouth?”
His tone is almost sweet, but that darkness lingers in his eyes. He glances behind me at Nico and Angela.
“She could give you some pointers.” He points his pen at Angela. “I swear that girl doesn’t have a gag reflex.”
I turn back to my file and take in a breath, counting to ten before releasing it. If I respond at all, he’ll twist it. He’ll win. And I’m fucking done being a mark. Someone he can toy with.
“What’s wrong, Harper? Do you choke on cock? Worried Nico will like the way she treats his dick better?” Tanner chuckles. “If you want some practice, hit me up. I don’t mind teaching you the finer points of giving head.”
I glance at the desk, but Ms. Sullivan is across the room helping someone else with her back to us. The time is getting close to when Caden will join us. I regret hoping time would drag.
If I get him kicked out, it will only delay his portion of our work. And it’s not like he can work on it alone, because who knows what he’d do to it? He could fuck it up so we have to redo it. I’m not fucking up my GPA for this asshole.
“Five guys.” Tanner whistles low. “What’s that like? I mean, three I can see. One in every serviceable hole. I guess the other two get a hand job. Do you do any work or do you just lie there and take it?”
Fuck him. This has always been my favorite class and favorite teacher. He’s turned it into hell, and I can’t do a damned thing to change it. He’s determined to fuck with me until I send him to the office where he can claim he’s been bullied and that’s why his therapist says he acts out like this.
What a load of bullshit.
“You know you’re kind of a legend.”
Okay, that’s a new tactic. I still don’t look over at his soft words.
“Not every girl would willingly let that many guys fuck her. But you seem to like it like the dirty slut you are.” Tanner tsks. “Who knew the sluttiest girl in school would be the one everyone ignored?”
Heat gathers in my chest, bubbling up to my cheeks.
“I mean, I saw you in previous years.” Tanner leans in close, but I ignore him.
“Those frumpy clothes and your hair pulled back. No makeup. No style. And look at you now. A little fuck toy for a group of guys who don’t give a shit about anything but themselves.
A little toy, happy to be used. What happens when they let you go? ”
He chuckles. “Who’s going to fill your needy cunt then?”
“Mr. Lewis!” Ms. Sullivan’s tone is scandalized.
My wide eyes lift to find her standing behind Tanner. She looks appalled.
His face pales as he turns to meet her eyes. “Yes, Ms. Sullivan?”
She shakes her head and gestures. “Grab your books and your supplies. I want you out of my classroom. I’m taking you down to the office right now. This is not how we communicate in this class.”
I breathe out a sigh, but then worry sets in. This will put us behind, meaning we’ll need to work in other times.
“I don’t want you back in this class.” Ms. Sullivan straightens even though Tanner towers over her. “You can go to study hall this hour instead.”
The class is quiet as everyone watches Ms. Sullivan march Tanner out the door.
She leans back in. “I’ll be back. Continue to work.”
Her gaze touches on mine, and she nods before the door closes. The classroom erupts in voices as people turn to talk to their friends.
“You okay?” Nico asks.
I’m shocked, honestly. But I nod to Nico. What’s going to happen to Tanner? Probably nothing. He’s got a rich daddy too. He’ll get in some trouble, but he’ll whine about how he’s been picked on. Though Ms. Sullivan heard him sexually harassing me, which should have more weight.
Kenz comes up and sits next to me. “What was he saying?”
I shake myself out of it and breathe out as I meet her eyes. “Same shit, different day.”
“I’ve never seen Ms. Sullivan that angry before.” Kenz takes my hand and squeezes it. “I’m totally going to kick Tanner in the balls next time I see him.”
“No, I don’t want you to get kicked out of school. I’m okay. Ignoring him was my plan.”
She grins. “Worked out for you.”
I nod, a little dazed. Kenz squeezes my hand one more time and heads back to her chair. The conversation rises to a new level as people leave their seats to talk to their friends, probably trying to guess what happened.
The door opens, and everyone rushes back to their seats, but Caden walks in with his eyebrow raised. Someone laughs and people migrate again.
When Caden takes his seat, I feel the students’ eyes on me again.
