CHAPTER TWO
R ound and round the track I went. Feet pounding the pavement at top speed. My thoughts were still jumbled. I had no idea how to find my boyfriend. This morning, I fled the house before my family awoke. My life was flipped upside down again. Fuck! Why was this happening to me?
I needed to talk to Matt and Rocco. Maybe they could be my eyes and ears while I played nice to the narcissistic psycho, Mason.
The hot water pounding my skin only reminded me that my hell was real. Students flooded the halls as I stepped out of the locker room.
“Chelsea, hey girl,” Connie called out at my back.
I plastered on a fake smile. “Connie, are you ready for this crazy day?”
“Any bitch say something off kilter and I will put her in her place. ”
“Oh, and when you say bitches stepping out of line are, we are thinking of the same gossip whores; Natasha and Jamie?”
“You know it. Now that you aren’t an outcast, you have the capability to tell those bitches to fall in line.”
“True or I could use them to my advantage. If I want to spread a rumor, they could spread it. For my benefit only.” My wheels were turning. I’d love to stick it to that bitch, Marisa.
“Hey, babe.” Mason’s pearly whites brightened as he gripped my waist. “You left my bed pretty early. Why didn’t you wake me before you left this morning?” He winked, kissing my temple.
Bile rose in my throat. He had my boyfriend’s mannerisms down to a tee. He’s been watching us for a while. Someone amongst us had to be his spy other than Marisa.
“Oh, you know me, sweetheart. I needed to get a run in. I want to be ready for my track meet. Will you be there?” Please say no.
“Wouldn’t miss it, baby.” His lips landed on mine. I wanted to bite his fucking lip. Bastard was milking our performance.
I looped my arm through Connie’s. “I better get to English. See you at lunch. ”
His eyes narrowed.
“Big fella,” Kyle called out, in the nick of time, slapping Mason’s hand.
“What’s up, dude?” he said, never tearing his eyes off of me.
Connie and me scurried off.
“Are you and Tate ok?”
My smile rose and fell. “Yeah. I just didn’t expect him to tell anyone that I spent the night at his house.” That fucking liar. Ugh!
The bell sounded.
“See you later, Chelsea.” Connie dipped off down the hall.
I strutted into the classroom with my head held high. Brittany sucked her teeth as I scooted into my seat beside her.
“Good morning class,” greeted Mr. Barrings.
“I hope you enjoyed Halloween. Now back to work. Discuss any parties you attended after class. We’ll prepare for Friday’s test.”
He turned to the board.
Brittany leaned in. “Tate’s already making his rounds.”
I ignored her statement.
“I heard he’s hooking up with Veronica this week. I don’t have the specifics, but it appears your relationship isn’t as solid as you thought.”
Snapping her neck crossed my mind. “Thanks for your concern, Brittany. Tate and I are a team.” I grinned writing the test notes in my notebook.
“This was my new life. Every jealous bitch would work overtime to get a rise out of me. Probably wasn’t too intelligent to disclose my issue with cutting. I’d be ready for the vicious and vindictive sluts who wanted my man. If I could tell everyone who he really was, I’d tell the bitches they could have him.
Right before fourth period, I darted into the bathroom. “Jamie, didn’t know you’d be in here. How are you today?” I smirked, smoothing my hands over my plaid skirt.
She squinted. “Oh, please,” Jamie hissed. “What do you want, Chelsea?” She dried her hands, then stared through me.
“I heard Veronica was hooking up with Tammy’s boyfriend. I just caught them behind the bleachers.”
Tammy’s boyfriend, Chris, was the captain of the basketball team. Veronica deserved to be the star of continued gossip as the school whore. Even though it wasn’t Tate, she thought it was him she was flirting with .
She checked her manicure. “What’s in it for me?”
I stepped closer. “You keep your shitty title as the gossip queen.” I blinked several times driving my point home.
“Ugh. Got it, Princess Chelsea.” She darted out of the bathroom.
A devilish smile took my lips. My plan for Marisa had to be methodical. If she knew I was the one who spread the rumor, she’d come back hard. Look what she’d done to me so far. Fucking bitch.
At lunch, there wasn’t a way to talk to Rocco without Mason’s knowledge. He sat beside me just like Tate had done.
“Everything ok, babe?” His dark brow rose over those heart stopping blue eyes.
“Yeah, I’m not very hungry.” I pressed my head into his chest. Didn’t want him to question my ability to play along. I’d play my part until I could get through my disturbing ordeal.
