by Rebel Hart
“Why don’t they hate you?” I ask bitterly, pushing food around on my tray as I glare back at them resentfully. “It was your dad that led everyone into this mess, wasn’t it?”
“What makes you think they don’t hate me?” he suggests, completely unbothered and chowing down on his sandwich.
I watch them more closely, noting how their expressions differ from him to me. They look at him with glinting eyes, hoping he’ll glance in their direction. They jeer and taunt at me, and I know they’re thinking I shouldn’t be the one sitting here with him.
“They have stars in their eyes for you,” I reply. “They look at me like a bug that needs to be squashed.”
Emmett shrugs and continues eating. His cavalier attitude about it all is maddening. I would have expected his possessiveness to make him act a little more protective over me than this, but I guess that doesn’t apply to ex-girlfriends. The growing uneasiness inside gets larger by the second. I’m not so sure I can carry on ignoring them if he’s not going to lift a single finger to try and stop it.
“Couldn’t you try some of the things you used to do to me?” I ask in frustration. “Blacklist her? Have everyone ignore her or make her life hell until she backs off?”
His eyes widen, and I cringe at the hint of disappointment in them. “For as much as you’ve shamed me for how I acted towards you, now you want me to do the exact same thing to someone else? That’s rich,” he answers harshly, throwing a crumpled napkin down on his empty tray. “You know I only went along with all of that because I had to. Those are Vivian’s kind of tricks, not mine. Also…it’s unnerving that you’d look down on all of those things until they serve whatever purpose you have in mind. Whatever benefits you.”
I want to cry as he gets up and walks away without saying another word. For one thing, Vivian and Lily saw him looking tense and angry before storming off, and they’re currently delighting in the whole scene. Second, he’s right. And that makes Lily right, too. One day by his side in this school, and I am no better than Vivian.
“Emmett, wait!” I call out, getting up to chase after him. Vivian and Lily erupt in mocking laughter as I go, but I do my best to ignore them.
He’s already back in the hall by the time I catch up with him. I pull at his arm, but he barely stops for me. “What the hell!” I snap, taken aback by his behavior. “I know what slipped out from me was fucked up, but why are you acting this way? You humiliated me in there in front of them when you knew I was already on edge!”
He's fuming as he stares back at me, unable to respond.
“It’s not fair,” my voice cracks. “You two treated me like shit. Am I still bitter? Hell yes, I’m bitter. This whole thing is fucked up. But why are you acting like I’m the bad guy for being upset over all of this?”
“How long can you punish me for all of that?” He throws his arms up in exasperation. “I’ve told you…I can’t change the past.”
“I’m not asking you to change the past.” I swallow hard. “I’m asking you to fix things right now! And you’re too busy placating Vivian to even listen to me!”
“Look, you knew Vivian would probably be back at school eventually,” he snaps back. “This is only day one. If you can’t handle it now…how’s this going to work? I thought you were ready to deal with things like this when you…”
“When I what!?” I thunder, slamming my fists to his chest. “When I got myself into this with you? Right, but I didn’t exactly get myself into it, did I? You’re the one who came to me and roped me back in.”
“You knew what you were doing,” he smirks coldly.
“Obviously not,” I fume before turning on my heels and storming off.
He quickly runs up behind me and grabs me, spinning me back around to face him. He shakes me with both hands firmly gripping my shoulders. “You didn’t know what you were getting into?” he questions. “Is that what you think? You didn’t realize this was going to be hard? Fuck, Ophelia. I’m trying my best…but you know who I am. You know what comes with me.”
“Vivian?” I raise my brow sharply.
“We have a history. Yes. But that doesn’t have anything to do with you,” he argues.
“It does when she’s marching up to us in the halls and putting her hands all over you while you do nothing!” I scream.
He quickly puts his hand over my mouth to muffle my voice and jerks me over to a corner. “Stop acting this way,” he demands. “Everyone is going to be talking about this.”
