CHAPTER TWENTY- TWO

ELLA'S POV

I grabbed her hand and pulled her from the office. We almost collided into a few lingering students in the hall. I didn't slow down until we were behind the gym, finally alone.

I bent over, hands on my knees as I caught my breath. Once my heart rate returned to normal, I turned to Susan.

"Okay, you need to tell me everything," I said gently. "Who is blackmailing you? What exactly do they have over you? And what on earth did you do?"

Susan wrapped her arms around herself, looking small. "I just can't, Ella! This is all too much. Please, it's better if you don't get involved. Just leave me alone to handle this."

She turned to leave but I stepped forward, blocking her path. "Absolutely not! I'm not abandoning my best friend to meet up with some creepy blackmailer alone. Now talk to me, Susan!"

Susan whirled around, eyes flashing. "Oh, so now I'm your best friend?" she scoffed bitterly. "Funny, I never felt like I still held that position lately."

I jerked back as if I had been