by C. R. Jane
I stare out after her as she vanishes into the river of bodies. “Mercy,” I call out, unable to understand why she keep listening to them when I need her by my side.
Alexander grabs my hand. “Adeline, come with me.” His words are serious and haunting.
He starts dragging me down the hallway, students seemingly part for us.
“You’re hurting me.” I pry at his iron fingers around my wrist, but I can’t unlock them. This isn’t the same guy who I spent time with at the party in the woods or over the last few days. Now a stranger hauls me like I’m not worth an explanation of where he wants me to go.
“Shut up.” He swings around, and his eyes fix on mine. “Stop talking and come with me.”
We’re off again, and that familiar sensation washes through me, but I struggle to remember where I sensed it before.
I fight against him, wrenching my arm, but he hauls me into a dim room and the door shuts with a bang behind us.
He turns on me. “Why don’t you listen to me?”
But I’m distracted to find Dante, Finn, and Nyx standing behind him. “Why am I here?”
No one answers, but they stare at me and silence falls between us.
“Look, I’ve had a shit day and I’m trying to be polite, but if you don’t tell me what’s going on, I’m leaving. And if you try to stop me, I’ll scream bloody murder.” Hooray for me standing up for myself, though in truth I’m trembling to have four of these guys watching me with such stoic expressions, revealing nothing. They remind me of statues, just standing there.
“Did you think we wouldn’t find out?” Alexander asks snidely. “How many teachers have you gotten on your knees for since you’ve been here?”
My mouth falls open at his statement. “Are you serious?”
His eyes narrow and he glances over me disdainfully as if everything that he liked before he no longer does. “It’s a shame that such a whore comes in such a pretty package.”
I tip my chin up, and his expression darkens. His hand lashes out and grabs my arm, fingers digging into flesh. “But Mr. Dusk, really? Is this some kind of competition between you and Clarissa about who can deep throat better? Newsflash, I don’t think you won.”
I shudder, shaking my head. “What? How can you even say that?”
He’s not releasing me, and with how hard he’s squeezing, tomorrow I’ll bruise.
“We thought you weren’t like the others,” Nyx says cryptically, and I’m rocking on my heels with shock.
“Clarissa lied. I would never be with a teacher. And I can’t believe you’d assume I would.” So many emotions throttle me, and I fight the feelings choking me. For me, it’s the betrayal in their accusations that rips me apart.
When I look over to the other two guys for any help, they stand there with heartless stares on their face. I’d prefer a knife to my skin than their coldness.
After the past few days, I thought things had changed, that we had something special. But I made a mistake, made myself believe they cared.
My mind is on fire while in my heart I feel abandoned. And betrayal sits heavy on my chest.
“Want to try out your skills right now?” Alexander asks flippantly as his hands go to his belt. “I can pay if that’s your thing. I probably can even get you better grades.”
My whole body shakes with fury, but he simply laughs, releasing his belt and shoving past me. I stumble and hit the wall with my back.
The three others start to follow him.
“He didn’t do anything to me. We weren’t together,” I cry out after them. “You have to believe me.” I pause and take a breath. “If you walk out that door whatever it is we’ve been doing lately is done.”
Alexander scoffs, turning around as his mouth twists into a grim frown; fear slides into my chest. He walks back over to me until he’s towering over me, staring down at me. I start to shake. The pain etched deep in my chest hurts so much that I can barely breathe.
There’s a tightness in his face as he stares down at me, as if every move he makes is like a ticking bomb about to explode.
“You’re a fool, princess, if you think anything even started in the first place. You’re so beneath us that we don’t even see you.”
I open my mouth to try and reply, but nothing comes out. He smirks at me and leaves, the others following behind him silently.
They don’t even see me.
He knows that out of everything he could have said, those words cut the deepest. I let myself start to fall for them. I believed they felt the same, but I was just fooling myself.
And I won’t make that mistake again because apparently, I’m just a ghost girl, and I’ll always just be that.
