They’re stupid teenagers. Just the same as me.
Caylon reaches out to me, and I flinch. All the ground I just won instantly disappears in that small show of weakness. His fingers cradle the back of my head, so gentle. So gentle as he hauls me closer to him. Close enough for him to whisper in my ear. “You know how to stop this.”
“You can’t bully me into going out with you.”
“Bully.” He gives a soft snort, the sound reminiscent of a horse. “This is just a warm-up.” Then he drops his voice so low nobody else can hear him. Not even the boy standing so close on my left side that his shirt brushes against my arm. “If you want to see real bullying, keep saying no.”
The thrill of fear sends my brain careening off its track. “No.” I pull at his fingers, but they tighten. I can’t get them free. He lets me struggle for a few seconds, long enough to prove that I’m so feeble I can’t even move hishand, then he lets me go.
“Where’d you get to after the party, Em?” he asks, his voice still soft but easily heard by everyone in the room. “After you ran off, so hot and bothered.”
Great. The one subject I would prefer to avoid, and it’s now being eavesdropped on by half of my year.
“I don’t answer to you. Remember when you asked me to be your girlfriend, and I said no? And asked again and got told no. And again just a few seconds ago and got told no. That means what I do, where I do it, and who I do it with are nothing to do with you.”
Vehemence takes me over halfway through. My phone is buzzing again, and half my shouting is at it. At Wilbur. By the end of the sentence, I’m so upset a droplet of spittle flies from the corner of my mouth, landing near Caylon’s top lip. His tongue flicks out to lick it off, eyes sparkling with enjoyment.
Is this his kink? Embarrassing me in front of everyone?
“Or is that something you picked up from your friends? Quick and dirty tips on how to turn no into yes.” His lips curl into a smile and I feel his fingertips land on my right hip, gently sinking into the flesh. Sending heat flowing from the source like he’s a volcano spilling lava. “How does it go? A hand over my mouth. A sprinkle of powder in my drink. Is that right?”
“I don’t need to force anyone.”
“So, it’s a choice. Good to know.”
His hand flutters near my chest and my nipples instantly harden. My flush of colour at their embarrassing display feeds straight into Caylon’s confidence. His face fills with animation. He’s openly enjoying the confrontation.
According to my body, so am I.
“Nate disappeared around the same time.” He reaches out to catch some strands of my hair, wrapping them around and around his forefinger, tugging at my already aching scalp. Why the hell does every male I come into contact with think my hair is a rope pull for them to tug upon? “Did you two disappear together?”
My alarmed eyes cut over to Dee, understanding too late where Caylon was heading. “Don’t be stupid. I didn’t go anywhere with anybody and I especially didn’t go anywhere with him.”
“A bit harsh.”
I spin on my heel, my scalp shrieking where Caylon still has hold of my hair, but he releases it, letting it fall into a spiral.
The voice belongs to Nate, and I stare at him, open-mouthed. What is he saying? I would never. Even if I were interested and I’m not.
I wouldnever.
Not when Dee so clearly called dibs.
But he winks at Caylon and an icy feeling expands in my stomach. They planned this. It’s a ruse to hurt me. And I’m so dumb I rushed straight into the trap.
Nate walks over, boxing me in. He dangles the shoes I abandoned on Friday from his fingers. I send a pleading gaze to Dee, hoping against hope she can see through their bullshit, but her eyes drop to the floor. A second later and she slips out of the room, clearly hurting.
“What the fuck is your problem?” I ask again, shoving Caylon, hard as I can. Feeling vicious. Feeling like he just tore away the last piece of normality I had left. “You know damn well I didn’t hook up with Nate.”
“Jesus, Em,” Nate says behind me, almost muttering into my hair he’s that close. “I know it was just a quick shag but a boy’s got feelings.”
“I never touched you, Nate. Even the thought is fucking disgusting.”
He grabs at my chest, and I try to spin out of his reach, banging harder into Caylon. There’s nowhere to go. No way to escape. Not until one or both of them let me.
“Why are you doing this?” I whisper to Caylon, cheeks flushing with shame that I’m reduced to begging. “You could have any girl you wanted.” I wave my hand at the room and it’s true. Maybe not unanimously, but for every girl who wouldn’t I’m sure there’s a boy who would.
A dozen pair of eyes fix on him with longing. One girl stands near the outside doorway with a hand clutched to her chest. She looks like she has a poster of Caylon pinned above her bed and kisses it every night. Praying she’ll dream of him when she’s asleep.