“I thought you didn’t care about what everyone thought anymore!” I shoot back, still defiantly loud. “You’re right…this is just day one of her being back. Day one of you being back. And things are already like this. This obviously isn’t going to work!”
“What do you need?” he softens and pleads with me. “Tell me what to do, Ophelia. I can’t lose you. I just want you to be happy.”
I look away, shaking my head. I don’t even know what I want now. He was right. I knew what came with him and I knew what I was getting myself into. And I am just as stuck as he is. I don’t want to lose him either.
“I just want her to know you’re with me,” I answer quietly. “That you don’t want her anymore.”
He leans in and pushes his lips to mine. I respond urgently, pushing my tongue in between his lips. He pins me against the wall as he’s sucked into the kiss, and we both lose ourselves there for a minute before he finally pulls back.
“She knows,” he pants, looking down on me intensely. “That’s why she’s acting this way. She knows what happened between her and me doesn’t hold a flame to what you and I have.”
“How do I know for sure?” I push. “How do I know what you had doesn’t hold a flame to this?”
“How do you not know?” he gapes, looking disappointed. “You really think this is all just some game to me? That I’m just jerking you around?”
I shrug, looking down to my feet. I know he needs to hear me say I believe in him, that I believe in us. But everything’s happening so fast with all of them coming back here on the same day. It’s too much to take in all at once, and I’m terrified of things going back to the way they were before.
“I know you think it’s terrible,” I mutter. “But if you could just put her in her place somehow. Make her back off…”
His eyes widen and his hands pull back. I wince in anticipation of an explosion, but he freezes. His face drops in exhaustion. He purses his lips to the side as he looks around and then back to me, not knowing what to do. I am backing him into a corner—one he’s not used to being in. I don’t know what Vivian did when she was jealous of me, but it didn’t matter. Emmett had already made up his mind by then that he’d be with me if he could. Now I have him, and I’m not going to let her take him away.
“I need everyone to know you’re only with me now. That she doesn’t matter to you anymore,” I continue, rambling insecurely, pushing him closer to the edge. I know I should stop, but I can’t. I am too exposed and afraid of her coming between us.
“I don’t have time to worry about this high school drama bullshit!” he fires back through clenched teeth, the muscles in his neck straining. “I thought coming back here today and being with you would help take my mind off things with my sister, so I could think more clearly about what to do next. But now I wish I’d just stayed home alone!”
“I’m sorry,” I offer lightly, still not entirely won over by his argument. “I know you’re under a lot of stress, I just…I just wasn’t prepared to deal with Vivian today, much less to see her teamed up with Lily. And I wish there was something you could do to make them lay off.” He looks around despondently, still not offering to help in any way.
I do feel guilty and try to convince myself this is all trivial stuff I should just ignore. But I know Vivian and what she’s capable of. If Emmett doesn’t put a stop to it, it’s only going to get worse from here. I stand in silence, deciding not to keep pushing him while he’s like this. He murmurs something and walks of
f, leaving me standing alone and feeling terrible.
Of course, when I turn around Vivian and Lily are standing right there, watching everything. As I go to chase after Emmett, I accidentally turn my unzipped bag in the wrong direction, sending its contents scattering across the floor, including an assortment of condoms and tampons—the two worst things to be picking up off the middle of the floor with Vivian and Lily leering over me. They erupt into giggles, teasing me as I struggle to gather everything back together, but I drown them out.
Chapter Four
BOOK 2
I turn to face Vivian and Lily’s pleased, judgmental faces, cringing over the satisfaction there after seeing Emmett and me fighting. Especially with me chasing after him as he stormed off twice in a row.
“Ready to give him up yet?” Vivian taunts menacingly. “Everyone knows he’s only with you out of some weird survivor’s guilt over everything that’s happened. And it’s only a matter of time before he realizes that, ditches you, and comes running back to me.”
