by J Bree
Why would they be fucking out here instead of just doing it in the dorms? The zero tolerance bullshit Trevelen spouts means nothing to any of these rich assholes so why risk public sex? Maybe they’re voyeurs and Rory needs the thrill to get his dick hard? I smother the snort I have at the thought. I’m tempted to take a photo and send it out, give her a taste of her own medicine, but I won’t stoop to her level. Plus the guys all told me it wasn’t her and, while I don’t believe them, I prefer to extract the right forms of punishment. Just as I turn to leave them to it Rory grunts and pulls Avery up by her hair so roughly I wince. It doesn’t look sexy at all, more controlling and dominative in a shitty misogynistic way. He turns them both so he can sit on the car and she can straddle him reverse cowgirl to finish the job. Her head is down but I don’t need to see the face to know that’s not Avery riding his dick. The hair isn’t the perfect black curls of the devil that’s torturing me.
It’s Harlow Roqueford.
She tips her head back and I see her nose is still taped but the bruises have all faded enough to be covered by makeup. She’s moaning loudly, seemingly uncaring of being caught, and she’s bouncing on him with gusto. I’m shocked enough to freeze for a second, gaping at the sight of them both but after a heartbeat I get my wits about me. I get my phone out and snap a photo, not to share around but if I decide to tell Avery she won’t believe me without some proof. I take a short video for good measure and then I sneak back down the alleyway and out to the waiting car. I flick through the photos and smile as I sip my coffee and the driver pulls back onto the highway.
Chapter Fifteen
My room is now freshly painted, white and crisp, and the new bed I’ve been supplied is even more comfortable than the last one. The sheets and pillows are also brand new and the thread count must be higher than my postcode. I feel like I should send Avery a thank you note. I grin to myself at the mental image of her reading all about her little prank backfiring. I’m also in love with my new boots and I spent hours trying them on with all of my new clothes to see what I like best. Hannaford is quickly teaching me to take the good with the bad.
True to form, the lock Matteo had promised me was already installed by the time I arrived back at Hannaford and the single key is on a chain around my neck. If anyone wants access to this room they will have to pry it from my cold, dead body. I’m sure nothing would give Joey more pleasure.
My great mood lasts until choir and then I’m overcome with nerves. I arrive early, having sprinted down the halls shoving other students out of my way, so I can corner Miss Umber and persuade her to take pity on me. Our class assignment is to sing a solo in front of the class and there is no way on this earth that I’ll be able to do it. I’ve been practicing at every available opportunity and I’ve become decent at distracting myself but the second my concentration waivers I get the shakes and lose my stomach contents. If I perform in front of the class Avery will not only have photos of my disgrace she will also have a new weakness of mine to exploit. Now I’ve managed to lock down any access to my room I’m not looking at giving her a new avenue to explore.
Miss Umber looks right through me. There’s this puzzled look on her face like she’s trying to place my face and I grumble under my breath. Such is life when you share the class with the fabled lead singer and guitarist of Vanth Falling. I’m not sure she remembers any of my classmates, only the shining god that joins us each lesson. It doesn’t matter to me if she doesn’t remember me, all that matters is convincing her to let me have a private assessment. It’s not an easy sell.
“Part of the mark is your ability to perform to a crowd. I alone am not a crowd, Miss…er-And-Anderson.” I ignore the stumble over my name. I’ve already had to tell her what it is twice.
“I understand that but I’m currently undertaking extensive therapies to be able to do so and my health care professionals aren’t comfortable with me stepping out on stage to more than a few people.” Lie lie lie, I don’t care. I’ll keep spewing out falsehoods until I get what I want and if she asks for proof I’ll call in a favor. Fuck, I’ll call in ten favors. Whatever it takes, I’m not getting on that stage.
“Oh. Yes, ok. That’s a different case. We wouldn’t want to upset your parents and have them in here, would we? You can come after the Winter Break and I’ll assess you privately. Now, take a seat and start your warm ups! Mr Morrison should be here soon and then we can start.”
