Noah sees us first.His eyes land on our joined hands before flicking back up.That bastard’s been watching every move I’ve made this week.Every glance.Every accidental brush.
Aubrey’s next.Her eyes widen, her mouth parting in surprise.Then Lola turns, and Red stiffens next to me.Her fingers grip mine tighter, nails digging into my skin
Jace leans against the lockers, arms crossed.But I notice that spark in his eyes, the curl of his mouth.He’s already got some bullshit locked and loaded.
The instant we stop in front of them, I feel it.Red’s hand twitching in mine, her fingers stiff, her body going still.
Lola looks down at our hands.“No fucking way.”
Aubrey stares.“You two…”
Jace lets out a low whistle, already grinning.“Well, fuck me.You finally dipped your cock in the Red Sea, huh?”
Red jerks beside me, eyes flashing to mine.Mortified.Pissed.Feeling a mix of both.
“Jesus, Jace,” Lola snaps, stepping in front of him.“Do you ever stop being a giant fucking asshole, or is it your full-time personality now?”
He shrugs, completely unfazed, and tips his chin at me.“Pretty sure I owe this dickhead two hundred bucks.”
Sam freezes.
I do too.
Aubrey’s frown hardens.“What the fuck are you even talking about?”
Jace shrugs, all innocent bullshit and dead eyes.“We had a bet,” he says, tipping his head toward her with a smirk that makes my jaw clench.
Red yanks her hand away from mine.
My stomach drops.
“There was no bet,” I snap, heat rising under my skin.
Jace snorts.“Sure.I just imagined you asking for a bonus if you finger-fucked her on school grounds?”
Sam jerks back as if he’d actually slapped her.Her eyes flick to mine, and I see the hurt, the rage, all of it.
“That never fucking happened!”Fury tears through me like claws.
Jace raises his hands, smug as hell.“I’m saying I can’t pay it all at once.”
“Jace,” Lola snaps, “shut the fuck up for once in your miserable fucking life.”
But it’s already too late.Red’s walking away before anyone can stop him, jaw clenched, shoulders tense.
“Red,” I call out, panic rising in my throat.
She doesn’t slow down.She rounds the corner and disappears, yanking the air from my lungs with her, leaving me standing there feeling stupid, hollow, and completely alone.
I take one step after her, and then Jace opens his mouth again.
“So?”he calls out, loud and smug.“Is she any good?”
Something snaps.
I don’t plan on it.I just turn and swing.My fist hits the bastard’s face with a loud, brutal crack that echoes down the hall.He falls hard, his back slamming into the lockers, his ass hitting the floor.Blood pours from his nose, and shock is clear on his stupid fucking face as he stares up at me.
I stand over him, chest heaving, fists clenched, every nerve ablaze.
