Chapter 4

The bus jerks to a stop in front of Briarwood High, and the familiar wave of too-loud laughter, too-strong perfume, and way too many people crashes into me the second the doors hiss open. I sling my backpack over one shoulder and step out, scanning the courtyard out of habit.

My girls are never here at this hour. Ever. They treat “coming early” like a contagious disease, and honestly, I get it. I’m only early because I take the bus. So when I see them clustered by the entrance, bright, chaotic, and surprisingly awake for 7:30 a.m., I almost laugh.

Star spots me first. She nudges Milla and points, and suddenly all three of them are lighting up like they just found a stray kitten.

“Oh my God,” Pri says as soon as I get close, “she actually came.”

“I school here,” I deadpan. “Where else would I go?”

Milla ignores that completely. “No, like… You actually showed up ready to start World War III.”

“Good morning to you too,” I say, tightening my hoodie around me.

They’re all jittery. Not scared, just excited, nervous, borderline unhinged. Basically how I felt last night. Perfect.

“So,” Star says, crossing her arms, “what’s the move? You walking up to him? Starting a fight? Or just gonna glare at him until he combusts?”

“I’m gonna get in his way so he reacts, and then I’ll snap,” I explain.

“Dear God, keep my friend. Don’t let her down today,” Milla says dramatically, hands lifted to the sky. We all bark out a laugh.

“So, are you doing it now or later?” Pri asks. “Maybe he’s not even here yet.”

“He usually gets in around the same time as me,” I say. “So I’m doing it before class. And if you don’t see me in class after the deed is done, just know I ran for my life out of fear.”

Star bursts out laughing. “Girl, please. If you’re planning on skipping, warn us. Because if he doesn’t see you, he’s coming for us.”

“Oh, definitely,” Milla adds.

“You know I can’t miss class,” Pri objects. “My mum will kill me.”

“Like I always say, love,” I tell her, “she won’t kill you if she never finds out.”

Pri opens her mouth like she’s about to say something, but I don’t hear it, because I spot the devil himself, and my nerves hit me all at once. My palms go sweaty, my fingers start trembling slightly.

“The devil is around,” I announce quietly.

All three of them follow my gaze, and suddenly we’re dead silent. I don’t look their way, but I can feel them staring at me, waiting for me to do something.

Talking about this plan was one thing. Actually facing him? My throat dries up instantly.

“Chlo,” Star whispers.

“Shh.” I lift a hand without looking at her. If I look back, I’ll chicken out.

The quiet weirdly steadies me. It gives me just enough courage to grow a wing, one wing, not two, and before I know it, my feet are moving toward him and his group. I don’t know what I’m doing exactly; I’m praying something will come to me before I reach him.

He’s still a bit far off, walking out from the hallway. He must’ve gotten here early. His eyes land on mine, sharp and direct, and somehow I manage not to look away. I hold his stare all the way until I’m in his path.

Then I do it.

My shoulder bumps into his arm, hard enough to make him shift to the side.

I don’t stop. I don’t look back. I’m too terrified to see his reaction. The second I’m a safe distance away, I practically sprint to the girls' restroom, heart pounding like I just committed a crime.

I hear banging on the door a few seconds later, sharp and rushed, before Pri’s voice follows. “Chloe, it’s us.”

I push myself up from where I’d been sitting on the closed toilet lid, wipe my palms on my skirt, and unlock the stall. The moment the door swings open, the three of them slip inside like they’re running from the police. Their eyes are huge, worried, frantic. No one says a word at first, thank God, because I’m honestly not ready for whatever lecture or panic they’re holding back.

Star is the first to speak, her voice low. “Will your parents be home at this time?”

“Dad probably went to the bank already,” I say, trying to keep my voice steady. “Mum said she’d be home late, so she’ll probably be at the salon.”

“So we should go to your place then,” Milla suggests immediately. “It’ll be safer there.”

Pri hugs her arms around herself. “I’m scared,” she says, and the worst part is, she’s not being dramatic. She’s just saying out loud what all of us are feeling.

We crack the stall door open a tiny bit and peek outside. No footsteps. No voices. No one lurking. That’s all the permission we need.

We bolt.

The bathroom door swings shut behind us, and the four of us speed-walk down the hallway like we’re trying not to look guilty even though we absolutely do. Once we hit the gate, we break into a full-on run.

My house is a good fifteen-minute walk from school on a normal day. We do it in a little over seven.

And the whole time, my heart is thumping so hard I can taste panic in the back of my throat.

“Maybe you shouldn’t do this anymore, Chloe. Maybe you could just apologize to him and let it go,” Pri blurts the moment we’re safely locked inside my room.

Milla drops onto my bed like her legs gave out. “You should’ve seen the look he gave you, Chloe. We’re actually screwed.”

“I thought he was going to charge at you,” Star adds, pacing by my desk. “I was genuinely scared he’d hurt you. He almost fell, Chlo.”

Their words hit me one after another, and I can feel my stomach folding in on itself. I didn’t turn around, so I didn’t see his reaction. God, I didn’t even mean to bump him that hard. Hearing them now, it’s obvious he was way angrier than I imagined. What the hell have I gotten myself into?

But I’ve already crossed the line. Backing out now? Impossible.

“I shoved him already. There’s no going back,” I say, sitting on the floor because my knees feel weak. “If I go apologize now, it’ll just turn into something else. He’ll make it a thing. I’ll end up their personal clown.”

No one argues. No one even looks at me.

And that silence, yeah, that’s how I know they agree.

For a few minutes, none of us say anything. We’re just sitting there, all processing the reality that I may or may not have declared war on someone who absolutely did not need any more motivation to ruin my life.

Star finally breaks the silence. “Okay, so… how do we survive the week without getting murdered?”

Pri groans and flops backward on my bed. “Can we not start with murder? I’m already on the verge of passing out.”

“We have to be realistic,” Milla says, crossing her legs and sitting upright like she’s running a board meeting instead of panicking in my room. “He’s definitely going to do something. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon. He’s petty like that.”

I sigh. “You’re not helping.”

“I’m helping by acknowledging the threat level,” Milla argues. “Step one of survival: admit we’re in trouble.”

Star raises a finger. “Okay, fine. So we admit we’re screwed. Next?”

“We stick together,” Pri says, still lying down but now staring at the ceiling like it’s giving her divine guidance. “If he sees any of us alone, that’s when he’ll strike.”

“He’s not a lion,” I mutter.

“Chloe.” Star levels me a look. “He literally looked like he was ready to pounce on you. Pri has a point.”

I tuck my legs under me. “So… what? We form a human shield around each other all week?”

“Basically,” Milla nods.

“Until when? What about the classes we don’t take together?” I ask.

“This is not happening,” Milla mutters.

“I say we stick together whenever we can and pray we don’t die before the week runs out,” Star adds.

Pri shoots me a look. “Maybe you could have just said something instead of bumping him like you were in an action movie.”

“It wasn’t intentional!” I protest. “I was supposed to glare or say something cool. Not… shoulder-check him into the next dimension.”

Pri lets out a shaky breath. “I just skipped class, and I might die this week.”

Guilt punches me straight in the stomach. “I’m so sorry, girls,” I say, and I mean it. I dragged them into this mess. I was supposed to go down alone, but now it feels like we’re all about to take the hit together. I need to figure something out, fast. My friends shouldn’t have to deal with the consequences of my stupid plan.

Save me, while I ruin this devil… or he ruins us first.