Oh, how wrong he is. He thinks he can bully others into submission, but I have some tricks up my sleeve too, and he’s not going to like them. He doesn’t know how far I’m willing to go to get my point across. And to get that picture deleted.
My reputation is at stake here, and you do not want to mess with a woman who’s already been scorned.
Cole fucking Travis doesn’t know who he’s playing with. But he’ll find out soon enough.
I wait for the right moment, a normal day at school, a few days after the trip, when everyone’s calmed down again and going about their normal routine. That’s when I strike.
Cole’s standing near his locker with a bunch of groupies surrounding him. After their new song came out a few days ago, they’ve been following him around the school even more than normal. It’s sickening, especially considering he’s not just handing out autographs. Every time I watch a girl grope him or peck him on the cheeks, bile rises in my throat.
No fucking way will I ever turn into one of those people who beg for attention from a rock star just because they’re famous.
But Cole knows how to use it to his advantage, how to turn it into power. It’s how he controls everything around him, from the band’s image to his school grades by sucking up to the teacher … even me.
Not anymore.
With a smirk on my face, I wait until Cole’s distracted by one of his fans. I sneak into the crowd unseen and slip past until I reach his locker. It’s still slightly opened, as they all bombarded him when he was taking out his books for his next class, and it’s the opportunity I’ve been waiting for.
I shove the canister inside and attach the pull wire to the little door, then close it shut. Slithering away, I snicker to myself and wait on a bench at the end of the hallway with my bag clutched closely to my shoulder. A few minutes pass, and when the bell rings the fans dissipate and go to their classes. Cole spins on his heels to open his locker again. But instead of a book tumbling out, the canister sprays him with black paint until he’s completely covered.
I snort and let out the laughter while Cole backs away from the locker, looking confused as hell. People in the hallway laugh and snort at him. Then he turns my way, and I stop laughing … but the smug smirk never leaves my face.
The way he looks at me is the same as when he saw me snooping, but now I’m the one on the winning end of the game. And he doesn’t like it … not one bit.
I lick my lips in pleasure and stick up a middle finger before walking into the teacher’s bathroom. I don’t care if he follows me or not. What is he going to do to me? He’s already got me under his thumb by using my nudes as a way to blackmail me. Might as well enjoy this revenge while I still can.
As I apply some red lipstick, the door slams open and in marches Cole, covered in black paint from head to toe. He glares at me through the mirror, eyes narrowed, muscles tightened, as if he’s contemplating whether to shove me around or to release the picture. I continue applying my lipstick until I have puckered up, kissable lips that scream sex. Lips that will make him wish he never fucked with me. Because he may think he owns my body, but these lips are off-limits.
He doesn’t say a word.
Instead, he saunters to the sink, his eyes still blazing right at me. He opens the faucet and throws me a look. Then he takes off his shirt in one fell swoop and throws it in the sink. I work up my mascara and fix my hair, which has gotten all messed up from laughing so hard.
“You enjoyed that a lot, didn’t you?” Clutching the sink, he cocks his head. “It’s fine if you don’t want to admit it. I don’t care.”
He chucks his shirt under the faucet and splashes his face with some water too.
“Whatever it is that you’re doing,” he says, water dripping off his handsome face. “Keep doing it. Keeps me on edge.”
I narrow my eyes at him. He’s playing me, but I can’t help but bite. “I’m not doing anything in particular. Except for my makeup, of course.” I shrug and apply some more blush.
“Of course …” he repeats in a mocking fashion. His body turns my way, and his muscles tense with each move, almost begging me to look. “You’re trying to get back at me. I get it.”
“You don’t get shit,” I hiss, turning my head toward him. “Give me that picture.”
He raises a brow, and a devious smirk appears on his face. “This look on your face …” His hand inches closer, his fingers almost grazing my cheek. “That’s what I do it for.”
I lean back and hiss, “I’m not your fucking toy, Cole.”
“You think this is all a game?” he asks, while the water is still gushing over his shirt, but he pays no attention to it. “That I’m only in this to bully you for fun?”
“You’re an asshole, and you know it,” I spit, clutching the sink with one hand while putting the other on my side. “You just love bullying me.”
“Again with the asshole …” He scoffs, shaking his head. Then his dark, devilish eyes home in on me. “Keep saying it and you’ll only push me harder … and harder.”
Every time he says that word, he takes a step closer, and I can’t help but notice he bites his lip while doing so.
Fuck.
Don’t get distracted by his fucking looks, Monica. It’s all in your head.
“You got what you deserved,” I retort. “And there’s more where that came from.”
A smug grin softens his face. “You keep doing that. Keep messing with me, and before you know it, you won’t be able to stop,” he says, leaning in so close he could practically kiss me right then and there. But I won’t allow it. “And I’ll be right there … to pick up the pieces.” He taps me on the forehead, so I slap away his hand.
“If you’re not gonna give me the picture, then delete it. Or shit like this will keep happening, and it’ll only get worse,” I growl, not backing down.
He cocks his head at me, mere inches away from me. “Threatening me now?”
It’s almost as if me threatening him is more of a threat to me.
