Total pages in book: 122
Estimated words: 115590 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115590 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 578(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Me: Definitely not
I settled back onto my pillow, closing my eyes, fully expecting another text any second. My phone remained silent, and a small tremor of anxiety tore through me. What if he was already on his way here? I typed out another message.
Me: Seriously, do not come here.
Seconds seemed like minutes.
Me: Zepp!
On a groan, I tossed my phone onto the bed, then threw back the covers. Pissed. All I wanted was to be left alone for a while. To not have to deal with people. And Zeppelin Hunt, of all people, was evidently the one trying to drag me out of my wallowing.
* * *
Dayton’s hallways seemed even more cramped than usual. The gossip about the fight at Max’s house and Barrington’s newly torched field still floated through the corridors like a bad smell, passing from one student to the next. I shouldered my way through the press of bodies, past the jealous glares of girls, and when I got to my locker, Zepp was waiting for me. One broad shoulder rested against the locker beside mine, and the look on his face said everything. He thought I was fragile. Fuck. I didn’t need this at eight in the morning because I was fragile, in a way I despised and could barely admit to myself. And I hated the idea that he saw it. I forced it down, putting on a front that I hoped would hold.
“Hey.” I twisted my combination lock, then opened the door, trying my hardest to ignore him as I wrestled my chemistry book free.
“Have fun setting fire to Barrington’s field?”
“That was Jade.” I slammed the door. “The locker room was me.”
“Little bit of a pyro, huh?” A smug grin spread across his face when he took a piece of my hair and twirled it around his fingers.
A touch of relief wound its way through me. His annoying little habit of touching my hair felt normal. Like maybe he would just let it go, and I could pretend none of this had ever happened.
“Maybe.” I forced a smile and started to class.
I made it three steps before I realized he was following me. He fell in line beside me, barely an inch separating us. Surely, he was not walking me to class? Zepp Hunt was not chivalrous. “Um… hi?” I said.
Instead of acknowledging me, he ripped the decorations off Chase's locker when we passed by, tossing them to the floor. He remained beside me the entire way down the hall, walking off without a word when I ducked into history.
I took a seat at the back of the class, opening my book and keeping my head down. It felt like everyone was staring at me, whispering, but I told myself it was my imagination, that I was paranoid. I focused on the words on the page until Chase dropped to the seat beside me.
“Careful. That might be social suicide,” I said, tracing my pen over the word slut someone had scribbled in Sharpie over the corner of the desk.
I expected Chase to say something that would make me feel better, but instead, he greeted me with silence. When I lifted my gaze from my desk, I met an angry glare. Chase’s jaw tensed, his stare hardened.
“What the hell is up your ass?”
His palm landed on my desk, covering the word slut when he leaned in close. “Did you fuck Harford?”
My stomach dropped. Of course, there were rumors. I wouldn’t have expected any less of the kids at Dayton, but Chase? I expected him, of all people, to defend me, not believe it.
“You did, didn’t you?” He shook his head, disgust evident in his tone. “Damn, Monroe.”
Shame quickly shifted to anger, forming a tight knot in my chest. Chase had no idea what had happened that night, and the fact he believed it so easily hurt. “Fuck you, Chase.”
“I thought you were better than the Barrington quarterback.” He pushed to his feet, his disgusted gaze holding mine.
“What did you just say to her?” A shadow loomed over my desk, and when I glanced up, Bellamy was squaring up to Chase.
“It’s fine, Bellamy,” I said.
“Wow. Harford. Hunt. Even got Hunt’s little minions running around after you.”
Bellamy smiled right before he nailed Chase in the gut. I might have felt bad for him if he hadn’t deserved it so much. Chase doubled over on a cough, and Bellamy grabbed the back of his neck, mumbling something in his ear before he sent Chase stumbling down the aisle.
Bellamy fell into the vacated seat, and we didn’t speak for the entire class.
I had expected gossip to be floating around—about the fight, possibly about Max getting beat up. What I hadn’t anticipated were the rumors defending Max and making me out to be a whore. Stupid me.
It was always the girl’s fault.