For once, Lily seems somewhat bothered by Vivian’s remarks, but she still does nothing to come to my defense.
“You have no idea what you’re talking about, Vivian. So just back off.” I turn to walk away, feeling in no mood to get into another verbal sparring match with her.
“And you have no idea what he needs,” she shoots back before I can get away. “Things won’t stay like this forever, Sooner or later, Emmett won’t be in the position he’s in now. And he won’t know how to live without that kind of money and power. My family will be back on top and he’ll come crawling back to mooch off of us…”
She keeps rambling as I round the corner and push through the back doors of the school. I try to note everything she’s said to bring up with Emmett later. She could just be blowing hot air on false, narcissistic confidence. Or she could be alluding to what’s happening with Bernadette.
My stomach rumbles as I push through the chilly air, realizing I shouldn’t have been so quick to abandon my lunch and chase after Emmett. Now I’m cold and hungry and really have no clue where I’m walking to. I only know I don’t want to be inside of the school and run any risk of dealing with Vivian and Lily again.
Realizing I’m storming through the school yard aimlessly, I finally stop and take a seat beneath a large tree. Thankfully, the sun is angled in just the right way to provide some warmth as I rest my back against the bark. I close my eyes and lay my head back, feeling sick over how the day is going.
I didn’t expect Emmett to be back today but walking through the halls with him all over me felt redemptive in a way. It felt like the rest of the Elites had fallen down to where they belonged—shamed, out of sight, and out of mind. But then Lily and Vivian had to pop up out of nowhere, and now Emmett and I are fighting. Right in front of them at that—giving them just the ammunition against me they needed.
Why couldn’t Emmett have just told them off? Who cares what Vivian wants or doesn’t want…what about me and my feelings? I’m frustrated that my needs always seem to come second to hers, even when she’s not his girlfriend anymore.
When I first came to WJ Prep, I was captivated by the Elites and their endless, tormenting games. Caught up in their maze, never knowing what to expect next, but it was never good. Then Emmett took me prisoner, and I thought once I was free that would be the end of it. But he still has me held captive. I’m starting to wonder if I will ever be free. Even if things between us end one day, I can’t imagine not being haunted by all that has happened between us.
“You’re in my spot.” A guy’s voice suddenly pierces through my circling thoughts.
“Excuse me?” I shriek back, bolting my head forward in expectation of yet another bully waiting to strike. But instead I’m surprised to see Malcolm Henderson standing there with a gentle smile on his face. “Oh, it’s you. I haven’t seen you since…” I trail off, remembering the eerie night when he and his father, supposedly by order of my father, met with me in an abandoned warehouse out in the middle of nowhere. It was right after that Emmett and his cronies ended up taking me captive.
Malcolm Henderson and his dad, Liam, are the owners and founders of a software company that services the Jameson Automobile Company. Malcolm and Emmett are already ex-friends who don’t like each other, but I have been especially curious to see how things turn out now that Emmett is in charge of everything. The Jameson Automobile Company used Malcolm’s software to run extortion rings of politicians, and modified it to create a black market for underage girls. A sex trafficking ring.
Malcolm is tall and slender with creamy pale skin, sandy blonde hair that he keeps spiked up, and kind, pale blue eyes. His chest is narrow, but chiseled, and sits on top of long legs that spider out around him.
“I hear it’s been quite eventful for you since then.” He smirks sympathetically, nodding to the sunny seat in the grass next to me. “Mind if I join you? I normally hide out here to eat lunch.”
“Sure, but only if you’ve got enough in there for both of us.” I eye his full and unopened bag of McDonald’s, thinking how ironic it is for him to be eating that considering that’s where I was ordered to go alone before he picked me up.
“I believe I just might.” He smiles before spreading out on the ground and opening the bag.
“How did you have enough time to pick that up, anyway?” I ask as I accept a small handful of fries.
