“Yeah, bye.” He hops out of the truck and goes up to the house. He punches numbers into a panel, and the door opens. He glances back at me, and I quickly look away and drive off.
I’m not sure what to think of him. Everyone at school thinks he’s crazy, and he does seem a little odd, but I think he’s just someone who’s more comfortable around computers than people. There’s nothing wrong with that, and it definitely doesn’t mean he deserves to be picked on.
I’m so sick of that school and the people who go there. I can’t believe someone took my assignment. Getting an incomplete on that paper could’ve dropped my grade enough to lose my first-place ranking in class. I don’t know how close Briggs is to catching up to me, but I’m not taking any chances. I need to do everything possible to make sure I’m still ahead, which means keeping a closer eye on not just him, but everyone at school.
From here on out, I trust no one.
Chapter 9
Briggs
Wednesday morning, I’m at my locker when Ella appears. “You said you’d wait!”
I close my locker and casually look through my phone.
“Briggs!” She reaches for my phone, but I hold it above her head and send a text to Parker, telling him to meet me outside the cafeteria before lunch. I have another assignment for him, one that involves the tiny, hot-headed brunette who’s trying desperately to get my attention.
“I’m not even going to consider this if you’re going to go back on your promise.”
“I don’t make promises.” I turn away from her and walk off.
She chases after me, stopping right in front of me. “You said you’d leave me alone this week and every day you’ve—”
“What? What have I done?”
She lowers her voice. “Stealing my assignment. Making your friends block me from leaving school?”
I laugh. “I heard about that. You and Calvin. How’d it go? Was he any good?”
She glares at me. “I gave him a ride home. That’s it.”
“The guy’s a psychopath. You might want to find someone else to take your virginity.” I continue down the hall. She doesn’t follow me this time, which is disappointing. She usually doesn’t give up that fast. Maybe this will be easier than I thought.
I’ve been testing her this week, seeing what she’d put up with, seeing how far I could push her. But I kept our agreement. I left her alone. Everything that’s happened to her this week was done by someone else. I was behind it, but I didn’t actually do it. And I had nothing to do with what Finn and Parker did in the parking lot. That was all them. I wasn’t even there. I’d alreadyleft to meet up with my father for another one of his show-off-my-son events that make me want to kill myself.
This one was at the office. I’m supposed to start working there this weekend. I have no fucking clue what I’ll be doing, and I don’t want to find out. I keep hoping I can find a way out of this, but he won’t accept any of the excuses I’ve given him. He’s determined to ruin my life, and making me work there is step one. At least it’s only on weekends. This summer, he expects me to work there every damn day. I’d rather shoot myself.
When it’s time for AP Chem, I walk into class and see Ella talking to Ms. Higgins. They both turn and look at me.
“Briggs, could I speak with you?” Ms. Higgins asks.
“Sure.” I walk over to her, noticing the smirk on Ella’s face. She’s obviously up to something.
“Ella has brought up a concern,” Ms. Higgins says.
“Is that so?” I glance at Ella. “I’m assuming it involves me?”
“Yes.” Ms. Higgins stands up straighter, like she’s working up the nerve to tell me what I did wrong. She knows my power at this school, and she’s the only teacher here who thinks she can change that. I’m guessing she was an Ella back in the day. The girl who had no friends and only cared about school and was picked on by the popular jock. “Ella has informed me that you took her assignment for French class so that she would be unable to turn it in.”
“And why would I do that?”
“Because you thought it’d be funny,” Ella says, scowling at me, which I find hilarious. Part of the reason I like making her mad is to see the looks she gives me. Even when she’s furious with me, it’s more of a look of frustration than anger. If she wants to really show anger, she should take lessons from Aubrey. The girl looks fucking evil when she gets mad, but I can give it right back. I’ve mastered that threatening look that makespeople cower and do what I say. I learned it from my father, the king of evil bastards.
I give Ms. Higgins my most charming smile. “I can assure you I would never do such a thing. Ella is clearly mistaken, but if she really believes I did this, I’m happy to look over her evidence.”
Ms. Higgins looks at Ella. “I assume you saw him take your assignment?”
“I didn’t see it happen, but I know he did it.”