I thank her and slump onto my usual chair, relief coursing through my veins. I'm still feeling prickly with irritation and relief when the rest of the students arrive. Avery has her hand tucked into Blaise’s and they're chatting happily with their adoring fans. I nod to Lauren when she joins me but my mind is on Avery. What is the best way to get back at her for everything she’s been doing to me without becoming a bully myself? If I get caught I’ll lose my scholarship but it’s more than that.
I’ve never done anything out of spite. I’ve hurt people, I’ve stolen, I’ve lied. I’ve beaten someone until the life left them. But never have I done anything with the intent on hurting someone purely to get back at them. I’d only ever acting in self preservation or defense. That was the moral high ground I clung to so I didn’t lose my mind about all of the wrong I’d done. What am I willing to do to Avery as revenge?
“Oh, Lord. You’re staring at Avery again. Should I be worried? Is another Beaumont about to be taken out in handcuffs?” whispers Lauren, breaking my chain of thought. I give her a sidelong look and she grins at me. I don’t know how she guessed about my involvement in Joey’s arrest. Maybe the whole school has already guessed.
“What do you think of our oh-so-benevolent overlord?” I reply. Lauren is nice enough, if she thinks Avery is the devil then maybe I could be spiteful just this once. Lauren glances over to her and we both watch as she plays around on her phone, not a care for the teacher and lesson going on around her at all.
“I think she’s lonely. I think she comes from a fucked up family and her brother is so scared of anything happening to her that she’s now isolated. Did you hear that Rory and Blaise got into a fight over dinner last night? Rory came back from his football game and Blaise said, in front of the whole dining hall, that the pussy he could smell on him better not be Avery’s.” Lauren giggles at the shocked look on my face. “I think he was just saying it to bait Rory into spilling about their sex life. Ash was there too and everyone knows he’ll murder Rory it he touches her.”
“But why? If any of the rumors are true they’re all fucking half the damn school between them. Pretty damn sexist to say she can’t sleep around if she wants to.” I did not want to think about any of the whispers I’ve heard. Or about Annabelle. Ugh, fuck Annabelle.
“I know. It’s an old money thing. My parents would also have a lot to say if I started dating and I’d murder my little sister if I found her hanging around someone like Rory.” Lauren shrugs and settles back in her chair.
Ash Beaumont is lying to me.
I’m not stupid and it’s starting to be really obvious. He doesn’t need my tutoring at all. I watch as he follows my explanations on his Physics assignment and he’s not even listening to me. He knows every damn thing I’m saying to him.
Why the hell is he torturing me by being here then? He’s more distracted today than he usually is so I test out my theory by purposefully explaining the theory wrong and then I watch him answer the questions. He gets them all correct. What the hell is his problem?
“I told you during our first session that if you’re not here to learn then you shouldn’t come.” I say, my temper rising. It doesn’t really matter if he’s learning or not, I get the credits just for being here but I feel duped. Like he’s just here to push all of my buttons, or to find ways for Avery to torture me.
“And I told you, if you want the credits you’ll sit and teach me.” He doesn’t look up from his work as he speaks which is probably for the best. I’m seething even as I survey his stunning eyelashes. It’s a crime that he has na
turally sooty eyelashes that curl beautifully. I wonder how many girls have stared at them enviously before me? He looks like he’s wearing eyeliner, a dark frame around the cerulean blue irises.
“If you’re not actually learning anything then we could just sit and study together in silence. I could get my work done and you could… do whatever it is that you’re here for, without me having to ramble on uselessly.”
He glances up and catches me ogling him. I refuse to blush, I tell myself I’m staring because I’m pissed. He gives me a slow smirk and leans back in his chair, cocky as he crosses his arms over his chest. I forget sometimes that he’s built. The uniform hides the physique of the male students far better than the legs and curves of the females. Sexist bullshit. If the guys get to see whether or not I’ve shaved my legs this week I think I should be able to see who bench presses my bodyweight on the regular.
