Chapter 19

Ava

I stare at Hunter, not knowing what to do or how to feel. I can feel the piercing gazes of everyone in the room on us, but no one says a word.

I am overwhelmed by the sweet gesture, and my heart swells, but I can’t let myself be happy. I can’t let him make me happy after what he did.

When I look at Hunter, there is hope and fear in his eyes. He looks so lonely, hurt, and desperate, and I feel conflicted. ~What do I say?~ I hate holding things against people, but I can’t just forgive and forget.

~Doesn’t he deserve to tell me his side of the story? Don’t I deserve to know?~

The silence that swirls around us is deafening. I rise to my feet and let my voice break the silence so that it doesn’t consume us like a tidal wave.

“I will talk to you because I need answers, but that doesn’t mean I forgive you.” My voice shakes slightly, but I hold his gaze so he knows I am serious.

Hunter looks disappointed but nods. He then passes me the bouquet, which I try to take without touching his hand—and without damaging the beautiful roses.

Hand pressed against my lower back, Hunter guides me out of the canteen as everyone watches. He takes me down the hall and into one of the empty classrooms, and I place the bouquet delicately on the table. The door ~clicks~ shut behind me.

Hunter takes hesitant steps toward me, and I unconsciously take two steps back. Seeing my movement, he stops in his tracks. Hurt flashes through his emerald eyes before it vanishes so fast I’m not sure if it was there at all.

“Princess, please let me explain. I didn’t kiss Jessica. She pinned me to the wall and kissed me; I didn’t even kiss her back. She only did it because you were there. I know she wants us to fight so she can have me back. I’m really sorry.”

I shake my head; he can’t be serious.

“You’re only sorry that I saw what happened.” Hunter starts to protest, but I continue, “However, let’s say what you’re saying is true. If she pinned you to the wall, I’m sure someone of your ‘talents’ wouldn’t have trouble pushing her off.”

By the end of my rant, my voice is slightly raised, but he doesn’t even flinch.

“I am telling you the truth. I couldn’t push her off because she threatened me, okay?” His voice is pleading, and it almost breaks my heart.

Almost.

My curiosity piqued but voice stern, I ask, “What did she threaten you with?”

Hunter hesitates. I know him telling me is a long shot, but if he ever wants me to trust him, he needs to start being honest with me.

“I can’t tell you, not yet at least. It’s not something I share with just anyone.”

“But I’m not just anyone!”

His words hurt—of course they did. Don’t I have a right to know?

“I’m not saying that; I’m saying that if I tell you—you might just leave. I will tell you but not ’til I trust you completely.”

I nod in understanding. He doesn’t fully trust me because I don’t fully trust him; the feeling is mutual.

I remember the girl that I saw on his Facebook page, but I bite my tongue to stop myself from asking about her. I know he wouldn’t answer me.

I grab the roses from the table and walk out the classroom door into the silent hall. Hunter follows, but I need some time alone to think over everything that he said. To figure out if it is even the truth.

I say “goodbye” to him and walk toward the lady’s toilets. When I pass my locker, I try to put the bouquet in, but it’s too big. Sighing in frustration, I grab the roses from earlier, place them in the bouquet, slam the locker shut, and march to the toilets.

In one of the stalls, I lock the door, place the flowers on the closed toilet seat, and lean against the door. Everything is a bit too much right now.

If what Hunter was saying is true, then Jessica has gone too far. I’ve had enough of letting her walk all over me and letting her make me look like a fool. It’s time for round two.

Hunter

I leave the classroom with my head buzzing. The talk didn’t go as well as I’d hoped, but at least Ava is talking to me now. That’s a good thing, right?

I know I could have damaged my reputation, but at the end of the day, I need to win this bet because I never lose. Ever. I feel my heart squeeze as my ego takes over, but I ignore it.

~I don’t like Ava like that; the only thing that matters to me is winning. I can’t let anyone hurt me again. All I need is a short relief.~

It’s been ages since I’ve given it to someone. Since I’ve had someone begging for me.

Sex is like a drug to me. I’m addicted, and now I’m experiencing withdrawal symptoms.

I’m dying to give it to little Miss Nerd. And if I can’t have Ava, then I don’t want to do it with anyone. If she found out, then I would never win this bet.

On the other hand, I never want to see her sad; I want to be the one to make her smile and laugh. Knowing I fucked up last weekend scared the shit out of me, and I knew I had to do whatever I could to make sure she wasn’t upset with me anymore. But seeing the pain in her eyes today broke me.

I hit one of the lockers on my right in annoyance and anger. One person can’t make you feel so many emotions, can they? Like you’re being pulled in opposite directions, and not knowing which one to choose, you get torn in half.

I keep punching the locker until it is slightly dented and my knuckles are bleeding. The sound of my fist on the metal keeps me going.

I hate that I feel this way—or do I?

I can’t let what happened to me with ~her~ happen again. It was the worst pain I ever felt, and I never intend to feel that way again.

Someone’s hand is on my shoulder, and I turn around so fast—hand raised to strike—that I startle Liam. His face stops me.

Liam knows he shouldn’t interrupt me when I’m like this because he can get hurt. Sometimes I can’t control my actions. I sigh and shake my head at him, and then we walk down the corridor in silence, not acknowledging what just happened.

We have some place to be anyway. We’ll get into a lot of trouble if we’re late.

Ava

I stand outside in the school’s garden, looking for poison ivy. When I find the plant, I take off my jacket and use it to pick some; I don’t want rash and welts to appear on ~my~ skin.

Afterward, I slowly walk to the parking lot, trying to look as innocent as possible. It’s not hard, since I spent most of my life being invisible, and I make it to the Queen B’s car without being stopped.

Because it’s a warm day, Jessica left her roof down, so I’m able to reach in and rub the poison ivy over her gear stick, hand brake, and steering wheel. I also rub it on the door handle outside the car. It’s nearing the end of lunch, and I didn’t plan on missing a lesson, but I need to finish this while I still have the guts to—even if Jessica never knows who did it.

Ten minutes later, I’ve covered the whole car as well as I can. Best-case scenario, she gets a rash. One can hope, right?

I smile at my handiwork one last time and then chuck what’s left of the plant far away from the car so it doesn’t cause any suspicion. That’s the last thing that I want.

I make my way back into the school as the bell rings, so I have to rush to get to class on time. As I barge past people, I try to make sure that the roses don’t get damaged.

By the time I get to my lesson, Mr. Low has already started teaching. I mutter an apology before taking a seat near the back. All the other seats were taken, but for once, I don’t mind because being in the back means that there is less attention on me.

Slumping into my chair, I pull out a pen and paper so I can take notes. But the lesson drags, and all I can think about is my conversation with Hunter and my prank on Jessica. I’m starting to regret what I did because I know if she finds out it was me, she’ll make my life a living hell—more so than she already does.

I sit back, gulp down my nerves, and try to focus on the rest of the lesson before the worry and guilt eat me alive.