“What happened? Where’s Ms. Sullivan?” Caden hooks my chair with his foot and drags me closer.
“Tanner said something. She overheard and kicked him out of class. Like kicked him out entirely.” It still hasn’t registered as I meet his green eyes.
He smiles. “Good. He’s a fucker. If I could find a way to get him expelled, I would.”
When he turns to check on Nico, I look at where we are in the planning phase of our art project. A little burst of excitement rolls through me. I can pull out every piece of Tanner from this. Every idea, every color choice.
It will be just mine and Caden’s now. A weight lifts off my chest.
Eli
The bell rings, and I head out for lunch. I catch Ashley’s arm and lead her away from the crowd walking toward the cafeteria.
“Hey,” she says, but I keep going.
I push open the doors to the outside and pull her out with me. This entrance isn’t used by a lot of people, but it leads to a side of the building the teachers don’t monitor during lunch as well.
I release her, and she glares up at me.
“Sidney tried to drug Luke.” No need to beat around the bush.
“Fuck, what did he do to her?” Ashley cradles her books against her chest as she watches me. She’s not a stupid girl.
“We want her taken down.”
She opens her mouth, maybe to protest.
“We want to install you in her place.”
She narrows her eyes on me. “You want me to be queen bee? Why?”
“You’re the only one who can do it.” I cross my arms. “You’re smarter than Sidney. She’s the only thing that’s been holding you back. I can give you everything we have on her conversations about how she’s better than everyone else. But I think you probably already know how she feels.”
Ashley nods. “When?”
“Let her think she’s winning. But we want Homecoming to be her last time in the spotlight.”
Her brow furrows. “She’ll still be in cheerleading. She’s the captain.”
“Take it from her.” I step in closer and make sure we aren’t being listened to by other students lingering nearby. “She admitted Zach’s feeding her drugs to fuck her. Those things don’t always show up in tests, but she’s got to be taking something to counteract the effects.”
This morning Penny looks like the walking dead. Like even the caffeine barely hit her, and she just took a sip of the laced sherry. I haven’t seen Sidney looking like that.
Ashley nods. “That would get her off the squad and possibly suspended.”
“We need her to keep Zach’s attention this week, so he doesn’t change his plans.” I don’t know what his plans are specifically, but I’m hoping he lets something slip. At least to Harper to try to scare her.
“She’ll get queen.”
“Not if you work on it.” I shake my head. “You’re just as popular and prettier than Sidney. Your attitude sucks sometimes—”
“Hey!” She glares at me.
“You know it.” I smile. “If you tone it down or turn up the bitch, you’ll win votes. And that’s what matters. Get the girls in line with you. Let them know what Sidney’s done to keep them all down. Fight for them, and they’ll follow you.”
Ashley nods, but she’s lost in her schemes. She glances up at me. “Are we still good for Homecoming night?”
“I’ve talked to my friend, and he’s worked it out. I need a word so that you can make sure it’s the right guy and you aren’t being trafficked into a sex ring.”
She looks at me like I’m crazy but knowing this town and learning more about what our fathers did, it’s not unlikely. So I just wait.
“Havoc,” she says.
“He’ll say the word havoc so you know who’s taking you. Do you have any last instructions? Are you okay with him fucking you?”
Her lips press together, and she searches my eyes. “You know this guy?”
I nod. I’ve checked up on him to make sure I’m not letting someone in that could really hurt her. Our lives might be diverging, but Ashley and I were there for each other when we needed something. It was never love between us, but there was a need.
I’m not doing this to get her hurt.
She blows out a breath. “Things are bad at home. Almost as bad as when this affair first happened.”
I know what happened because she told me. She needed someone to take control as she spiraled and I needed to control something while my family fell apart. It worked.
“He can do whatever he wants to me, but if I need anything to stop, if I say my word and he doesn’t stop... I need you to hurt him for me.” Her eyes narrow.
“I will.” It’s the last favor I’ll ever give to Ashley. Our relationship was never about friendship like Jack’s and Emma’s. It wasn’t even really about getting off. It was a power exchange, pure and simple. And it worked for both of us.
“Then let’s plan the fall of the queen.”