On Monday, I wait for Stone to leave first. I can't run into him after seeing what I did. How can I face him after that? Would we just ignore it and never bring it up? I would, but I don't know if he'll want to talk about it. Accuse me of being a pervert for just standing there, watching. Just like the girl in the library when I found her with Haeden.I liked watching.I shake my head and peek through the window once more, stiffening when I see him walk out. Once his car is out of sight, I begin my walk to school. I never realized how many students walk the same path I do, but now that they all throw different things at me, rocks or rolled up paper, it becomes clear that quite a few people walk to school. It's hard to ignore them when we're walking to the same place, but when I don't react, eventually most of them get bored and stop. Luckily I don't see Haeden, Kingston, Ivy, or Stone. I may not have seen Kingston or Ivy when I left yesterday morning, but I'm sure they were brough
Seeing the courts empty, I smile. It brings a little peace knowing I’ll be alone. And if not that, there's not enough people to drive me away. I walk under the bleachers, avoiding the mass collection of gum in one particular spot, and take off my sweater. I lay it on the ground, tossing my bag to the side and sitting down. Taking my phone out of my pocket, I set an alarm twenty minutes from now just in case I fall asleep again.I take out the project I worked on at Lucas' yesterday and continue on with my essay. We agreed to work on the presentation together once all our essays are finished. The more I do as soon as I can, the less time I have to spend with Lucas. Especially at his house.Loud laughter pulls my attention from the paper on my lap, and I cringe. Damn it, so much for being by myself. I glance up, squinting as the sun glares at me from above. My heart picks up pace when I see Stone, Ivy, Haeden, and Kingston making their way to the other bleachers across from me. “Plea
TRIGGER WARNING!!I drift back and catch Kingston looking at me. I freeze, is he upset at me for witnessing that? Is he going to come over here and demand that I mind my own business? However, he doesn’t move. He smiles, except it isn’t a nice smile. It sends shivers down my spine.“Ariella.” I stop walking down the hall, my shoulders slumping because… fuck, I'm just a few steps away from my locker when Mr. Williams calls from behind me. I hold in my groan and turn around, a fake smile lighting my face. “Yeah?” I ask, glancing back at my locker. He can take a hint right? “Step into my classroom for a minute.” He nods to his open door, strands of his brown hair falling into his face. And no, of course he can't take a hint, who am I kidding? This is the guy who gave me the word psychopath to define in front of the whole class. His glasses sit high on his face, and I tense. Looking around me, I hesitantly step inside. He doesn’t close the door all the way, much to my relief.“I want
TRIGGER WARNINGLupe and Maribel don't let me go, and they stay exactly where they are. If anything, their grip on me tightens.Kensey smirks. “Psycho or not, even you can’t overpower them. They are them, and you are…” She pauses and gives me a once over. “Well you’re you.” Her nose scrunches up in disgust. “Are you, perhaps, offering yourself up to them? Did you suck their dicks in exchange for one night of protection? To get away from your shitty life? Honestly, I'm just trying to understand because it doesn't make any sense."My face burns, from both embarrassment and anger. She doesn’t know anything. She doesn't know that Ivy came to me and offered her help. She doesn’t know that the guys want nothing to do with me. The image of me and Haeden kissing comes to mind, but it quickly burns away.If anything, he was playing with me. Why not mess with the vulnerable girl who's desperate for positive attention again?“It’s not like that,” I attempt to say, but pain explodes in my left ch
He tugs me, and when I start to follow, he drops my wrist.I jump in the back seat of the truck while Stone gets in the driver's seat and Haeden in the passenger. The leather on the seats are still intact, and the fabric for the roof is ripped off, revealing the metal ceiling. "Is there a reason why you both are skipping too?" I ask, eyes stuck to the way Stone’s bruised knuckles tighten on the steering wheel. I bet they would look so pretty around my throat. He pulls out of the school's parking lot, taking a left instead of a right, in the direction of our houses."Does it fucking matter?" Stone asks with a shrug."I guess not." I frown, looking out the window. I debate whether or not to bring up that he's going the wrong way, but he knows that. "What about Kingston and Ivy?" I ask, noticing their absence."Kingston can't ditch as much as we can. His dad won't let him." Haeden chuckles, but it lacks any humor. He kicks his feet up on the dashboard and sparks up another rolled join
Stone is quiet when he walks over to us. He stands behind my left shoulder, holding two shot glasses in his hands. He hands one to me. "Help for what?" I ask when he doesn't elaborate. I stare down at the brown liquid, watching as it sloshes against the wall of the glass. The smell is strong, and makes my mouth water in anticipation of the burn. The only time I ever drank was when I accidentally took a sip from dad's flask when I was eleven. Behind me, Stone tilts his head back and downs the alcohol. He hisses, eyes squeezing shut, and he walks over to the stereo. Haeden pokes a little at my eye, the swelling having gotten worse. "There doesn't happen to be any ice in the chest, is there?" He shakes his head. He lays his hands on my thighs, his touch burning my skin despite the layer between them. Behind me, the artist Jelly Roll begins to play. "I’m a fucked up person, Ella." He shakes his head, a sigh escaping him. He lifts a hand from my thigh and runs it through his hair. "Y
No, I shake my head and narrow my eyes. I won't let myself back down. I have to do this."Okay, Ariella." I puff out my cheeks as the air is exhaled from my lungs. "Starting from now, this is a new you!" The words lack the conviction I wish I had.Just as I'm about to give up once again and change back into what I wore before, grandma calls me from downstairs."Coming!" I shout. I take one last look in the mirror and shrug, it's the best I can do. I grab my backpack and head downstairs."- down soon. Can I get you anything to drink?" Grandma's voice reaches me when I'm halfway down. Standing on the other side, away from me in the living room is a woman with her blonde hair pulled back into a sophisticated bun. A few loose strands lay against her neck, grazing the gray blazer she wears. Under her grey slacks are a pair of black leather shoes with a skinny heel."I'm fine. Thank you," she answers back. Grandma gestures for her to sit, and after a small hesitation, she does."Grams?" I
When I step outside of the house, there's no sign of Detective Shae ever being here. My eyes are drawn to Stone's house, and I find him in his car, eyes locked on me. He raises his hand, beckoning me to him. Biting my lip, I make my way over. "Are you waiting for me?" I ask.Stone smirks, "Maybe." Then he frowns. "Who was that lady? She looked all formal and shit." "Well, if you haven't heard yet, then you will soon," I mutter as I glance down at the gravel path way. "She's a detective working my dad's case." "Detective?" Stone asks, eyes narrowing."Yeah, apparently he wasn't working alone," I mumble. Shuffling my feet, my eyes stay glued to the rocks as I get lost in my thoughts again. I just don't understand. All the victims died the same way, with their throats cut open. And besides the murder victims, my dad, and me, there was no one there. They must have left before I arrived then.Or they were hiding. Watching.The thought sends shivers down my spine. What if they kill ag