It’s a long walk back to my dorm.
Chapter 13
The next couple of weeks pass by like a dream. Days blur into one another, and my time at Raven Academy becomes routine. Sleep, eat, go to class, and homework.
Clarissa keeps her distance from me, as do the four guys, and it’s still hard to comprehend that this is actually happening. Clarissa’s prank succeeded in turning them against me. I can no longer look Mr. Dusk in the face during class, and I keep my head low whenever I walk around campus. I’ve become the invisible girl once again. And I hate it.
I glance outside and see that the skies are bleeding red as the sun sets. My stomach rumbles, and I step into my boots before heading out to grab dinner. Dressed in jeans and a black tee, I feel semi normal. Mercy always makes me smile and forget the heaviness in my chest. Rejection stung, and I have to keep reminding myself why I’m here. It’s not to meet guys or get my heart shattered.
Outside Mercy’s door, I raise a hand to knock when I hear her speaking to someone, and I swear I hear a male’s voice too.
I rap my knuckles on her door, and the chatter dies. Something shuffles and footsteps tap close from within the room before the door opens.
Mercy’s cheeks are flushed as she leans against the slightly ajar door, wearing a sexy red silk robe that’s very unlike her. I can’t stop staring at her outfit. “What are you wearing?”
“This old thing?” She looks down at herself. “Just a robe.”
“Pretty sure it’s a robe someone might wear when they are about to seduce someone.” I say with a giggle, and she blushes.
“It’s pretty hot, right?”
“Yes! So, who have you got in there with you?” I peer in past her.
She opens the door wider, and her curtains are billowing from the open window. “It’s just me.”
I frown. I swear I heard someone.
“Okay...Feel like putting some clothes on and grabbing dinner with me? Heard the cafeteria is serving Italian tonight. Lasagna, pizza, tiramisu,” I ask hopefully, not wanting to eat by myself.
She’s shaking her head before I finish my sentence. “Gonna skip tonight. I’ve been snacking in my room all day while I study.” She’s bouncing on her toes, obviously eager to finish our talk.
“That’s four nights in a row you missed dinner. Are you on a new diet you didn’t tell me about?”
She fake laughs. “No way. I’m perfect the way I am.” I love her attitude and miss spending more time with her.
“How about I come over after dinner and we can watch a movie or something?” I ask, feeling strangely like I’m being needy.
She hesitates, and I can’t help but feel she’s coming up with an excuse to push me away like everyone else. It figures I would lose her too.
“Look, it’s okay if you’re busy.” I start to turn away, but she grabs my hand.
“Adi, that’ll be nice. Maybe bring me back some tiramisu?”
I offer her a smile. “You bet.”
I leave, heading down the hallway, her door closing behind me. I glance back and can’t work out what’s been going on with Mercy this week. Even during class, she’s distant and not very talkative. And she always seems tired. Plus...what’s up with that red robe?
Despite the Italian theme, the cafeteria
in our building has maybe a dozen students. All scholarship ones. The accordion and bagpipe music fill the room, and I decide to sit near Bethanie who’s huddled over a textbook while she eats.
She offers me a smile but keeps to herself during the meal. I scarf down the lasagna and garlic bread, nothing like drowning myself in carbs to make me feel better.
I glance over at Bethanie as I eat, remembering Mercy saying Bethanie was having sex in her room a few weeks ago. The girl in front of me is shy and can’t even look at me without blushing. There’s no way she’d have guys in her room after hours. Maybe she’s a sleep walker or has night terrors? Anything is possible and a lot more plausible than Mercy’s theories.
“What are you studying for?” I finally ask to break the ice. I cringe at my crappy question.
Bethanie looks up from her plate of spaghetti. “History. I want to be an archeologist like my dad, so I try to study as much as possible.”
“Oh, that sounds exciting.”
