by Amy Brown
Table of Contents
Title Page
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
OTHER BOOKS BY AMY BROWN
Copyright (c) 2020 by Amy Brown
REVENGE
By Amy Brown
Chapter One
Mason
Damage control. Emergency fucking damage control.
I turn my back on Charity, and face Travis and the others. Travis is my only hope right now. Jeremy looks like he wants to castrate me, and Sophia looks enraged and on the verge of tears. My stomach rolls with anxiety as I watch them seething.
I have to think fast. How the hell am I going to spin this into something good? Charity has actual texts from me dissing my pals, and they don’t appear to be in a forgiving mood. “Travis, you know this is bullshit, right?” I say.
His face flinches. I’m sure he wishes I’d addressed anyone but him. But he’s the only one of The Elites I actually consider a true friend. He knows that. I pray he knows I’m really his friend.
Before Travis can respond, Jeremy steps forward. “You’re bullshit, Mason.”
My face heats but I don’t look away. Showing any kind of weakness right now will be the end of me. I know these people well enough to know if they smell fear, they’ll all pile on and I’ll be dead meat.
I glance at the other kids who are watching us with a sort of gleeful uneasiness. I’m sure they’re thrilled that we’re turning on each other. If we’re tearing each other apart, then we’re not attacking them. But I need to speak openly, and I can’t do that with all the non-elites hovering. I’m going to have to say things they can’t hear. Surely the other Elites grasp this?
“How about we talk privately?” I suggest.
The group of onlookers don’t budge, not taking the hint. At the moment, I know I don’t have the authority to make them scatter. It’ll have to be one of the other Elites who get them to leave us. Right now, I have less power than the janitor.
Jeremy’s face twitches with anger. He wants me to suffer public humiliation, but knows there are things we can’t talk about in front of the nobodies. No matter how much he wants me to eat shit, he knows I’m right about needing privacy.
“Go.” He snaps his fingers, and the kids scatter like roaches when you flick on the lights.
Once the other kids are gone, I stride to my locker and begin tearing down the photos and text messages. My hands shake because I’m angry Charity beat me at my own game. Stupid bitch. She’s got me in such hot water, I’m most likely ruined now. Her nerd friends will have better social standing than me.
The Elites crowd closer, and I know I can’t stall forever. I rip the photos into little pieces, stuff them in my pockets, and then face the others. My back is against the locker, and their faces are flushed and still furious.
“Talk,” Travis says harshly. There’s no sign of my buddy right now. He looks hurt and uncompromising.
“I was reeling her in. I had to say shit to make her think I was on her side. You know how this works.” Sweat rolls down my face and I pray they don’t notice. I need to look calm and in control. Dripping with flop sweat does not project confidence.
“Liar,” Sophia hisses, her lips trembling as she tries to control her emotions.
“I’m not lying.” I hold her gaze. If she forgives me, I’ll probably have to fuck her just to convince her I like her. God damn Charity. I have no desire to sleep with Sophia. Maybe it’s a moot point though because right now she looks like she’d like to cut my dick off.
“We’re actually supposed to believe that all those horrible things you texted that bitch were just lies, so you could get in her pants?” Jules narrows her eyes. “That’s hard to swallow.”
I shrug. “It’s the truth.”
Jeremy looks unconvinced. “Let’s say we give you a pass on the texts. You were obviously sleeping with her, and keeping that from us. How do you explain that?”
Think. Think. Think.
What can I say that Jeremy and Travis will empathize with? Because if I can get them to forgive me, Sophia and Jules will fall in line. I rack my brain, and the truth suddenly seems to be my only hope.
“I liked fucking her.” I studiously avoid Sophia’s gaze, but hear her angry gasp. “If I’d told you guys, I’d have had to stop.”
Travis gives an incredulous laugh. “What a prick.”
I meet his gaze, relieved to see he looks slightly less enraged. If there’s one thing Travis understands, it’s the pull of the pussy. If he’d been a sailor of old, he’d have definitely been shipwrecked on the rocks, answering the call of the Sirens.
“She’s hot. And she’s dirty as fuck. I couldn’t stop.” I grimace, hoping Jeremy and Travis are buying my story. It’s the truth after all. I didn’t want to stop screwing Charity, so I kept our sex life a secret. They don’t need to know that I was also beginning to really like her as a person too. That little tidbit will go to the grave with me. “Last night was going to be the last time. But someone told her what I was up to, and she turned the tables on me.”
I can literally feel Sophia’s black eyes burning into me. I’m surprised my skin isn’t sizzling off and falling in chunks to the ground. The bitch wants to murder me. If Travis doesn’t stand by me, I’m toast.
“The rules are you fuck the girls once, then humiliate them the next school day. You don’t fucking date them,” Sophia growls.
“Yeah,” Jules snaps, leaning toward me. Her blue eyes are cold and simmering with the desire for revenge for her bestie. “You don’t just date them”
I meet Jeremy’s assessing gaze. He empathizes. I can see that clearly. He wanted a piece of Charity himself, so he gets why once wouldn’t have been enough. But he isn’t going to let me off the hook, just because he gets it. I still fucked up. I still lied.
