A small group has gathered in the courtyard to watch him pick on me, and while he laughs at me, my eyes scan the crowd. There's Araminta, wearing an apologetic smile and shrugging when she sees me watching. She doesn't give a shit. She told me already she isn't a reliable friend - she takes whoever's side is more convenient.
"Oh, I suppose nobody's broken it to you yet," Lai goes on, advancing on me. "You're not one of us anymore. You don't get any special treatment from now on, Pandora."
"I never asked for anything from you," I hiss at him. "Only that you'd leave me alone."
"Well, tough luck." He tucks his thumbs in his pockets, smirking at me. "Your life's going to be hell from now on. I just hope you're ready for what we're about to do to you."
I walk right up to him, not giving a damn about the consequences as I jam my finger into his chest. "Haven't you already done enough, Lai?"
"Don't make me break my promise." His voice is a low, threatening whisper. "From what I've heard, you and Brantley made a little deal. You don't want me to break it, do you?"
I take a step back, hating that he's right. He smirks at me, watching my cheeks blush a deep pink as he waves me off. I mutter, "You're a prick. All of you are."
"Tell me something new." His attention is on another girl now, a gorgeous blonde standing by the entrance to Prep. "Got more important stuff than you to deal with now, little Pandora. Hope you have a great day at school. I have no doubt it's going to be... eventful."
I roll my eyes and push past the group of onlookers toward the entrance to the school. Lai may think I'm going to let them walk all over me, but he's got another thing coming. I'm ready to embrace my inner bitch, and get some serious revenge on their little boy gang. And I sure as hell won't go easy on them.
Lunchtime is a disaster waiting to happen. I walk down the food aisle with my hands shaking as I hold the platter of food. I have no idea where to sit. Araminta won't want me next to her now, and it isn't as if I've made any others friends. Dexter's nowhere to be seen, either, so I'm pretty much on my own.
With my teeth gritted together, I make my way to one of the empty tables, taking a seat and feeling like an outcast. I suppose that's what I am. What they've always seen me as.
I'm tucking into my food when there's a tap on my shoulder. I swallow one last bite of my hummus before taking a deep breath and turning around to see who wants to mess with me next.
Audra is staring me down, accompanied with a tall, burly guy who is currently stripping me naked with his eyes. On instinct, I fold my arms over my chest and glare at them both. "What do you want?"
"Good girl for asking," Audra purrs with obvious satisfaction. The bitch is going to just love messing with me now that I can't exactly fight back. "I’m assuming that means you're ready to serve us."
"Why the hell would I serve you?" I hiss. "I have better things to do than deal with spoiled little bitches like you, Audra."
"Hey, watch that mouth." The tall guy glares at me, his eyes filled with venom and his hands forming fists at his sides. "That's my sister you're talking to."
"Oh, so there's two of you." I roll my eyes. "Thank heavens for that."
"Just shut up, Pandora." Audra advances on me, but I don't shrink back. I'm not scared of some preppy long-legged blonde. I can take her just fine. "I heard you lost your Firstborn status."
"Old news," I wave my hand dismissively.
"Maybe so," she purrs. "Because I also heard you're without a status now. Which puts you lower than nearly everyone else in this town. Including me."
I raise my brows. "If you're suggesting-"
"Oh, I'm not suggesting." Her pretty blue eyes glitter. "I'm ordering."
"Huh? Ordering what?" I glare at her brother, feeling the eyes of everybody in that cafeteria on me. "For me to show you and your brother out? Because I'm sure everyone would just love to watch you get lost."
"Watch that mouth!" She's barely saying the words, it all comes out as a hiss, and I can't help but love the effect I'm having on her. "You're below me in rank, Pandora. Time for payback. You're going to suck his cock."
I look at her idiotic brother and shake my head, saying, "Uh, no thanks. Hard pass."
"It wasn't a question." Her brother steps up, once again practically drooling over me. "You know you have to do it."
"And if I don't?" I ask, daring him to take this a step further. He's good looking enough - handsome, rugged and tall, but I'd rather die than touch him.
"If you don't," Audra goes on, giving me a harsh look. "You pay the way everyone without rank pays for disrespecting someone like me. You get a public whipping."
"A public whipping?" I laugh out loud. "You have got to be kidding me."
"You really didn't read that manual very well, did you, sweetie?" Audra giggles in an annoying, girlish way, and nudges her brother toward me. "Go on, explain it to her."
"She's right," he mutters. "You have to do as you’re told. It's enough if one person reports it to the founding families. And as you can see there's quite an audience here."
"But that's fucking insane!" I grind out. "I'm not going to suck your dick in front of everyone here!" My eyes scan the crowd, trying to find an ally, but even the kitchen ladies won't look at me. Anger starts boiling inside me, but what's worse is the feeling of absolute helplessness against what they're about to do.
"I'm afraid you don't have a choice," Audra says, clicking her fingers. Some girl pushes a chair out, and Audra's brother sits down with his legs spread and his erection painfully visible beneath the fabric of his jeans. "Go on, Pandora. It's time to pay your dues."
I clench my fists and glare at her, my heart pounding as I try to work out my options. But I keep coming up empty. For once, I wish Easton's gang would be around, though I'm not so sure they'd be able to save me from this mess.
"What the hell are you waiting for?" the brother barks at me, palming his sizable cock. "Come on, get to sucking."
I decide to draw it out as long as possible as I try to come up with a solution. I take my time getting off my chair, slowly approaching the grinning prick who's still devouring me with his eyes. Audra smirks, watching us with a self-satisfied expression, and the whole cafeteria's staring. This is the moment of truth.
"I changed my mind," Audra purrs. "I think you should seduce him a little first."
"Why? He seems plenty excited already to me." I point to the guy's bulge. "Don't know if he can even last a second."
"Don't argue with me. Strip for him."
I keep glaring at her but she merely smiles at me, as if it's a perfectly reasonable, normal order. Then, I stare at her brother as I slowly peel my school blazer off my shoulders. He groans and I roll my eyes. I'm not even down to my bra and the guy's practically coming already. How pathetic.