And I don’t know why but the mere thought of what else he could do to me makes me gulp.
“You think that picture is the only thing I can take from you?” His tongue darts out to wet his lips, and it’s so infuriatingly sexy that I want to scream. “Monica … you should know by now who you’re dealing with.”
His breath smells like menthol sweets and hot summer nights, and it almost draws me in.
Fuck.
I shove him away before he gets the chance to do it again. “Yeah, I know damn well who I’m dealing with,” I growl back. “You think you’re the only boy who has tried to ruin me? Wrong.”
His eyes flicker with interest. “Another boy? Now I’m curious.”
“Like I’d tell you.” I pass by him. “And I’m far from finished with you.”
He smirks at me as he turns around to watch me walk. “Keep running, Mo. Someday I’ll catch you.”
“In your dreams.” I give him the finger while marching out the door.
He might think this is all fun and games, but he doesn’t know how far I’m willing to go to get my point across. If I can’t hurt his reputation, I’m going to have to tackle the one thing that matters to him the most; his band.
And I know just what to do.
Cole
With or without a clean shirt, I’m going to my fucking band practice. They can drag my ass out of school for not sticking to the dress code, but I won’t leave voluntarily. No fucking way, especially not when Miss Sassy Pants Mo gets to continue her classes as if nothing ever happened.
Of course no one saw it was her. Who would pay attention to a girl going through my locker while fifteen others were all begging me for an autograph? No one.
She’s sneaky … and I’m surprised she actually took action.
If it wasn’t for that damn picture, I would’ve reported her to the dean. But of course, she knows I can’t. Instead of that picture being my safeguard against getting in trouble with my band, she�
��s using it as blackmail to bully me into submission.
Smart … but infuriating. So infuriating it almost makes me want to corner her and fuck her tight little ass until she begs for mercy. That might teach her not to mess with me.
Then again … I don’t think she’d mind. Even if she says she doesn’t want me, I don’t believe a word from her mouth, and we both know that’s not the truth. She just denies it because she loves to hate me. I guess my plan for her to hate my guts was successful …
But now I’m starting to question why I ever wanted it in the first place.
Is protecting her from me worth it when I’m still the one hurting her the most?
Sighing, I scratch my head and walk into the band practice room, hoping to take my mind off things. But what I see in there, slobbering all over the table, has the hairs on the back of my neck standing up straight.
Ariane is all over Michael, kissing him like she wants to show him how she’s going to suck his dick later.
Fuck that shit.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I growl.
They stop kissing as if caught by surprise and look my way. “Oh, I didn’t see you there,” Ariane says with a giggle. She quickly wipes the red lipstick stain off Michael’s lips. “Not that I care.”
I throw her a look. “What are you trying to do, huh? Work your way up to all the band members?” I growl, folding my arms. “Suck their dick and hope you get famous too?”
“Oh, please.” She jumps off the table and puts her hands against her side. “Like I’d ever be that pathetic.”
“You already are,” I bark.
“Aww … poor Cole. Did I hurt your feelings?” She raises her brows in a mocking manner.
“No, just my eyes,” I snarl.
“Calm down, Cole,” Michael intervenes as he gets off the table too. “It’s no big deal.”
“You’re the one to talk with these sloppy seconds,” I spit back.
“Hey, fuck you,” Michael growls.
“Yeah, Cole. Simmer down,” Ariane says. “Don’t want to get in a fight with your own band member, now do we?”
I march to her but come to a full stop right before I do something I regret. “Don’t fuck with me, Ariane.”
“Or what?” she hisses, glaring up at me with that same fucked-up glare she used to give me. “You gonna punish me?”
“Stay. Away.”
“What? From you?” She cocks her head. “I think I was already doing that. In fact, I’m hooking up with Michael, and there’s nothing you can do to stop it.” She shrugs. “So peace out and stop being such an asshole, will you?”
I avert my gaze and focus on Michael. “You have no idea what you’re messing with, dude.”
He scowls. “What the hell is up with you? You’ve been acting all strange ever since …”
“Since what?” Ariane asks, looking at us both.
“Since that fucking girl came to our school,” Michael continues.
Ariane focuses her attention back on me, but her eyes are fiery this time. “That girl …”
“Yeah, you know … what’s her name …” Michael flicks his fingers and rubs his forehead. “Monica!”
“Monica,” Ariane repeats, but her voice has darkened quite a bit. “Tell me more, Michael.”
I glare at Michael, sending him practical death threats with my eyes.
Still, he ignores my warning signals. “She was snooping on us on that trip when I did some coke, so Cole here had to shut her up.”
“Oh, is that so? And how did you do that, Cole?” Ariane cocks her head at me, clearly mocking me.
I make a fist with my hand to stop the rage from culminating in a fight. “I did what I had to do.”
She narrows her eyes at me. “And what was that, exactly?” She pokes me with her index finger, but I swat it away.
“Enough with your fucking games,” I growl.
“I could say the same to you,” she replies.
“Hey, do you two need a room or what?” Michael interjects. “’Cause it sure seems like you’ve got some beef.”
