His expression softens, and his lips part like he’s about to say something, but then he doesn’t.
“Stop,” I tell him. “Please. Just stop.”
I see the movement in his neck as he swallows. He takes his hands off me and places them on the wall beside my head, keeping me trapped in front of him.
“Say you’ll do this. I need this, Ella, more than you’ll ever understand.”
His tone is urging, almost desperate.
“Tell me why. If you tell me maybe I’d—” I don’t want to agree to do this, so I keep quiet and see if he’ll explain.
“You don’t need to fucking know,” he says, his tone back to sounding like the harsh, angry Briggs I’m used to. “This is your last chance. You asked me to stop and I did. But next time? Who the fuck knows? You really want to test me and find out?”
After seeing a glimpse of vulnerability from him just now, that hint of regret in his eyes when I told him to stop, I think there’s more to Briggs than the bully I know and hate. I think there’s a side of him that doesn’t want to be this way or do the things he does. But I can’t count on that side of him showing up again to save me. I have to save myself, which means I need to be smarter about this. I should’ve known today was a trap. I should’ve been more careful.
“I need to think about it,” I say. “I need more time. It’s not like this has to be done tomorrow. I could fail a test any time this semester. Can you stop this and give me time to think?”
He pauses to consider it. “I’ll give you until Monday morning to decide.”
“It’s already Friday. That’s not enough time.”
“You get all weekend. That’s plenty of time.”
“I need more. Seriously, what’s the rush? If anything, you’re the one benefiting from this.”
“How?”
“It gives you more time to plan your next move if I tell you no.”
He takes a moment to think. “I’ll give you a week. You get all next week to decide. I want your answer a week from Monday and if it’s not the answer I want—”
“You’ll torture me. Yeah, got it. And hey, I also want you to call off your minions. Tell Parker and Finn to leave me alone.”
“I don’t control what they do, and this deal isn’t with them. It’s between you and me.”
“But they listen to you. If you tell them to back off, they will.”
He stares into my eyes. “Stop making demands or our deal is off.”
“I wasn’t—”
“You’re lucky you got a week.” He slowly backs away. “Go. Get the hell out of here.”
I push away from the wall, my legs feeling wobbly as I make my way around the building. I glance back, thinking Briggs is going to sneak up behind me, but he’s gone.
“Ella.” Ms. Whittaker is walking out of the school when I reach the parking lot. She smiles at me. “What are you still doing here?”
I smile back. “I had to fill out a form in the office. I’m heading home now.”
“Before you go...” She walks up to me. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about your valedictorian speech. Many students like to start on it early in the semester and I wanted to let you know I’d be happy to help or offer suggestions.”
“It’s a little soon to say I’ll be valedictorian, isn’t it? I mean, don’t you have to wait until all the grades are in?”
She sets her hand on my shoulder. “I think we can both say with confidence that it’ll be you, unless you happen to fail a test or forget to turn in your assignments, things I know you would never do. Even if you did, all your extra credit would make up for it. You should be very proud of yourself, Ella. You’ve worked hard all these years. You deserve this. I’m sure your father iscounting the days until he can see you on that stage, giving your speech.”
“Yeah,” I say, nodding. “Well, I should go.”
“Have a good night!” she says as I go to my truck.
