“Right…” I say slowly. “But she said to leave her alone.”
He waves a dismissive hand. “I’ll take what I can get when I can get it, Rev.”
It’s almost adorable how pathetically excited he is over that. Andwith how hard he’s been trying to win her back, that little kernel of guilt was on the verge of popping, but not anymore. Not until I have proof he or Rogue didn’t help Dread plant those notes.
Rogue promised he wouldn't help Dread bully me anymore, but sometimes, people fucking lie. Admittedly, it’d surprise me if Severen would help and risk losing Octavia for good. She wasn’t kidding when she said she didn’t condone bullying.
After I ran off on Dread with the black box, I went straight back to his room and texted the group chat, demanding Severen and Rogue tell me if they helped him with the notes.
Both vehemently denied it, as well as denying Dread’s involvement, and as convincing as they were, I still don’t know if Ientirely believe them.
Even so, we’ve reverted to somewhat of the same routine from when Dread was in North Carolina, except I continue to stay in his room while he sleeps outside the door all night. It’s drawn attention from the other guys in the building, but I guess Dread just told them he's keeping guard due to ongoing harassment. I'm not entirely sure if they believed him, or if they guessed the truth—I'm pissed and put him outside like a dog.
I was more than willing to go back to my own dorm, but Dread refused. It was more understandable for the girls in my building when Rogue and Severen were out there because Dread was out of town. Now, they're a little more likely to gossip to the paparazzi about how I won't let him in my room than the guys would.
During the day, Dread escorts me between classes or drives me to work when he can, but when he’s busy with swim practice, Rogue or Severen step in.
We spend every minute together in silence. He’s tried and failed to talk to me, and the one time he grabbed my arm, he immediately let me go once he clocked my expression. I’m not sure what he saw that was so different from any other time he’s terrorized me, but I’ll take my wins where I can get them.
“Speaking of progress, have you spoken to Dread yet?” I settle a dry glare on Severen while I crunch on a crouton. He tightens his lips and nods once. “Right. So, I’m going to be bold and say it, but I fear you just might be one-upping him in the torment department.”
I narrow my eyes, swallowing the crouton.
He grimaces. “Jesus, you’re intense.”
“Good. I haven’t decided if I even believeyoutwo dickheads yet,” I mutter as I angrily stab another crouton and pop it in my mouth.
“The last time he asked either of us to help him was the kidnapping prank. Since then, he told us we’re done. In fact, he explicitly ordered us to be nice to you.” Then, he says with a casual shrug, “Not that he had to. Rogue made his promise, and my chances with Octavia are already in hell. I don't need them to get any lower.”
I scoff. “I’d sooner believe he told you to lick his asshole than to be nice to me.”
Severen rolls his eyes and pulls out his phone from his coat pocket. After tapping the screen a few times, he swipes his thumb repeatedly, scrolling through his messages.
Then, he turns the phone my way, showing me a text thread between him, Rogue, and Dread.
Dread: No one touches Reverie. No one hurts her feelings. No one makes her cry. No one even makes her sad.
Rogue: What if one of her hairs floats on me?? Does that count? Girls and their hair get fucking everywhere, bro
Severen: Depends. Did you tell the hair to back off?
Rogue: you’ll never see me swipe a hair off me so fast. I’ll put it in a fucking chokehold if I have to
Dread: I expect you to place it gently back on her head.
Severen: With the utmost care. Got it
Rogue: you won’t know if it’s a hair or a tiara. It will look all the same
My throat tightens, though I try to ignore it as I turn my eyes to the time stamps on the messages.
February 10th, around nine p.m. The same day I came home to a trashed room after finding out Dread posted a picture of us on social media, and after he fucked me against the door before meeting with Roxi. I’d been in a terrible mood that night with the sex tape circulating rampantly, and I disappeared the next morning to the hotel.
Something about him saying that after those girls released that sex tape feels… unsettling. It reads like he was being protective because I was hurt, and that’s really fucking strange, considering we had only fucked for the first time three days prior.
Within three days, he went from being my bully to being protective?
It makes zero sense, and I refuse to find any part of that, or the conversation with Rogue and Severen, endearing. Even if my heart feels like it’s sprouted wings and has flown off into the sky toward the singing angels.