Later that afternoon, I left chemistry class on a bathroom break. Looking over my shoulder, I ducked into the media center. Huddled over a computer screen, I emailed Rocco and Matt asking them to meet me in the auditorium.
The thick red curtains were drawn on the stage. I glanced over my shoulder then stepped behind the curtain. Cloaked in darkness, I rang my hands as I paced the wooden floor.
“Sabrina, are you here?” Matt called, pulling back the curtains.
Biting my lower lip, I waved him over.
“Really, Sabrina the Teenage Witch?” Matt flashed his cell phone light in my face as he shook his head.
I placed my finger over my lips.
“Sabrina?” Rocco called out, as he came into view.
His brow furrowed. “What’s with the crypted message?”
“Are you both sure no one followed either of you?”
“Seriously?”
I met their gazes. “Yes. This is a matter of life or death. I can’t tell either of you anything unless you promise to keep what I am about to say between us.”
Matt threw his hands in the air. “Of course.”
“If either of you tell. I’ll know. And we have to find a better place to meet without alerting Mason.” I glared between them. Tears streamed down my cheeks.
Matt’s gray eyes darkened. “Are we participating in a séance, Sabrina?” He dragged out my fictitious name.
“Your sister traveled to London for years to visit Mason. They’ve worked out this crazy plan of revenge on Tate and me. Mason wanted me for himself.” My hand flew over my lips.
“He’s holding Tate hostage in London.”
Matt slipped his fingers through his blond locks. “That can’t be true.”
Rocco gruffly rubbed his chin. “No, it would make sense actually. The guy with dark hair I kept chasing. I’d only see the back of his head.” He retrieved his cell from his back pocket.
We stared at his screen.
He zoomed in on the mysterious guy. “See, from the back profile he could pass for Tate. Or, I guess, Mason.”
“But how do you know for sure?” Matt’s eyes narrowed.
“His horrible plays at the football game were sign number one. Then later that night at the Halloween party...” I cleared my throat. “I was making out with my boyfriend, so I thought. I slipped my fingers through his hair and I felt a raised scar that Tate didn’t have. It wasn’t a fresh scar. It felt like it had been there for a while. He came clean. Told me he was holding my boyfriend hostage. If I didn’t play along, he’d kill Tate.”
“Fuck,” Matt growled through gritted teeth, pacing.
“I knew something was off. Tate would never throw shitty passes.”
“He said he wanted to destroy Tate’s chances of going pro.”
“Yeah, well he may have succeeded. ”
“One game can’t end his chances of going pro. There has to be something he can do.” I dropped my head.
“Tate has connections. He might be able to try out for a few teams and redeem himself.”
I clutched my chest, blowing out a breath. “I still have to do what Mason wants to keep Tate alive.”
Rocco placed his hand on my arm. “What?” His concerned brown eyes met mine.
“I’ll have to marry him. And Tate will marry Marisa. They will run their grandfathers’ company together.” I ran my hands tightly over my long hair.
“So, their grandfather was behind Mason’s fake death.”
“Matt, it sounds that way. Tate said his grandfather was pressuring him to graduate from high school, enroll in college in London, then run his empire. Tate went there to tell him he planned to follow his passion and play football.” My hands shook.
“I have to find Tate. Rocco, I need your help to find him.” I paced the floor.
“He said we were moving to London after Christmas. I imagine we’re getting married there. In the meantime, we need to gain as much information as we can. I’ll need you guys to hop on a jet and fly to London. You two will have to look for Tate. Get him out of there before I tie the knot. ”
“You know I have your back, Doll.” He pulled me into his arms.
“I’m up for an adventure.”
I peeked at Rocco. “This is a dangerous adventure. If you can’t help, now is the time to back out. I could hire a professional hacker to find Tate.”
His brows wrinkled. “You just insulted me. I am the best.”
I stepped away and looped my arms around Rocco’s neck. “I know you are. We better get back to class.” I took a step back.
They nodded.
“Please treat Mason like you would Tate. He can’t even have an inkling of what we are up to.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Matt’s sinister eyes held mine.
“Matt, I know this is upsetting. But I know we can find Tate together.”
“He makes me want to kill him again.”
“Matt, you and me both.”
I peeked at Rocco. “Can you create a student file for Sabrina Reuther’s? That way I can contact you both from that email undetected.”
“You know I can.” He winked.
A warm smile lit my lips. “I know.”