“I’m fine if she leaves,” I growl, keeping my deadly stare on Ariane.
“No,” she retorts. “Why would I?” She marches back to Michael and puts her hand through his looped arm, then pecks him on the cheek. “He’s my new boyfriend.”
My eyes both widen and narrow in a split second, and I swallow. “Whatever.”
“What? You don’t approve?” Michael asks.
“You do whatever the fuck you want,” I say. “As long as it doesn’t get in the way of our band.”
“Right, because that’s all you care about,” Ariane scoffs.
I snort and shake my head. “Why are you so obsessed with me?”
“I’m not,” she says through gritted teeth.
“Sure seems like it,” I spit back as she comes marching at me.
She presses her fingertip against my chest again, “Stay the fuck away from Monica.”
I lean in, a vicious smile on my face. “Or what?”
“You’re gonna regret you ever lived.”
A devious grin forms on my face. “Yeah … you think that.”
I pass by her and go up to the stage to prepare for practice.
“I ruined your reputation once, I can do it again,” she barks from the back of the room.
I slowly spin on my heels and cock my head at her. “Try me. See if I care.”
Her eyes were fiery before, but now they’re blazing to the point where she might explode, and I can almost see the steam coming from her ears.
“Fuck you, Cole. I will fucking find out what you did to Monica, and when I do, you will be sorry you ever existed,” she snarls, and she storms out the room and slams the door shut without even saying goodbye to her new lover.
“Wow. That was explosive,” Michael says. “What a …”
“Maniac?” I fill in.
He laughs. “Well, I wasn’t gonna say that, but …”
“It’s the truth, though,” I reply.
“I was gonna ask you, but you were too busy with that other chick, so I figured I’d tell you later. But you’re okay with it, right?” Michael asks. “I mean, no hard feelings.”
“I don’t fucking care,” I retort, maybe a little too harsh, but it gets the point across. “Don’t ever bring her here again. Got it?”
“Sheesh,” he says, scowling. “Taking out your shit on me today or something?” He eyes me up and down. “And what happened to your shirt anyway?”
I close my eyes and take a long, deep breath. “Accident.”
He frowns at me as he grabs his guitar and steps onto the stage. “Yeah, sure looks like an accident.”
He’s obviously fishing, but I’m not gonna give him the satisfaction of knowing it was Monica. Especially not knowing what he is capable of. “Can we just fucking start?”
“Fine,” he says, and he fishes his cell phone from his pocket. “I’ll text the rest and tell them to get their asses down here ASAP.”
Chapter 22
Monica
On my way to the club where TRIGGER’s going to play tonight, I get a call.
When I pick up, a voice immediately blares through the phone. “Did Cole hurt you?”
“Whoa …” I mutter. “Ariane? Why are you calling me?”
“I just wanna know. I was gonna talk to you in person, but when I went to your house after class, your mom said you weren’t there, so I thought I’d call.”
“I don’t …” I stammer, completely taken by surprise.
I get that she’s concerned about me, but how did she find out? Who told her? Cole?
“Don’t make it difficult,” she says. “Either he did something to you, or he didn’t. Which is it?”
“Y-yes,” I reply while crossing the street.
“I knew it!” she screams, almost causing me to step out in front of the traffic. “I’m going to kill that son of a bitch.”
“No,” I say, and I come to a
screeching halt. “Please. Don’t. I know you’re trying to protect me, but it won’t help.”
“Of course it will, after he’s dead, he won’t hurt you anymore,” she retorts, and I’m not even sure if she’s joking at this point or not. “He needs to be punished.”
“I’m already taking care of him myself,” I reply, hoping she won’t do anything stupid that might get us both in trouble.
“What?” she snaps. “What are you doing?”
“Just … stuff.” I swallow. “Look, I gotta go. I have to be somewhere in a few minutes, and I can’t be late.”
I hang up the phone before she asks what it is exactly that he did. Because I don’t want to talk about it, let alone explain it in great detail, which Ariane always asks about. She’s a sucker for gossip, and all the more when she can embellish with juicy details whenever she talks to her friends.
I’m not dumb. I know how she works. She’s one of the popular girls, the ones who talk shit to get their way. Power doesn’t just come in sheer force—it comes from underhanded gossip and deals too—and she knows all too well how to wield that kind of power.
My phone buzzes with texts that I’m not going to answer. I know who it is, and I know nothing will stop me from what I’m about to do.
I walk into the club in my sky-high black heels and little red dress with slanted shoulder straps and look around. Eagerly waiting girls, gushing over TRIGGER while the curtains are still drawn, fill the space. A bulky man approaches me and asks for my ticket. I hand it to him, and he lets me pass.
I search the bar area until I find what I’m looking for.
“Mel!” I say, and she swivels around on her seat with a beaming smile on her face.
“You’re here!” She sounds so cheerful even though she knows damn well what we’re about to do. “I’m so fucking excited. When do we start?” She grabs my arm and pulls me up to a seat. “Do I still have time to gulp down my drink?” She slurps on her straw.
Rowdy Boy (A High School Bully Romance): Black Mountain Academy Page 16
