I ignored it.
“Where’s Dakota?” I asked. I didn’t have time to beat around the bush. “Is he okay? Did something happen to him?”
Everett’s smirk grew. “You’re forgiven for rudely barging in on a private conversation, I suppose.”
I was going to punch him in three seconds if he didn’t answer my question. I balled my hands into fists, and then the promise I’d made Dakota played in my mind.
I said I wouldn’t hit people anymore.
I relaxed my hands. “Where is he? Just answer the question, Everett, and then I’ll fuck off.”
Everett sighed heavily, then gave his companion an apologetic smile. “So sorry, George. We’ll have to finish discussing this later.”
The guy nodded and walked off, but not before staring at my face.
When Everett’s eyes flashed back to mine, they were icy and full of disdain. His smile had disappeared, too. “Dakota? You mean the rabid dog?” There was a deep, vicious hatred in those words, and I wanted to claw my way down his throat, find the source, and pull it from where it was rooted. I was sure he’d die without it because hatred and disgust were all he was made of.
He didn’t get to hate Dakota.Hewas the one that was despicable.
“Where is he?” I gritted out. I was about to walk away because this was looking like an insanely pointless endeavor. I should’ve known better than to approach this evil fucktwat.
But then Everett leaned toward me and said, “He’s at the manor taking a little break fromyou. Said he couldn’t stand the sight of you anymore. I don’t blame him, although he said nothing about the smell.” He waved a hand between us, as if trying to get rid of a bad smell.
He was lying. He was fucking lying, he had to be. He was just saying that to be cruel because cruelty was in his blood. It was all he knew.
“Fuck you, Everett,” I spat, turning on my heel and trying to push his words out of my mind before they could stick.
But it was too late.
A tear rolled down my cheek and I angrily swiped it away.
I didn’t want to, but I headed toward the administrative building to talk to Dean Voss. He wouldn’t lie to me.
Right?
When I got there, Ilsa was at her desk and gave me a bubblyhello!as I approached.
“I need to speak with Dean Voss, please,” I said.
She pursed her lips. “Oh, I’m sorry, hon, he’s not in right now. I can tell him you stopped by, though. Was it something urgent?”
Yes, it fuckingwas.
“No,” I said as the most crushing disappointment raked through me. “Thank you.”
I left the building, forgot all about my next class, and went back to my room instead.
Curled up in my bed and stared into space.
It wasn’t true. I didn’t believe Everett. He was a hateful, lying piece of shit.
Dakota wouldn’t just leave me like this without a word, he had to have?—
My phone buzzed and I snatched it up so fast and frantically that I almost dropped it.
It wasn’t Dakota.
It was my fucking grandma.