She starts telling me about his job, how he travels around the world, and I listen to her while I finish my meal. It’s nice not to have to eat alone, anything is welcome to get me out of the dark thoughts I’ve had as of late.
“Just so you know, I don’t believe the rumors about you,” she suddenly says.
I smile at her. “Thanks. I appreciate it as everyone else seems to believe that recording was real.”
She stuffs a spoonful of vanilla panna cotta into her mouth and nods. “Once people pigeon hole you at this school, you’re stuck in that role. Me, I’m the nerd who only has my nose in books, meaning I’m boring.”
“And me,” I swallow hard. “I’m the school slut apparently.” I whimper on the inside at saying those words out loud, a fresh wave of hatred for Clarissa floating over me.
“On the bright side,” Bethanie said. “Mr. Dusk is so dreamy and he’s denying the accusations.”
“You asked him?” I flinch in my seat, dropping my spoon so that it clatters on my plate.
“Gosh, not me. A few of the other girls in class asked, and he told the whole class it was untrue and to stop talking about it or they would get detention.”
It never occurred to me until now how it must be affecting him. I wasn’t the only one drawn into this mess. His response tells me he may not have been in on the prank with Clarissa after all.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned while at Raven Academy, it’s that everyone is replaceable. I used to have a couple of friends, but now we barely talk and just go to class and back to our rooms. Half the time, I don’t know where the time went.” She laughs softly and starts getting up. “Well I’ve got a pop quiz to study for,” Bethanie says as she starts to walk away. “Thanks for talking to me. It’s a nice change.”
“Anytime.”
She walks out of the room, and I feel bad I haven’t made more of an effort to speak to her earlier or spend time with her. I should change that.
Loaded with four tiramisu packs, I sneak out of the cafeteria, eventually making my way back to Mercy’s room.
I knock on the door. “Hurry up girl, I’ve got treats!”
No response.
“You better not have ditched me.” I bang louder and still nothing. Balancing the desserts cradled in one arm, I try the handle. Locked. When I press my ear to the door, I hear no sounds or voices.
Well that sucks... Evidently, I’m now being ditched by who I thought was my best friend.
Bethanie’s words come to mind. Everyone is replaceable. She lost her friends, was this happening to me? Mercy and I had become really close, and then in the past week, she’s changed.
I trudge back to my room, ready to devour all four servings of tiramisu. If I’m going to feel sorry for myself, then I’ll do it with cake.
Most of the night I’m restless, either from eating all of the dessert or from Mercy ditching me. I shouldn’t be upset as she has a right to do what she likes. We’re not connected at the hip, but she could have at least told me she didn’t want to hang out.
And why does it feel like she’s keeping a secret?
Dressed in my school uniform, I pull on a blazer as the cold is seeping through the corridors today. I march to Mercy’s room to confront her. If she doesn’t want to be friends, fine, but I deserve an explanation.
My quick footsteps carry me over the rug running the length of the hallway in our dorms, and I reach for Mercy’s door only to find it slightly ajar. She must have had a big night if she couldn’t even shut her door after whatever party she attended.
“Mercy,” I call out through the gap but there’s no response. I tap it open with my foot and the door swings open.
At the foot of the bed on the floor, I find Mercy laying on her back, still in her red gown, her legs bent widely, showing too much thigh. She looks disheveled like she might have fallen out of bed and stayed there.
My brain shudders at what I’m seeing, and I forget to breath. I run to her, crying out her name.
I drop to my knees alongside her. “Mercy, wake up.” Placing two fingers to her throat, I feel for her pulse. It’s there, but it’s so faint and slow.
Had she been taking drugs? I remember the guys said something at the forest party about Mercy having taken too much, or something along those lines. Is this her secret? She’s an addict? And she’s now overdosed?
Panic grips me, and I jolt to my feet, scanning the room for anything to help my friend. Maybe a sign of what she took. Except, only the morning breeze blows into the room, the lace curtains billowing wildly. I grab my phone but have no clue who to call as I don’t really talk to anyone else.
