by Octavia June
Ethan was smiling at me, and Aaron let go of me. I glanced at Aaron, who was looking at me and licking his lips.
“Why don’t you wear dresses more often?” Ethan asked, and I let him wrap his arms around me.
My arms found their way around his neck as if they belonged there.
“I don’t know,” I lied.
“You don’t even know how beautiful you are, do you?” He was messing with me, wasn’t he?
He had to be. But then why did his eyes look so damn sincere?
Was it a lie or was it real?
I moved closer to him, as if testing him, my lips only an inch away from his.
Should I close the distance? Should I believe him?
He was smiling at me, as if daring me to make a move.
Ah, what the hell.
What did I have to lose?
I pressed my lips against his.
Instead of pushing me away, his mouth captured mine, his tongue pushing past my lips.
I was breathless for a few moments as he kissed me as if his life depended on it. My whole body was singing with it.
It wasn’t all a lie, was it?
When we broke apart, I stared deep into his eyes.
But then he spun me around, and I found myself in Zack’s embrace.
It was too dark to see anyone around us, and I had no idea if someone was watching us. I let Zack pull me into his arms, and I rested my arms on his shoulders.
Did he know that Aaron and Ethan had kissed me? Could he have seen it or did he think we’d just been dancing?
I knew nothing anymore.
We danced for a while, and then I felt Zack’s hand climbing up my thigh.
Under my dress.
I stiffened, and he pulled his hand away.
“Sorry,” he said, but a fire was burning inside me, brighter than ever, and my lips collided with his before I could even think about what I was doing.
His mouth responded to mine, and then he deepened our kiss, sending even more shivers of delight all over me.
What the hell was I doing?
Zack sucked on my lower lip, and I was sure a moan had escaped my throat.
When we broke apart, I was gasping for breath, my mouth tingling.
“My turn,” Rhys said as he appeared from the darkness, and Zack stepped away.
I stared into Rhys’ eyes as he tugged me toward him.
His arms around me, mine around him.
It all felt so damn natural and so damn good.
But I’d already kissed three boys tonight. His friends.
Why did it all feel right? Why did I feel as if I belonged with all of them? That just wasn’t possible, was it?
It wasn’t how things worked, and this was probably some kind of game they were playing.
But when Rhys’ lips lowered to mine, I didn’t give a damn what it was.
I just wanted to enjoy myself.
I wanted to enjoy this night and the way Rhys’ mouth felt against mine.
His teeth grazed my lip, and I let out a small yelp. The fire inside me was now burning with full force, and I had no idea what I was going to do with it.
What did they feel for me?
What did I feel for them?
It was all so damn confusing.
Or maybe it wasn’t.
Maybe I was just afraid that this was the biggest trap anyone had ever set up for me, and I’d fallen right into it.
I ripped myself out of Rhys’ embrace, and then I was running out of there.
Like a fucking Cinderella.
Except, at least I didn’t lose my shoe.
“Melody!” I heard my boys yelling after me, but I couldn’t stop running.
I didn’t want to.
I didn’t want to feel the way I felt.
But how was I going to stop it?
Chapter 39
MY STOMACH WAS FILLED with dread as I entered the school.
After I’d run away, I’d called my mom to come pick me up, and I hadn’t heard anything from the boys.
Maybe they were just giving me some space.
Or maybe it had all been a lie.
Maybe they were laughing at me right now.
As I made my way down the hallway, I realized everyone was talking about something and looking at their phones.
My throat constricted.
Oh no.
What if they’d posted something?
Well, what if Rhys had done it?
But even though multiple gazes lifted to me, no one reacted. It wasn’t about me, then, was it?
I stopped in front of my locker and pulled out my phone. If everyone was whispering about something, it had to be because of that damn website.
I opened the Ember High Journal.
And my heart dropped.
There was a huge article about Aaron, Zack, Ethan, and Rhys.
What the hell? But why would Rhys do that?
Was it all fake or what?
Except it wasn’t.
There was everything about Aaron’s drug test, photos of him smoking, and even a comment about his parents and what they thought about his weight.
What the fuck?
Zack’s family situation was out in the open too.
And the fact that Ethan was taking steroids so he’d do better. His brother was mentioned too.
Wait, why would Rhys post all this? Who else could know it?
No one, really. Except for me, but I obviously hadn’t done it.
What if I’d driven a wedge between the boys? What if they were at one another’s throats because I’d kissed them all? What if this was Rhys’ way of getting revenge?
Except, when I got to his part, there was everything about him too.
About his father.
About what he’d done for his friends.
My eyes went wide.
How the hell was this possible? Why would Rhys post something like that and put everyone, including himself, in danger?
It couldn’t be just because of me or whatever. No.
He hadn’t posted this, had he? But then who had done it? Who had gained access to his computer?
“You!” I recognized Rhys’ voice even before he slammed into me and pinned me against the locker.
Aaron, Ethan, and Zack were there too, and they were glaring at me as they surrounded me.
“What the fuck did you do?” Aaron yelled.
“How could you do that?” Ethan asked.
“We fucking trusted you,” Zack said. “How the fuck did you even find out about my family?”
“I didn’t...” Wait, did they believe that I was the one who’d posted that stuff? “I didn’t post any of that!”
“Don’t fucking lie to me,” Rhys said, his eyes flashing dangerously. “Do you know in how much fucking trouble I am right now? He’s going to kill me. He’s going to fucking kill me!”
“I didn’t do it!” I managed to say. “Please. You have to believe me. How could I even do it? I don’t have access to any of that stuff.”
“But you did have it, didn’t you? You found out about me,” Rhys said. “And don’t fucking lie because I know someone logged in right when you were using my laptop. Don’t deny it.”
“I’m not. I was trying to figure out who was behind the website, but I didn’t post anything. I swear.”
“Oh really? Then who else could it be? Your prints are the only ones on my laptop aside from mine. You went back there because you knew my parents weren’t home. That was why you ran like that from the party. And you posted all that shit that you’ve been collecting.” Rhys bared his teeth.
“That’s not true. I went home. Just ask my mom. She came to pick me up!”
“You could’ve sneaked out,” Ethan said.
“Guys, someone’s coming!” Zack said.
“You’re so fucking dead,” Rhys said before letting go of me.
I gasped for breath, my whole body shaking.
Someone had posted all their secrets, a
nd I knew it hadn’t been me.
So who had it been? And how could I prove to my boys that it hadn’t been me and that I’d never hurt them like that, not even to get revenge?
Sure, I might’ve planned it at first, but that had been before I’d known anything about them.
I closed my eyes for a moment.
What was I going to do now?
I had no fucking idea.
###
Want more?
Follow Melody, Aaron, Ethan, Rhys, and Zack in Bully Trouble (Bullies of Ember High, #2).
Reviews are very important to authors, so if you enjoyed the book, please take a moment to leave a review!
Books by Octavia June
BULLY SECRET
BULLY TROUBLE
https://octaviajune.weebly.com/