“Enjoying the eye fuck?” he drawls. Oh, no. That self-flagellating tone will just not do, I need to take him down a notch.
“I’m assessing your weak spots so I’m confident in my aim when I have to take you out.” He doesn’t back down, if anything my words egg him on. His smirk turns into an entirely too-confident flirty grin. I haven’t been this close to swooning since Blaise’s appearance at the school. This guy is devil spawn.
“Sure you are, Mounty. And will you be aiming for my eyes then?”
I nod and attempt a glare. “Blinding you gives me a much better chance at survival. You’re twice the size of me so, unless you’re well trained at fighting in the dark, that should even the playing field nicely.”
He chuckles and lets his eyes roam over my chest and down my legs. I hate people looking at my legs, the scars may have faded to white but they’re still plain to see. I can’t wait until I’m a junior and I can wear the thigh-high socks. Cute and a satisfactory cover up. His gaze is heated, I think he’s flirting with me but with no prior experience I don’t want to jump to conclusions. I might be mistaking things because of how badly I want Ash. He’s such an asshole but, fuck, I’m attracted to him.
“Don’t sleep with any of the boys.” I look up to see Ash looking at me with such intensity my knees think about shaking.
“What the fuck?!” I sputter out, more at my reaction than his words.
“I know it probably goes against your Mounty nature but you’ll just dig a bigger hole for yourself if you fuck any of them.” How do I find him so attractive when he’s such a dick to me?
“My Mounty nature? I’m not some sexual fucking deviant! Why is every boy in this damn school so far up their own asses?” He smirks at me and shrugs. I don't know what to do with him or how to reply so I drop my eyes back to the assignment in front of me and get back to marking it. It’s all correct because of course it is, he’s fucking with me by being here.
“Joey has decided he's going to fuck you. That's why he started the bet in the first place. He likes to prove how powerful he is. Every year he picks some big elaborate goal and then we all get to sit back and watch while he crushes, breaks, and mutilates everyone around him to achieve it. This year it’s you.” I think I've stopped breathing. This should be over. He can't possibly be saying I'm still going to be a target for Joey to rape. “If you fuck any other guy, Joey will probably kill you both.”
It's become so commonplace to use the word kill flippantly. They'd kill for those shoes, they'd kill you if you tell on them, they'd love nothing more than to kill that person. Ash isn't saying the word kill like that. He's saying it like he's seen him brother choke the life out of another human being. I give him a curt nod. It's not like I had any plans to date at this place. I'd always planned on waiting until college to lose my cherry so what difference did it make if Joey had a say in it too?
A fucking big difference.
Now I wanted to fuck half the school just to spite him. Well, not really. I wanted him to think I had because I didn't want my celibacy to look like I was bowing to him and his whims.
“What do your parents think of Joey and his actions?”
It's the wrong this to say. I watch as Ash’s face sets and a thunderous look rolls in. I shouldn't have asked. The gossip mill here at Hannaford is active enough that I could have just asked around instead. I was bolstered by his kindness in warning me and I forgot myself. I forgot for a second that, to this man, I will always be trash.
“How about I'll answer that when you answer something for me. Did it hurt? When you found your mom, did it cripple you even though you always knew it was going to end that way?”
My chest collapses in on itself like a vice is squeezing the life out of me. I should know by now that Ash always goes for the low blow in a fight. It did cripple me but I’m not that girl anymore. I think about my life as the me before, the one who had to fight for food but had a mom, and there’s the me now. I don’t have to fight for food anymore and I have a safe place to sleep every night. I’m at the best school in the country. I already have the attention of several of the top colleges in the state and I have plans to start reaching out to others further away from home. I did a lot of bad things to get to where I am today, my hands are filthy with it. I don’t feel any better now than I did before.
I am truly alone.