“You broke the rules,” he says softly. “You have to be punished.”
A chill goes through me. There are many things they can do to me that will make my life a living hell. The worst would be if they shun me. Kick me out of the group for good. Then I’ll be at the mercy of all the other kids who I’ve treated like crap for years.
“At the very least you owe us an apology,” Jules mutters.
“You want me to apologize?” I shrug, and turn to Sophia. “I’m sorry for what I said about you, Soph. I didn’t mean it. Come on, you know me.”
“All I know is you’re a liar and I hate you,” she says.
I wince inwardly, but outwardly I try and look wounded. I hope I’m succeeding, but can’t tell from her cold expression. She really is pissed. Winning her back won’t be easy.
I address Travis and Jeremy. “We’ve been friends a long time. You must know I was just playing the game with Charity. Why would I hang out with you all these years if I didn’t like you?”
Travis looks like he wants to believe me, but Jeremy puts an arm around his shoulders, and says coolly, “Because you needed our protection.”
I can’t very well say he’s right, but that I actually like Travis. Jeremy is probably glad this happened. Now he can weasel even closer to T
ravis, and push me out completely. My relationship with Jeremy has always been complicated. We’ve had great times together, but we butt heads a lot too. He wants to control me, and I don’t like it. Travis doesn’t seem bothered by how manipulative Jeremy can be. But it gets on my nerves. However, I’m the moron who caused this enormous fracture. I’m the dumbass who let a girl destroy my fucking world.
I sigh. “There were plenty of other reasons I liked hanging out with you guys,” I mutter. “If you don’t know that, you’re blind. You can’t seriously think I preferred that dumb bitch Charity to you guys.”
Travis winces. “We have had good times.”
“Yeah. Lots of them.” I nod, feeling a little more hopeful. “This is a misunderstanding. Charity wants us to fight. That’s her plan, and you guys are falling for it.”
“Maybe we’ve been friends, but you did lie. You did keep us out of the loop, and that makes us look stupid.” Jeremy lifts his chin. “We can’t just pretend that didn’t happen.”
I meet Travis’s gaze and he sighs. I know if this was just between Travis and me, he’d forgive me. But Jeremy has him by the short hairs, and he doesn’t want to get the bullseye on his back. I can’t really blame him. I kept him in the dark too, and he’s hurt and no doubt confused.
The stress of waiting for them to tell me my fate is getting to me. I’m sick of waiting for the axe to fall. Cowering won’t help my situation any. That’s for sure. Maybe showing a little spine will be for the best. It probably can’t hurt.
I lean toward Jeremy because he’s really the one calling the shots at the moment. “Just get on with it, will you? If you’re going to kick me out of the group, then fucking do it.”
He looks shocked. His eyes widen and his lips part at my audacity. Travis looks like he wants to puke. I probably just sliced my own throat, but I’m sick of standing here groveling. The sooner they hand down my punishment, the sooner I can go off and lick my wounds.
“I messed up. I get it. I know you won’t show me leniency, even though we’ve been best friends for-fucking-ever,” I grumble. “So, what’s my punishment?”
Jeremy straightens his back, rubbing his chin as if deep in thought. He actually is in a difficult position. It’s obvious the others are looking to him to hand down my punishment. Even if he wanted to just drop it, Sophia and Jules would be pissed off if he’s too easy on me. They want blood. He has to punish me.
“This is your first infraction.” Jeremy’s blue eyes are dark and enigmatic. “But I think I speak for all of us when I say we feel betrayed.”
Sophia and Jules bob their heads animatedly, and Travis shrugs.
I grimace. “I understand.” I don’t really. Frankly, I think they should just back the fuck off, and we could all go after Charity. She’s the bitch that started all of this. But this is how it is when you’re a part of The Elites.
“Starting today, you’re out of the group for thirty days,” Jeremy says firmly.
I wince and meet his gaze. There’s actually a hint of regret in his eyes, which I find surprising. I’m numb as I stare at the four of them. “Fine,” I say in a hushed voice. We all know I’m lucky he didn’t banish me forever. He’s done it before.
“Thirty days seems harsh,” Travis murmurs, watching me.
“He should be out for good,” hisses Sophia. “He’s lucky I’m not the one handing down the punishment.”
“If you were in charge, I probably wouldn’t have balls left,” I say.
Jeremy’s lips twitch, but then he says, “None of us are allowed to intervene, or help you should the other kids bully you. You’re on your own.”
If the other kids bully me? We all know I’m going to be tortured.
“I got it,” I snap. “I know how this works.”
Jeremy narrows his eyes at my snotty tone. “Then I think we’re done here.” He strides off, and Travis reluctantly follows.
Sophia and Jules linger, much to my dismay.
“I can’t believe you’re actually attracted to that whore, Charity,” Sophia says, glaring at me. “Is that the real reason why you protected her at Travis’s party?”
God, that feels like a million years ago. I’d had to tread so carefully that night, so I didn’t get shunned. But I ended up here anyway. I’m not sure what to say to Sophia. The truth will just get me in more trouble. “I told you why I stepped in. I didn’t want you to get arrested,” I lie.
