They start to move faster, and I don’t think I can stop this.
“Emmet, Aeron, stop!” I shout, as we all come to a halt. I can feel them all watching me, and splinter after splinter travels through my very being. I shouldn’t be talking to them, I know this, but what other choice do I have?
“Don’t hurt him, please. Just, take care of Tom.” I take hold of Thallon’s arm, which tightens beneath my grip.
“You're protecting him?” Aeron says incredulously, but I can’t look at them not anymore. And I know I can’t while I say this.
“Yes, because I belong to him. If you hurt him, then…” I can’t say it, but I have to. I’ll be around Shane tomorrow, and maybe this is the only way I can try to gain a little favor with Thallon. “... you hurt me.”
Thallon starts to walk once more and I match his steps. He doesn’t try to shake me off, and I don’t let go until we’re out of sight of them.
“You just protected me. It wasn’t really necessary, but you did it?” His face creases as he stares at me, but I look straight ahead.
“I’ve seen enough violence for today, I’d rather avoid seeing another beating. Even if it is yours.” I stare down at the ground and he doesn’t say anything else.
Now that I can agree with, the less we talk the better.
Sunday, the day of rest. Who made that up? Because it doesn’t seem to apply here. I can’t believe he made me sleep at the foot of his bed last night, everything aches, and I’m so damn tired.
Emmet and Aeron both saw me leave his room this morning. I wanted to tell them that it wasn’t how it looked, but I couldn’t. Thallon may not have punished me for speaking to them yesterday, but then again… the foot of the bed. Yeah, that could have been a punishment.
At least I now know I won’t be seeing Tucker get married on Saturday. I’ll still see him though, and I’m almost desperate for it. I don’t know how he is. Without him, I’ve lost the one person who didn’t judge me or hold his tongue. I’ve also lost the only connection to my mom, I’d give anything to hear her voice again.
I meet Thallon outside my door so I can trail behind him like an obedient little puppy to the mess hall.
“You know what, Little Mouse. I think you can eat at your regular table today,” he says with a friendly smile.
“Th-thank you Thallon,” I reply, staring at the back of his head as we walk in.
I grab my food and take my seat beside D, who can’t seem to believe it either.
“Are you allowed to sit here?” she whispers, and I nod my head numbly as I lose myself in the conversations taking place around us.
“I don’t understand it either, but I’m not going to complain. I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too. It feels like I’ve lost an arm of something,” she says dramatically and I can’t resist laughing.
It feels good to laugh, it’s been a while since I’ve done that as well. I can’t imagine this will last, but if he’s feeling lenient then I’m going to do whatever I can to stay on his good side.
“Do you want to catch me up on what I’ve missed?”
“Later, there are way too many ears around at the moment.” She glanced over her shoulder to the guys’ table and it doesn’t take a genius to work out who she’s looking at.
“How is Maddox? I haven’t spoken to him outside of class.” I push my scrambled eggs around the plate, my appetite completely shot to shit.
“He’s okay, worried about you though. We both are. Seriously, do you never catch a break?” She pulls me into her side and I rest my head on her shoulder.
Thallon may be trying his hardest to alienate me from everyone, but if I didn’t do that myself last year, well, then he’s got no hope.
We finish our food, or at least D does, when Thallon moves over to stand close to the doors.
“Ahh, fuck, what’s he up to now?” she asks, staring daggers into him, as if I could possibly know the answer to that.
“Calling all unclaimed girls, I have a little proposition for you.” He rubs his hands together in glee, and I look around to see a room full of curious faces. “I would like one of you to have a little fight with Two. The more you mess her up, the better.” He smiles wide, but it starts to fall as no one speaks.
“Come on, girls, don’t leave a guy hanging. This place is such a drag this time around, let’s have a little fun.”
“No offence, but she isn’t worth it,” someone calls out, and it’s met with a round of agreement.
“Seriously, there’s no one here who sees her for who she really is? A girl who hides behind a meek, innocent act, to get what she wants. All the shit you’ve been put through, while she’s skated by, and yet none of you want to show her what a joke she really is?” His mouth pulls into a scowl, and I’m worried about the punishment I’ll get later for this.
“She’s protected by Sir, no one is going to touch her. Do it yourself,” One says as she stands up and places her hands on her hips.
“Sit down, One, you’re embarrassing yourself,” Scott shouts out, and she rolls her eyes but does as she’s told.
“He won’t get involved in this, not as long as I don’t make her strip in front of you all,” he mutters something under his breath as his fingers clench and unclench repeatedly.
“I’ll do it, it’s about time someone put her in her place. What if she ends up in the medical center?” Twenty, of course she’d jump at the chance.
“So what? Isn’t that what it’s there for?” he replies, his smile firmly back in place as D clutches my arm.
“Luna, I’m scared,” she breathes out, but I don’t reply. I can’t, because I am scared, but it isn’t of Twenty. It’s of myself.
An hour later and Thallon leads me outside to the pool house, that has now been cleared out for my impending fight. I’ve got on a pair of booty shorts and a sports bra, because that is all he would let me wear. Twenty is dressed similarly to me, but she seems to be appreciating the attention, I just want it to go away.
“Don’t let her hurt you, Lu,” D says, as she passes me a bottle of water and I aim for a smile, but all I can pull off is a grimace.
I bounce on the balls of my feet, running through the reasons why I can’t lose control.
Don’t let what happened to Four happen here. I don’t want to do that again, I don’t want to hurt her, not really. God damn it, I’m a nice person! As long as she doesn’t say anything, I’ll be okay. I can take the blows, it’s the words that make me see red and black out. Ever since Poppy took it upon herself to teach me how to fight.
“You can’t keep being their emotional punching bag, you have to stand up for yourself.”
“I don’t want to h-hurt a-anyone, Pop. I can’t.” Tears swim in my eyes as I plead with her to listen to me, to understand.
“Being meek and a doormat isn’t doing you any favors. If you don’t hit back, they’ll keep coming after you. Just retaliate, they deserve it.” he pushes me and I stumble back.