“One of these days I am going to show this school what it takes to survive at Mounts Bay High and foster care. ” My voice shakes and he smirks at me.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
He turns his attention back on his homework and I grit my teeth. Why, oh why did have to do this for extra credits? I finish my page of sums in seconds, my affinity with numbers making this all child’s play, and then I crack open the required reading for my literature class while I wait for him to catch up.
“Hey, man! Just in time, as per usual.” Ash calls out and I cringe. I know what that sarcastic tone of voice means. My other student has arrived.
Blaise looks like he would rather be anywhere but here. I’ve lost the fire within me that had enabled me to speak to him callously so I stare at his ear lobe again and wait for him to sit down.
“I need help with my Lit assignment and no one else has been able to help me like you did with the Math shit. Can you please help me?” He grinds out from between his clenched teeth like the words are hurting him. Ash watches us both with raised eyebrows and a half smile.
“Sure. Sit down and show me what you need.” The cool tone replaces the snarky one I was using and he gets even more curious.
“What the fuck went down with you two?”
Blaise ignores him, slumping in his chair, and I consider doing the same. Ash throws a pen at me and I sigh. “I informed Blaise that I burned my Vanth shirt because I don’t listen to music written and performed by assholes and he ran off to tattle to the spawn-of-Satan you shared a womb with and she destroyed my room to avenge his hurt feelings.”
“I didn’t fucking tattle! She asked me why I was pissy and I answered.” Blaise hisses back at me. Ash’s mouth drops open as he watches us.
I snort. “So you’re put out that I don’t fucking worship you like you think you deserve and in return I lose every single thing I own at the hands of Avery’s minions? Fair trade. Fair fucking trade.”
Ash leans back in his chair, the glee at our spat rising in him quickly. “Everything you own is here at Hannaford?”
“I’m emancipated, of course it is. No, was. I have nothing now until the summer break when I can go back to Mounts Bay. Happy now, Morrison? Got your revenge? Great. Show me your assignment and let me fix it so you can tell your billionaire daddy how fucking great you’re doing at this hellhole.”
Blaise is gaping at me like I’ve just kicked him in the balls and asked for his gratitude for doing so. I raise my eyebrows at him until he hands over the assignment and I start in on it.
The evidence of Rory’s unfaithful ways is burning a hole in my consciousness. I want to get the shit off my phone and out of my mind as quickly as possible. Plus, I caught Avery making out with him on the co
uch in the girls dorms again. If he's cheating on her, if they're not in some weird polygamist relationship like the guys are, then I hate the idea of him getting away with it.
I can't email her the video. There's too many risks of the school administration finding out about it. I know for a fact all of our study and interactions online are monitored. Texting it to her is another option. The only way I can get Avery’s phone number is by either breaking into the administration office or asking around for it. Neither are good options.
I end up in the library printing off copies of the photos. I feel gross even looking at them and I’m twitchy about being caught. I did not want to explain all of this to Matteo if Mr Trevelen catches wind of this. He'd probably insist on using the photos as blackmail against Rory and Harlow and while I did enjoy the thought of them sweating it out at the hands of the Jackal it would complicate my life.
I didn't want to think about Matteo anymore. I was so confused about him. His gentle tones on the phone when is called him for help make my chest ache. I used to love him. Back when I first went into foster care, he was the cool kid. Someone in my corner who loved me back. I truly thought he loved me too. Now I know that he sees me as a valuable pawn on the chess board. Nothing more. But I still feel guilty for having certain feelings about Ash. And Blaise and, fuck, Harley. I can’t forget the feelings I have for Harley.
I get back to my room and deliberate over my note to Avery. Fuck, I should be so happy to be able to crush her with this but it feels so underhanded. I don't want to break her with a guy. I want to outsmart her. Out play her. I want to survive everything she throws at me and then dish it back twice as bad.
I'm not Joey. I don't enjoy cutting people where it most stings. I'm not cruel, I'm no angel but every rotten thing I've done has been to survive. Someday I'll be able to shed all of this and just be kind.
