Chapter 10 Bite Back

“Has anyone ever told you that you look ugly when you frown?”

Stacey ignored the voice, knowing it was Derrick.

After she’d explicitly told him to leave her alone, she couldn’t understand why he kept showing up.

She dug the spade harder into the algae-soaked wall, her insides burning hotter with every scrape.

“Wait—you’re really going to ignore me?” he said again, surprise stretching in his tone.

She hissed under her breath and slammed the spade against the wall harder.

“Stacey, I’m talking to you.” Derrick’s voice boomed louder.

“What part of leave me alone don’t you get?” She spun around so fast she didn’t see the stone near her foot. Pain shot through her toe and she groaned.

“Sorry,” Derrick murmured, pity softening his features. He took a step, but she threw a glare at him causing him to freeze mid-air.

“You can’t go all day frowning, you know,” he said gently.

“Maybe if you understood leave me the fuck alone then I wouldn’t be in this position.”

Derrick blinked at her words, shock cracking across his face. His mouth parted.

“Are you really blaming me for this? Because I don’t understand.”

“If you stay away from me, then your queen will also stay away from me. She put me here!”

“We didn’t ask you to run away from school. Nobody asked you to.”

Stacey froze—stunned. Her mouth opened but only stutters slipped out.

Derrick dragged a hand through his hair, instantly regretting the words.

“Leave me alone, Derrick,” Stacey whispered, her throat tightening. She turned back to the wall, tears falling before she could stop them. She began scrubbing the wall again, this time her motions were weak and slow.

“I’m sorry, Stacey.”

She ignored him, her face inches from the wall.

“Stacey, please, I’m talking—”

His voice sounded closer, too close.

“Are you deaf or something?” she snapped, whirling around. The spade swung wide in her hand; Derrick jerked back, startled.

“Stay away from me, Derrick!” she yelled. “Don’t you get it? Monica dragged me here because of you! You know she likes you, yet you keep coming after me. Why? Is it until she asks me to mop the ground with my tongue that you’ll understand?”

Her voice rose with each word, frustration spiraling out of her chest.

“What kind of school is this? I get lost on my first day and now I’m being punished because I panicked!”

Derrick’s expression softened, pity clouding his features.

“Don’t put it that way, Stacey. You’re just facing the consequences of your own actions… and I’m sorry about it.”

“Okay, then leave me alone to face it.”

“I want to help, Stacey.”

“Do I look like I need help?” she shot back.

“I know you don’t. But I want to help. I feel guilty—like I’m part of the reason,” Derrick insisted.

He wasn’t used to rejection. Girls would actually throw themselves into trouble for a second of his attention. But Stacey? Stacey pushed him away like he was the problem. It unsettled him.

She shut her eyes, veins standing out on her neck as she pointed the spade at him. Her red hair glowed under the sun, and despite everything, she looked almost painfully beautiful.

“Stay away from me,” she said again—this time calmer, her hands trembling.

Derrick knew he should leave. But every part of him stubbornly wanted to stay.

“Stacey, calm down. You really can’t blame me for all of this,” he said carefully.

She turned away, exhausted. She moved back to the wall, ready to ignore him, when she heard a sound beside her.

She turned—and her stomach dropped.

Derrick was cleaning the wall.

Do people in this school not know how to leave?

She rushed toward him and grabbed the stick in his hand. Derrick held on tight.

“How did you even find me here? Go away!” She yanked the stick, but Derrick refused to let go.

“I have my way,” Derrick said, gripping it harder.

They wrestled with it for a moment, and when Stacey saw it wasn’t working—she leaned forward and bit him.

“Oh shit!” he yelped, stumbling back. “Are you a dog or something?” He clutched his arm where her teeth had sunk in.

“What is going on here?”

A sharp voice sliced through the field.

They both jumped, turning to see Monica and a disciplinary staff standing there.

“Why has this wall not been cleaned? It’s been over an hour,” the staff demanded.

“Ma’am, I’m on it,” Stacey stammered, her heart pounding. She shot Derrick a furious look; he quickly looked away, still rubbing his bitten arm.

“I’m sure she was busy with him,” Monica said, flicking her gaze toward Derrick.

“Derrick, are you okay?” the staff asked, eyes narrowing on his arm.

“Oh yeah,” Derrick said smiling too wide. “I think we have ants here.”

He threw Stacey a pointed look; she clenched her jaw and looked away.

“Monica reported violent action toward her when she instructed you to do your work,” the staff said.

“What, ma’am? I—” Stacey stuttered, disbelief choking her.

“You want to lie?” Monica lifted her wrist, revealing the red imprint of Stacey’s grip. Stacey’s eyes widened. She was dead.

“You know what that means, right? Harming a student?”

“Ma’am, I forgive her,” Monica said sweetly.

Derrick’s head snapped toward her, confusion flickering across his face.

“I just wanted you to caution her,” Monica continued. “So she won’t do it to another student. She couldn’t handle this place—I’m sure that’s why she reacted violently.”

She smiled at Stacey, fake and sugary. Stacey saw straight through it. But she was grateful… because Monica had her cornered.

“Stacey, you need to control your emotions,” the staff said. “You should have come to me rather than resort to violence.”

Stacey opened her mouth to argue but closed it again.

“You’re lucky she forgave you. We’ll leave it here.”

“Thank you so much, Monica. I’m really sorry,” Stacey said.

“You’re welcome,” Monica replied, smiling like a snake.

Derrick looked between them, the confusion on his face deepening.

“Get back to work,” the staff ordered.

“Derrick, let’s go,” Monica called sweetly.

Derrick walked a few steps before glancing back at Stacey—

not angry, not amused… but conflicted.

Like he wanted to stay.

Like leaving her there physically hurt him.

Stacey swallowed hard, her heartbeat thundering, a blend of relief and rage crashing inside her as she watched them disappear.