Her lower lip trembles, but she scowls. “I can’t believe I made out with you. You’re not worthy.”
It’s hard not to laugh. I want to strangle Charity, but I still think she’s the hottest girl I’ve ever known. In comparison, Sophia is so very average. If she knew that was how I felt, she’d murder me. “Hopefully you’ll come to see that Charity is manipulating all of you.”
She curls her lip. “Whatever.” She stomps off, and Jules trots after her.
As I make my way to class, the looks I get make my gut churn. Usually the other kids are careful to hide their resentment, but they’re not bothering now. News must travel fast because I can already feel I’m in trouble.
How the hell am I going to survive thirty days on my own? I have less standing than a transfer student at the moment. I have a history with these kids. A bad history. A transfer student comes in with a clean slate, but me? I’ve got years of anger about to be unleashed on me. It’s going to take all of my courage and wits to make it thirty days. I can’t even seek shelter with the nerds.
It’s a fucking sad day when Mason Johnson is beneath the EPG nerds.
Chapter Two
Charity
When Jeremy tells us to scatter, I go with the other kids. Frankly, I’m relieved to leave the scene of the crime. I loathe Mason, but watching him about to be ripped to shreds was way more painful than I’d ever expected. I have no idea how The Elites deal with things, but it was obvious they were enraged at Mason.
When I reach first period, I sit down in my usual seat, and stare at Mason’s empty chair. A melancholy pang goes through me remembering all the times we’ve sat together, sharing his book. My heart aches confusingly, and I can’t stop thinking about him. Mrs. Dunbar begins class, and still Mason is a no show.
When Mason finally shows up, it’s twenty minutes into the lecture. Mrs. Dunbar gives him a chiding look as he slinks in.
“How nice of you to join us, Mason.” Mrs. Dunbar says.
The class laughs loudly, surprising me. Usually, they cower if he looks at them, but it’s obvious something has changed. He sits, not giving me a glance. I study the back of his neck, trying not to remember kissing his smooth skin, and sliding my arms around that very neck. He doesn’t appear to have been physically attacked. There are no marks on him. Whatever the punishment is, it must be non-physical.
The girl behind me taps on my shoulder, and when I turn, she has a malicious glint in her eyes. “Did you hear?” she whispers.
I frown, wondering what she means. “Did I hear what?”
She flicks her gaze toward Mason. “He’s being shunned for thirty days.” Her smile is gleeful. “He’s fair game.”
Fair game.
She says it as if we’re on a hunting safari in Africa. He’s fair game. Meaning what? That he can be hurt? Hunted? Bullied? My stomach aches at the knowledge he’s in big trouble now, and it’s all because of me.
He did it to himself.
Of course, that’s true. He tried to play me, and I got him first. But still, I feel bad because I’m not someone who approves of bullying. I don’t care who’s getting pushed around, I find it distasteful. Even though I know he planned to do to me, what I did to him instead, I hate the idea of Mason being picked on.
I turn back around and face the front. Mason is still sitting the same way he was before. There is obvious tension in his shoulders, and I know him well enough that he’s probably worried. He’s probably afraid. Who wouldn’t be? The whole fucking school is out to get him. Jesus, how can his friends just turn their backs on him lik
e that?
I glance over to the guy next to me, and he gives me a thumbs up sign. I frown, not sure what he’s doing that for. “Good work,” he mouths.
My face warms, and I look away. I start noticing that a bunch of the kids are staring at me with what looks like admiration. What the hell is going on? Since when do the other students give me this much… respect? Mostly they treat me okay, but this is different. They’re looking at me like I’m their Messiah.
I’m relieved when Mrs. Dunbar doesn’t make us break into groups. I couldn’t imagine pairing up with Mason, not after what has happened between us. I still can’t get the image of him last night, tied up and naked on his knees, out of my head. I shiver, and try to push those lurid memories from my brain. We’re officially enemies now. I fired the shot that took him down, and he’s not going to forget that.
Why aren’t I angry at him? I can’t seem to drum up the appropriate amount of fury. He wanted to destroy me and humiliate me, but I still have a soft spot toward him. I know he deserves everything he’s getting. It’s not like I don’t know that. Yet, studying the back of his head, that same feeling of regret pushes through me. I’ll never get to hold him or kiss him again. I’m embarrassed to realize I’ll miss that. He was my first, and even if he was using me, he made me feel things no one else ever had.
When class ends Mason practically bolts out of the room. I watch him go, still conflicted about my feelings for him. One kid tries to trip him, but he’s too nimble, and he avoids the trap. I feel relief when he escapes the room unscathed. I need to get these wimpy feelings for him under control. He deserves what’s coming, and it’s not like I could even help him if I wanted to. I don’t have any pull.
I stand, and as I make my way toward the front of the class, the kids part for me. What the hell is happening? I give them quizzical looks, but they just smile and a few of them pat my back. The rest of the day goes on like that. Every class I enter, I get thumbs up and warm smiles. I’m bewildered by the special treatment. All I did was turn the tables on Mason, before he could get me. You’d think I’d thrown a bucket of water on the Wicked Witch of the West, the way the other students are acting.
