He stares at me like I’m a stranger. “You get off on that shit?”
I sigh, rubbing a tense spot between my brows. “Things are complicated between us.”
“I’ll say,” Sean supplies, slinging his arm around his girlfriend’s shoulders. “And the step-sibling thing seems like the least of it.”
“I should’ve just stayed in bed,” I deadpan, biting into an apple. “Because this day honestly couldn’t get any worse.”
Famous last words.
I’m in world history class, at the end of the day, when the door bursts open and Emmett pops his head in. Ignoring the teach—because it’s Shaking Sheila, thus known for her habit of shaking like a leaf whenever anyone raises their voice to her—he motions me forward with his fingers. “You need to come with me. Right now.”
I don’t need to be told twice, shoving my books in my backpack and striding through the door, out into the empty hallway, conscious of footsteps following me.
“Get lost!” Emmett snarls over my shoulder. “This doesn’t concern you.”
“Lose the attitude, or I’ll gut you and spread your insides over the school walls,” Galen threatens, pulling a knife on my friend.
I glare at Galen for a few beats until he relents, putting the knife away. I tug on Emmett’s arm. “What’s wrong?”
“It’s Sariah,” he says, striking fear into my heart.
“What happened?”
He takes my hand, pulling me along the hallway, and the tormented, troubled look on his face elevates my heart rate to coronary-inducing level. “She was found in the girls’ bathroom over by the science lab, lying on the floor, unconscious, and beaten to a pulp.”
CHAPTER 27
IWRESTLE MYhand from Emmett’s and take off running in the direction of the bathroom. Two pairs of footsteps run after me. Blood thrums in my ears and pounds in my skull as potent fear whizzes through my veins. Rounding the corner, I slam to a halt at the scene that awaits me.
Sariah is being carried out of the bathroom on a stretcher, surrounded by EMTs.
Sean’s pale face is testament to his concern for his girlfriend.
Vice Principal Pierson has her arms locked around her body, and she’s shaking her head in disbelief, her lips pinched tight, her expression a mix of sorrow and fear.
“Sean!” I jog to his side. “Is Sariah okay?”
He gulps, and his voice sounds scraped raw as he speaks. “I don’t know, Lo. Nobody knows exactly how long she’s been in there. Someone wedged a chair underneath the door before climbing out the window, so no one’s been in there for hours. Cleaning staff was concerned when they couldn’t get in, and they called Mrs. Pierson. Then, she came to get me, and Emmett came with.” He massages his temples. “I was sitting in fucking class while my girlfriend was bleeding out on the floor.”
“You didn’t know, dude.” Emmett attempts to reassure him.
“Step aside, please,” Mrs. Pierson says, gesturing us to one side. “We need to let the medical personnel do their jobs.”
I clutch Emmett’s arm as the EMTs carry an unconscious Sariah away. She’s covered in blood, and there are bruises already appearing on her arms and her face. Her top is torn, and I glimpse more bruises on her torso.
The vice principal clasps a hand over her mouth, shaking her head, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
Sean is distraught and struggling to hold it together. “He shouldn’t drive,” I tell Emmett, nudging him toward his friend and teammate. “You drive, and I’ll follow you to the hospital.”
“You sure you don’t want to come with us?” he asks, casting a wary glance at Galen. He’s thankfully kept his mouth shut, observing from the side as he fiddled with his phone.
“It’s fine, Emmett. I’ll meet you there in a while.” I need to know who’s responsible for this, and that’s not something that can wait.
He nods, walking to Sean and squeezing his shoulders. I watch them walk off, vowing to rip through whoever did this to my bestie.
There are two prime suspects at the top of my list—it was either the bitchy cheerleaders who targeted her last year or this is Parker Brooks’ doing. My money is on Parker, because the cheerleaders haven’t caused any trouble for Sariah so far this semester. Parker’s words from the other day resurface in my mind. She knows she can’t touch me, so she went after my best friend instead.