I run out of the room; my sights set on the main office.
My heart races. Please let her be okay. Please.
Around the next corner, I run into someone, my face smacking into their hard chest, and I rebound, stumbling.
“Watch out,” I cry.
His hand snatches out and grabs mine, steadying me.
“Hey, I got you.”
I stare up at the angelic face, his ice blond hair, and those green eyes that might melt my very core. Except, he’s not an angel but a devil.
“Finn,” I snarl and rip my hand out of his. All I can remember are his accusing eyes, the judgement in his face weeks ago when he and his friends confronted me over Clarissa’s lies. “What are you doing here? Isn’t this dorm building beneath you?” I mock.
But he doesn’t attack back, his eyes are soft and gentle. “Are you okay?”
I push past him. “No, no I’m not okay. My friend is unconscious in her room and I need to find help fast.” My voice cracks and my throat is tightening. I don’t need to deal with the pain still raw in my chest or their betrayal now or ever.
He grabs my hand and forces me to stop my tracks, to face him. “Where is she? I can help?”
The desperation expands inside me, ready to pop. I need help for Mercy now, and maybe this is faster than trying to track someone in the office down before school hours.
“This way.” I turn and run down the hallway, Finn on my heels.
In the dorm, I fall by Mercy’s side again and take her hand in mine. “She has a pulse, but it’s so weak. Please, can you help her? I think she may have overdosed.”
“Did you see anyone leave her room?” He kneels down and tucks his arms under her knees and back before lifting her with ease as if she weighs nothing.
“I haven’t seen anyone. Last night she didn’t want to come to dinner, and I thought I heard someone in her room, but she was trying to hide whoever it was from me? Do you think it was her dealer or something?”
I push the robe over her exposed thighs to cover her, and I rush alongside Finn. He moves with swiftness, out of the building and crossing the lawn toward the main building, barely breaking a sweat despite carrying Mercy. I’m huffing at the fast pace we’re moving.
The wind ruffles my hair, swooping under my skirt, and I push it down before I flash anyone. “Where are we going?”
; Finn is concentrating and moving fast down the hallway, taking the steps down to the underground level. We make so many turns and twists, I have no clue where we are.
He finally stops in front of a black door and knocks with his foot several times, all the while I’m gasping for air. “Is this where the school medic is?”
The door opens and I’m staring at Professor London wearing black pants, buttoning up his shirt, his sculptured and hair-free chest on display. I’m lost for words, not sure where to look, but thankfully, his focus is on Mercy.
“We have a problem,” Finn says, and Professor London waves us inside his room.
For some reason I expect his room to be extravagant, but it’s simple. The windows are covered by thick curtains, and a small lamp on the bedside table illuminates the unmade king-sized bed. I can’t stop my mind from picturing him in there, naked, stretched out. I’m suddenly burning up despite the tenseness of the situation. I hurriedly push those thoughts away as Finn lays Mercy on the mattress.
“What happened to her?” Professor London asks tensely.
I’m shaking my head. “I found her unconscious in her room. I don’t really know. Maybe she took drugs?”
“She had someone in her room last night,” Finn adds, and the two men exchange knowing looks.
“What’s the significance of that?” But no one hears me as Professor London marches into a small kitchen, and Finn darts into the bathroom as if they’ve exchanged what to do without speaking.
“What’s going on?” I ask again as Finn hurries back to my friend’s side with a damp towel in his hand.
“Just let us do this, she’s very sick.”
I recoil, wrapping my arms around my middle. The walls of the room seem to close in around me.
“Wake up,” Finn says softly while dampening her neck with the wet towel.
“Is she awake yet?” Professor London comes into the room, carrying a cup of something, and stands on the other side of the bed.
“Not yet.” Finn holds her head and lowers his face so close to my friend, that at first, I think he might kiss her. “Mercy, wake up.”