“One of our assistants brings it to me every day,” he explains casually. “I promise it’s not always fast food though. Sometimes they bring food from the cooks in our kitchen at home. You know, healthier stuff.”
He talks about it all as if it’s so ordinary. I wonder if he even has a clue that the average home doesn’t come with assistants for food delivery or a kitchen full of private chefs. “Healthy is good.” I nod awkwardly, feeling suddenly in way over my head.
“I’m just kidding.” He bursts into laughter. “I skip out early on third period, just long enough to go grab something and bring it back here where I hide out to eat.”
“Oh...sorry…” I laugh uncomfortably. “I guess I just thought…well…”
“That I was that spoiled and rich?” He grins.
“Aren’t you?” I blurt coldly. I almost feel bad, but really, I’m genuinely curious.
He nods bashfully. “Okay, fair enough.” His face lights up as he looks over at me with perfect shining white teeth. “True…my family does have enough money for things like chefs and assistants. And we do have those things, but we weren’t always so rich. We never got into the habit of relying on those things too heavily.”
“Ah,” I grunt as he hands me one of the burgers from his bag. “New money?”
“It’s what the Elites hate about us,” he answers frankly. “But I’m sure you can relate. Your dad has money, after all. And he’s just as despised by the Elites…especially now.”
I shift in the grass, wanting to talk about anything besides my father. Especially because I have no idea if Malcolm is someone I can really trust, or how connected he is with Theo.
“My father probably does have money, but that doesn’t have anything to do with my family,” I confess bitterly. “My mom and stepdad have always worked their asses off to support me on their own. I’m sure our lifestyle is nothing like what your family has grown used to, but I’m not complaining. We’re happy. At least as long as Theo and the rest of the Elites stay out of our lives, anyway.”
Malcolm purses his lips in a grimaced nod before taking a big bite of his burger. We eat like that in silence for a moment until I finally start to feel a little pathetic for sounding so bitter.
“I’m sorry if you and your dad are really close to Theo or whatever,” I add, embarrassed, realizing I’ve probably already said way too much. “I just don’t have the best first impression of him.”
“Just distant business partners,” he says softly. “Don’t worry. You’re allowed to hate your father. I wouldn’t like him either if I were you.”
&nb
sp; I’m taken aback by his understanding, which is more than I’d expected. “How much do you know about everything that happened after we met with your father that night?” I ask him, feeling on edge thinking about just where he falls into all of this.
“Well, I’m sure your perspective would take the cake” He raises his brows. “But I don’t expect you to tell me anything. I wouldn’t put you in that spot. I’ve heard enough to piece things together. My father and I didn’t know everything Theo had planned, but after hearing about what happened to Emmett’s dad…we made assumptions…ones that are probably pretty accurate.”
I grow quiet, wishing we could change the subject. The fact that he said ‘what happened to’ Emmett’s dad gives away the fact that everyone is well aware it wasn’t a suicide, and he obviously has his own conclusions about my father’s involvement. I want to stay as far away from it all as I can, so I go back to eating without saying a word.
“I guess it’s no wonder I never see you around school much,” I blurt finally, blotting food away from the corner of my mouth. “If you’re always hiding out here for lunch.”
“I try to stay out of all the bullshit around here,” he replies.
“I thought it had all calmed down,” I murmur. “Until today.”
“Yeah, I thought I saw Vivian lurking around earlier,” he offers empathetically.
“And Lily…who is apparently her new best friend,” I add, with a resentful slump.
“Ah, so I guess the rules of who runs the school still change overnight” He laughs. “Why am I not surprised?”
“I don’t know how all of you put up with it.” I shake my head and crumple an empty burger wrapper in my hand before shooting it into the nearby bag. “I haven’t even been here a full semester and I’m already over it. I can’t imagine growing up like this.”
“I didn’t grow up like this,” he reminds me. “But it wasn’t much better where I’m from in California. Worse maybe, because there were more people with even more money. Imagine ten groups of the Elites all battling it out with each other.”