Page 52 of Lessons in Cruelty

He would have deserved it after all the shit he’s pulled.

I’m sorry I didn’t get the chance.

“I was nobody too, once.” He reaches out, pausing when I lean back, and then catches my bottom lip with his finger, brushing it hard with the pad of his thumb.

“You will attend my class. You will graduate. And you will turn your pathetic excuse of a life into something worth living.”

I touch my mouth, the rest of my body immobilized by shock.

He gives me a rueful smile, like he didn’t just insult me to the third generation.

“My apologies, Miss Lee.” His gaze flickers to my mouth. “That smudge was incredibly distracting.”

Chapter 14

Kai

“Hey, man, just how specific are we supposed to be with this stuff?” Oscar cracks open his Activity Log, holding it out. “This gonna work?”

“I dunno man.” I roll my eyes.

When is Rooke getting here so we can start class? And why the fuck am I here so early? I’ve been fielding questions for five minutes already, and last time I checked, it’s not in my fucking job description.

Plus, Oscar’s cologne is nauseatingly sweet and way too strong. And don’t get me started on the fluorescent lighting in this place.

Haven wasn’t in school yesterday, so I was celebrating late into the night. I thought I’d be okay by now, but my hangovers are getting worse lately.

“Come on, bro. Just take a look.” He wriggles his book under my nose. “I’m stressing, man.”

“Jesus,” I mutter, snatching the notebook from him and giving the first page a quick scan. “Yeah, this is shit.”

Oscar stares at me like I’m on crack. I don’t know why he’s in this class when it’s obvious from his build and his athleisure that his favorite pastime is playing with balls. On a field. Possibly in the locker room, too.

“What—”

“You gotta be specific enough so he knows you’re not bullshitting.” I hand him back the journal. “This is way too vague.”

“I don’t want people coming after me,” Oscar says, shrugging like the world just won’t cut him a break.

“You’re looking at it wrong. It’s not about morality. It’s about observation. Take the emotion out of it, and you’re just reporting facts. He doesn’t care if you stopped shit happening. He cares that you noticed it in the first place.”

He starts reading one of his own entries, slowly nodding. “Yeah. Yeah!”

Holy fuck, was I this stupid when I was a freshman?

I shove the end of my sucker stick back in my mouth so I can chew it some more. A few bits are still in their original shape, but I’m like eighty percent done wrecking the plastic stick.

Rooke’s late.

And that’s fucked up, because he’s never late. He’s got the punctuality of the Grim Reaper. It’s one of those urban legends passed from seniors to freshmen, but his is based in fact.

Maybe he was in an accident. Is that part of my duty as a TA? Do I have to like call the hospital and shit to check if he’s⁠—

The door opens, and in walks Rooke.

Well, guess I’ll never get the answer to that question. I hope this doesn’t mean the lesson’s going to run longer than⁠—

And right on his heels comes Haven.