It should make me feel victorious, but it doesn’t.

If anything, it brings a taste of nausea to my mouth.

“Remove the scarf, please,” Mr Huntington continues. “No extra wear is allowed in class.”

“I would rather not, Mr Huntington.”

“Remove the scarf or I’ll have to ask you to leave.”

I glance behind me at the same time as she reluctantly pulls down her scarf.

Gasps erupt in the class.

Faint bruises on the side of her mouth and cheek glare back at me. And they’re only faint because she must’ve done her best to hide them with makeup.

I feel sick to my stomach at the thought of their actual appearance.

“Are you okay, Miss Queens?” The teacher asks. “We can call the principal and —”

“I tripped and fell. I’m fine,” she says, shutting everyone out.

Kim nudges me with a huge grin. “You did that.”

I scold her with my eyes, chest squeezing.

I didn’t want to do that.

I only wanted her away from Aiden. That’s all.

And then I wanted to kill her.

Fuck me.

The teacher talks about returning our tests, pulling the class’s attention from Silver.

Adam is the only one who doesn’t glance away from her. Not even when the teacher starts handing out tests.

I reluctantly turn away, unable to look at her anymore.

It’s like she was attacked by a monster.

And I’m that monster.

On my test, I got a 97. Knox waves his test at me, he got a 98.

Shit. I lost.

I hate losing.

As soon as the class ends, he jumps in front of my desk. “You owe me.”

“She owes you fuck.” Aiden appears at my side in a beat.

I swallow at the steel look in his metal eyes.

“We had a bet.” Knox’s smile doesn’t falter. “Elsa promised to do something for me if I have a better grade and vice versa.”

“And I’m telling you she’ll do fuck for you. Now, piss off.”

“Aiden,” I hiss, standing up. “Knox is a friend, okay? Besides, a bet is a bet.”

Aiden pulls out his test and slams it on the table. He got a 100.

A fucking perfect score.

Of course.

I don’t know why it surprises me that he’s this smart at academics, too.

He’s aiming for Oxford after all.

“I had more than both of you,” Aiden deadpans. “So maybe you both owe me.”

“Sorry, mate.” Knox smiles. “You weren’t a part of the bet.”

Aiden’s left eye twitches.

Oh, shit.

Oh, fuck.

Knox needs to leave. Like right now.

“We’ll do something, okay?” I tell Knox with a dismissive tone. “Call me.”

“Sure thing, Ellie. I’ll call you later.”

Knox is the last one who leaves class. I stand in an empty classroom with a pissed off Aiden.

I’m about to say something.

The words disappear.

Aiden grabs me by the arm and slams me against the wall, placing his hand on the side of my face. “Call you? He has your fucking number?”

This side of Aiden is fearsome as shit, and I can’t help the tremors of both fear and excitement tingling down my spine.

However, I won’t let him dictate my life.

Not more than he’s already doing.

“Knox is a friend. You won’t take me away from my friends.”

“Watch me.”

“Aiden!” I clutch his biceps. “Stop it, okay? It’s just a bet.”

“And I’m telling you.” He wraps his hand around my throat, soothingly massaging my pulse point, but there’s nothing soothing about his deranged eyes. “I want the bet called off, sweetheart.”

I can give in to him.

It’s not a big deal, anyway. I’m sure Knox will understand.

But if I continue giving in to Aiden’s tyrannical ways, then there will be nothing left of me and my free will.

I refuse to be that girl.

I’m not Aiden’s toy. I’m his fucking equal.

I jut my chin out. “No.”

His left eye twitches. “No?”

“Yes, Aiden. No. You don’t get to tell me what to do and who to befriend.”

The poker face straps around his features so tight, it’s alarming.

I expect him to retaliate, but he releases my throat and steps back. “As you wish.”

And then he’s out of the door.

26

Elsa

The football team has practice today. We don’t. Coach Nessrine is giving us recuperating time before an upcoming competition.

I love how she takes care of us, but I wish she wouldn’t give us the time off. I need to run like I need air.

Or maybe I just need to keep my mind off things.

Aiden hasn’t spoken to me since he took off from the first class in the morning. He didn’t bug me about sitting with his team at lunch, and he didn’t tell me to watch him practice.

I could’ve gone to him first, but that’s like I admitting I did something wrong.

Which isn’t the case. He’s the one who’s making a mountain out of a molehill.

It doesn’t mean I feel less bad that he’s not talking to me.

Damn him.

I’ve been feeling shitty since the first class.

On my way to the car park, the back of my neck prickles with chilling awareness. I stop at the threshold and spot a black car with tinted windows parked near the exit.

My shoulder blades snap into a rigid line.

It’s the same Mercedes that once followed me home. It’s not a coincidence that it’s now at my school.

The urge to run grips me by the gut.

I need to save myself. I need to —

The car’s engine revs to life and the vehicle slips out of the car park.

I heave out a harsh breath, but the feeling of contempt won’t go away.

One step after the other, I walk into the car park and watch my surroundings.

What if that car returns? Should I report it to the police or something?

My feet stop of their own volition when I meet malicious eyes.

Adam Herran.

He leans against the wall separating the 8th tower from the car park, glaring at me. No. Not glaring. He seems as if he’s barely stopping himself from attacking me.

Adam Herran is the biggest bully in RES.

He made mine and Kim’s life hell these past two years by using every trick in the bullying book. The one who locked me in the showers for five hours? Adam. The one who tripped me on my first day in the cafeteria? Adam.

Last year, Kim received an anonymous love letter. She was over the moon at the thought of someone having a crush on her. Said someone asked her to wait near the 6th tower after school, and she did.

After one hour of waiting, Adam and his goons poured paint and water all over her and laughed in her face.

Who in their right mind would love a fat pig like you? Are you on delusional pills?

Kim ran home crying and after that, she came up with her transformation plan.

Silver, the bitch queen herself, witnessed the event and didn’t appear amused at all.

I was so livid, so humiliated on Kim’s behalf that I went to the principal. And surprise, surprise, Silver was already in the office. She witnessed against Adam along with me.