3.

My eyes widened, and I looked at Mallory as though she was an alien because there was no way those words left her lips.

"What?" I asked. I didn't want to believe I heard her well.

"I'm serious. I want to apologise," she repeated.

"You want to apologise to me?" I asked again, eyeing her suspiciously as my walls barricaded themselves.

"Yes," she confirmed without any hesitation. "I tried to reach out to you after we graduated. I heard about what happened..." she trailed off when she noticed I stumbled back a few steps and probably went pale.

My breathing picked up as the memory flooded me. The blood. The look in my parents' eyes.

I shook my head, forcing the nauseating vision back. I couldn't. Not today. Not in front of her.

"Are you okay?" Mallory stepped forward to touch me, but I stepped away.

"Don't touch me," My voice was harsh, but I didn't care. She didn't have any right to act so softly in front of me.

"I'm sorry," she said gently. "I know this won't make up for what I did, but I promise, I mean it. I tried to reach out to you after it happened, but you changed your number and disappeared. I called Ronan, but he wouldn't give me your number," she explained.

I was surprised by her confession. Ronan never told me that she reached out, but I knew why. After what happened, they were protective and made sure I never got close to anyone who made me feel negative.

They didn't want to send me back there.

"You mean it?" I asked after a while. "This apology. You aren't trying to pull games?" I asked because I didn't believe her. Who would?

Mallory made my high school years a living hell. She and her friends were the reason why I wanted to disappear. They haunted my dreams, my classes, my entire life.

She nodded, and I had no other reaction than to laugh. What else could I do?

"This is fucking hilarious," I told her, beckoning to the space between us. "You want me to believe that the person who bullied me so badly that I was considering ending my life wants to apologise to me? Spill it, Mallory. Tell me what you really want."

"Nothing," she said. "I want us to be friends." She sounded so sincere that if I didn't know the type of person she really was, I would have believed her.

I knew better than to let her fool me. I knew she wanted me to drop my guard so history could repeat itself.

"I don't believe you," I told her. "You probably want to be friends with me because I am skinny, or you have another plan, but I don't want to be friends with someone like you," I spat, my voice dripping with every ounce of anger I felt.

"Let me prove to you that I've changed, Alora. I don't care what I have to do," she urged desperately. "I know I did a lot of stupid things, but believe me, I know how stupid those things were."

I studied this new Mallory. Did I want to believe her? Something was telling me that she had changed, but I couldn't unsee the mean girl who stripped me in high school and forced me to dance in front of the camera.

A twisted thought nudged me. I wanted to give her a chance, but not to be my friend. Maybe I should use her, treat her the same way she treated me. I wondered if I had the heart to do it.

After all, keep your friends close, but your enemies closer, right?

"I guess I'm curious to see how you've changed, but will your conscience let you stay beside the person you almost drove to death?" I asked her, and she flinched at my question.

"I'll make it up to you, I promise," she said with a shaky smile.

"Let's see," I muttered.

"Stupid Alora," the voice whispered snidely.

I turned and entered the class, and she followed behind me.

"Mal," someone called, and I looked up to see a beautiful Asian girl waving at us. She looked familiar, but I couldn't recall where I knew her from.

Mallory turned to me with a cautious smile. "Do you want to sit with us?" She asked, "I promise you my new friends are not like the old ones." She added as though she could read my thoughts.

"Okay," I shrugged, because most of the seats available were in front, and I didn't want to sit there on the first day.

If they tried to bully me, I should be able to defend myself. I wasn't the same weakling anymore. I hoped.

I followed Mallory up the stairs to the top, where her friends were waiting.

"Guys, this is Alora. We went to high school together," she introduced us. "Alora, this is Harvey and Hani. I met them yesterday."

Harvey was a cross-dresser with long blond hair and bright blue eyes. He was stunning with his light makeup and long lashes. Hani was beautiful, and I couldn't emphasise how much. She had long, black, wavy hair, brown eyes and a small face.

"It's nice to meet you," I said with an uncertain smile. I hoped Mallory was telling the truth when she said they were nice.

"Girl, you are stunning. You have the entire hall in a chokehold," Hani squealed, pulling me down on the empty seat beside her. "I wish I could be you right now," she whined while I just stared at her with wide eyes. Why was she so hyper?

I turned to look at the hall, and she was right. It seemed like everyone had their eyes on us.

"It's because it's the first day. They'll get bored soon." I hated how much I believed those words.

Mallory opened her mouth to say something, but she got cut off as the class became rowdy. People got on their feet, and whispers became loud.

I became curious and leaned forward to see the cause of the commotion.

There, at the front of the hall, making their way up the row of seats were two boys who looked like they would rather be anywhere else than here.

They strode through the hall, climbing the stairs, oozing confidence that was stifling.

The confidence and power that oozed from them were as frightening as they were alluring. I couldn't take my eyes off them, and the smug look on the one with a buzz cut showed he knew of the reaction they caused.

My eyes found the one in the middle. He had striking grey eyes that looked like winter on a dull day. He carried himself like a king, almost like he owned the world.

I wanted to look away, but I couldn't. He didn't either.

My eyes surveyed every inch of him. From his rugged look, with his half-buttoned top and the lip ring he was sporting, to the blank expression on his face. He looked dangerous but appealing.

Something screamed at me to look away, but I was trapped in his gaze.

Call it instinct, but deep down, I knew he was bad news. I knew that he was someone I should steer clear of.

"Shit," Hani cursed, pulling at my arms, which forced me to break eye contact.

"What?" I asked, surprised at the irritation in my voice. Why was I acting like this?

"You want to avoid that bunch," she warned. There was fear in her eyes, and it made me shuffle with unease.

"Why?" I asked.

"They are the Bastons," she explained. "The one in the middle and left, but even Mason Richards is just as deadly." I looked at her, confused. Was that supposed to be an adequate answer?

"What does that have to do with avoiding them?" My eyes strayed to the back to get a glimpse of them, but this time, Mallory caught my hand and made me look back.

These girls had to work on their answering skills.

I knew about the Bastons. Who didn't? They basically controlled the economy. Some people have even said they had ties to the mafia and decided who became the president. Stupid rumours, if you asked me.

"They are dangerous, Alora. I'm sure you've heard they have ties to the mafia. You don't want to get involved with them," Harvey finally supplied, but there was an edge to his voice, and I caught him as he glanced towards them briefly.

"Wait," I held up my hand as I realised something. "Why are you telling me this? Did I say I wanted to get involved with them?"

"You were practically looking at Kian with fuck-me eyes," Mallory deadpanned, and I flamed up. If that was possible with my skin tone.

"Kian," I said, testing the name on my lips.

"He's got her addicted already, and they haven't even talked," Harvey teased.

"No," his words killed the smile on my face. "I wasn't looking at anyone with fuck-me eyes," I huffed.

"Yes, you were," they chorused.

"Just avoid him, okay? He is trouble. All of them are," Mallory pleaded, but her eyes were hard.

"I'll try?" I offered because that was the only honest answer I could give, because of the desperation to get a second glance that was gnawing at me.

It was killing me. I wanted more.